Rattenbury (in later years), Alma Pakenhan and George Stoner
Framed by three impressive landmarks, Victoria’s Inner Harbour is, without a doubt, one of Canada’s most photographed waterfronts. And while the Parliament Buildings, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and the CPR Steamship Terminal add an air of elegance and sophistication to the harbour, it may surprise some to learn of the scandal-riddled story of their shared architect, Francis Rattenbury.
An ambitious (although not entirely truthful) Francis Rattenbury at 25 years old
It all began in 1892 when the province launched a competition to design new Parliament Buildings. A 25-year-old named Rattenbury entered, signing off his drawing as being, “a B.C. Architect” - a signature containing the first two of many lies Rattenbury told over the years to advance his career, and his personal interests. In reality, Rattenbury was not from B.C. (he’d recently arrived from England) and was not yet a qualified architect; but regardless of these deceptions, Rattenbury won the contract and got the job.
The project was far from smooth sailing. Costs quickly ballooned from the estimated $400,000 to $800,00, and then beyond. When Rattenbury demanded even more cash to finish the project, whispers were that he’d threatened (or blackmailed) his close political connections to get the extra funds approved. True or false (likely true), he got the money he needed; and when the parliament buildings opened in 1897 (at a final cost of $950,000), Victorians cheered both him, and his magnificent accomplishment.
Flush with public adoration, Rattenbury soon caught the eye of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who asked him to design a luxury hotel on the harbour. The Empress opened in 1908 and soon became the place for royalty, celebrities, and wealthy travellers to frequent. Based on this success, next the CPR commissioned him to build an opulent building to welcome hotel guests arriving from the mainland. Completed in 1924, the Steamship Terminal's grand columns and wide steps provided a literal gateway to the sea, and perfectly complemented Rattenbury’s other harborside creations.
But as his career flourished, Rattenbury’s personal life unravelled. In 1925, he left his wife, Florence, for a pianist named Alma Pakenham, who was 30 years, his junior. Victorian society was scandalized, and completely turned its back on the couple, causing them to flee to Rattenbury’s hometown of Bournemouth, England. When his sullied reputation followed him across the Atlantic, Rattenbury struggled to find work, and increasingly turned to drink. But things were about to get worse – much worse.
A quiet life in the English countryside was not what young Alma had signed up for; not one bit. Restless and unhappy, she began an affair with their teenage chauffeur, George Stoner, who naively believed Alma’s love for him was real and everlasting.
The local newspapers account of Alma Rattenbury's sudden demise
Jealous of her “sophisticated” husband and wanting Alma all for himself, in 1935 Stoner bludgeoned Rattenbury with a carpenter’s mallet, striking him so hard it spit his head wide open, and knocked his false teeth out in the process. Within a few days, Rattenbury died, and Stoner went to prison for murder, leaving a desperate Alma with no husband, no lover, no friends and no money. In utter loneliness and despair, she stood at the edge of the Avon River, stabbed herself in the chest six times, and fell into the water to die.
And George? A few years later, prison authorities released him to go fight in WW2, from which he survived and was discharged a free man. He moved back to Bournemouth, married a local girl, and quietly lived there until the year 2,000 when he died at 85.
Victoria's Parliament Buildings, designed and built by Rattenbury in 1897
Francis Rattenbury was buried in Bournemouth, in a small grave that was unmarked for many years before a “family friend” added a modest headstone in 2007. In Victoria, you'll find no memorial to the man himself, or his contribution of the many prominent buildings he designed. The combination of scandals he left behind likely erased any desire (especially by the B.C. government) to memorialize him.
It’s a pathetic, yet some say fitting, end for a man who allowed his greed, selfishness and ego to outshine his obvious talents. But having said that, Victoria's harbour will always owe a great debt to Rattenbury's grand vision.
If you want to learn more about Francis Rattenbury’s legacy in Victoria, come join us on one of our HIDDEN VICTORIA walking tours! Our professional guides would love to share this, and much more of our city’s history with you. For more information, CLICK HERE.