Built: Circa 1892–1893.

• Original Architect/Builder: While the specific architect for 1042 isn’t as widely cited as its neighbors, the house was part of a specific development push in the late 19th century. It sat adjacent to the “Hedley Chapman” houses (1012 Richardson and others), which were commissioned by British investor Hedley Chapman and built by contractors Bishop and Sherborne.

• Original Style: It was originally a large, single-family Victorian residence, likely in the Italianate or Queen Anne Revival style, which dominated that specific block at the time.

  Past Owners & Residents

  • The Johnston Era (1930s): One of the most documented residents was John Hugh Johnston, who lived there until his passing in March 1934. Johnston was born in Belfast, Ireland, and was a long-time Victoria resident (48 years). His presence links the wood you have to the peak of Victoria’s early colonial growth.

  • The 1945 Conversion: In October 1945, immediately following the end of WWII, a building permit was issued to convert the house from a single-family home into a four-suite apartment building at a cost of $6,150. This was a common trend in Fairfield as Victoria dealt with a post-war housing shortage.

  • Recent Ownership: For much of the 21st century, the house operated as a five-unit rental property. It was sold in June 2020 for $1.5 million to the development group (1248330 BC Ltd.) that eventually cleared the site for the current “Ten42” project.

  • The Transition: Your wood represents a structure that survived the 1913 economic crash, the Spanish Flu, and two World Wars before finally being dismantled in 2025 to make room for 20 new homes.