Barry F. King

LANDMARKS

 Priory retains inherent charm

The Priory was built in 1885 for Edward and Suzette Prior.  Originally, the property consisted of more than four acres of wooded land carved from Gonzales Farm.  The 6,000-square foot, two-story rectangular structure is still mostly original and well maintained.  Its high ceilings, eave brackets and shallow-pitched hipped roof are some of the permanent Italianate characteristics.  However, even though the former wrought ironwork, canopies, trellises, sweeping driveway and acreage have gone, much of the inherent charm remains.

On the main floor, tall windows, some of them with stained and varied glass shapes, overlook the beautiful grounds.  The upper floor was provided with a nursery and six bedrooms with hot and cold running water — ample for a family with three children. 

Edward Gawler Prior, born in 1853, was the son of a Yorkshire clergyman.  After attending Leeds Grammar School, Edward chose mining engineering as a profession.  He decided he would travel to British Columbia where he became the assistant manager of the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company, a British enterprise.  In January 1878, he married the daughter of John Work of Hillside Farm.  A few months later, Prior was appointed inspector of mines for the British Columbia government.

In May 1880, Prior went into partnership with Alfred Fellows, who owned a large hardware store on Yates Street.  It is interesting to note that Fellows was married to the daughter of Sir Rowland Hill, inventor of the penny postage system in Britain. Three years later, Prior bought out his partner.

Edward Prior had many diverse interests.  He was keen on music and theatre and played the lead in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance when the production ran at the opening of the new Victoria Theatre at View and Douglas streets.  He was also active in the militia, rising steadily in rank from a lieutenant in the Rifle Corps at Nanaimo to lieutenant colonel in 1888, at Victoria.  He was aide-de-camp to the lieutenant governor and, in 1890, his interest in tennis was demonstrated when he went with the Canadian team to Wimbledon to act as manager.

Prior was also active in politics.  When Noah Shakespeare was appointed postmaster in Victoria, Prior succeeded him as the Conservative Member of Parliament for this city.  He became premier of the province in 1902, but a conflict of interest caused him to step down.  He was lieutenant governor of British Columbia when he died in 1920.  His hardware firm became McLennnan, McFeely and Prior and was located in the 1400-block of Government Street until 1962, when further changes took place.  By that time, the Priory was changed into suites, one of which was occupied by the late historian, James K. Nesbitt. More recently, the house was returned to single-family use.

 Geoffrey Castle is a local writer, historian and archivist.