Traditions
Theories and Perceptions of Time in the Victorian Era
What is time? Why is it important? Time is a difficult term to define. The Oxford English Dictionary defines time as, “a limited stretch or space of continued existence.” Many have theorized on the subject of time; however, there is still no agreement on exactly what time is. We count time with agreed upon counters yet we do not agree that time can be counted. Perceptions of time are shaped by current events; therefore, these perceptions change through the ages. The Victorian perception of time changed with the railway. The steam engine was invented in 1782 and by the early 1800’s the first railways were created. By the Victorian era (1837 to 1901) railways existed in Britain. Prior to railways, time was measured more naturally by “local time.” However, railways required the use of “standard time” for the sake of precision. Due to the introduction of standard time, people of the Victorian era became more time conscious.
The first discoveries of Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis) remains were found in the Victorian era. These were the first discoveries of their kind. Bodies, tools, and artifacts were found from a time that predated the current understanding of time. This forced people of the era to question their prior understanding of time.
Many who lived in the Victorian era also lived through the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution led many to look to the past as a safe refuge from the chaotic and harsh present. It became common to document the quickly receding past. Dora Panayotova in, “Time Perception in Nineteenth Century England” cites the harshness of the industrial revolution for the rise of autobiography, journaling, and diary writing in the Victorian era. Documenting the past was seen as the responsibility of people of the era. This documentation of time is also evidenced by time capsules.
Philosophers of the Victorian era that theorized time include Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) and Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860). Schopenhauer said, “time is the condition of the possibility of succession” which was in accordance with the work of the earlier philosopher Immanuel Kant. Nietzsche wrote of time as having a circular characteristic. Thus, there is an infinite past and an infinite future.
The debate surrounding time continues in the present day. In contemporary philosophy there are two main theories of time: Presentism and Externalism. According to presentism only the present exists. According to eternalism the past and the future are real but are not present to us. These two theories show us that after centuries of debate there is still no conclusive answer to the questions: What is time? Why is it important?
Ceremonies
In Victoria’s Victoria, the Freemasons and other membership-based organizations created a sense of community within the middle class that was based on a set of shared values. Just as their American cousins had no trouble constructing a history worth celebrating out of their short nationhood, Victoria’s Victorians saw themselves as the authors and heroes of history in the establishment of the colony. The settler community was small, local heroes and political movers liked public attention, and the bonds between the few respectable “men” in Victoria were strong. The programs for cornerstone laying ceremonies read like a local street map, including the names of people like James Douglas, Eli Harrison, and Matthew Bailley Begbie. Prominent men and women could also afford to make large contributions to the building project. The buildings examined in this site are the product of financially hungry building projects and raising the money to begin construction represented an achievement in itself. Everyone who contributed was invited. The ceremonies were also announced and reported on publicly.
In any membership-based organization, the implication is that people were also excluded. The Catholic Church, and various Protestant denominations used many ceremonies that served to make their members feel united and protected from “the profane world outside the temple.” The politics of inclusion and exclusion are not so clear-cut in early Victoria. James Douglas, for example, sent his daughters to Saint Ann’s Catholic school, but participated in multiple Protestant functions and ceremonies. Prominent figures could slide across religious lines to partake of the festivities, but most of Victoria’s middle class considered themselves prominent. And why shouldn’t they? However, there were few indigenous people at any of the ceremonies. Was this because of the distinctly colonial nature of the cornerstone-laying ritual? In religious cornerstone laying ceremonies in parts of the province where missionaries had found many converts, indigenous people participated in large numbers, but photos of cornerstone laying ceremonies in Victoria show few identifiably indigenous people. Of course, this was probably the case because their presence and conversion translated into a larger percentage of the financial contributions to the building projects in less settled areas and contributions to the building project are what the ceremonies sought to emphasize.
In a Victoria, with a stable population of less than 21,000, thousands contributed to community building projects and thousands arrived en mass to catch a glimpse of the stone mason laying the “first” stone. This stone was symbolic, but generally not the first one laid (see cornerstones). Often, especially in catholic ceremonies a list of people who subscribed or made large financial contributions was included in the time capsule laid the same day.
Cornerstones
A Cornerstone is a ceremonial masonry stone set in a prominent location on the outside of a building. There is often an inscription on the stone indicating the construction dates of the building and the names of the architect, builder or other significant individuals.
