James Dunsmuir’s yacht, Dolaura, was steam driven and about 218 feet from bow to stern and 32 feet across the beam. It was custom-built in Scotland in 1908. The yacht was named after Dola, James’s youngest daughter, and his wife, Laura. This vessel replaced the Thistle, which burned to the waterline in 1907. The Dolaura was magnificent, with lavishly decorated rooms and all the modern comforts. When the Dunsmuirs took possession in Europe, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany came on board for a tour and his is the first name in the visitors’ book. Dunsmuir family members and friends enjoyed many fishing trips and excursions on the ship while living at Hatley Park. In 1920, the yacht was sold to a lumber and shipping magnate in Midland, Ont., and was renamed Victoria. The yacht changed hands and names many more times and even served as an anti-submarine vessel in the waters off Scotland during the Second World War. It was finally dismantled in the 1950s.
Although the Hatley Park estate was sold in 1940 to the Government of Canada, 20 acres of waterfront property adjacent to the Belmont gateway had been gifted to the youngest Dunsmuir daughter, Dola, by her father before he died in 1920. She built a little house there in an English Arts and Crafts style, with hipped roofing, brick walls and tall chimneys. She named the house Dolaura, remembering the family yacht and the many family trips she had taken as a young girl. She had even kept the yacht’s guest book and used it to record visitors to her home.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. The caption for this image reads: My first impressions!

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows one of Dola’s school friends.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows one of Dola’s school friends.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends on one of the many outings.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends on one of the many outings.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends on one of the many outings.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends on one of the many outings.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows one of the many outings.

Miss Ransom and Miss Bridges’ School for girls in Piedmont, California, existed from 1908 to 1932. Low enrollments during the Depression years forced the school to close. However, when Dola Dunsmuir attended in 1920, the school was thriving. More than a finishing school for young ladies, the school offered a challenging curriculum for university preparation. The school had accommodation for 50 girls and offered frequent outings to concerts and plays as well as riding and hiking clubs. Students also performed an annual Shakespeare play. This picture shows some of Dola’s school friends on one of the many outings.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

This early memorial at Vimy was dedicated to soldiers of the First Canadian Division. It was erected in December, 1917. In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

In the early 1920s, Dunsmuir sisters, Dola and Muriel, and Muriel’s husband, Edward Molyneux, took time to tour the ruins of Europe in the aftermath of the war. Edward Molyneux was an ideal tour guide for the sisters, having served in 1915 with the Duke of Wellington Regiment on the Western Front. Although he was promoted to Captain for his actions in battle, injury resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and withdrawal from active duty.

On the left are Clifton Webb and Eileen Molyneux. Clifton Webb (1889-1966) was an actor, dancer, and singer. He performed at Edward Molyneux’s Paris nightclub, with Eileen as his dance partner. Eileen Molyneux (1890-1962) was a maternal cousin of Edward Molyneux and a long-term friend of the Dunsmuir daughters.