William Best

Brother

William Best

Temple Lodge, No.33

At present we do not know a lot about Brother William Best.

Temple Lodge records show that William Best, age 32, occupation: Bridge Carpenter, made a Petition for Initiation which was received at the Regular Lodge meeting of 4 August 1900 and the following Investigating Committee appointed: Bros. James Evans, Samuel Robinson and James Mutter.

His application was balloted on and he was duly elected a member of Temple Lodge, No. 33 by Initiation on 8 September 1900. At the same meeting James McLeod Campbell and Edgar Clark were also elected members of Temple Lodge. Brother Best was Initiated in Temple Lodge on 22 September 1900. He was passed to the more honourable degree of a Fellow Craft on 19 January 1901 and raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on 2 March 1901, together with Brother Andrew Hans Peterson.

Here is the information we have uncovered so far about Brother William Best. We will post more information on Brother Best as we discover it.

Apparently Brother Best died leaving his children orphaned. Here is a notation from Temple Lodge records on Brother Best's children:

“….The Worshipful Master, Bro. W.M. Dwyer, reported that Bro. Junior Warden J.H. Peterson and himself had instituted inquiries regarding the whereabouts of the family of Ex Bro. Best, and they found that the children had been placed in a Protestant Orphanage at Victoria.

Accompanied by Bro. Peterson he visited the institution and saw the children – who appeared to be well looked after – and quite comfortable and happy. They also had an interview with the Matron of the Orphanage and deposited with her the sum of $25 on behalf of the children…..”

Source: Temple Lodge Minute Book, Regular Meeting of 11 January 1913