The cornerstone is usually placed above the actual foundation for visibility and an aura of prominence. The placement of the cornerstone usually involves some sort of ceremony. Traditionally, ceremonies involve a special trowel that is used to lay the mortar under the stone. A hammer is used to tap the stone into place on the mortar. Sometimes offerings accompany the laying of the cornerstone: grain or rice, wine, and oil are placed on or under the stone to symbolize the people involved and their means of subsistence. In ancient times there was a practice of placing live humans or animals into the foundation to serve as a sacrifice to God and ensure the stability of the building.
Cornerstones often contain a cavity in which a time capsule or 'votive deposit' could be placed. Historically, local newspapers, coins in circulation, and other artifacts relevant to the time period were placed within the vessel. Today, most vessels are to be opened on a given date; traditionally, vessels were deposited with the hopes and intentions that they would never be disturbed.
The cornerstone was commonly placed in the Northeast corner of the structure because it was thought to be an auspicious position. Traditionally, Victoria's Victorians laid cornerstones in buildings of Judeo-Christian origin.
Origins of cornerstones are vague, but in many cases refer back to biblical reference such as the following:
The History of Time Capsules
Time capsules have been used for thousands of years to preserve a piece of the present for the future. Though time capsules are commonly thought of as a box of buried treasure, there are actually four distinct types. They can either be intentional or unintentional (such as Pompeii) and those which are meant to be opened on a certain date and those that are not. The time capsules discussed in this site will all be intentional time capsules. A large celebration such as a World Fair or the raising of a new building often encourages people to lay a time capsule. This website will discuss the relationship between the cornerstone celebration and the time capsule.
The word “time capsule” was first used in 1937 when a capsule was prepared for burial for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. However, the notion of the time capsule is much older. The Epic of Gilamesh is considered humanity’s earliest literary work. The book opens with instructions of how to find a box of copper located in the foundation stone of the great walls of Uruk. In the box were the tales of Gilamesh. Therefore, the idea of leaving a message for the future in the form of a time capsule is more than 5,000 years old.
Today we are very familiar with the idea of leaving a piece of ourselves for a future civilization. Time capsules are used as a way of communicating with a distant people. In fact, there are currently two time capsules in space. Voyager Golden Record I and II were attached to two Voyager spacecrafts and launched in 1977. This time capsule (I and II are identical) is a gramophone record meant to portray culture on earth to any intelligent extraterrestrial life. Music, natural sounds, images from around the world and greetings in 55 languages are included on the record. This is an example of a time capsule with an unknown opening date.
Intentional time capsules have been criticized by historians as they do not provide much useful historical data. Useless items include outdated technology or unused, pristine items. More useful items are photos and documents that describe everyday life. A second critique of intentional time capsules concerns preservation problems. Papers often disintegrate, groundwater destroys capsules that are buried, and the precise location of the time capsule can be lost over the passage of time. While the critique suggests that time capsules may not provide an accurate representation of the society, they can give us valuable information. The societal ideas of time and the importance of certain objects are represented in the contents of the time capsules we find today.
In the Victorian era there was a societal shift in which more emphasis was placed on the importance of time commemoration. The creation of a time capsule is an example of how people of the Victorian era commemorated time. Time capsules can be found in many cornerstones of buildings built in the Victorian era in Victoria, British Columbia. The content of each time capsule varies; however, the “usual deposits” include coins, newspapers, and religious or historical statements. These objects show us the importance of religion and prosperity during the era. They also give us a glimpse into the Victorian understanding of time. These time capsules had no intended retrieval date and were expected to endure until the apocalypse.
Buildings
I.O.O.F
“…we are here to-day to inaugurate the enterprise by laying the first foundation or corner stone in the structure with the solemn ceremonies befitting such an occasion.” - Charles Gowen, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, April 29, 1879
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (commonly abbreviated as I.O.O.F.) has a long history of fraternal fellowship and organization in British Columbia, dating back to 1864. Construction of a new hall for members of Victoria’s three lodges was a significant event in the year of 1879, attracting much attention and interest from fraternal members and other community residents. The first lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted in Victoria, Vancouver Island, on March 10, 1864.1 Many of Victoria’s first colonists were already familiar with the I.O.O.F., as lodges had been independently established in both England and the United States before extensive colonization of Vancouver Island began.2 Membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and other fraternal organizations was considered a respectable pursuit for island colonists, and five men were installed as the original officers of Lodge No. 1 on the eve of the first meeting.3
The local Colonist newspaper continued to reference various activities and events of the Odd Fellows as membership grew and more lodges were established. In June of 1864, a emblematic seal was developed for the Odd Fellows by the local engraver, Mr. Watson;4 one year later, lodge rooms were established on the upper floor of a building on the corner of Fort and Wharf streets.5 In 1870, fire and arson further intensified the history of Victoria’s Odd Fellows.6 All of these activities were noteworthy of mention in the local papers, but the single most exciting event for the I.O.O.F. in Victorian times was the laying of the cornerstone for the new hall near the corner of Yates and Douglas streets.
