The Union Club of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia
Backgrounder
Established in 1879, the Union Club of British Columbia is an excellent representative example of a private men’s club, based on a members-only, private club prototype originating in Britain and popularized in Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name of the Club reflects its founding members’ pro-union (or pro-confederation with Canada) stance during a period of political turbulence in British Columbia’s history when disappointment over the postponement of a rail link to the rest of Canada threatened the union of 1871. Since 1913, the club has been housed in an elegant building in the heart of Victoria.
In 18th-century Britain, gentlemen’s clubs were places where men could play games, drink, and enjoy a fine meal with their peers. These private clubs conferred prestige and status to their members, who socialized and networked in what were often luxurious surroundings. In Canada, one of the earliest examples was the Beaver Club of Montréal, founded by fur merchants and traders in 1785. In the 19th century, there were gentlemen’s clubs in cities across the country, established by local elites who sought to recreate the clubs found in Britain.
The Union Club of British Columbia became a home-away-from-home for politicians, civil servants, military officers, professionals, and the press soon after its formation in 1879. Though members were barred from engaging in political and business discussions, the founding of the Union Club may be seen, to some extent, as a political act. Its name echoes the founders’ support for Confederation at a time when delays in the building of a transcontinental railway were fuelling disillusionment with British Columbia’s place in the union.
Club members met in rented rooms until 1885, when they moved to their first purpose-built clubhouse. As Victoria prospered and many new members joined, there was a growing desire for new and modern facilities. Construction of an elegant building on Gordon Street in Victoria was completed in 1913. It has served as the clubhouse ever since. Its monumentality, symmetry, and classical decoration reflect the principles and characteristics of Beaux-Arts design. Its design, layout and appointments continue to reflect the tastes and interests of the Club’s privileged membership.
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