Home : History
Built for newlyweds Bert Todd and Ada Seabrook in 1910, Oak Lane was originally called Blytheholm Manor which means “home of light and gaiety”.
Mr. Todd went on to become Mayor of Victoria, and in his den conceived the idea for the Peace Arch monument erected at the border between Canada and the United States.
The Todds were avid vegetable gardeners, with 3,000 square feet under cultivation. They raised Rhode Island Red chickens, and sold fresh eggs and produce. The building was converted to apartments in the 1940s.
I have worked to restore and renovate this property, keeping true to arts and crafts principles. Wherever possible, local, period-correct and eco-friendly materials were used.
This year I hope to start restoring the once abundant food garden.