The Odd Fellows cornerstone ceremony, much like the cornerstone ceremony of the Masonic fraternity, relied on symbolic reference to Lodge custom and practice. Water, flowers, and wheat were sprinkled upon the stone, representing Friendship, Love, and Truth.10 These three pinnacle principles have bound members of the I.O.O.F. together through time, as signified by the fraternal emblem of three chain links. Today, these same principles allow historians to critically examine the nature of colonial culture during the Victorian time period. The ad below, published in January of 1879, indicates that the manifestation of Friendship, Love, and Truth in the city of Victoria was influenced by ideologies and beliefs of race, morality, supremacy, and entitlement. “…The foundation stone will be laid with appropriate ceremonies on the anniversary of the introduction of Oddfellowship into America…No Chinamen are to be employed on the works or any bricks made by Chinese used in the building.” -Daily British Colonist, January 7, 187911
As historians who try to understand how the past shapes the present, we aspire to acknowledge and consider the competing complexities of race, class, gender, and politics. If the topic of cornerstones and time capsules appears benign at first glance, the quote above suggests that these civic ceremonies and associated endeavours were imbued with all of the colonial politics that existed in Victorian Victoria. Article Two of the I.O.O.F. Constitution and By-Laws of Victoria Lodge No. 1, published in 1878, states that “All candidates for initiation must be free white males, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, of sound health, of good moral character and industrious habits, having some respectable known means of support, and believe in the existence of a Supreme Being…”12 Despite the influence of a new cultural and environmental landscape, Victoria’s colonists retained an ethos of British supremacy. While the 1878 Constitution of the Odd Fellows reflects a strong racial suspicion against non-white residents, much of Victorian society did, too.13
The Time Capsule of the IOOF Hall contained:
St. Andrew's Presbyterian
The congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was formed in Victoria on 5th September 1866. Services were originally held in a converted hall as the church was not built when the congregation was formed. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was designed by architect Leonard Butress Trimen and built by Hayward and Jenkins. The site and building for the present church cost $11, 081. The building was completed and dedicated on 4th April 1869.
The Freemasons laid the foundation stone on 20th August 1868. Dr. Powell, Master of the Scotch Lodge, laid the stone. The cornerstone was laid on 7th March 1889 by Hon. John Robson. He declared the cornerstone laid by saying, “Our architect has pronounced this corner stone well and truly laid, and we hope to see erected upon it for the worship of the Almighty God an edifice alike creditable to Presbyterianism and the city.” A statement concerning the history of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, a few coins, and a copy of each of the city dailies and the leading Presbyterian journals of the dominion were, “the usual deposits placed in the stone.” Similar deposits were placed in the foundation stone. Many citizens, including the Mayor and the clergymen of all the Protestant denominations, attended the celebration for the laying of the cornerstone. Speeches, scripture, hymns, and prayers were recited. There was a band in attendance that opened the ceremony with the 100th Psalm and closed the ceremony with the national anthem.
The erection of new buildings and the accompanying celebration was of utmost importance for the residents of Victoria. It contributed to community building and added to the sense of permanence in the colony. The grandiose ceremony for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church shows the importance of the event to all citizens of Victoria. The statement included in the cornerstone conveyed the importance when it stated, “…the erection of this new building may bind the hearts of the people together...” The Mayor is reported to have said that the erection of this building was evidence of the material prosperity of the city. People of the time were bound together by the erection of a new building and the ensuing ceremony. There was a sense of community pride. Citizens were proud that Victoria was prosperous enough to financially support the erection of a building and a grandiose celebration. The community came together to celebrate their prosperity, solidarity and permanence in the colony.
Time Capsule Contents:
St. Ann's Convent School
“The devoted women who look after such institutions and the helpless little ones whom Providence has entrusted to their care do not expect a reward in the world, yet it was a source of pleasure and gratification for them and to the rev gentlemen now here to know the community appreciated and encouraged their good work.” – His Excellency, Lieutenant Governor J.W. Trutch – The Daily Colonist 13 September 1871
The laying of the cornerstone at St. Ann’s Convent School on 13 September 1871 was a monumental occasion that has left many questions. Lieutenant Governor J.W. Trutch laid the cornerstone for the Sisters of St. Anns. And H.L.Langevin was present, as part of what marked the first visit of a federal minister to the province of British Columbia. The 1871 convent is the first section of the larger expanded building on the historic site today. It was reported on in the Daily Colonist, but the remaining records reveal numerous inconsistencies with the practices of the Sisters of St. Ann’s.
