Featured Deceased Vancouver Island Freemason For November 2017 – David Russell Ker (1862-1923)

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Each month Temple Lodge No. 33 and its Vancouver Island Masonic History Project features a Deceased vancouver Island Freemason as a way of highlighting Masonic history and heritage on Vancouver Island.

For November 2017 we are featuring David Russell Ker (1862-1923), a principal of the Brackman-Ker Milling Company, which has left two Heritage Buildings in downtown Victoria: 1407 Government Street and 1420 Broad Street. David Russell Ker was a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1 in Victoria.

David Russell Ker (1862-1923) was a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge, No.1 in Victoria, B.C.
David Russell Ker (1862-1923) was a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge, No.1 in Victoria, B.C.

David Russell Ker’s Brackman-Ker Milling Company has left two Heritage Buildings in downtown Victoria: 1407 Government Street and 1420 Broad Street.

1407 and 1411 Government Street, Victoria, B.C. 1407 Government Street was built in 1889 by the Brackman-Ker Milling Company, which was owned by David Russell Ker, a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1
1407 and 1411 Government Street, Victoria, B.C. 1407 Government Street was built in 1889 by the Brackman-Ker Milling Company, which was owned by David Russell Ker, a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1
1420 Broad Street, built in 1907 by architect Francis Rattenbury for the Brackman-Ker Milling Company, owned by david Russell Ker, a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1
1420 Broad Street, built in 1907 by architect Francis Rattenbury for the Brackman-Ker Milling Company, owned by David Russell Ker, a member of Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1

David Russell Ker is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria.

David Russell Ker, family grave, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.
David Russell Ker, family grave, Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.

For more information, see our webpage on David Russell Ker.

 

Featured Deceased Member of Temple Lodge No. 33 For November 2017 – Alfred Edward Green (1874-1968)

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Each month Temple Lodge No. 33 features a deceased Brother of the Lodge as a way of highlighting the contributions Freemasons have made to Duncan and the surrounding Cowichan Valley.

Our Featured Deceased member of Temple Lodge No. 33 for November 2017 is Alfred Edward Green (1874-1968), who came to the Cowichan Valley with his family in 1921 and served as the local coroner.  Descendants of Alfred Edward Green are still living in the Cowichan Valley.

Albert Edward Green as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1927
Albert Edward Green as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1927 (photo copyright Temple Lodge, No.33)

Continue reading Featured Deceased Member of Temple Lodge No. 33 For November 2017 – Alfred Edward Green (1874-1968)

Featured Deceased Vancouver Island Freemason For October 2017 – Simon Leiser (1851-1917)

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Each month our Vancouver Island Masonic History Project features a deceased Vancouver Island Freemason as a way of highlighting the contributions Freemasons have made to Vancouver Island.

Our Featured Deceased Vancouver Island Freemason for October 2017 is Simon Leiser (1851 – 1917), a pioneer merchant of Victoria who also had commercial operations in Vancouver Island coal mining communities like Wellington and Cumberland.

Simon Leiser (1851-1917)
Simon Leiser (1851-1917)

Simon Leiser was a member of Vancouver & Quadra Lodge No. 2 in Victoria, as were his brothers Gustav Leiser (1856-1896) and Max Leiser (1862-1935).

For more information, see our webpage on Simon Leiser.

Continue reading Featured Deceased Vancouver Island Freemason For October 2017 – Simon Leiser (1851-1917)

Featured Deceased Member of Temple Lodge No. 33 For October 2017 – Thomas Anthony Wood (1857-1945)

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Each month Temple Lodge No. 33 features a deceased Brother of the Lodge as a way of highlighting the contributions Freemasons have made to Duncan and the surrounding Cowichan Valley.

Our Featured Deceased member of Temple Lodge No. 33 for October 2017 is Thomas Anthony Wood (1857-1945), a farmer and Reeve of North Cowichan from 1896-1899.

Thomas Anthony Wood, Reeve of North Cowichan 1896-1899
Thomas Anthony Wood, Reeve of North Cowichan 1896-1899. (photo courtesy of Municipality of North Cowichan)

Thomas Anthony Wood was also first president of the Duncan Board of Trade, now the Duncan Chamber of Commerce, being elected to that position in 1909.

For more information, see our webpage on Thomas Anthony Wood.

Thomas Anthony Wood is buried in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican cemetery.

