Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Record type
- Photographs
- Textual records
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Edition area
Edition statement
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Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
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Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1879-1982 (Creation)
- Creator
- Rattenbury, Francis Mawson, 1867-1935 (family)
Physical description area
Physical description
ca. 1000 photographs and 0.18 m of textual records
Publisher's series area
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Francis Mawson Rattenbury was born in Leeds, England, in 1867. He began training as an architect in 1885 in his uncles' firm Mawson and Mawson. He immigrated to British Columbia in 1892, settling first in Vancouver, then moving to Victoria the next year when he won the competition for the design of the new Parliament Buildings. This coup launched a two-decades-long string of successes which included Government House, court houses, banks, hotels, and residences. He also pursued business careers in inland shipping and land speculation. In 1898 he married Florence Eleanor Nunn (1870-1929) and had two children, Francis Burgoyne and Mary. Rattenbury's fortunes began to flag with the beginning of World War I. After 1914 commissions were infrequent, and his land ventures in central British Columbia were unsuccessful. In 1925 Rattenbury and his wife divorced, and he married Alma Victoria Pakenham. They had one son, John. In 1930 he moved to England with his new family and settled in Bournemouth, where he was effectively retired. On March 23, 1935, Francis Rattenbury was murdered by his wife's paramour George Percy Stoner, which led to one of Britain's most sensational murder trials of the century.
Francis Burgoyne Rattenbury was born in Victoria on January 14, 1899. He married Sarah Kathleen Grogan (1905-1946) on July 10, 1928. They had one son, Edward (Ted) Rattenbury and later divorced.
Mary Rattenbury was born in Victoria on May 11, 1904. She married Eric Audley Burton (1897-1971) on April 2, 1930 and they had one daughter, Susan Audley Burton, born March 1, 1933. The Burtons resided in Victoria for many years before retiring to Duncan, B.C., where Mary lived until her death on October 25, 1982.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds consists of photographic prints (some in albums), negatives, correspondence, legal documents, newspaper clippings, books, and other material relating to the Rattenbury family. Photographs include images of members of the Rattenbury family and their home Iechineel in Oak Bay; Victoria homes and other buildings.
Notes area
Physical condition
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Arrangement
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Script of material
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Finding aids
A file list is available.
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Access points
Subject access points
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Name access points
- Rattenbury, Francis Mawson, 1867-1935 (Subject)
- Burton, Eric Audley (Subject)
- Rattenbury, Florence Eleanor (Subject)
- Rattenbury, Francis Burgoyne (Subject)
- Rattenbury, Mary, 1904-1982 (Subject)