First, the Sisters of St. Ann’s kept meticulous records of all that occurred at the convent, the school, the orphanage, St. Joseph’s hospital, and the Catholic community of British Columbia as a whole. As early as the turn of the century, the St. Ann’s Academy kept a museum or cabinet of curiosities and always emphasized their history of pioneering ecclesiastical work in the province. Yet, despite the Lieutenant Governor’s presence and the Sisters’ self-professed patriotism, photos of the cornerstone laying ceremony remain impossible to find.
Second, with the later additions to the present building, the original cornerstone has since disappeared with no evidence of the time capsule ever being recovered. Both the time capsule and the cornerstone were laid at the Northeast corner of the building, to which renovations were made in 1882 and 1886, taking out the East wall and, presumably, the cornerstone with it.
The 1871 ceremony laying of the cornerstone at St. Ann’s Convent School on 13 September 1871 was the only ceremony that we have found which mentions women.
The ceremony began at 3:00 PM. Although present, the Sisters played a minor role compared to the male clergy and the visiting federal minister. The Daily Colonist and secondary sources only make mention of the presence of Mother Mary Providence, who added relics to the “tin box deposited in the stone.” The diminished role of women in these formal ceremonies reflected the social stratification of the Catholic Church and Victorian culture as it was reflected in early Victoria. Reporters used the prestige of those in attendance to emphasize the significance of the occasion and men, generally, held more power and prestige than women in secular and church society.
Above all, the address of Father Seghers, the second archbishop of British Columbia, recognized the cornerstone laying ceremony as an achievement of charity and recognition of the charitable work that the Sisters performed everyday. “The building now in the process of erection,” said Father Seghers, “is devoted to a two-fold object – Charity and education.” Further comments reflected the patriarchal structure of the ceremony, prominent men taking care of the religious women, who take care of the “fatherless children” and “needy orphans.”
After Father Seghers address, the architect presented the Lieutenant Governor with a silver trowel, with the inscription “Presented to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on the occasion of the laying of the corner-stone of St. Ann’s Convent School.” Such a trowel was also presented at the laying of the cornerstone for St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1875.
Like the usefulness of a small silver trowel in the construction of a building, the cornerstone for the convent school was symbolic and played no real structural role to the integrity of the building. Hence, it may have been moved without consequence in 1882 or 1886. The prominent men and clergy were not builders and only struck the stone with a mallet after it was declared “laid.”
The time capsule for the St. Ann’s Convent School in 1871 was a tin box laid inside the stone and its whereabouts today remains a mystery. Its contents were:
Synagogue of the Congregation Emanu-El
“As this stone which we are about to lay will be the foundation upon which this structure will rest, so let peace and harmony be the foundation stone of your hearts...” -Mr. S. Hoffman, Vice President of Congregation Emanu-El,at the laying of the Synagogue cornerstone, June 2, 1863
The laying of the cornerstone of the Synagogue made favourable news headlines in 1863.1 The ceremony was claimed as the first public activity to attract official attendance of Victoria’s Masonic fraternity.2 In addition, the cornerstone that was laid is recognized as signifying the first foundation of a place of Jewish worship in Queen Victoria's West Pacific dominions.3 Invitations to participate in the parade and ceremony of June 2, 1863 were accepted by the French Benevolent Society, the Hebrew Benevolent Society, Germania Sing Verein (German Singing Club), St. Andrew's Society, and the Fraternity of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. The large group made for a decorative and diverse procession, and the noise en route to the Synagogue site was magnified by the music of a Royal Navy band from the H.M.S. Topaze.
In contrast to the other ceremonies featured on this website, two cornerstones were laid at the Synagogue site. The first was set in place by Mr. Malowanski, a member of the Synagogue Building Committee, and the second laid by the Worshipful Master of a local Masonic Order. Responding to the Masonic Officers and participants present at the afternoon ceremony, the Right Worshipful Master of Masons stated “I beg to express the honor we feel in being invited to take part in any ceremony having a holy useful, or benevolent design and more particularly in aiding in the erection of a Temple to be dedicated to the glory of God and his Holy name.”4 The jointly coordinated activities of the Synagogue ceremony reflect the historic relationship between the Jewish community and members of the Masonic Craft, dating back to the construction of Solomon's Temple.5
The laying of the Synagogue cornerstone on Cormorant street was extolled (and continues to be extolled) as an important community gathering for the people of Victoria. While it is true that colonial citizens in the Victorian period did much to enforce an attitude of arrogance and social stratification, an investigation of cornerstone history enables us to remember moments that softened the edges of early racial politics in British Columbia. The newspaper notes that English, Hebrew, and German languages were all spoken aloud as the Synagogue ceremonies progressed through the afternoon, and Mr. S. Hoffman was quoted as stating “For, as I look around me, I behold adherents to every creed…”6 The pride articulated in this statement suggests that the participatory nature of the ceremonies was deliberate and well-intentioned. Alongside the important Jewish documents that were deposited below the cornerstone, the French Benevolent Society and Germania Sing Verein were given an opportunity to deposit their membership lists as well.
