1882 Victoria Directory
Occupations
A dynamic list of the nearly 500 occupations recorded in the Victoria
section of Williams' British Columbia Directory for the years 1882-83.
Employers
A dynamic list of the business firms and proprietors identified as employers
in the Victoria section of the 1882-83 British Columbia Directory.
Victoria - Descriptive
Business directories were intended to elicit pride and confidence among
local proprietors and attract potential investors from outside the community.
Thus, the directories described the local community in glowing terms.
These pages from Williams' British Columbia Directory (pp. 9-12)
provide a glowing description of the city's "many advantages" (handsome
public buildings, natural beauty spots, etc.) and its "steady progress."
The pages also provide information about transportation and communication
(steamships, stages, telegraphs, etc.), schools, churches, and fraternal
organizations.
Victoria - General Progress
This portion of Williams' British Columbia Directory (pp. 13-21)
deals with local businesses and commercial activities. The section
entitled "Building Improvements" describes public buildings and business
premises recently constructed in the city. Business enterprises are
broadly categorized and described under such headings as boarding houses,
breweries, foundaries, hotels, sash and door factories. This portion of
the directory also identifies steamers and steam ship lines. It
concludes with a statistical abstract of shipping returns for the
Port of Victoria.