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VANCOUVER ISLAND CEMETERIES - MASONIC INTERMENTS
ST. MARY'S SOMENOS, ANGLICAN CHURCH & CEMETERY
CLAUDE ALFRED JOHN GREEN
Most Worshipful Brother Claude Alfred John Green (1904-2003) joined Temple Lodge, No. 33 in 1927. He served as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1941 and Grand Master of B.C. & Yukon in 1957-58.
M.W.B. Green was Initiated, Passed and Raised in Temple Lodge, No. 33 in 1927. Claude Green's father, Alfred Edward Green, was also a member of Temple Lodge, No.33 and was Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1927, the year Claude Green joined Temple Lodge, No.33. W.Bro. Alfred Green is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, a short distance north of St. Mary's Somenos Cemetery on Somenos Road.
Here is a brief biographical sketch of Most Worshipful Brother Claude Green, taken from various sources:
“GREEN – Claude Alfred John, died at Royal Jubilee Hospital, September 7 2003. Claude was born March 11, 1904, in Wealdstone, Middlesex, a northwestern suburb of Folkestone, on the coast of Kent, where he completed his schooling and participated in competitive rowing. In 1921 they emigrated to Canada and settled in Duncan. Claude started a painting and decorating business in 1925, which later evolved into a very successful painting contracting enterprise, primarily utilized by sawmills, pulp mills and logging camps up and down the B.C. coast. After retiring from contracting he became a driving Instructor for the next ten years, an occupation which gave him great enjoyment. In 1928 he married Edna Castely, a member of one of the pioneering families of the Cowichan Valley, and they built two homes – the first on Wharncliffe Road and, in 1937, a larger one on Grieve Road for their expanding family, a son, Rodney, and a daughter, Sylvia. Edna and Claude were married for 71 happy years. Claude was involved in many facets of local community life, including the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department; the Junior Chamber of Commerce; the Masonic Lodge (becoming Grand Master of British Columbia and Yukon in 1957-58); the Cowichan Cricket Club; the Cowichan Historical Society and Cowichan Valley Museum; Meals on Wheels; and the Cowichan District Hospital Association, of which he was chairman for ten years. During this time he was closely involved in the planning and construction of the Cowichan District Hospital, which opened in September 1967. He was chosen Duncan’s Citizen of the Year in 1967 in recognition of his contributions to the community while serving on the hospital board. Claude was predeceased by his wife, Edna; son, Rodney; daughter-in-law, Jean; grandson, Bruce Green; sister, Edna Swan and brother, Malcolm. He will be greatly missed by daughter, Sylvia (Glenn) Dyer, daughter-in-law Eileen and eight grandchildren, Lyn (Douglas) Bain, Laurie Green (Cyril), Ian (Dinaurea) Cheffins, Lyle (Yvonne) Green, Brian (Joanna) Cheffins, Karen (Jim) Dunn, Christine (Paul) Ringrose and Jonathan Cheffins (Kristianne). He is also survived by six great-granddaughters, six great-grandsons, and nieces and nephews in Canada, England and the United States. The family would like to thank Dr. Stephen Faulkner (Claude’s friend, physician and biographer) for his care and support and the marvelous staff at Wedgwood House, where Claude resided for the last three years, for their assistance and many kindnesses. A wonderful life well lived. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Claude’s memory to the Duncan District Hospital Foundation, #4-466 Trans-Canada Highway, Duncan, B.C. V9L 3R6 or the Cowichan Valley Museum, Box 1014, Duncan, B.C. V9L 3Y2.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 20 at the Silver Bridge Inn Travelodge at 2:00 p.m.
First Memorial Funeral Services 250-748-2134”
Source: Cowichan Leader
Fig. 1 shows the grave of M.W.B. Claude Alfred John Green in St. Mary's Somenos Anglican Cemetery.
The GPS location of the grave is: N 48° 47.983 W 123° 44.167'
There are several buildings in Duncan and North Cowichan associated with M.W.B. Claude Green.
Claude Green started a successful paint contracting business in Duncan in the 1920s.
In the 1940s he operated this business in a building that is still standing at 161 Kenneth Street in downtown Duncan, Claude Green's business sign can still be seen on the east wall of this building, see Fig.2. This sign is in very good condition considering it was painted in the 1940s or perhaps earlier.
In 1949, Claude Green built the building at 145-149 Kenneth Street in downtown Duncan as an investment property and a commercial space for his paint contractng business, which he had been operating next door at 161 Kenneth Street.
The building featured commercial space on the ground floor with four rental apartments on the second floor. The building is still maintained in this configuration today, with the groud floor commerical space ocupied by Volume One Books.
Claude Green sold this building to a group of doctors soon after it was built.
In 1928, Claude Green commissioned Duncan architect Douglas James to design a home for Claude and his wife Edna.
The house is still standing at 733 Wharncliffe Road, Duncan.
In 1937, Claude Green built a new house for his family on Grieve Road (off Sherman Road) in North Cowichan. A family photo of the house (courtesy of Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives) is shown in Fig.6.
This house is still standing.