History has shown that dichotomous expressions of social inclusion played out across the Canadian landscape during Victorian times. It is fact that a diversity of citizens participated in the Synagogue festivities on June 2, 1863, as discussed above. It cannot be overlooked, however, that members of local indigenous nations were completely ignored in the official ceremony. It is, therefore, important to remind ourselves of the contradictions that exist in prominent civic ceremonies of the past and present. The laying of the cornerstones for the Synagogue of Congregation Emanu-El should be understood as an important event in the history of Victoria, highlighting the complex intersection of race, culture, business, and community.
The time capsule beneath the stone laid by Mr. Malowanski for the Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue contained:
Y.M.C.A.
“While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee” – Rock of Ages, Augustus Toplady, 1776
The YMCA has one of the oldest histories in Victoria dating back to the 1850’s and the boom of the Gold Rush. The Association was created as an alternative source of entertainment and residence to the nearly 25,000 men that had arrived to Victoria to find their fortune. The Association offered residence, transportation, entertainment and physical activity to the men in the hopes that they would abstain from the bars and brothels that popped up in town. After the Gold Rush died down, the YMCA suffered from a lack of membership, and closed its doors in the early 1870’s. During the late 1800’s and into the 1900’s, the YMCA suffered meager membership and survived on even less funds, but managed to stay afloat. The Victorian public slowly realized the importance of the work of the YMCA, and they supported the continuation and a fund for a new, larger building. In 1910, despite shaky finances, the YMCA opened a new location on the North East corner of Blanshard and View Streets. The 120x120 property for the building was purchased for $15,300 cash, with money that was fundraised in the community. The plan for the building was carefully selected from as many as 30 plans, and from the work of six architects to best embody the desired modern features.
The cornerstone laying ceremony was scheduled for August 16, 1910, the Honorable R. McBride, Premier of British Columbia having accepted the invitation to lay the official stone. The stone was a carefully selected granite block that was lettered on two sides, the side facing View Street bore the inscription, “Jesus Christ Himself Being the Chief Corner Stone,” and other side bearing, “Erected, 1910.” The ceremony was much anticipated, not only due to the presence of the Premier, but because of the central role that the YMCA played in the community. Invitations were sent to the City Ministers, Members of Parliament, representatives of the City Council, school trustees, military authorities, board of trade, Canadian Club, Development League, United States Consul, and the press. A platform was erected for the purpose, with seating arranged for the invited dignitaries. R.B. McMickering, the president of the YMCA, guided the ceremony, opening the celebration by leading the crowd in singing, “Rock of Ages.” Various guest speakers led the gathering in prayers, dedications and through the history of the YMCA in Victoria, before calling upon Premier McBride to “perform the brief but impressive ceremony of laying the corner stone,” to the tune of “How Firm a Foundation.” One of the most important elements in the laying of the cornerstone is the placing of the time capsule, a small copper box, containing important elements of the YMCA and Victorian life.
The time capsule contained the following items:
Masonic Temple
"Unless our order were good and our calling honorable we should not have existed for so many centuries, nor should we have been honored with the patronage of so many illustrious men in all ages…" - Most Worshipful Grand Master, Eli Harrison, Senior, April 22, 1878 at the cornerstone ceremony for Victoria's Masonic Temple
The evolution of the Masonic fraternity in Victoria paralleled the rapid growth and industrialization of the city. With an influx of migrants arriving in Victoria in 1858 en route to the Fraser River gold rush, the cultural and environmental landscape of the coastal community underwent significant transformation. The fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons was one of the first organizations to assemble in the city at that time. With historic roots in Masonic craftsmanship, the organization facilitated professional advancement and business success for many of the men who colonized the Pacific Coast of British Columbia.
The first formal meeting of Victoria Lodge No. 1085 occurred on March 19th, 1859. Referencing the conditions under which the Masonic community developed in Victoria, official Masonic communication states that “…miners and adventurers from every part of the Western Hemisphere made their rendezvous on the flats at James Bay, and on either side of the Johnson Street ravine. Gold – that “Magic Talisman,” had drawn them to Victoria, and it was among such surroundings, and in such exciting times, that Victoria Lodge No. 1085 was started on its Masonic journey.”
