Duncan resident Keith Price recently gave Temple Lodge, No.33 copies of family photographs of Francis Henry Price and Ernest Alfred Price, who joined Temple Lodge, No. 33 in 1900 and 1901. Both these Deceased Brethren are buried in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican Cemetery.
We have updated the Temple Lodge, No.33 website pages on Francis Henry Price and Ernest Alfred Price to include these photographs. Here are the contents of our web pages on these two Deceased Brethren.
First, Ernest Alfred Price (1868-1920)
Ernest Alfred Price (1868-1920) was Initiated in Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1900. His brother Francis Henry Price was also a member of Temple Lodge, No.33.
The Petition for Initiation from Ernest Alfred Price was received by Temple Lodge at a Regular Meeting on 14 April 1900, along with Petitions for Initiation from James St. Leger Maitland-Dougall and Thomas Anthony Wood.
An Investigation Committee consisting of Samuel Robinson, James Evans and James Mutter was appointed to examine Ernest Price’s application. The Committee reported favourably and Ernest Price was Initiated in Temple Lodge, along with Thomas Anthony Wood and Robert Telford, at an Emergent Meeting on 21 May 1900.
Here is a brief biography of Ernest Price taken from local newspaper reports of his death and funeral:
“Price – In the death of Mr. Ernest Alfred Price, Duncan loses one of its most esteemed residents. Following an illness of about a week, Mr. Price succumbed last Thursday afternoon from heart failure.
He was one of the most unassuming as he was one of the most generous and likeable of men. The esteem in which he was held and the sympathy which his death evoked were publicly demonstrated on Saturday last when his body was Interred at St. Peter’s, Quamichan.
The church could not accommodate all the mourners, and a large truck had to be requisitioned to transport the floral offerings. The Rev. F.L. Stephenson officiated and the hymns sung were “Peace, Perfect Peace” and “Lead Kindly Light.” The pallbearers were Messrs. John Hall, T.A. Wood, W.M. Dwyer, E.W. Carr Hilton, J.B. Girdwood (Cowichan Lake) and Stewart Williams (Victoria).
Mr. Price was born at Quennington, near Fairford, Gloucestershire, England, 52 years ago. He came to this district in December 1887, to join his brother. Mr. F.H. Price. In the following year he worked for some months on the construction of the Okanagan and Shuswap railway to Vernon, and, returning here, he and his brother, Mr. Charles Price, bought property at Somenos and farmed there for a few years.
He then joined Mr. Frank Price in the Cowichan Lake hotel. This they sold in 1905. They then erected the Tzouhalem hotel, Duncan. Only a short time ago Mr. Ernest Price bought out his brother’s interest and took full charge of the hotel.
[Note: family descendant Keith Price has told us that he believes the above paragraph contains some errors. Keith Price says that “Ernest Price stayed up at the Lakeside Hotel in Lake Cowichan and ran that while Frank Price came back to Duncan and got the build of the Tzouhalem Hotel under way. The Tzouhalem Hotel opened in 1902 and they ran both hotels for a time. After Ernest returned from overseas (in 1919, see below) he basically took over the running of the Tzouhalem Hotel and Frank Price retired.”]
Although over age, Mr. Price enlisted in May 1916, with the 196th (Western Universities) Bn., C.E.F., and after training at camp Hughes, Manitoba, reached England in November of that year. The strenuous route marches which he undertook in order to qualify for the drafts to France undoubtedly told on his heart. At length he had to give up hope of getting there and, in August 1917, he was taken on the strength of the Canadian Records office, London. He returned to his home in April, 1919.
He leaves a widow and four children, Muriel, Gwendoline, Dorothy and William; a brother in Duncan [note: Frank Henry Price]; two brothers, Arthur, in Toronto and William, In Baldur, Manitoba; and a sister, Mrs. Marriott, Parksville.
He was a member of Temple Lodge, A.F. & A.M., and many Masons attended the funeral. Among the flowers were wreaths from this lodge, the Cowichan G.W.V.A., and the King’s Daughters.”
(Source: Cowichan Leader, 25 November 1920 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
Ernest Alfred Price is buried in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican cemetery, North Cowichan.
Now Francis Henry Price (1868-1943),
Francis Henry Price was Initiated in Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1901. His brother Ernest Alfred Price was also a member of Temple Lodge, No.33.
