THIS T.W. Paterson Was Rich!
I wasn’t always T.W. Paterson. Until age 16 I was just Tom–or Thomas if you were senior, in a position of authority or, as often was the case, you were my teacher and I was in your bad books.
That changed with my becoming an author. Note author, not writer–it has so much more cachet when you’re young, just starting out and desperately wanting to achieve not only success in the tangible sense, but ‘respectability.’
And Tom, although it came to me honourably and in remembrance of both my maternal and paternal grandfathers, just didn’t make that standard. At least, not in my mind. I craved something more dignified. There was no using a pen name when it came to writing non-fiction hence the use of my initials with my first published pieces in American magazines and what was then The Daily Colonist.
T.W. who–?
Hence, too, my being asked one afternoon by Bessie Forbes, social editor for the Victoria Daily Times (published in the same building, down the hall) if I was related to the former lieutenant-governor, T.W. Paterson. (She’d noted not just the initials but the one ‘t’ in Paterson.)
The first T.W. Paterson who made his fortune in railway construction and went on to become lieutenant-governor of British Columbia.
Without admitting that I’d never heard of him, I replied that I doubted any connection, which proved to the case when, years later, I finally got around to researching the man who first went by T.W. A successful–very successful–businessman, he’s the ninth dignitary to hold this vice-regal office (1909-1914). Much to my disappointment, however, his initials stood for Thomas Wilson Paterson, not Thomas William.
Rats. And that wasn’t the only dissimilarity between us. He became rich. How rich? Let me quote from a front-page story in the Times-Colonist in 2007. The banner headlines read, “Last year, this Uplands home sold for $10.5 million. Now it’s on the market for $17.5 million.”
This same three-acre waterfront Oak Bay manor “with a historic pedigree and movie-star credentials” had set the record for the highest sale price in Greater Victoria in 2006. It came with 215 metres of waterfront, three islets, a private woodland, seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. It was briefly owned in the late ‘90s by movie star Meg Tilly and then-husband John Calley, president of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Real estate agent Sylvia Therrien described it as the “crown jewel” of properties then listed for sale on the lower Island. Asked what a purchaser would get for $17.5 million, heritage building restoration expert Stuart Stark declared the Rutland house to be “just an amazing piece of property. It is a large, gracious house.”
My point is,
It was built in 1914 by T.W. Paterson, probably intended as his retirement home as he was coming to the end of his term as lieutenant-governor. Even then, of course, this was prime, prime real estate. Not bad for the 62-year-old businessman and former two-term Member of the Legislature (1902-1907) who, born in Scotland, came to Canada with his parents at the age of three.
The 1911 issue of Who’s Who in Western Canada tells us this of the Hon. T.W. Paterson, then B.C.’s lieutenant-governor: “Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, Dec. 6, 1851, son of William Porter and Margaret Paterson. Came to Canada as a boy. Educated public schools, Oxford, Ont. Commenced career in public works, Ontario, 1869. Came to British Columbia, 1885. Elected for North Victoria to British Columbia Legislature, 1902 and 1903. Appointed lieutenant-governor, Dec. 11, 1909. Married Emma Eliza Riley, daughter of Senator George Riley, Victoria, 1886. Club: Pacific. Recreation: golf. Liberal; Presbyterian. Address: Victoria, B.C.”
Aha! He married the daughter of a senator, did he? D’you suppose he began his road to fortune with his father-in-law’s help? I’m sure it didn’t hurt his chances but he had a lengthy record of performance in railway construction in Ontario and B.C., as well as sawmilling and ranching. Among his projects in this province were the stretch of the E&N Railway from Shawnigan Lake to Nanaimo, construction of the Victoria & Sidney Railway and the laying of tracks for Victoria’s streetcar system. A Victoria businessman drew the conclusion that T.W. was “successful in everything he undertook”.
There’s something of a mystery to his having built the fabulous house on that fabulous estate in Oak Bay, though. ‘Inverholme,’ at 7234 Ladner Trunk Road, is where he retired to after leaving public office. And it was built in 1913-1914, the same time given for the Uplands home. ‘Inverholme’ is in recognition of Paterson’s ancestral home in Scotland, by the way. Built of Oregon lumber the two and a-half storey Edwardian home has been given heritage designation by the Corporation of Delta. It’s a nice enough house, by its picture, but I doubt that it comes up to anything like the opulence of the Oak Bay manor.
Whatever the story behind the two homes commissioned about the same time, T.W. Paterson didn’t have too long to enjoy his retirement in Ladner, dying in 1921, aged 70. I hope that, wherever in Spiritland he may be, he has no problem with my having usurped T.W. all these years.
Too bad for me that I can’t claim some of his business acumen while I’m at it.
P.S. – I can’t make any claim to the heritage T.W. Patterson Building in Fresno, CA, either. At least I have the satisfaction of their spelling it with two ‘t’s although that doesn’t stop Google search engines from bringing it up whenever I check myself out.
Hi Tom,
I have misplaced your e-mail address.
I have been reading with great interest about the RAF Avro Anson that has been recently discovered by loggers at Mesachi Lake. Apparently crashing in October of 1942. An incredible discovery for sure. I am glad to see the television news has not reported on it yet so the DND forensic investigators can go through the site in the spring with out scavengers routing around it. I have contacted a friend who is an accomplished documentry film producer who is very interested in this as a human interest story. His crew would handle the story very respectfully and according to DND protocol ‘if’ officials allowed it.
I have moved to Duncan from Lake Cowichan and continue to read with great interest about WW2 history. Keep up the good work Tom.
