Downtown Victoria Tour
Government Street – 1100 Block
1150 Government Street – Garrick’s Head Pub
This building at 1150 Government Street was originally built in 1878. It is now the Garrick’s Head Pub.
Here’s a map showing the location of 1150 Government Street:
Here is a Google Street View image of 1150 Government Street:
Additional Information About 1150 Government Street
This building at 1150 Government Street is legally consolidated with 1130-1140 Government Street and 69 Bastion Square. The assessed value of the consolidated buildings is shown below:
- Assessed Value (July 2019): $7,928,000; Land $3,263,000 Buildings $4,665,000
- Assessed Value (July 2018): $7,363,000; Land $2,944,000 Buildings $4,419,000
- Assessed Value (July 2017): $6,927,000; Land $3,184,000 Buildings $3,743,000
- Assessed Value (July 2016): $6,442,000; Land $3,028,000 Buildings $3,414,000
- Assessed Value (July 2015): $6,225,000; Land $2,610,000 Buildings $3,615,000
- Assessed Value (July 2014): $5,310,000; Land $2,466,000 Buildings $2,846,000
A Brief History of 1150 Government Street
Here are some historic photos of this building:
- BC Archives photo D-07148 – circa 1913-14
- BC Archives photo I-01036 – as the Churchill Hotel, 1945. Photographer: Duncan Macphail
- BC Archives photo I-01037 – as the Churchill Hotel, 1945. Photographer: Duncan Macphail
- City of Victoria Archives photo M01365 – 1960
This two storey commercial building was built in 1878 for John Smeaton and was sold to W.P. Sayward in 1882.
It appears to have been used as a saloon by 1896. In 1905 it was the North & Richardson tobacconist shop, competing with E.A. Morris Tobacconists, which is still in business at 1116 Government Street. By 1912, it appears to have been shared between the Army and Navy Cigar Shop (again, in competition with E.A. Morris at 1116 Government Street) and the Western Union Telegraph office. The Army & Navy Cigar Shop occupied the building for several years but by 1920 this building had become a grocery called Hamsterley Farm Products.
During the 1930’s the building was referred to by two different names. About 1930, this building became known as the Miller Court Building; by 1935, it was called the Bastion Building.
By 1945, it had become part of the Churchill Hotel, which owned 1150 Government Street, 1130-1140 Government Street and 69 Bastion Square until the 1970’s.
During the 1970’s the building was converted into a restaurant, Smitty’s Pancake House.
It is now the Garrick’s Head Pub.
1150 Government Street is legally consolidated with the adjacent buildings at 69 Bastion Square and 1130-1140 Government Street:
69 Bastion Square, built in 1885 as the law office of Theodore Davie, who became Premier of B.C. 1892-1895.
The Bedford Regency Hotel, 1140 Government Street, is in a building that was originally built by architect Thomas Hooper in 1910 for Hibben-Bone Stationers
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