Frank Price built the Lakeside Hotel in Lake Cowichan in 1893 and the Quamichan Hotel on Duncan Street in downtown Duncan (now demolished – the Cowichan Green Community building is now on the site) later built and ran the Tzouhalem Hotel (now demolished) at Canada Avenue and Government Street in downtown Duncan.
Here is a brief biography of Frank Henry Price taken from his obituary in the local Cowichan Leader newspaper:
“Price – A well-known resident of the Cowichan district since 1884, Mr. Frank H. Price passed away at his home on York Road on Thursday, aged 77. He had been in poor health for about two months.
Born at Quenington, Gloustershire, England on March 13, 1866, son of the late Charles and Jane Price, Mr. Frank Price was educated at a private school in Cheltenham. In 1881 he came to Canada and the first two years were spent in Ontario, in Toronto, Newmarket and Muskoka district. In 1883 he went to Manitoba with the intention of farming.
Disliking the long, cold winter, he left the next year for Winnipeg and worked on the construction of the C.P.R. in the Kicking Horse Valley until October. In company with a young man he had met while working there, he decided to go through the mountains to British Columbia. They started from what is now known as Golden at the junction of the Kicking Horse and Columbia River.
As it was getting late in the season they were advised not to start, but though they ran into several feet of snow on top of the Selkirks for about two days, they arrived at the head of Schuswap Lake on October 30. Here his companion left him, and Mr. Price proceeded on. He travelled on the south Thompson River on the steamer Peerless. By stage, work-train and boat he eventually arrived at Port Moody and then went by steamer to Victoria.
By the steamer Amelia he went to Cowichan Bay, arriving there on November 5, 1884, 59 years ago to-morrow. Mr. Price never regretted the day he made up his mind to strike out for the coast before the C.P.R.
During the summer of 1885 and in 1886 he was on a survey party laying out Indian reserves on the mainland of British Columbia. In 1887 Mr. Price, in partnership with the late Percy F. Jaynes, brother of the late W.P. Jaynes, built the Quamichan Hotel in Duncan, on the site of the present Commercial Hotel.
In 1893 Mr. Price and his partner built the Lakeside Hotel at Cowichan Lake. Later his brother, the late Ernest Price, took over Mr. Jaynes’ interests. It became a well-known hostelry and many distinguished visitors were among its guests. A stage operated between the hotel and Duncan. Four years ago The Leader published several articles on the early days of Cowichan Lake which Mr. Price had prepared and read in 1935 at a meeting of the Cowichan Historical Society. It contained many interesting stories of Indian lore and legends and names of early white settlers.
When the Tyee mine opened up on Mt. Sicker about 1902, Mr. Price sold the Lakeside Hotel and built the Tzouhalem Hotel in Duncan. He operated it for some years and sold out to his brother Ernest, who died in 1919. Since then Mr. Frank Price had lived more or less a retired life at his home on York Road.
In his younger days he was an all round sportsman, specializing in fishing and shooting. He took a keen interest in all community affairs and was a member of the Masonic Lodge. During his days of retirement he took a great pride in the lovely gardens surrounding his home. Mr. Price will be missed by a wide circle of friends in the district, especially among the old-timers.
Besides his wife, the former Edith L. Booth, whom he married in Victoria in 1899, he leaves an only son, Fred., Duncan; a grandson, Bryan; and a sister, Mrs. M.J. Marriott, Vancouver. His four brothers, William, Arthur, Charles and Ernest, predeceased him some years ago. He was a nephew of the late Augustus Pimbury, well-known old-time resident of Cowichan Bay.
Funeral services were held on Monday afternoon at St. Peter’s Quamichan, the Rev. Canon T.M. Hughes officiating. Mr. B.W. Clements was at the organ and the hymn sung was ‘Peace, Perfect Peace.’
Pallbearers were Messrs. H.E. Donald, S.K. Matterson, W.M. Dwyer, K.F. Duncan, A. Day and R.W. Whittome. The body was later cremated. The lovely floral tributes were placed on the memorial cross in Duncan. Davis Funeral Service had charge of arrangements.”
(Source: Cowichan Leader, 4 November 1943 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
Frank Price‘s body was cremated but his remains are interred in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican cemetery, North Cowichan.
