DEVELOPING STORIES

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bURNABY Street

Robert Burnaby

In 1853, Robert Burnaby of Miserton Leicester heard about the Fraser River gold discovery in British Columbia and entered a partnership with his friend Edward Henderson to found the Henderson and Burnaby firm. Henderson ran the office from London while Burnaby headed to the colonies to take care of the firm's interests there.

Burnaby arrived in Victoria with a letter of introduction from British Colonial Secretary, Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton, to Governor James Douglas. Despite that the letter vouched for his character instead of any qualifications for a public service job, Colonel Richard Moody appointed Burnaby as his private secretary. Not one to let public service get in the way of private gain, when Moody was sent to investigate reports of coal near Burrard Inlet Burnaby, he filed a claim for 128 acres in the vicinity. Later, when the Three Greenhorns staked a claim to land in the West End, Burnaby attempted to assert a prior claim, but the judge in the case determined that Burnaby’s letter of claim was “obviously written by a liar or a knave.”

By August of 1859, the colony's finances were on shaky ground and all government employees were dismissed.

When James Cooper resigned from the Legislative Assembly in October of 1860, Burnaby moved to Victoria and offered his candidacy for the seat of representative of Esquimalt and retained his seat until he resigned in 1865. Burnaby became active in banking and finance circles and was the chairman at the first meeting of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, where he was elected the first president.

As there was no Masonic Lodge in Victoria when Burnaby arrived, he helped establish the first one in Victoria in 1860. He was the master of that lodge in 1863 and again in 1865. In September 1867, a District Grand Lodge was formed and Burnaby was chosen to be the District Grand Master. In 1871, when the Grand Lodge was founded, Burnaby became the Immediate Past Grand Master.

Burnaby returned to England in 1874, where he died in 1878.

It’s not clear what Burnaby did to justify having at least 11 geographical and urban features named after him, other than being a consummate joiner and often managing to be in the right place at the right time.

1080
Also 1318 Thurlow

NAME: The Thurlow

HISTORY & CONTROVERSIES: This building had been approved in principal at public hearing, but stalled waiting to see if the City would ease its demands to include social housing into the mix. The city did in fact ease its demands, but it is unclear if this building will exchange the social housing for market rentals.

PRINCIPALS: Owner Xxxx. Developers Strand and Intracorp are co-developing. Architects NSDA Architects. Marketing rennie.

ORIGINAL SPECS: Height 30 stories 88.39 meters 290 feet . Rentals 0 units. Strata 82 units. Social Housing 39 units. PARKING 4 levels underground for 176 car and 160 bicycle stalls Completion Xxxxx.

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