THE DUNSMUIRS & THE GREAT WAR April 30, 2014 Caroline Posynick RRU Archivist We’ll start with a question Would we be here today, at Royal Roads University, if the Dunsmuir family had not been directly affected by the First World War? James and Laura Dunsmuir Renowned architect Samuel Maclure designed Hatley Castle in 1907 July 15, 1908 Completed 1910 – 100 builders, 60 stonemasons, 25 detail carpenters Hatley Park also has formal gardens. The Italian Garden were designed by Boston landscape architects Brett & Hall. James & Laura Dunsmuir 1910-11 - James, Laura and six of their children could move in. They had 22 bedrooms to choose from. Dunsmuir Family with spouses, 1908 Maye Robin Boy Bessie Laura James Byrdie Dola Marion Kathleen Grandson Jimmy Audain Muriel Elinor Wedding Day, 1901; Married Guy Audain Sarah Byrd “Byrdie”, eldest daughter, 2nd born 12 India Guy Audain achieved the rank of Major, led a troop of soldiers in France. Laura Mary (Maye), 3rd Daughter, married Arthur Bromley, a man of English peerage, in 1904. Arthur Bromley became a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy Percy Stevenson Colonel in the West Yorkshire Regiment Joan Marion, 5th Daughter, married Percy Stevenson. Kathleen, 7th Daughter, volunteered in France as a canteen girl. Kat was known as “Miss BC” because Victoria soldiers overseas recognized her when they met her as she was doing her work to help soldiers. “I am cabling to see if you can possibly get $2,500. We still have some money left, but we give so much… How they do love on a cold morning at 5 or 6 o’clock to have hot chocolate and buns! We love the work.” – letter from Kathleen Dunsmuir to her mother, published in The British Colonist, 22 April 1915 During her work, Kathleen met her future husband. She married Major Arthur Selden Humphreys on October 20, 1915. As the wife of an officer, Kat had to give up being a canteen girl. They lived in Victoria after the War. The youngest son, 9th born James Jr, on his ride Kismet, and at Hatley Stables Lieutenant James Jr (Boy) Dunsmuir at Hatley, April 1915, just prior to taking RMS Lusitania in order to join his regiment in England. “Officer’s Loss Deeply Mourned” 16 May 1915 The Daily Colonist The Lusitania was torpedoed down by Germans; James Jr. was lost at sea. Image from The British Colonist online edition, 18581920, UVic Libraries and Victoria Times-Colonist James was devastated at the death of his son. He found solace in his fishing cottage up at Cowichan. It was here where he died at the age of 68, just five years after the loss of James Jr. Laura Dunsmuir at Hatley Park Laura lived on at Hatley until her death in 1937 at the age of 79. As there was no one in the family with the means or the interest to run Hatley, there was an auction to sell of the contents of the estate. The entire property was put up for sale in 1938. The Dominion Government of Canada bought the property and all the buildings for just $75,000. Thus began the site’s history of one of leadership and learning, one that evolved again to create RRU itself. But that’s another story, or two… and so we return to our question… Would we be here today, at Royal Roads University, if the Dunsmuir family had not been directly affected by the First World War? Hatley Park Castle and the gardens on this site remain as a legacy to the Dunsmuir era. It is likely that their era ended prematurely because of the Great War, as, like many Canadian families, the Dunsmuirs suffered the heartbreaking loss of their son in service.
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