Thomas Wood, grave, St. Peter's Quamichan cemetery
Thomas Wood, grave, St. Peter’s Quamichan cemetery

Amalgamation Referendum In Spring 2018 – Did You Know That Members Of Temple Lodge No. 33 Were Instrumental In Creating The City of Duncan in 1912?

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In the spring of 2018 there will be an Amalgamation Referendum on the question of whether to re-unite the City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan into a single political entity.

With this Amalgamation Referendum soon to be upon us it is interesting to consider the historical fact that Duncan residents broke away from North Cowichan and created the City of Duncan in 1912 on land formerly part of the Municipality of North Cowichan, primarily because residents of Duncan were dissatisfied with the services provided, or not being provided, by the Municipality of North Cowichan.

The Incorporation of the City of Duncan in 1912 was accomplished primarily by members of Temple Lodge No. 33, including Kenneth Duncan, J. Islay Mutter, Andrew Hans Peterson, James MacLeod Campbell, Frank Brettingham, Thomas Pitt, William Gidley, Charles Herbert Dickie, James Whittome, William Mordaunt Dwyer, Thomas Pitt.

Another Temple Lodge No. 33 member, Thomas Anthony Wood, was on the other side of the issue as Reeve of North Cowichan in 1911 when these events began.

To document this history we have created a new webpage on Incorporation of the City of Duncan In 1912.

Here are photos of some of the Temple Lodge No. 33 members involved in Incorporation of the City of Duncan In 1912.

Kenneth F. Duncan, circa 1920
Kenneth F. Duncan, circa 1920 (Photo courtesy of City of Duncan)

Continue reading Amalgamation Referendum In Spring 2018 – Did You Know That Members Of Temple Lodge No. 33 Were Instrumental In Creating The City of Duncan in 1912?

A Newly Discovered Photo of the Corner Stone Ceremony For the Duncan Masonic Temple, 15 June 1912

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A local Facebook group, You Know You’re From Duncan When…, has brought to our attention a photo of the Corner Stone ceremony for the Duncan Masonic Temple on 15 June 1912.

Temple Lodge No. 33 has another photo of this event but our Lodge Historian had not seen this photo (shown below) prior to today. We have added the photo to our webpage on the Duncan Masonic Temple.

Corner Stone Ceremony for the present day Duncan Masonic Temple, 15 June 1912. Mrs. Norcross' chicken coop is visible in the left rear.
Corner Stone Ceremony for the present day Duncan Masonic Temple, 15 June 1912. Mrs. Norcross’ chicken coop is visible in the left rear.

Temple Lodge No. 33 extends its thanks to Darold Stockford, of You Know You’re From Duncan When…, for bringing this photo to our attention.  Continue reading A Newly Discovered Photo of the Corner Stone Ceremony For the Duncan Masonic Temple, 15 June 1912

An Interesting Video On Masonic Symbols And Symbolism

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Many Freemasons and many people outside Freemasonry are interested in Masonic Symbols and Symbolism.

This is a video of a very interesting lecture by an Australian Freemason, W.B. Brendan Kyne, on the subject of Masonic Symbolism:

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this page?

Featured Deceased Vancouver Island Freemason For August 2017 – Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65)

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Each month, as part of our Vancouver Island Masonic History Project, we feature a deceased Vancouver Island Freemason as a way of highlighting Masonic heritage and the contributions Freemasons have made to Vancouver Island.

Our featured deceased Vancouver Island Freemason for August 2017 is Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65), a member of Vancouver & Quadra Lodge No. 2 who also served as Grand Master of B.C. in 1887-1888.

Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65) Grand Master - 1887-1888 (photo - Grand Lodge of B.C. & Yukon)
Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65) Grand Master – 1887-1888 (photo – Grand Lodge of B.C. & Yukon)

The Milne Building on Johnson Street in downtown Victoria was built for Alexander Roland Milne by architect John Teague, who was also a Freemason.

The Milne Building, 546-548 Johnson Street, Victoria, B.C. Built for Alexander Roland Milne in 1891
The Milne Building, 546-548 Johnson Street, Victoria, B.C. Built for Alexander Roland Milne in 1891

Alexander Roland Milne is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.

Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65), grave in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.
Alexander Roland Milne (died 1904, aged 65), grave in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.

See our webpage on Alexander Roland Milne to learn more….