Victoria Transfer Company Ltd

HISTORIC BUSINESSES ASSOCIATED WITH FREEMASONS IN GREATER VICTORIA

The Victoria Transfer Company Ltd. was incorporated on 12 May 1883 by Act of the B.C. Legislature.

The initial shareholders and Directors of the Victoria Transfer Company were Francis Stilman Barnard, James Hamilton, Edgar Marvin and Thomas Earle.

Under the legislation incorporating the Victoria Transfer Company, the new company was incorporated for “the purpose of constructing and operating street railways in the City of Victoria and Esquimalt and Victoria Districts adjacent thereto, and carrying on a general transfer, delivery, hack and livery business in the Province of British Columbia.”

It was “hereby authorized and empowered to con power to construct, maintain, complete, and operate a single or double iron railway, with the necessary side tracks and turnouts, for the passage of cars, carriages, and other vehicles adapted to same, upon and along such streets and highways, within the jurisdiction of the Corporation of the City of Victoria, and also along the road lying between the western boundary of the said City of Victoria, known as the Esquimalt road, and the town of Esquimalt, and to any point on Esquimalt Esquimalt district,
harbour reached by Government roads, and along the continuation of Fort street, in Victoria district, to Cadboro Bay, under and subject to any agreement hereafter to be made in so far as relates to the said railway passing through the said City of Victoria between the Council of the said city and the said Company, and subject in so far as the same passes through Esquimalt and Victoria districts to the supervision of the Commissioner of Lands and “Works for the time being: of the said Province, who shall fix the location of the of Lands and works, and subject to the By-laws of Railway over the said highways in said districts and direct the the corporation of paving, macadamizing, repairing and grading of such highways, and the construction, opening up, and repairing of drains or sewers and laying of gas or water pipes in the said highways, and under and subject to any by-laws of the Corporation of the said city made in pursuance thereof; and to take, transport, and carry passengers and freight upon the same by the force or power of animals or such other motive power as the said Company may deem expedient, but reserving to the said municipality to authorize, by by-law, what motive power may be used within the limits of such municipality, and to maintain and construct all necessary works, buildings, appliances and conveniences connected therewith, and to do also a general transfer, hack, and livery business in the said province…”

The Victoria Transfer Company seems to have subsequently sold the street railway portion of its business to the B.C. Electric Railway Company, a British company which operated the electric power system in BC as well as the streetcar (and later bus transit) systems in Victoria and Vancouver. Francis Stilman Barnard became a Director of the B.C. Electric Railway Company as well as retaining the Presidency of the Victoria Transfer Company as it continued to operate a livery, sightseeing and baggage business in Victoria.

 

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