Through the 1860s and 1870s, members of Victoria's Masonic Lodges were called on to lay many of the city's cornerstones with proper Masonic honours. Although the Masonic fraternity conducted business behind closed doors, the cornerstone ceremonies were public events that mediated the interaction of the broader community with some of Victoria's most eminent citizens. That these eminent citizens were also Masons was no coincidence. The prestige of membership in a fraternal organization like the Masonic Order was important in constructing and maintaining a proud, professional identity.
The symbolic importance of the cornerstone could not be underestimated in Victorian times; because it was the main point from which to start the building, it had to be laid correctly for all that followed to be correct. During the laying of the cornerstone for the Mortuary Chapel of the Masonic Cemetery at Sapperton in 1872, Most Worshipful Grand Master Israel Wood Powell noted, “We admit into our Order only such as are reported to be good men and true, of a lawful age, good morals and sound judgment. We meet upon the level, and are constantly instructed to square our conduct by the principles of morality and virtue.”
The laying of the cornerstone for the Masonic Temple on the corner of Douglas and Fitzgard streets was a significant occasion for Victoria's Masonic members. The procession of Masonic officers and visiting Brethren was most imposing, with members carrying banners, architectural plans, ceremonial offerings, Masonic regalia, Craft tools, a volume of Sacred Law, and other objects and texts of special utility and significance.
Eli Harrison, Sr., the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, opened the ceremony by acknowledging and honouring the law and custom of the country, the Queen, and God - the “Great Architect of the Universe.” This compliance with established custom and ritual suggests reasons for the structured precision that is evident in all of the cornerstone ceremonies featured on this website. Victoria's first Masons were new to the lay of the land, but they were governed by an ancient body of tradition. They were quick to accommodate the challenges posed by colonial life (as in the construction of Masonic aprons by the tent maker), but the practices and ceremonies retained much of the dignity and formality characteristic of the broader Masonic community.
Eli Harrison, Sr. was the Grand Master of the provincial Masonic fraternity at the time the cornerstone was laid for the Masonic temple in Victoria in 1878. Noted as a painter and artist in the 1891 census for Vancouver Island, Eli Harrison first came to British Columbia with his family in 1858 and settled down to raise children of some notoriety. His son, Eli Harrison, Jr., wore a variety of distinguished hats, amongst them provincial law clerk, Crown prosecutor, judge for the supreme court of British Columbia, and officer in the Masonic fraternity.
Time Capsule Contents:
Protestant Orphan's Home
“Let us join in song and praise, that a building here we raise, hoping ages hence it will prove a home for charity and love” - Air-Pleyel’s Hymn
The cornerstone laying ceremony was held on June 24, 1893 and was open to the public. The ceremony introduced the Officers for the Orphan’s Home in 1893, including those in the Committee of Management, and the Ladies Committee. The home was entrusted to three officers, that would look after the finances and legalities of running the home, the officers of the Home for 1893 were; E.H. Worlock, Esq. President, Chas. Hayward, Esq. Hon. Secretary, and Jas. Hutchenson, Esq. Hon. Treasurer.
The Protestant Orphan’s Home is the oldest non-profit organization in British Columbia, the impact that the creation of the home had on the countless children of Victoria is evident in the reunions that are held to this day. Continuing with the legacy of charity and community building started by the Cridges more that 100 years ago, the home now offers support to struggling families in economic crisis.
The ceremony began with a formal procession of the officers and dignitaries through the spectators to the site of the cornerstone. At the site there was a table on which are placed the crucial items to the ceremony. This includes, the Holy Writings, the Book of Constitutions, the Golden Vessel of Corn, the Silver Vessel containing Wine and Oil, the Great Lights, the Five Orders of Architecture and the Working Tools. The Free and Accepted Masons prepared the laying of the cornerstone itself, “as it has been the custom…since the time immemorial to assemble for the purpose of laying the foundation stones of public buildings.” The cornerstone itself consisted of an upper and a lower stone, the smaller of the two inscribed with the date or erection, and the name of the benefactor, John G. Taylor. The smaller stone was lowered to rest upon the larger, and was cemented into place by the Grand Master, who declared the “foundation stone to be well formed, true and trusty.” Once the cornerstone was in place, the sanction of the building began. The Masonic Officers readied the vessels for the blessing, the vessel of corn was placed on the cornerstone, which promised plenty for the future, the vessel of wine was poured on the stone, which promised joy and gladness, and lastly the vessel of oil was poured on the stone, which promised peace. The Grand Chaplin closed the ceremony with a prayer: “May the walls of this Home be strength, and all it’s officers peace, may the children who enter its porches find therein, repose, refreshment, peace.”
