brick
Object
Accession Number
2007.012.003a-bAlternate Name
commemorative brickDescription
a. brick; b. plaque. A brick from the last surviving Birdcage (one of the original Colonial Legistlative Buildings, built in 1859). With a plaque on the brick "To Jim Nesbitt in grateful appreciation from the Government of British Columbia. This brick is from the foundation of the original 'Birdcage' built in 1859."Narrative
This is one of several items in this accession previously owned by the donor’s uncle, the late James K. Nesbitt (1908-1981), founding President of The Society for the Preservation and Maintenance of Craigdarroch Castle (The Castle Society). They demonstrate Mr. Nesbitt’s interest in history and heritage conservation and the honors bestowed upon him for his work.This brick from the Birdcages was effectively contextualized in two oral history interviews that Craigdarroch's curator conducted with Nesbitt’s former BC Legislative Press Gallery colleague, Andy Stephen. Mr. Stephen choked-up as he described the night he saw Mr. Nesbitt cry. Both men had been working in the Press Gallery office when an eerie glow appeared in the window. They rushed forward to see that the last remaining Birdcage (an original Colonial Legislative Building) was on fire.
Both men hurried outside to watch the fire. Mr. Nesbitt was overcome with grief. His friend remembered,
“Oh dear, you know Jim had such a love of everything historical. Behind the Legislative Buildings there used to be three buildings that were known as ‘The Birdcages’ of the legislature and they were there from the turn of the century. And that’s the 1900’s. And two of them were destroyed over a brief period of time, then one night we had a late night session, it was in the ‘50’s and Jim and I had our desks pretty close together in the press gallery, which is now George McMinn’s, the clerk, that houses his offices now, but that used to be our playground. And suddenly we saw some light in the sky behind the legislative building. I said 'My gosh Jim what is that?' He got up to take a look. Fear showed in his voice. So we went out and we went around the side of the building, took a look over and the last ‘Birdcage’ was in flames. The Civil Defense people had had a meeting in there earlier in the evening; someone was smoking and dropped a live cigarette on the floor, I guess, and up went the last of ‘The Birdcages’. And I looked over at Jim. He was right next to me and I know Jim is a very sentimental man. I’ve never seen tears flow from a man’s eyes in such a steady stream as I did looking at Jim. Because he realized the importance of that Birdcage, what it had meant to the Province of British Columbia and the City of Victoria. And here was the last one gone. Another treasure gone down the tubes by someone’s carelessness.” 1
This link can be used to see a circa 1955 photograph of of the last surviving birdcage before it was destroyed by fire in in 1957:
https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/legislative-buildings-in-victoria-in-foreground-last-remaining-birdcage-destroyed-by-fire-in-1957
(last accessed May 20, 2020)
This link can be used to see a photograph of the last surviving birdcage as it was being consumed by flames:
https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/last-remaining-birdcage-ablaze-superior-street-victoria-3
(last accessed May 20, 2020)
The last Birdcage burned in 1957. Two years later, Mr. Nesbitt founded The Society for the Preservation and Maintenance of Craigdarroch Castle, also known as The Castle Society.
1. Transcription of a conversation between Craigdarroch Castle Curator Bruce Davies and Andy Stephen, February 13, 2004.
History of Use
In 1859, this brick was laid in the foundation of what would eventually be the last surviving building of the British Columbia Colonial Legislative building group. It was presented James Knight Nesbitt, by the Government of British Columbia at an as yet undetermined date. Mr. Nesbitt owned it until his death in September 1981 when it was inherited by his nephew, Jim Cullingford, who donated it to Craigdarroch in 2007.Mr. Cullingford explained to Craigdarroch's curator that he used the brick to hold down the accelerator pedal of his car when he wished to leave the car idling while he left the car unattended.
