Vancouver Island author Glen A. Mofford has long been fascinated by the development of the Island鈥檚 hotels and drinking establishments. In his debut book, Aqua Vitae (2016), Mofford detailed the history of those historic enterprises in Victoria. In his newest collection, Along the E&N, Mofford shifts his focus to the hotels 鈥� some of which exist today 鈥� established along the route of the E&N Railway from Esquimalt to Campbell River, including the recently shuttered Halfway House in Esquimalt.
The Halfway House predated the E&N by 26 years and outlasted the life of the railway, closing without much fanfare or warning on Oct. 22, 2017, as the Cambie at Esquimalt Pub. Located along the 800 block of Esquimalt Road, the modest building that housed both pub and liquor store might have appeared rather ordinary, and its closing did not receive much coverage in the press, but its worn exterior masked a remarkable 157-year history.
On this site in 1860, when Esquimalt Road was a dirt trail and Victoria was two years away from incorporation, a small hotel and tavern opened to the public. The Halfway House, as it was initially named, was the oldest private business operating from its original location by the time it shut its doors as the Cambie. This old hostelry deserves a book of its own, but I have elected to tell the story of its earliest years, from 1860 to 1892.
On Feb. 3, 1859, James William and Elizabeth Bland arrived in Victoria after a long voyage from England. The following year, they purchased a large property in Esquimalt, where they built their home and a tavern that they named the Halfway House. While building their new home, they stayed at Constant Cove in a house owned by sawmill magnate Edward Stamp.
Offering a barroom as well as 鈥渃omfortable rooms, clean stables and wholesome food for sailors and settlers,鈥� the new tavern became a popular stop as the halfway point on the trail between the town of Victoria and the British naval base at Esquimalt Harbour. Patrons enjoyed the unique beer that James Bland brewed from water drawn at three wells on the property. Bland registered his brewery in 1861, and 鈥渉is recipe was used by family members for years. One of his secrets was the use of Muscat raisins.鈥�
On April 14, 1862, the steamer Hermann arrived at the Esquimalt docks from San Francisco and unloaded a most unusual cargo, 23 Bactrian camels, which caused quite a commotion in the small community and frightened the horses. The two-humped animals were shedding their winter coats and did not look or smell very appealing. The camels were corralled on two acres of fenced land on the Bland property behind the Halfway House brewery until they were sold as pack animals for the Fraser River goldfields.
It was also reported that the animals were guarded by a 鈥渓ive Turk.鈥� People were naturally curious to view these strange and exotic beasts of burden, and Bland quickly recognized the advantage to his business that advertising them would bring. Onlookers were not disappointed and were especially delighted to witness the birth of a baby camel some days later.
Over the next 17 years, Elizabeth Bland gave birth to two children at the Halfway House, which brought the number of their brood up to five. During this period, James Bland attempted to sell the property and business at least twice, in November 1875 and again in July 1877.
鈥淭hat splendid property known as the Halfway House, situated on the Esquimalt Road, comprising two acres of arable land well-fenced, with three wells of the finest water on the premises,鈥� read one of the advertisements James ran to promote the sale. 鈥淭he Building is substantially built of Brick, with all necessary Outbuildings, etc. A first-class Brewery is attached with every article for Brewing; the Boiler has a capacity of 200 gallons at a Brewing. There is also a capital Skittle or Bowling Alley on the premises.鈥� These efforts were to no avail, however.
Perhaps the Blands were getting tired of it all. Late one evening, for instance, when the Blands had closed for business and retired to bed, they heard some shouting outside their window. James looked down on three sailors and noticed that they appeared to have had enough grog for one night. They asked if they could buy some beer and, after being informed that the tavern was closed, refused take no for an answer. Fed up and not in the mood to argue, James proceeded to dump the contents of a full chamber pot onto the heads of the unsuspecting sailors and repeated that the bar was closed.
The Blands eventually did sell their property and business, in 1888, but not before one dramatic moment that could have resulted in disaster. In January that year, a fire broke out in the Halfway House and threatened to consume the business and the house. Quick action by the local fire brigade saved both structures. Fire was the single greatest cause of destruction in Greater Victoria at the time and remained so for many years.
On May 17, 1888, the new owner, Joseph Bayley, late of the Occidental Hotel in Victoria, took over the business and began the first of what would be numerous renovations to the tavern over the years. He built a brick addition to the original wood building and named it the Trentham Hotel. He improved the bowling green and turned the original building into a restaurant. Over time, the brick addition would become the main building, and a second floor was added in 1925 to satisfy liquor board regulations that required a minimum of rooms in order to be granted a liquor licence.
Bayley operated the hotel for a few shaky years until his mental health came into question. Apparently, he enjoyed drinking to excess, which usually got him in trouble. In November 1891, Bayley, 鈥渃razed with drink,鈥� and perhaps distraught over the prospect of having to sell his hotel and property, was arrested for disturbing the peace and ended up in the Victoria jail at Bastion Square.
鈥淛oseph Bayley, the semi-demented proprietor of the Halfway House, is still in custody on a charge of insanity,鈥� the Daily Colonist reported. The court determined that Bayley was sane, and a deal was worked out in which Bayley signed over the hotel and property to his wife. In May 1892, the Trentham Hotel was sold at auction, allowing Bayley to retire back to the old country.
The above stories are but a very brief peek into the history of this landmark establishment. I recall so many memories of the place from when I occasionally popped in for a drink during its last few decades of business 鈥� the great pub food in the 1960s through 鈥�80s; line dancing and live country music; watching my friend Geoff have the dubious honour of being the first person arrested under a new smoking bylaw back in January 1999. But those stories are for another time.
Passengers holding tickets on the E&N might have stopped in at the Trentham Hotel for lunch and a quick drink before boarding the train at Russell鈥檚 Station on their way up-Island. It was a short train ride from there to Esquimalt Station near Thetis Bay on the View Royal and Esquimalt border. Once out of that station, the train crossed the old dirt Colwood Road (which would eventually become the Old Island Highway), just a stone鈥檚 throw from the Four Mile House.
The book launch for Along the E&N is Wednesday, May 8, at 7聽p.m. at Bolen Books.
Excerpted with permission from Along the E&N by Glen A. Mofford, 漏 2019, TouchWood Editions.