A time capsule placed within the cavity of the cornerstone of the Protestant Orphan’s Home building contained the following:
Bishop Edward Cridge was the first inspector of schools in the colony of Victoria. He was the first local clergyman to allow members of different races to share church pews in his church, Church of our Lord. He is also credited with the founding of the first hospital and orchestra in the colony. His wife, Mary, was a teacher and raised their nine children. Edward and Mary worried about the number of children on the streets and opened their home to the many “waifs and strays.” With the help of John George Taylor, a retired policeman and former gold prospector, the Cridges founded the Protestant Orphan’s Home in 1873. Taylor left his entire fortune to the home upon his 1891 death. The 100-bed British Columbia Protestant Orphan’s Home was built in June 1893. The building lay high on a hill overlooking Victoria.
St. Andrew's Cathedral
“Bless, O Lord this creature of stone, and grant by the invocation of thy Holy Name, that whosoever with a pure mind, shall give aid to the building of this Church may receive health of body and healing of mind. Through Our Lord, Christ : Amen.” -Right Rev. Bishop Lootens
The cornerstone of St. Andrew’s Cathedral was laid on October 5th, 1890 by the Catholic community of the Pacific West Coast and it is unique among the cornerstones on this site because of its size and the manner in which it connects to the time capsule. With dimensions of 5x5x3 feet, the cornerstone actually played a structurally integral role to the building. The five and a half ton block came from Keefer’s quarry in the Burrard Inlet. It matches similar stones around the base of the building, but bears the name of Reverend Bishop John Nichola Lemmens, who oversaw the project from start to finish.
A week before the ceremony, Lemmens announced that the names of subscribers (people who donated to the building project) and the amount subscribed up to date would be deposited within the cornerstone during the ceremony. Estimated costs for the construction of the church went upwards from $80,000 in 1890. During the week, nearly $15,000 worth of donations came pouring into the project, bringing the total amount raised by the time of the ceremony to approximately $45,000.
The Victoria Daily Colonist began covering news of the construction as soon as it was underway, months before the cornerstone was laid, and paying special attention to the permanency of the structure. Lemmens worked with Montreal architects to design a church like one he had seen in Quebec the Church of Longeuil, imitating the European cathedrals of the fourteenth and fifteenth century, while he travelled back and forth between Victoria and Kyuquot Sound, BC.
As a missionary, Lemmens worked closely with the indigenous people from Kyuquot Sound to Victoria and in other parts of the country. He was intimately aware of the ruggedness of missionary frontier life and worked cooperatively with other missionaries, settlers, and indigenous people to survive. In his diary, he even talks about a prominent figure in the Catholic community working with the labourers in a sawmill near Kyuquot Sound, when help was needed.
In practice, Rev. Lemmens daily life brought him into contact with labourers and indigenous peoples, but the Victoria Daily Colonist makes no mention of diversity amongst the crowds gathered at the cornerstone ceremony or the opening of the church.
On Sunday October 5th, 1890, Victoria’s Victorian’s laid the cornerstone for St. Andrew’s Cathedral at its current location. The weather cleared and the skies were blue “ushering in the day whose proceedings are expected to have such an influence on the religious future of the Pacific Coast.” In preparation for the ceremony, the building frame and other signs of construction “that it had been necessary to leave on the ground” were covered or otherwise hidden from view. The equipment used for laying the cornerstone and the skeleton frame of the building was shrouded in decorations suited to a highly religious catholic ceremony. According to the Victoria Daily Colonist: “The character of the service … was impressive alike upon the Protestants and Catholics.” Actually placed inside the cornerstone, the time capsule is a copper manuscript box containing “the names of the Pope, Her Majesty the Queen, and the Governor-General, a list of subscribers names and the amount subscribed up to the present date, specimens of the coinage of the Dominion, and copies of The Colonist and Times containing an account of the proceedings [sic].”
These contents represent the way that Victoria’s Victorians wanted to see themselves: emphasizing influence, being able to afford to donate to such an ambitious project; literacy and education; but also as monuments.
The Victoria Daily Colonist referred to Jesus Christ as “the chief cornerstone in all the plans of God” and Lemmens, with the others that paid for the building of St. Andrew’s Cathedral felt they were playing an integral part to the planning of the colony.
