Dandridge House sign
Image by ngawangchodron
1243 Rudlin Street, Fernwood, Victoria BC. (1862)
New sign reveals the history of one of Fernwood’s oldest houses..
"This house was originally located at the NW corner of Vancouver and Johnson Street and was built in 1862. It is a rare surviving example of a mid 19th century, carpenter built, working class Victoria residence. The lapped siding is of California redwood, several of the upper storey windows date to 1862 and the framework is an unusual hybrid of mortise and tenon and stick frame construction. The home was built by African American pioneers John (born 1802) and Charlotte (born 1795) Dandridge. The Dandridges, who originated from Virginia, immigrated to Vancouver Island along with other members of the black community of San Fransisco.
By the late 1850’s although California was nominally a "free" state, black citizens were increasingly subjected to violent racial discrimination. In this uncertain climate, a group of nearly 800 black Californians accepted an invitation in 1858 from Governor James Douglas to resettle on Vancouver Island. The prospective immigrants were promised naturalized British citizenship and were hopeful that they would receive better treatment in a British colony. In fact, although many of the immigrants did find improved opportunities, the path toward British citizenship proved to be onerous and racial prejudice towards blacks was seldom below the surface.
In the early 1860’s there were fears on Vancouver Island that the colony faced belligerent and expansionist threats from south of the border. Responding to concerns that the island was inadequately defended, 50 men from Victoria’s African American community volunteered and received permission from Governor James Douglas to form a militia. In July of 1862, under the guidance of community leader and local entrepreneur Mifflin Gibbs, the Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps (African Rifles) was officially established. Although John Dandridge at age 60 did not join, his son in law, grocer A.H.Francis became a captain in the Rifle Corps. The Corps drill hall and parade ground were located on the NW corner of View and Quadra streets and became something of a community centre for the black residents of Victoria. Mifflin Gibbs was later elected as a Victoria city alderman, served as acting mayor and was a delegate to the 1868 Yale Conference which was influential in moving British Columbia towards confederation with Canada.
Charlotte Dandridge died in 1868 and is buried in the Old Burial Ground at Pioneer Square. John Dandridge apparently left Victoria around 1870, probably returning to the US as did many of the African American pioneers of 1858 after the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.
German barber Johannes (John) Becker and his wife Nicolene purchased the Dandridge residence in the early 1870’s and lived in the home with their family for more than 15 years.
In 1899 the house was moved from Johnson Street to South Pandora Street (Rudlin Street) by sanitary pipe laying contractor Giuseppe (Joe) Zarrellii. Zarelli and his wife Carmella immigrated from Calabria, Italy in 1891 and raised 11 children in this house.
In the early years of the 20th century #9 South Pandora (1243 Rudlin Street) was at the centre of Victoria’s little Italy. This was a community which was settled primarily by the large extended family of Giuseppe Zarrelli, his brothers, cousins and their families. Zarelli family members lived in this house until the 1950’s.
For over 150 years 1243 Rudlin Street has been home to generations of Victorians, many of them immigrants from around the world. This house is one of a handful of surviving residences from the 1860’s. In 2005 the house received Victoria Municipal Heritage Designation."
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