O’Reilly siblings. Left to right: Charlotte Kathleen O’Reilly, Francis Joseph O’Reilly, and Arthur John O’Reilly. Date: undetermined.
IMAGE C-3939 COURTESY OF ROYAL BC MUSEUM, BC ARCHIVES
O’Reilly siblings. Left to right: Charlotte Kathleen O’Reilly, Francis Joseph O’Reilly, and Arthur John O’Reilly. Date: undetermined.
IMAGE C-3939 COURTESY OF ROYAL BC MUSEUM, BC ARCHIVES
Mr. Commissioner O’Reilly . . . fully confirms the previous reports of successful mining in winter at Cariboo. He adds “Labour is in great demand at rates varying from $10 to $12 per diem.”
Peter O’Reilly was meticulous about keeping up his diary entries, rarely neglecting his daily writings, however busy were his days.
The summer of 1886 had been especially busy for the O’Reilly family, the highlight being the visit of Sir John and Lady Macdonald. The prime minister and his wife arrived in Victoria in late July and thereafter kept up a social whirl of activity with the elite of Victoria for several weeks. It had meant attendance at many social occasions for the O’Reillys, but they gladly embraced the chance to entertain and be entertained by their counterparts at balls, dinners, and luncheons.
Peter continued to keep a daily record of events. He noted the garden party at Government House, a dance at the Dunsmuirs’, a dinner at Armadale, a ball at the Assembly Hall, and of course, the O’Reillys’ own luncheon, high tea, and extravagant torchlight regatta along the Selkirk waters. His wife, Carry, and daughter, Puss (his nickname for Kathleen), had also spent a great deal of time in the company of Lady Macdonald on frequent drives around Victoria.
But now, as Peter penned yet another diary entry at his desk, he thought back to when he had called at the Driard Hotel to meet with Sir John for a “long chat.” Their meeting had been cordial and they covered much ground, but one thing had particularly amused Peter O’Reilly.
Macdonald’s secretary, Joseph Pope, stated that the Driard Hotel was overcharging the prime minister and his party for their stay there. The somewhat exorbitant amounts were brought to the attention of Sir John who, despite his well-known economical views and often parsimonious ways, had simply replied that “Of course the bills have to be paid!” The reply again caused Peter to chuckle.
The prime minister’s visit was now drawing to a close. The following day, August 13, Sir John would formally open the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway at Cliffside, near Shawnigan Lake. Many of Peter O’Reilly’s contemporaries would journey in the party to witness that historic event.
It would be the realization and fulfilment of many long-anticipated dreams for Victoria and the west. He felt proud to be a part of it.