On Thursday, April 24, 2008, author Maureen Duffus speaks to the Victoria Historical Society about the early days of Fort Victoria, as seen through Mary Yates' fictional letters. The talk will be held at the James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies Street, 7:30 pm. Visitors welcome. For more information, call 250-480 1061.

To help celebrate BC's 150th anniversary, the National Historica Fair, sponsored by the Historica Foundation, will be held in Victoria from July 7 to 14, 2008. The national fair features the winners of the regional history fairs that are based on local history projects researched and prepared by grades 4 to 9 students.

The Royal Engineers Living History Group and the Old Cemeteries Society in Victoria have collaborated on a special tour of Ross Bay Cemetery on Sunday, April 13, 2008.
Permission has been received from The Land Conservancy (TLC) to have the Royal Engineers Living History group set up an encampment at the Ross Bay Villa grounds, 1490 Fairfield Rd, Victoria, BC. This building is an 1860s house which is being restored by TLC and will be open to the public on the afternoon of the 13th. The encampment will be set up in the morning so that people can visit up to the time of the tour. Then at 2 pm the tour of the cemetery ($5.00) will begin at Fairfield Plaza (in front of Fairfield Bakery), with the re-enactors speaking about their "persona" at the appropriate gravesite, and will end at Ross Bay Villa approximately 1 hour later. At that time the re-enactors will give a tour of the encampment and speak about their leaders, the men and camp life.

The Victoria Historical Society's meeting on Thursday, February 28, 2008 will feature nautical historian Barry Gough. He will detail the fight for control of the Pacific Northwest coast among the European powers. The VHS meets at the James Bay New Horizons Centre, 234 Menzies Street, 7:30 pm. Free admission. Visitors welcome. For further information, contact Russ Fuller, (250) 386-8628.

On Thursday, January 24, 2008, the Victoria Historical Society's guest speaker will be Terri Hunter, local researcher and teacher, who will give an illustrated talk on the remarkable life of Charles Bayley, who came to early Victoria to work for the Hudson's Bay Company, taught school, and managed Uplands Farm.

7.30 p.m. Free. All welcome. James Bay New Horizons Centre, 234 Menzies St., Victoria For more information call (250) 480 1061.