Address: 581 John Street
Built: 1905
1912 householder: Alfred McDougal, sea captainThis is one of five houses erected on this block of John Street by Captain Victor Jacobsen in 1905. Jacobsen was a prominent sealer and master of some of most famous sealing schooners of the era. Of the five houses, only 581 John Street and 585 John Street are still standing in 2024.
This was the McDougal family home in 1912. According to the 1911 census, Alfred McDougal was born in Nova Scotia and was 54 years old. His occupation is listed as “captain.” His Norwegian born wife, Hansina, was 40 years old and had immigrated to Canada in 1905. Their children were all born in British Columbia. Their oldest daughter, Eva, was 15 years old when she was enumerated, and their son, Hedly, was 12 years old. The younger daughters were Olga, 9, and Florence, 7.
Captain McDougal may have been the master of a sealing schooner, since many Victoria-based sealing captains came from the Maritime provinces. Scandinavian mariners were also prominent in the sealing industry and possibly McDougal's wife had family connections with the sealing community. This is conjecture. But if Captain McDougal was a sealer he would have been affected adversely by the permanent closure of the sealing industry, by an international treaty, in 1911.
The former McDougal family residence has lost much of its original character. When the house was built, it would have been clad in double-drop board siding; the side porch was probably open and its pent roof may have been supported by decorative posts. However, the box bay front window, which is protected by a small pent roof, is a nice Edwardian-era feature.