Address: 408 Alpha Terrace
Built: 1893
1912 householder: William H. Smith, carpenter and building contractorThis late-Victorian residence, once known as "Alpha Lodge," was built in 1893 by William C. Holt. It is now the office and workshop of Vintage Woodworks Inc., a firm that specializes in period architectural millwork and heritage conservation. The original builder may have been pleased that it is still connected with fine carpentry and craftsman joinery.
William Curryer Holt (b. 1861) and his wife Elizabeth Ann (née Burwis) ["Bessie"] (b. 1861) and their small children Mabel (b. 1882) and George (b. 1886) immigrated to Canada from England in 1888. Before settling in Victoria they had resided briefly in Washington State. Their daughter, Helen Ruby, was born in Seattle in 1891. In Victoria, Holt established a successful business as a house carpenter and building contractor. In 1893, he built the family home that now stands at 408 Alpha Terrace. Margaret Holt was born here in 1895. Twin daughters, Mary and Ruth, were born here in 1902.
The Holt family moved to a new home at 489 Garbally Road in 1904, where they were enumerated in the 1911 census. In 1914, they moved to another new home built by Holt at 540 Manchester Road. Not long after, when the real estate boom was over, Holt retired from the construction business. (His last building project may have been a house at 3069 Washington Avenue.) He then became a retail grocer. One of his grocery stores was located on Esquimalt Road; the other grocery store was located at 690 Burnside Road. William Holt died in Victoria in 1942; he was predeceased by his wife, Bessie, who died in 1934.
In 1912, the residence at 408 Alpha Street was the home of Walter H. Smith and his family. Their profile was similar to the Holt family. Fifty year old Walter Smith and his 54 year old wife, Fanny, had immigrated to Canada in 1888 and came to Victoria via the United States. A daughter, Marion, b. 1891, and son, Walter, b. 1893, were born in the USA. Their youngest daughter, Caroline, was born in BC in 1895. When the household was enumerated in June 1911, Marion was working as a book keeper; Walter, Junior, was a machinist.
The house changed hands in late 1912 or early 1913. It then became the home of Arthur Luther, who established a transportation company that operated from a garage next door. The B. C. Motor Truck Transportation Company was later known as the Victoria & Sooke Transportation Company. This may have been one of the first motor vehicle-related businesses in the area. Trucking firms, auto repair shops and car dealerships are now well-represented in this part of the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood.