Ross Bay Villa Lawn Party and Open House

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Sunday, July 1st, 2012
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

TLC Plans Multiple Canada Day Ribbon-Cuttings at Ross Bay Villa, former home of Frank Roscoe, Fairfield�s MP from 1874-1878

VICTORIA, B.C. � At least three ribbons will be cut at this year�s Ross Bay Villa Lawn Party and Open House on July 1, 2012, 12 - 4:30 p.m., at 1490 Fairfield Road: one for the new handmade floor covering which volunteers have been creating for the past year, another for the newly acquired water-colour painting related to the house�s first family, the Roscoes, and a third will celebrate the new Victorian kitchen garden.

As part of the City of Victoria�s 150th anniversary celebration, this event will feature the popular cream tea and plant sale, plus displays of recent archaeological finds in the Villa gardens, and heritage exhibits by partner organizations, including the Old Cemeteries Society, the Hallmark Heritage Society, and the Victoria Heritage Foundation.

Floor-covering designed to last
The new floor covering is a 1860s design silk-screened, stamped and hand-painted oilcloth. Ross Bay Villa volunteers have painstakingly applied more than a dozen layers of gesso, paint and varnish to the cloth to create the illusion of a complex inlaid wood floor. The oilcloth will cover the entrance hall of the Villa, complementing the faux wood-graining on all the wood trim in the hallway.

Lead conservator Simone Vogel-Horridge, who re-created the design based on examples found in other historic buildings of the period, isn�t worried about people walking on the new artwork. �It�s designed to last many, many years. The five colours and the hand wood-graining are protected with 10 layers of varnish,� says Vogel-Horridge.

Garden for the future
Such long-term thinking also applies to the new Victorian kitchen garden, which will take years to mature. Garden researchers have planted varieties of vegetables and herbs that were available in the 1860s, and that Francis and Letitia Roscoe would have served at Ross Bay Villa.

Who is the mystery woman?
Vogel-Horridge acquired the water colour in England because it was painted in 1864 by Rosa LeBreton, Mrs. Roscoe�s sister. There is no evidence that this picture ever hung in the Ross Bay Villa, but it is likely that some of Rosa�s pictures would have hung in the house. This painting is a skilled portrait of an unidentified woman, and will be unveiled July 1.

Other details:
� An archaeological excavation at the Villa in recent weeks has revealed the first complete Garden Tile. Over the years pieces of more than 50 tiles have been found in the garden, but never until now a complete one, neatly stamped with the classic English potter�s mark, Doulton Lambeth.
� Excerpts from the Roscoe Diaries, describing life in the Villa, will be displayed.
� The new TLC/Villa T-shirts will be on sale.
� The regular annual Villa Plant Sale will include plants grown on site or donated by volunteers.
� Prices: $7 for Cream Tea, $7 for a House Tour, or $12 for both. Tours (maximum of eight people) start at noon, and the last tour will start at 4 p.m.
� In addition, the Friends of Ross Bay Villa will celebrate receiving a substantial grant from the Benjamin Moore Paint Company for paint and other restoration work.

ROSS BAY VILLA

Ross Bay Villa is one of only a few 1860s homes left in the City of Victoria. Built in 1865, the gothic revival style residence is remarkably intact, retaining almost all of its original detailing, both inside and out. With the incredible leadership and professional guidance of a dedicated group of volunteers, TLC has been working to bring the site back to its former glory. Saved from demolition, it has become a gem of a historic house museum and home to the offices of two local heritage societies. The exterior work has been largely completed and work is now focused on the interior. The restoration of the grounds is near complete and is being designed to show the appearance of the garden during the late 1860s.

TLC THE LAND CONSERVANCY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

2012 marks TLC�s 15th anniversary of people protecting places. It is places like Ross Bay Villa, people like Francis Roscoe, and stories from volunteers restoring the site that have made TLC what it is today: B.C.�s leading land trust. Ross Bay Villa is just one story as part of an anniversary series dedicated to the many individuals who helped pave the way for TLC�s success. TLC would like to thank our members, donors, volunteers, and supporters for their continued support. Our accomplishments are measured by the strength of the connections between community, people, and the world around us. By working together, we can change the world. Become a Member today and help protect natural areas, historic sites, and agricultural lands for future generations. conservancy.bc.ca


For further information:
Heather Skydt, TLC Communications Manager, 604-733-2313, [email protected]
Angie Pass, TLC Project Officer, Ross Bay Villa, 250 386 1606, [email protected]