The Langfords

The Langfords, the first white family to come to the fort, had arrived two years before the McKenzies. But they are all dead or long gone away from Canada. Two sisters live in England today: Miss Langford, who is 89, and Mrs. Pugh, ten years younger.

Their farm was seven miles from "Oakland's," and they gave it the name of their place in England, "Colwood," which has been perpetuated in the names of the village today and in the famous golf links which are part of the old estate.

The Langfords were a charming family. There were five daughters and one son, and in a community where there were so few women they were doubly welcome. A pretty little story is told of Mary Langford, which had its beginning on the ship "Tory," by which the family came to Canada.

The first mate of the ship was Herbert Lewis, and when he met Mary he at once lost his heart to her. She was dark-haired, brown-eyed and vivacious; her figure was small and pretty, and her unfailing amiability endeared her to everyone. A long sea voyage is an ideal opportunity for the development of romance, and the young people saw one another nearly every hour of the day.

But Mr. Langford had other plans for his daughters. Mr. Lewis was a gentleman, a member of an honoured English family, but he was only a subordinate officer on the old ship. Mary should do better than that. Besides, she was much too young; He kindly but firmly refused to consider the young man's proposals, or to listen to his daughter's pleadings.

After their arrival in the new colony Mary had many suitors, but she did not forget her sailor lover, and when the Langfords went back to England she was still unmarried.

Years passed and Mr. Lewis returned to Victoria. He was still in the employ of the Hudson's Bay, but a captain now, and having become prosperous as well, he had come for Mary.

But Mary was gone. He could not find even her address. She was somewhere in England. It had been twenty years since he had seen her, but he was not dismayed. He made up his mind to go and find her.

This he did, and thus was the old romance renewed and consummated. They married in England and he brought her back to Victoria. They had a pretty little cottage in James Bay and here they lived happily, lovers to the last.

An amusing little story is told by Mrs. Harris in which the Langfords figure indirectly. Mrs. Harris' two sisters, Alice and Agnes, were going to the Convent School at St. Ann's. They were about fourteen and fifteen at the time, mischievous and full of fun. They found the rules of the good nuns a little irksome, and Mr. Langford's sister having come to Victoria; a lady qualified as a teacher, they were very eager to go to her for tuition. But they did not like to broach the subject to their father.

A dance was to be given on board one of the war ships in Esquimalt, and there being a dearth of young ladies, some of the officers begged that Agnes and Alice should be allowed to go.

Now this was strictly against the Convent rules, and when the matter was mentioned to the Sister Superior, she said they could not attend the dance with her consent, and if they went without it she would be obliged to expel them from the school. She wrote a letter to Sir James, explaining to him, and perhaps if he had seen it he would also have appreciated her viewpoint. But it never reached. him.

Agnes and Alice waylaid the Convent messenger. They would carry the letter to their father, they told him, and, without any misgiving, he delivered the missive to them. But they hid it in a hedge, and when the night of the ball arrived they gowned themselves in their pretty dance frocks and were rowed out to the ship along with a score of others guests, and had a delightful time.

"And that," said Mrs. Harris, with a twinkle in her eyes, " is how they came to go to Miss Langford's school."

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Last updated January 30, 1998
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