In 1906, B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor, James Dunsmuir, built this 40-room home in the Scottish baronial style popular in the Edwardian Period. The Dunsmuirs also created beautiful formal gardens on the estate, which is situated on a lagoon near the entrance to EsquimaltHarbour, west of Victoria.
At the outbreak of World War II, plans were made for the King and Queen and the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to reside in Canada. HatleyCastle was purchased by the federal government in 1940 for use as their residence. However, the Royal Family decided to tough it out in London and the estate was converted into a naval training facility. The name was changed to RoyalRoadsMilitaryCollege in 1948, and in 1995 it was designated a National Historic Site, and became RoyalRoadsUniversity.
My husband was a cadet at Royal Roads when it was a MilitaryCollege, and we will be attending the Remembrance Day Service there today.
Charlene is a graduate of the University of Alberta (BSc) and the University of Colorado (MBA), now retired from a career in the Canadian Public Service.
During the ten years her husband was with Emirates Airline, Charlene travelled extensively, served as Administrator of the Dubai Arts Centre, and wrote about painting, archaeology and future studies for the Khaleej Times and the Gulf News.
She has written 1150 Words by Charlene Brown since 2009.