John Nichola Lemmens was born in Schimmert, Holland in 1850. He came to Victoria in 1876, one year after he was ordained a priest at the American College of Louvain, Belgium, and became the first resident Catholic Priest for Nanaimo that September. From there, he established the missionary of Clayoquot. Lemmens extensively studied West Coast First Nations’ languages, travelling throughout the province, but primarily around Vancouver Island, and he wrote a dictionary of indigenous languages, using “Webster as his guide.” Lemmens was named the fifth bishop for the diocese of Vancouver Island and Alaska (1888-1897), after his predecessor Archbishop S. Seghers was murdered in Alaska.
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Research Reflections
At first thought, the conceptual relevancies and links between time, buried objects, and cornerstones might seem obscure. The “Edges of Time: Cornerstones and Time Capsules of Early Victoria” strives to identify, strengthen, and explain such links. Using a ‘micro’ historical focus to analyze a specific set of ceremonies and actions, this project encourages its audience to ask bigger questions about the lives of Victoria residents in the Victorian period. Newspapers, photographs, scrapbooks, archival materials, books, and feedback from the community have all contributed to the information presented on this website.
Historical analysis of eight different buildings with eight different ceremonies and time capsules allows us to appreciate the diverse nature of these celebrations. The distinct character of the various religious and fraternal organizations influenced the act of commemoration at each respective ceremony. Despite these distinctions, however, there is a strong convergence of underlying themes that characterizes and unites the ceremonies featured on this website.
The laying of a cornerstone was a physical act, but it represented an ideological faith in the merits and necessity of upright, linear progress. Victoria’s citizens directly linked their ideological faith in progress to religious beliefs in God, Jesus Christ, and Christian conduct. Spiritual figures were referenced frequently in the ceremonies featured on this website. God was stated as the “Great Architect of the Universe” when the Masonic fraternity gathered to lay their cornerstone, and Jesus Christ was declared as the “Chief Corner Stone” at the Y.M.C.A. ceremony. A collection was taken at the ceremony for the Masonic Temple, and deposited on top of the cornerstone “...to be applied for the benefit of the needy.” Colonization and municipal growth reinforced the strength and legitimacy of introduced religious faith and appropriated British custom and ceremony into British Columbia. The celebration of cornerstones was seen as a triumph of colonial success in a landscape that was often harsh and uncompromising.
Time capsules, referred to in Victorian times as “deposits” when placed behind, beneath, or within cornerstones, provoke a discussion of identity and representation in colonial Victoria. Wealth and title were strong themes during the Victorian era, and cornerstone deposits from this period generally represented a select colonial demographic of Victoria’s total population. American, British, and Canadian coins were often deposited together beneath the cornerstones, witnessing the complex loyalties and state affiliations of early settlers. The subscription and donation lists that were carefully deposited at cornerstone laying ceremonies serve as formal introductions to the settlers who lived in Victoria over one hundred years ago. The names of people mentioned in the constitution and by-law documents that were deposited characterize those citizens who were most successful in acquiring a strong community presence through title, land, and wealth. Membership in fraternal organizations had a strong business benefit, as did public affiliation with religious institutions. There is little mention of women in the items that were deposited, nor is there much mention of indigenous peoples or those who laboured in the construction of the buildings. Thus, Victorian time capsules allow for only limited interpretation of community demographics. They do, however, let us understand how people perceived themselves and those around them.
Above all, the authors of this website hope that you will come to your own conclusions about the Edges of Time. These ‘edges’ are different for every historic landscape, but it is true that similar cornerstone-laying ceremonies were carried out across British Columbia as colonization penetrated the province. The ceremonies have become rather obsolete through the 20th century, but time capsules are still being constructed by communities across Canada. The history of this past gives us pause in the present moment. It helps us ask how representation, identity, and ‘progress’ have changed through time. By reflecting on the ideas posed in the accompanying pages, considering the sources and resources we have used to support our research, and accessing other resources on the world wide web and in your communities, you will find that there are many questions motivated by the joint topic of cornerstones and time capsules. The Resources page may serve as a starting-off point for independent research interests. Good luck, have fun, and keep us informed about your own findings.
Time Capsule Contents
The Time Capsule of the IOOF Hall contained:
Actually placed inside the cornerstone, the time capsule is a copper manuscript box containing “the names of the Pope, Her Majesty the Queen, and the Governor-General, a list of subscribers names and the amount subscribed up to the present date, specimens of the coinage of the Dominion, and copies of The Colonist and Times containing an account of the proceedings [sic].”
Synagogue of the Congregation Em-manuel
All the information here came from Wikipedia and the Holy Bible, no direct quotes, except the Bible passages.