DECEASED BRETHREN
Alfred Edward Green moved from England to the Cowichan Valley with his family in 1921. He affiliated with Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1921 and served as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1927. His son, Claude Green, was Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1941 and became Grand Master of B.C. & Yukon in 1957.
Here is a brief biography of Wor. Brother Alfred Edward Green taken from Temple Lodge, No.33 records and from the local newspaper reports of his death and funeral:
“….the W.M. requested Wor. Brother A.E. Green to confer the [Master Mason] degree [on Bro. W.M. Allison] assisted by the P.M.s [note: Past Masters] of Temple Lodge and stated that W. Bro. Green was Master of Temple Lodge in 1927 – 13 years ago – and during his year of office he had one of the busiest years in Deg. work in the history of Temple Lodge, there being a total of 16 Raisings and 33 meetings.
W. Bro. Green was given the seat in the East and the P.M.s having taken their stations, Bro. W.M. Allison was admitted, obligated and taught his 3rd step in Masonry and Raised to the Sublime Deg. of a M.M. after which W. Bro. Green thanked the W.M. for the very great honour and privilege of being called upon to confer the Degree, also all the P.M.s and Brethren taking part……..”
(Source: Temple Lodge, No.33 Minute Book, Emergent Meeting, 24 September 1940)
“….Wor. Bro. A.E. Green, father of the W.M. elect, presided at the Board of Installed Masters and Installed his son, Br. Claude A.J. Green, as W.M. of Temple Lodge…..”
(Source: Temple Lodge, No.33 Minute Book, Regular Meeting, 8 April 1941)
Here is Alfred Edward Green’s 1968 obituary from the Cowichan Leader newspaper:
“A. Green dies
A former Duncan coroner, Alfred Edward Green, Kenneth Street, died in his 94th year Thursday. He had enjoyed his weekly game of bridge to the end.
Born July 9, 1874 at Tring, Herts, England, Mr. Green served his tailoring apprenticeship in London, then emigrated to Ellsworth, Kansas, where he spent five years. [Note: a Temple Lodge, No.33 member named Edgar F. Clark was a member of Ellsworth Lodge No. 146 in Ellsworth, Kansas before affiliating with Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1900. We contacted the Grand Lodge of Kansas to see whether Alfred Green was also a member of Ellsworth Lodge, No.146; the Grand Lodge of Kansas has no record of Alfred Edward Green]
Returning to England he purchased his own tailoring and men’s outfitting business at Wealdstone, Middlesex, and became active in community affairs. He was the first chairman, Wealdstone Tradesmen’s Association, and served as a councillor for six years and mayor for three years on Wealdstone & Urban District Council.
In 1911 as mayor he represented his district at the coronation of George V, being allotted a seat on the processional route. He received a letter from Winston Churchill, then Home Secretary, complimenting him on the manner in which he organized the district’s festivities.
In 1914 for health reasons the family moved to Folkstone, Kent, where they lived until migrating to Canada in 1921. He had planned to take up chicken farming but other things intervened and he lived a comparatively quiet live at 134 Kenneth Street [note: no longer extant], his duties as coroner occupying in later years until he retired from the post.
Mr. Green was an active Mason for nearly 60 years and served as secretary of Temple Lodge, No. 33, for 10 years.
He was interested in sports, particularly cricket, and played for Cowichan against the visiting Australians in 1932, catching the famous Aussie bat, McCabe, near the boundary.
His wife, formerly Rose Elizabeth Hanson, married in England where their family was born, predeceased him in November 1957.
He leaves one daughter, Mrs. Edna H. Swan, Boxford House, Foxford, Essex, England; Claude A. Green, Duncan, and Malcolm F. Green, Nanaimo; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held from Hirst Funeral Chapel at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, by Rev. Alan Kerr, with cremation to follow.”
(Source: Cowichan Leader, 18 April 1968 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
“Funeral services for A.E. Green, 93, who died April 11 in Duncan, were held April 23 in Hirst Funeral Chapel by Rev. G.A. Kerr.
The hymns “Lead Kindly Light” and “Nearer My God To Thee” were sung. R.W. Clements was organist.
Cremation took place at Royal Oak, Saanich.”
(source: Cowichan Leader, 1 May 1968 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
Alfred Edward Green is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, North Cowichan.
Alfred Edward Green’s son, Claude Alfred John Green, was Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1941 and Grand Master of B.C. & Yukon in 1957-58.
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