Colonial Despatches

Finlayson Point is located south of Beacon Hill in Victoria, British Columbia, and is named in honour of Roderick Finlayson, an extremely prominent figure in early Victoria history.1 Finlayson began his career as an HBC clerk in the 1840s, served as deputy to Charles Ross in 1843, was a member of Vancouver Island’s legislative council from 1851 to 1863, and became chief factor in 1859.2

In 1878, Finlayson served as Victoria’s mayor, and was an active proponent in the construction of the city's new city hall.3

• 1. Andrew Scott, The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Placenames (Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2009), 199.
• 2. Ibid.
• 3. Ibid.