Pemberton, Frederick
Frederick B. Pemberton, whose real estate operations have become extensive, making him one of the representative and successful business men of Victoria, has spent his entire life in this city. His birth occurred here on the 26th of April, 1865, his parents being Joseph Despard and Theresa Jane (Grautoff) Pemberton. The mother was descended from German ancestry long resident of England, while the father was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1821. He acquired his education in Trinity College of his native city, and afterward studied civil engineering under the direction of G. W. Hemans, M. I. C. E., M. R. I. A., subsequent to which time he was appointed assistant engineer on a part of the Great Southern and Western Railway. He was also for some time in the employ of Sir John McNeill, L. S. D., F. R. S., M. I. C. E., M. R. I. A., and afterward did engineering for the East Lancashire and Manchester, Bury & Rosendale Railway Companies. He was resident engineer for the Exeter & Crediton Railway Company and was for several years professor of engineering at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirincester, leaving that institution in 1851, in order to accept the position of surveyor general of British Columbia with the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1850 he had been awarded a medal by the Prince Consort for his design for the Crystal Palace.
After coming to British Columbia Hon. Joseph D. Pemberton took a very prominent and influential part in shaping the policy and promoting the progress of the province. He was elected to the first legislative assembly of Vancouver Island and from 1863 until 1866 he sat in the executive council. His ready appreciation for and recognition of opportunity led to his co-operation in many measures that had for their object the general good, and he likewise assisted materially in the upbuilding of the province along other lines, aside from the legislative. In 1858 he laid out the town of Derby, the proposed capital of the colony of British Columbia. He took up one thousand acres of land, made improvements, and in the midst of that locality built a fine residence. He became an extensive breeder of shorthorn cattle and Clyde horses, being a pioneer of that industry in his part of the province, and thus he contributed directly to the material progress of the locality by introducing grades of stock that advanced the prices of cattle and horses and made a better market for the products of the farm.
In 1863 he returned to England for his wife, whom he brought with him to his new home near the Pacific. They became the parents of six children, all born in Victoria, namely: Joseph D., who is residing in the Northwest Territory; W. P. D., who is engineer for a large coal mining company; Ada G., now Mrs. H. R. Beaven; Sophia T., at home; and Harriet S., also at home. The father departed this life on the 11th of November, 1893, in the seventy-second year of his age, while Mrs. Pemberton is still living.
Frederick B. Pemberton, after acquiring his preliminary education in the province, was sent to England, where he continued his studies in the University College of London, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1886, having completed a course in civil and mechanical engineering. He followed that profession for some time after his return to Victoria, but later engaged in the real estate business with his father, in which he has since continued, meeting with eminent success. He is now rated as one of the most reliable, prosperous and enterprising business men of his native city controlling many important realty negotiations and having a clientage in the line of his chosen vocation that makes his business a very prosperous one.
Moreover, as a citizen, Mr. Pemberton is entitled to the regard of his fellow men, because of the active and helpful co-operation he has given to many movements which have resulted in benefit to the city. He is a director the Provincial Royal Jubilee Hospital. Prominent socially, he is president of the Horticultural Society, the Golf Club and the Hunt Club, and in the fall of each year he enjoys a hunting trip and now has a large collection of the fine specimens of the game he has killed. He owns a number of valuable hunting dogs and fine riding horses, and also has draft horses of the Clydesdale strain.
Mr. Pemberton was married, on the 29th of November, 1893, to Miss Mary A. D. Bell, a native of Toronto, Canada, and they have five children, all born in Victoria, namely: Frederick Despard, Armine Morris, Warren C., Phillipa Despard and Mab O'Herne. The family are members of the Church of England and occupy an enviable social position. Mr. Pemberton has erected a most attractive home, which is now appropriately named Montjoy.
R. E. Gosnell, A History of British Columbia, (Vancouver, B. C.: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906). pp. 354-356.