212 Roberts Street, between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue, was built in 1901, making it one of the oldest buildings on this section of Roberts Street.
Here is a map showing the location of 212 Roberts Street:
Here is a Google Street View image of 212 Roberts Street:
The LDHS featured 212 Roberts Street on its Facebook group in August 2020 and received these responses:
Bill Verchere wrote:
“My maternal grandparents, John and Florence McNeil may have been among the first owners, from about 1910 or so till the 1960s. He died in 1958, and she passed away in 1964….
An unusual feature of the interior is a trap door in the middle of the living room floor, used for basement access.” {note: we will follow up on this feature]
Bill Verchere‘s comments on the photo above:
“In the photo, left to right, Madeline McNeil, her brother Billy, their mother Florence, my mother Sarah, and her brother Johnny.
Jack McNeil, the head of the family, was a logging foreman, and at this time was away working at a logging camp, most likely at Cowichan Lake.”
Brenda Myers ( nee Mourant) wrote:
“1974 to 1993 Joyce (Wilson) and Richard Mourant and kids. Dad picked it because he could use binoculars to see his commercial fish boat at the govt dock from the kitchen window.
“Hippies” lived in it before us and had painted it crazy colours inside. Used to have nice gardens with grapes, raspberries and a cherry tree.”
We will add more historical information in future.