Burges James Gadsden

The story of the man who founded the Victoria Foundation

In 1936 – at the height of the Great Depression – a man with a vision founded the Victoria Foundation. That man was Burges James Gadsden. Gadsden was inspired to create a community foundation as a result of his work with Victoria’s first soup kitchen, the Sunshine Inn. The Victoria Foundation was established by an act of the B.C. legislature and its first donation – $20 ­– came from Gadsden’s mother Fannie in 1937.

But who was Burges Gadsden? In 1971 one of his relations – a man in England named W.R. Gadsden – sought to learn more when he was researching his family tree. In a letter sent to him from (Mrs.) U. Collins, secretary to A.J. Helmcken, city archivist for the City of Victoria, we learn that Burges Gadsden was a businessman, an army captain, a city councilor, a police commissioner, a conservationist, and – most notably – a philanthropist and community activist.

Here is a verbatim extract from that letter of Dec. 15, 1971:

Burges James Gadsden

He was born in Schuyler, Nebraska, USA, October 15, 1884. Died in the Veterans’ Hospital in Victoria, B.C., June 4, 1965.

Resident of Victoria for 34 years.  First address 1817 Quadra Street, then moved to 1120 Caledonia Street and latterly lived on Linden Avenue.

In 1920 married Mary Alice English (a widow). They had no children. Mrs. Gadsden died in Victoria on June 4, 1971.

On his arrival in Victoria he went into the fuel and cartage business but gave up this to serve in the Armed Forces in the First World War, attaining the rank of Captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery.

Following the war he formed a partnership in the fuel business but later sold his interests.

He served a nine-year span on the City Council of Victoria and seven years as Police Commissioner (Council 1938-47).  He was also City representative on the B.C. Aviation Council.

As an Alderman he was quiet and unassuming; did not make many waves but voted intelligently. He was an advocate of the City Manager system of government.

He was probably better known for his charitable work. In the hungry ‘30s he was one of the originals in establishing “Sunshine Inn” for the unemployed. It was a soup kitchen-type of operation which extended care to those in need and helped find them jobs. Fuel cutting was a means of keeping the self respect of many of these people. For this type of work he was named the “Good Citizen” in 1935.

His interest in aviation was great. He took a leading part in trying to establish an airport in the Gordon Head area and donated $1,000 to the project.

He was a great worker and took much interest in the Protestant Orphanage. In 1964 he donated 571 acres of land to the Provincial Government for park purposes near Golden, B.C.* He also donated a smaller piece of land near John Dean Park, North Saanich, for park purpose.

Victoria Foundation editor’s notes: It is interesting that this letter doesn’t mention Gadsden’s most significant accomplishment: the creation of Canada’s second community foundation (only Winnipeg’s is older). Perhaps this omission resulted from the fact that W.R. Gadsden already knew about Burges’ role with the Victoria Foundation, possibly mentioning it in his initial inquiry to the city. In any case, we are grateful for his vision!

*Another interesting note: the park created from land Gadsden donated to the province near Golden is erroneously named the Burges and James Gadsden Provincial Park (rather than the Burges James Gadsden Provincial Park).