The Clay History 1904 – 1920
The Malahat
1904 The First Cabin
The Clay Family
William Leslie Clay was born at Bedeque, P.E.I, on November 12, 1863 – D. Feb 3. 1928. Head of the Presbyterian Church of Canada.
Father: Following graduation from McGill in 1887, winning the Prince of Wales gold medal in Mental and Moral Philosophy.
Reverend Leslie Clay’s first charge was at Morris, Manitoba, and later at St Andrew’s Church in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
In 1894, he was called to St Andrew’s in Victoria and remained there for nearly thirty-four years. In 1913, his Alma mater awarded him an honorary Doctorate and in 1927, he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Florence Nightingale (Leitch) Clay was Married on July 2nd, 1890, in P.E.I. (born September 22nd, 1863 – D. June 17th, 1945).
Mother. The Clays had two sons and four daughters. They purchased the 6.5-acre Shawnigan Lake property around 1904.
Their eldest Daughter, Margaret Clay, was suffering from TB, and the doctors suggested the mountain air would be suitable for her health. In 1904, there was only a gravel road where the Malahat Island highway is today, and Mt Baldy beside the lake was the closest and highest mountain around. It must have really worked because Margaret lived to the ripe old age of 91!
The Clay Children
Margaret (Peggy) Jean Clay – Born September 30, 1891 – D. April 1982, Margaret was the chief librarian in charge of the Victoria Public Library for 28 years from 1924 to 1952. She was instrumental in the beginnings of the Bookmobiles on Vancouver Island.
John (Jack) Leitch Clay – Born April 26, 1893 – Jan 1951, married Loretta (Laura) Maud Blake. Jack Clay was a founding barrister of the law firm of Clay & Macfarlane from 1919 until his death in 1951 ( known as Clay & Company until it recently wound up).
Helen Amelia Clay – Born September 25, 1894 – D. January 03 1957. (Billy d. July 9, 1960)Helen was a renowned Canadian weaver and taught weaving at UBC. She Married William (Billy) Sturgis Ellis on June 25th, 1924. Billy worked at the family business Barber Ellis in Vancouver and loved the game of rugby and was an avid player and coach.
Florence Mary (Mernie) Minto Clay—born August 24, 1899—died March 19, 1968. She was the legal secretary for Judge Alan B. MacFarlane while he was a partner at Clay & Macfarlane. Mary spent many years volunteering as a Sunday school teacher at St Andrews Church (where her father was the reverend).
Kathleen (Kay) Mabel Clay—Born March 3, 1904 – 14 Mar 1993. She was quite well known socially and spent her life running the three-story family home at 821 Linden Ave. in Victoria, which had been turned into rental apartments. She worked at Island Weavers and later at Montague Bridgman Ltd was a well-known china shop in downtown Victoria.
Leslie Dawson Clay– Born October 18, 1896 (died Oct 31 1898 at age two from a fire accident playing with matches in his crib) No photos available.
Family Photos at Shawnigan “MAHEMAKAJA“
“MAHEMAKAJA”
was the name given to the family summer cabin at Shawnigan Lake,
which was derived from the first two initials of the Clay children’s names
Margaret, Helen, Mary, Kathleen and Jack.
For over 43 years, from 1904 to 1947, the Clay family, friends, and relatives cherished their summers at their first cabin on Shawnigan Lake. In the early days, they would travel to the village by train and row to their property before a road was built to provide easier access.
The construction of the Malahat Drive portion of the Trans-Canada Highway in 1911 significantly improved access to Shawnigan Lake. However, until well into the 1930s, the train remained the primary mode of transportation for most people, as automobile ownership was uncommon. By 1958, upgrades to the Malahat Drive reduced travel time to the lake, coinciding with the widespread ownership of cars. This led to a surge in summer homes built around the lake during the late 1950s and 1960s.
Like many others, the Clays were drawn to the tranquil charm of the Shawnigan Lake community and its proximity to Victoria. Many large properties on the lake have been passed down through multiple generations, with some remaining in the same families for over a century.
The construction of Shawnigan-Mill Bay Road in 1903 further enhanced travel opportunities to and from the area, contributing to its growing appeal.
