Look in the far right corner that's the doctor's card table. Doctor Helmcken was quite a whist player. He learned the card game on the five and a half month voyage around the tip of South America from England. Oh, he loved to play with his sons and his many friends from the old days of
Fort Victoria.

Well, I must really give the Historians full marks on this room. My own eyes can't see a difference. All that's missing here are the Helmckens.

"I can fetch it father...Oh! I didn't notice guests. You've arrived rather early, though. We won't be having dinner for awhile yet. But you know my father, Dr. Helmcken, when he's on a winning streak he tends to put everything else aside."

"You must be new here. I don't believe I've had the pleasure. I'm the doctor's second eldest son, Henry Dallas Helmcken - but you can call me Harry. Perhaps you passed by my law firm, Drake, Jackson and Helmcken at 20 Bastion Street, just across from the courthouse - no? Hmm, I do believe we must put up a better sign there."

"I hope you've not forgotten your dancing shoes in your carriage. Well you can fetch them, after dinner. It's quite a production here. We clear out the table and chairs. My sister Amy thumps out some favourite tunes on this old piano, and we all dance the night away."

"That is until the midnight boat to Vancouver over in the harbour blasts it's whistle. That's our signal to wind things down."

Now doesn't it look a bit odd to have that oval picture which Dolly Helmcken herself drew peeking from behind? That's exactly how the Helmckens hung it a hundred years ago.

Oh yes, the writing desk. This desk sure has felt it's share of B.C. history. Seated here the old Doctor wrote down his reminiscences. They've now been published, and offer a fascinating account of early Victoria and British Columbia. And yours truly gets mentioned quite favorably many times.

Look at these two chairs, nearest the fire place. I remember one day in particular...Yes, yes right in this room it was. Young Ainslie Helmcken sat in the wicker chair to tell his grandfather he joined the service - yes, joined up for World War I. Well, by then the doctor was an old man, he sat there as he always did in the old worn chair nearest the fireplace, with his pipe and mug of tea. And sitting intently in the wicker chair, young Ainslie listened to the Doctor as he passed on the Helmcken family history. A few years later, after the war, young Ainslie returned once again to this wicker chair and without missing a beat, old Dr. Helmcken continued telling Ainslie the family's history, exactly from the place they had left off years earlier.

You know, these stories were never forgotten by Ainslie when he later in life became the Victoria City Archivist.

After Dr. Helmcken died in 1920 things were never as lively in here. Aunt Dolly did entertain her nieces and nephews every week for tea. But...oh, I remember now. Sometimes, if the guests were especially lucky she allowed them to visit her father's room - Dr. Helmcken's bedroom.

"Sh.Sh...Just a moment while I light the candlestick. There, come along now follow me into Pa Pa's room."