Each month we feature a deceased member of Temple Lodge, No.33 as both a memorial and a way of highlighting the history of Temple Lodge, No.33 and its member. Our featured deceased Brother for April 2016 is Samuel Robinson (1856-1928), a Charter Member of Temple Lodge, No.33 in December 1899.
Samuel Robinson (1856-1928) was a member of Ashlar Lodge, No. 3 in Nanaimo when he became a Charter Member of Temple Lodge, No. 33 in December 1899. He was Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1902.
Samuel Robinson was a carpenter and builder by trade. One building he built is known to be standing at 126 Ingram Street in downtown Duncan, which he built as a residence for fellow Temple Lodge, No.33 member Andrew Hans Peterson. The house is now know as the Green Door.
According to his 1928 obituary in the Cowichan Leader newspaper (see below), Samuel Robinson came to the Cowichan Valley in 1893. Here is a photograph of Samuel Robinson as part of a hunting expedition in May 1894 on Mt. Prevost, north of Duncan. This photo is part of a family collection and is used with the permission of Sylvia J. Dyer, the daughter of Temple Lodge, No.33 member Claude Green (1904-2003), Past Grand Master.
As another brief historical note: Elias Castley, who appears seated in the lower lower right of the photo, was involved in the formation of the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department. He died in 1908 when he fell from the tower of the fire hall while hanging a bell. His house (now demolished) was adjacent to the Green Door, 126 Ingram Street, which was built by Samuel Robinson in 1903.
Here is a brief biography of Wor. Brother Samuel Robinson taken from Temple Lodge, No. 33 records and his obituary in the Cowichan Leader newspaper:
First, see our Formation of Temple Lodge page for more information on Samuel Robinson as one of the 14 Charter Members of Temple Lodge, No.33 in December 1899.
“…The Worshipful Master stated, with very much regret, that Wor. Brother Robinson was rapidly failing, he had visited him twice just recently and it was very evident that his days amongst us were drawing to a close…..”
(Source: Temple Lodge, No. 33 – Minute Book, Regular Meeting of 12 June 1928)
“Minutes of an Emergency Communication of Temple Lodge, No. 33 A.F. & A.M., G.R.B.C., held on Sunday the 17th day of June 1928 at the hour of 2:00 pm.
The Lodge was opened in due and ancient form by Worshipful Brother Christopher Dobson, Acting Worshipful Master, Presiding in the East, Officers, brethren and Visitors as shown by the porch book.
The Acting Worshipful Master stated that the Emergency Communication had been called for the purpose of carrying out the sad duty of interring the remains of our late Brother Samuel Robinson who had passed on to the Grand Lodge Above on the 15th day of June 1928.
The Acting Worshipful Master then ordered the Secretary to deposit in the archives of the Lodge a roll inscribed as follows:
Worshipful Brother Samuel Robinson
“Born February 2nd in the year 1856 at Longford, in the county of Derby, England.
Died at Duncan in the Province of British Columbia on the 15th day of June 1928, in the 73rd year of his age.
He was made a Mason at Dundee, Scotland.
He became a member of Temple Lodge, No. 33 when that Lodge was granted a dispensation in December 1899, and he remained an active member up to the time of his death. In 1902 he was appointed Master of the Lodge, and for many years prior to his death he held the important office of Tyler of Temple Lodge.”
The Lodge was then formed in procession and proceeded to St. Mary’s Cemetery, Somenos, where the remains were laid to rest with due form, ceremony and honours.
On return to the Lodge Room the Secretary was instructed to forward a letter of condolence to the relatives of our late Brother, it was also decreed that the charter should be draped for one month.
There being no further business the Lodge was closed in due and ancient form, peace and harmony prevailing….”
(Source: Temple Lodge, No. 33 – Minute Book, Emergent Meeting of 17 June 1928)
“Robinson – Mr. Samuel Robinson, who had been ailing for some time past, died on Friday morning at the King’s Daughters’ Hospital, Duncan.
He was born at Longford Village, some ten miles from Derby, England, on February 4th, 1856, where his father was a farmer, carpenter and builder. On leaving school he was apprenticed to his father and followed the trades of carpentry and cabinet making. At one time he worked on the Clyde on the interior decorating of vessels.
In 1882, Mr. Robinson migrated to York centre (near Chicago), where he joined and worked with his brother, Arthur, who had large cheese and butter factories there. After six years in Illinois, Mr. Robinson went back home. He was in Scotland for seventeen months and at Longford for a year and then returned to Chicago. This was in 1892 and he stayed to see the World’s Fair in the following year.
In the fall of 1893 he came here, where his brother, Arthur, had preceded him and had bought a farm at Sahtlam. Here Mr. Robinson followed his old trade. He resided on Kenneth Street, near the Country Club. [Note: Samuel Robinson’s house is no longer extant.The Country Club was around present day Kenneth Street and Boundary Street]
He will be remembered as a gentle, kindly old man, with a goodly store of reminiscences. He became a Mason in Dundee, Scotland, and on the formation of Temple Lodge, A.F.& A.M., No. 33 in Duncan in December 1899, he became one of its charter members. He was Worshipful Master in 1902 and for a great many years he held the office of Tyler.
About sixty of his sorrowing brothers attended the funeral on Sunday afternoon, from the Masonic Temple to St. Mary’s Churchyard, Somenos, whither his body was borne by six pastmasters, Wor. Bros. A.H. Peterson, Thomas Pitt, J.M. Campbell, W.M. Dwyer, K.F. Duncan and James Greig, while a similar number of pastmasters were present among the brethren as was Mr. C.H. Dickie, M.P. and Rt. Wor. Bro. D.H. Ker, P.D.D.G.M., Junior Grand Warden, Grand Lodge of B.C. The Masonic service was in charge of Wor. Bro. C. Dobson, acting for Wor. Bro. W.B. Harper, W.M.
The committal service of the Church of England was conducted by the Rev. F. Granville Christmas.
Mr. Robinson leaves behind an older brother, William, in England and six nephews, Walter, Gilbert and Henry Robinson, Sahtlam; and W.F. and Arthur, of Aldergrove; and three nieces, Mrs. M.D. Castley and Mrs. I. Bonsall, Duncan and Mrs. W. Roseboom, Victoria.
The funeral arrangements were made by Mr. L.C. Brockway.”’
(Source: Cowichan Leader, 23 June 1928 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
Samuel Robinson is buried in St. Mary’s Somenos Anglican Cemetery, North Cowichan, B.C. His original gravestone has disappeared but Temple Lodge, No.33 replaced it with the current grave marker shown in the photos below.
