Hatley Castle and Gardens In 1906, B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor,
James Dunsmuir, who was of Scottish descent, purchased the property. He and his wife Laura commissioned the renowned Canadian
architect Samuel Maclure to build a 40-room mansion in the
Scottish baronial style; the
Tudor Revival style was popular in the
Edwardian period. The Dunsmuirs created many beautiful formal gardens using the services of renowned American garden designers
Franklin Brett and
George D. Hall of
Boston, Massachusetts. The Dunsmuirs named their estate "Hatley Park", in the tradition of British and European private estates. The castle became a landmark and was occupied by descendants of the Dunsmuir family until after the
Great Depression, in 1937. A
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque reads: Hatley Park. This superb example of an Edwardian park was laid out for James and Laura Dunsmuir in the early 20th century. At its centre stands a Tudor Revival mansion, whose picturesque design is enhanced by a rich array of decoration and fine craftsmanship. The grounds, featuring a variety of native and exotic vegetation, unfold from formal gardens to recreational spaces, farmlands and forests. Acquired by the Canadian armed forces in 1940, Hatley Park evolved to meet the needs of Royal Roads Military College in a manner that has preserved its essential Edwardian character. The Royal Roads Military College band consisting of 15 pipers and drummers and 30 brass-and-reed musician recorded an LP in 1983–1984. Petty Officer First Class Gabby R. Bruner, RRMC bandmaster from 1979 to 1985, composed "Hatley Park" as the official quick march for the RRMC and "Dunsmuir Castle" for the Visit of
Queen Elizabeth to RRMC in 1983. In 2008, the 100th anniversary of Hatley Castle was celebrated.
Planned royal residence At the outbreak of the
Second World War,
contingency plans were made for King
George VI, his wife, Queen
Elizabeth; and their two daughters, Princesses
Elizabeth and
Margaret, to reside in Canada in the event of an invasion of Britain. The family's primary options were stately homes in England, but Victoria, BC, was the backup site in the event that German troops reached the Midlands. The federal
Crown-in-Council purchased Hatley Castle in 1940 for use as the King's royal residence. The royal family and British government decided against the former leaving the UK during the war and the King and Queen stayed in London, while the Princesses were located at
Windsor Castle.
Royal Roads Military College The Canadian government adapted the mansion as a naval training facility. From 1948 it was known as the Royal Roads Military College. It is named for the
Royal Roads body of water, which forms the entrance into
Esquimalt Harbour from the
Strait of Juan de Fuca, lying to the east of the facility. The military college was closed in 1995 and the estate leased to the Province of British Columbia. That same year, the castle and grounds were designated a
National Historic Site of Canada. In September 1995,
Royal Roads University was opened as a public, degree-granting university. It leases the campus from the
Department of National Defence for $1 per year. The university manages all stewardship responsibilities related to the site, including site management, operations, heritage preservation and restoration, and educating the public about the site's history and natural resources. == Hatley Gardens ==