Are you still digging out information from the Patrician magazines? (Pat Bay)
All the very best,
Allan Scott
Hi, Alan: I, too, am following the Anson story with interest. I was told of it within days of discovery, two months before it appeared in the ‘Cowichan Leader.’ I was hoping to do something with the story myself but have been too busy… There must be other wrecks out there yet, particularly in the remoter regions. And welcome to Duncan, by the way. TW
Hello,
I was wondering if your “Encyclopedia of Ghost Towns & Mining Camps of British Columbia 1 & 2” are still in print?
Thank you
Hi,Allan: No, they’vbe been out of print for 20 years as I don’t own the publication rights. Try ABC Books or used book stores; I know they’re out there as, every so often–but rarely–I find a copy when garage saling or at an antique show. (I just Googled ABC and no go.) Good luck!
Thank you Tom,
I shall keep looking. I am heading up to Fort St. James area and will check out the Likely, Quesnel Forks, Barkerville loop.
With your extensive background do you have any suggestions on where to see (past Fort St James, Wiliams Lake area) for Ghost towns?
Once past Barkerville I can not find anything on the internet of any old places/ghost towns to explore until you get to the Yukon.
Thank you
Shari
Hi, Tom,
This is a belated “Thank You” for sending me the book “A Story To Be Told”. Please send me your address so that I can repay you.
I note that Ray Dougan is pictured on page 60 with his mother when he was about 2 years old. Ray was the owner of the Shawnigan Garage in the early 50’s and used to taxi us teens to the Saturday night dances at Cobble Hill in his ’29 Pearce Arrow. He was a very nice fellow.
Best Regards, Jack
Hi Tom,
I think I have most of Ozzie’s stuff from Saturna now so if you’d like to get together, keep me in mind. I hope I can manage too with all that I have going on! I’m at 888-3363.
Cheers,
Gord
Hi, Gord: I went through my own stuff relating to Ozzie and his hoped-for book on Anyox. I hope to use some of it here on twp.com as I can get to it. It’s really good content and deserves to be published. –TWP
My apologies for contacting you this way, but I know of no other means. In the late ’70’s you authored, and had published by Stagecoach Publishing of Langley B.C., the three part Encyclopedia of Ghost Towns & Mining Camps of British Columbia. (At least, I hope you’re the guy…) I have parts 1 and 2, but have never been able to find part 3. Question: Was it ever published?
I’m sorry to say that Vol. 3 of the Encyclopedia of Ghost Towns& Mining Camps of British Columbia never happened. However, my Ghost Towns of Vancouver Islandhas been in continuous print since 1975! I shall be writing some B.C. ghost town posts on my blog as I can get to them… –TWP
Hello Tom. I am researching the SS Islander and came across an article by you Jan 13, 2012 on line. At the end you state there’s more to the story but you were saving that for another day. Did you happen to finish your story? I am very interested in any stories of survivors like Capt. Neroutsos. If you can share with me any leads / other articles, it would be appreciated. I live in California and write about the Mount Lowe Railway and have written for numerous treasure hunting magazines back in the 90’s.
Best wishes,
Jake
Welcome aboard, Jake! I still haven’t gotten around to finishing that story of Capt. Cyril D. Neroutsos who’s buried here in the Cowichan Valley, in beautiful St. Peter’s Cemetery.
I have written about him in my book, Tales the Tombstones Tell, but the story within the story of his role in the sinking of the Islander is still in the works. In fact, you’ve inspired me to pull his file.
I, too, wrote for American treasure magazines back in the ’70s and ’80s, by the way. Let me get back to you as I can. –TW
Would be interested in the Capt. Neroutsos story. He is my great grandfather and his 3 grandsons are still living 2 in Victoria and one on Whidbey Island WA
Hi, Keith: I’ve written about Capt. Neroutsos in my Cowichan Chronicles column in the Cowichan Valley Citizen and in my book, Tales the Tombstones Tell, because he’s buried in St. Peter’s, Quamichan cemetery.
So I don’t know if I’ll be posting anything on him on my website. Good to see that you’re interested in your family heritage, by the way; not enough of that going around these days, in my mind anyway. People are just too involved in the moment and their instant gratification… But there I go, preaching again. Cheers, TWP
Hi, Just as a follow up on the “3” volumes of Ghost Towns and Mining Camps , I am interested in knowing if you had a tentative Idea of exactly what Volume 3 was going to be about. My mom’s family has been on Van. Isle. since the 1880’s and in N. America since the pilgrims so I have a very inquisitive mind when it comes to BC in general, my granddad mined in the Atlin strike of the late teens and 20’s so I heard lots of tales of the “king” of Atlin and all the hardships that the miners faced in an area well known for quick sand right above the best gold producing ground, Thanks and thanks for the 2 volumes we did get!, Mike Hunter, Cumberland
You’re a real blast from the past, Mike! I haven’t written a ghost towns book in 30+ years and never did complete the series I began for Stagecoach Publishing. (It’s a long story.) And, I doubt that I ever will. Sorry I can’t be of more help to you. That said, best wishes for the New Year!–TWP
Hi I’m wondering if Volume 3 of Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of British Columbia was ever published?
Hi, Donald: No, there is no Vol. 3. I still have all the materials and photos in my archives but the mold, once it was broken, never came back together and there are so many other books I want to write that I doubt that I ever return to ghost towns. Maybe as posts on my website.
My Ghost Towns of Vancouver Island has been in continuous print since 1975, by the way. Cheers, TW