Ross Bay Villa

05/25/2026

Local webseries Bon Victoriage recently featured our Society President Kathryn McAllister, in a Youtube video focused on the preservation of historic architecture. Series host Johnny also visited other historic houses like Wentworth Villa and Emily Carr House, discussing why Victoria looks the way it does today, and how those past decisions still influence its future.

Episode 5: Let’s do the time warp again—Part 1 (41:00)Starring: Charles Leitz, Teresa Ryback, Kathryn McAllisterCamera: David Malysheff, Graham Kolbeins, Ten...

05/16/2026

The Ross Bay Villa Society will hold our Annual General Meeting on Saturday June 6, 2025 at 12:00 pm at Ross Bay Villa. Please join us for our meeting and membership lunch. This is a good opportunity to meet other members and our Board, learn about the busy year our Society has had, and of course enjoy the beautiful gardens.

This meeting will include elections for a new Board of Directors for the period 2026-2027. To be elected to the Board of Directors, you must be a member in good standing for a minimum of 30 days prior to the AGM. To vote at the AGM you must also be a member of the Society.

The Board is a creative and dedicated group that meets monthly to plan the future of the Villa. From giftshop coordination, volunteer projects, event and program planning, and site management, there is great scope for people to contribute time and ideas. We encourage members to consider joining our Board and help build the shared vision for our historic house museum, or to suggest someone who would be an excellent fit for this role.

Please send your nominations and expressions of interest in serving on the Board to [email protected]. Members can also put their names forward or be nominated at the AGM.

Following the AGM, the annual Members’ Barbecue will be held in the garden.

05/09/2026

A few pictures of Ross Bay Villa’s beautiful gardens! See you at our plant sale tomorrow, 10-2.

03/10/2026

We're hiring!

Ross Bay Villa seeks a motivated individual with a passion for BC history to work as Heritage Site Coordinator this summer. The successful candidate will bring to the position a love for BC history, as well as excellent communication, information management, and interpretive skills.

Full information below:

The Ross Bay Villa Society owns and operates the 1865 Ross Bay Villa Historic House Museum (the Villa). The Villa was home to early Victoria Member of Parliament Frances Roscoe and his family. Since the year 2000, the house and gardens have been meticulously conserved and restored by volunteers, to reflect the 1860s-70s era when the Roscoe family were in residence. The Villa offers guided tours and monthly events and lectures.

The Ross Bay Villa Society is seeking a Heritage Site Coordinator for 14 weeks at 20 hours a week (280 hrs). Remuneration for the full contract is $6,720.00. This contract may be extended at the discretion of the Society following the successful conclusion of the 14-week contract.

This role is primarily conducted on-site at 1490 Fairfield Rd. The contractor must be available Wednesday-Saturday for the duration of the contract.

The primary duties of the contractor will include:
• Working in conjunction with the Board on the planning and ex*****on of all tours, group tours and events at the Villa.
• Conducting informative and engaging guided tours of the Villa.
• Organization of existing digital and physical records, focusing on streamlining access to information for volunteers.
• General office administration and clerical tasks, including answering email, telephone inquiries, and booking tours.
• Promoting the Villa to the local tourism sector, the wedding industry, schools, community organizations and others through social media, legacy media and direct contact.
• Developing tour themes for diverse audiences, including youth programming.
• Maintaining the Villa during operating hours, including light custodial work.

Role requirements:
• Deep knowledge and passion for local and BC history.
• Ability to work with the public, Board members and society volunteers.
• Excellent communication, information management, and interpretive skills.
• Ability to work independently and in conjunction with a team.
• Critical thinking and organizational abilities.
• Ability to initiate and promote innovative ideas to enhance the visibility and encourage increased visitor traffic to the Villa.

Preference may be given to applicants who possess the following:

• Educational background and experience in cultural programming.
• Experience as a museum or historic site tour guide.
To apply, please send an email with a cover letter and resume to the Hiring Committee at [email protected] Applications must be received no later than 4:00pm PST on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

The Ross Bay Villa Society is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and welcomes applicants from all walks of life. The Villa stands on the ancestral territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples, whose relationship with the land continues to this day.

02/24/2026

Ross Bay Villa Historic House Museum seeks vendors for the upcoming Vintage Emporium event on April 4th from 10AM-2PM. This outdoor event will allow multiple vendors to sell their vintage, antique, and retro items.

The spaces are 4x8 feet, come with wifi and electricity, and are available for a minimum $30 donation. Limited 8 foot table rentals available at $20 or $10 for RBVS members. Thanks to the weekly Gift Shop at the Garden sale at Ross Bay Villa we have a large and loyal community of shoppers that are interested in vintage and antique items. This is your chance to show them yours in a great historic setting! All funds raised support our volunteer run and owned historic house museum, built in 1865.

To book or for more information please contact Catriona at [email protected]. Last day to book and pay is March 28th.

02/17/2026

BC Heritage Week’s theme this year is “Stir the Pot”, an open invitation to celebrate food as a form of heritage. At Ross Bay Villa, our volunteers set the table seasonally with fake foods appropriate to the 1860s, when the Roscoe family lived there. Living so close to Ross Bay, we presume their diet would feature fish and other seafoods, some of which they might catch or harvest themselves, or which they could purchase from Indigenous or Chinese pedlars who came door to door.

The oysters on the Roscoes’ table are particularly small, because they are the native Olympia variety, which are now extinct in local waters. We were fortunate to coordinate with Shuck Taylor's Oyster Bar, which often imports Olympias from Seattle, and who has kindly passed on the empty shells to us. Thank you!!

The shells are real, but of course oysters don’t keep well. These were made with Fino and hand-painted. Come and see the full display of fake food at Ross Bay Villa-there is a rotating seasonal display that features meats, vegetables and desserts, all appropriate to the time of year and the tastes of the family who lived there long ago.

02/17/2026

A huge resource for lovers of Victoria’s unique built heritage—now available to download!

02/14/2026

Our Gift Shop will reopen today! Stop by from 10-2 on Saturdays to check out a range of household items, handmade gifts, clothing, and unexpected finds. All funds raised support our volunteer based museum. Please note this outdoor event is weather dependent.

02/07/2026

An interesting upcoming event!

The Victoria Historical Society invites you to join the revivified Francis Rattenbury, architect of the Legislative Buildings, the Empress Hotel and so many other of Victoria’s distinctive buildings, and with the equally historic Alma Russell, the first BC Archivist, for an afternoon of fun, food, enjoyment and a silent auction to raise money for UVic history scholarships!

Spend the afternoon with these distinguished personalities, March 1st, from 2-4 at Chartwell Victoria Harbour 777 Belleville Street. Tickets, which include snacks and refreshments, are $20. For this exclusive event, only 70 tickets will be sold.

To make this once in a lifetime event a success, we need your help! Please look around your surroundings and consider what you might offer to be part of the silent auction. We are looking for beautiful or useful, like-new items that cover a broad potential price range, so everyone can participate in the event and take home a memorable objet including vintage and small antiques in good condition, crystal, paintings, dishes, books etc… Our theme is British Columbia history so items that have a historical connection are especially welcome. Donations of services are also welcome and tax receipts will be issued for the value the items sell for.

Please email [email protected] to offer your donation and instructions on drop off or pick up.

Please email [email protected] for tickets.

Downsize, tidy up, and help us help history students …all at the same time!

02/05/2026

2026 marks 30 years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations - From Nation builders to Tomorrow's Visionaries!

We encourage everyone to learn more about Black Canadian communities and how they continue to help shape our country. Check out some ways you can learn and celebrate black history in Victoria & Vancouver Island this month