Accession Number

E132

Alternate Name

lantern

Description

One ferrous metal and glass electric ceiling light fixture suspended from a short chain.

Narrative

This light fixture is similar in scale to the Dunsmuir-era fixture that hung under Craigdarroch's verandah outside the garden entrance from 1890 to 1918. It was acquired by The Castle Society in 1983 for display in the same location.

A historic photograph of this fixture hanging under the Hatley Park porte-cochère appears to show a fragment or extension of something hanging from the fixture. Patrick Bulmer of Waterglass Studio removed the fixture in 1983 and does not remember any such thing. It is possible that the photograph in question merely shows a shadow in the branches of the tree in the background. 

History of Use

This fixture was installed under the porte-cochère of the castle at Hatley Park in 1910. It stayed there until 1983 when it was removed by the federal Department of National Defense and replaced with a different one by Waterglass Studios Ltd. of Victoria, B.C. That decision was taken in anticipation of the visit to Royal Roads Military College by HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip. Patrick Bulmer, owner of Waterglass Studios Ltd. explained to Craigdarroch Castle Curator Bruce Davies that someone in authority felt that the original Hatley Park light fixture was not aesthetically pleasing and was therefore unsuitable for the Royal visit. The Castle Society accepted the invitation from Patrick Bulmer to purchase the fixture for Craigdarroch in 1983¹. It replaced a simple frosted glass globe fixture that had been installed by The Castle Society after 1968.

1. Report to Castle Society members by President Dorothy Laundy, January 17, 1984.

Date

circa 1909

Material

Metal, steel; Glass

Technique

Tooled