St. David Street, between McNeill Avenue and Windsor Road, looking north, photo by E. A. Price, 1911. Oak Bay Archives photo no. 1994-001-030. The famous Garry oak tree in the middle of St. David Street can be seen in the distance, in the block between Windsor and Brighton Avenue. See the second telephone pole on the right? We lived just beyond that for 35 years, 1978 to 2013.

Welcome. Klahowya. This weblog of Oak Bay history was established to advance a notion of local history that includes family history and geography. The approach is evolving and experimental.

Oak Bay happens to be my Place. These articles are on historical subjects who resonate to my interest in the Local. Most of the subjects aren’t history-makers (although a few shakers and movers have passed this way), but all are interesting in some way.

In time the articles will compose a mosaic of narratives to accompany a book that will provide a chronological overview.

The articles presented here are works in progress, undertaken in no particular order. Some are manifestly incomplete; I work on them as time allows.

Peter Grant
June 2016

Oak Bay Chronicles has been honoured with a Communication Award by the Hallmark Heritage Society.

May 2018