The BC Protestant Orphans' Home

The British Columbia Protestant Orphans’ Home had humble unpretentious beginnings on the day of its inception on November 8th, 1873. Need arose for such an institution as a result of the growing number of orphans and destitute children in Victoria following the boom that surrounded the Gold Rush of 1858. The city had grown exponentially in just a few decades, and the need for social institutions was apparent. The Home was founded by three Protestant denominations: the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal Churches and later joined by the Baptists; among the major Protestant sects only the Church of England did not participate. These theologically divergent groups were able combine their resources, and over time facilitated a home that met the needs of many children. Contrary to its title, the Orphans’ Home also incorporated aid for troubled families with children under its philanthropic umbrella.

As the Home grew, it continuously overran the capacity of its facilities. This problem was temporarily remedied with the bequest of $32,500 in May of 1891 by John George Taylor. In 1893 the new Taylor Building opened, greatly increasing the stability of the Orphans’ Home.

The Protestant Orphans’ Home serves as a landmark of Victoria’s growth as a community. It is a 19th century example of individuals and divergent groups of society coming together to perform a service that no one group or individual could have accomplished alone. The Home was an institution based in religion that drew on the human and monetary resources of the entire community in order to serve the needs of the city and province. Through the years the Protestant Orphans’ Home has been able to evolve and shape itself according to the shifting needs of an ever-changing society. It lives on today as the Cridge Center for the Family, still serving the needs of Victoria and the Province of B.C. from the newly renovated Taylor Building at the corner of Cook and Hillside.

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THE BC PROTESTANT ORPHANS' HOME