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The Victoria Daily Times as well as the Globe and Mail and the Montreal Star reported that soon after receiving the news of the Queen's death the Mayor of Victoria took steps to have the day properly observed. At noon Mayor Charles Hayward issued a proclamation requesting that:

…the citizens of Victoria as a slight token of our love and respect for the great and good Queen who has just been called away should close their places of business and observe the balance of the day as a season of mourning.⁶

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The Victoria Daily Times reported on January 23 1901 that:

the appearance of the city last night must have been sufficient in itself to visitors to indicate that some great national bereavement had taken place and that the people high and low, mourned as for one taken from their own households.⁷

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Very soon after learning of the Queen's passing fire bells began ringing in Victoria and continued until noon. Members of Victoria's fire department draped the fire hall and city hall. Throughout Victoria many businesses were draped and emblems of mourning were to been seen everywhere in the streets. Almost immediately flags across the city were flying at half-mast. By noon, as requested by the Mayor, businesses were closed and engravings of the Queen were draped in black and placed in windows throughout the city.⁸ The government of British Columbia also took measures to pay tribute to the Queen. The Education Department ordered that schools be closed until Friday morning. The Parliament building and departmental offices were also closed on January 22nd and 23rd and the courts were adjourned until the next sitting.⁹ The militia department also ordered a salute of 101 guns to be fired in Victoria, Winnipeg, London, Toronto, Kingston, Montreal, Quebec, St. John and Charlottetown.¹⁰

Headquarters draped in mourning for QueenVictoria

Memorial Services in Victoria