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Buildings Associated With Temple Lodge No. 33 Members

DUNCAN & CHRISTMAS HERITAGE MALL

149 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C.

Fig.1 Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall, 149 Canada Ave., Duncan, B.C.

The Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall is located at 149 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C., immediately adjacent to the Masonic Temple building at 163 Canada Avenue.

In the 1920s and early 1930s this building was used by W.B. Kenneth Duncan (1881-1952) and his business partner, Herbert Dickie, as their business premises for their insurance and financial services partnership, Dickie & Duncan Ltd.

The Dickie & Duncan partnership was dissolved in 1936 and Wilfred Christmas entered into partnership with Kenneth Duncan under the name Duncan & Christmas Ltd. Kenneth Duncan and Wilfred Christmas remained business partners until Wilfred Christmas' death in 1950.

The current name of the building is derived from W.B. Kenneth Duncan's business partnership, Duncan & Christmas Ltd.

 

 

Fig.2 Possibly the Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall, circa 1912?

We think this photo in Fig. 2 may be an early photo of the building that is now the Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall, but, at this point, treat that as being unconfirmed. We are doing more reearch into whether this photo is, in fact, an early photo of the Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall building.

Lewis Truesdale of Kibler & Truesdale was a Charter Member of Temple Lodge, No. 33. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in North Cowichan. We believe Lewis Truesdale is the man on the right of the photo in Fig. 2. If so, it is the only photo of Lewis Truesdale which we currently know of.

 

 

 

Fig.3 W.B. Kenneth Duncan
W.B. Kenneth Duncan was Initiated in Temple Lodge, No. 33 in 1906. He served as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge, No. 33 in 1910.

W.B. Kenneth Duncan was deeply involved in the creation of the City of Duncan in 1911-12. The City of Duncan is named for W.B. Kenneth Duncan's family, who settled here in the 1860s. Kenneth Duncan was elected the first Mayor of Duncan in 1912. The Duncan City Council elected in 1912 also included Temple Lodge members James McLead Campbell and Ormond Towers Smythe.

 

W.B. Kenneth Duncan is buried in the St. Peter's Quamichan Anglican Cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

Fig.4 Duncan & Christmas Ltd. Heritage Sign

Fig. 4 shows a Heritage Duncan sign which has been placed on front of the Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall. This sign is one of a series of Heritage Duncan signs which have been placed on significant heritage buildings in Duncan to commemorate their importance in local history.

This Heritage Duncan sign on the Duncan & Christmas Heritage Mall reads:

"Duncan & Christmas Ltd. - Kenneth Duncan (son of pioneer William Chalmers Duncan) was the first Mayor of the City of Duncan. A successful businessman, he had a partnership with Mr. Dickie, which ended in June 1936.

The June 25, 1936 edition of the Cowichan Leader newspaper announced: "The name of the firm Dickie & Duncan Ltd. has been changed to Duncan & Christmas Ltd. Otherwise, the business remanins unchanged.

Wilfred Christmas was the son of Reverend F.G. Christmas, a pioneer Anglican clergyman who was known locally as 'Father Christmas'. Wilfred had been a partner in a menswear store called Powel & Christmas.

Kenneth Duncan and Wilfred Christmas remained business partners until the death of Christmas in 1950."

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Be sure to check our Announcements & Upcoming Events Page to stay up to date on what is going on at Temple Lodge No. 33 and neighbouring Lodges............

 

 

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WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S MESSAGES

Go to our Worshipful Master's Page for the latest announcements from the East.....................

 

 

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HISTORY & HERITAGE

Temple Lodge, No.33 was formed in December 1899 and has a long and honourable history in Duncan and the surrounding Cowichan Valley.

Our Lodge History page contains links to a lot of historical information about Temple Lodge and its members.....................

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HISTORIANS, GENEOLOGISTS & OTHER RESEARCHERS

Many historians, geneologists and other researchers visit our site. We have included a lot of information of interest to researchers and will be adding more over time.

Our Lodge History page has links to historical information about Temple Lodge History, our Historic Membership Lists, Principal Officers, the Vancouver Island Masonic History Project and much more.......

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DUNCAN MASONIC TEMPLE

The Masonic Temple in Duncan, B.C. was built by Temple Lodge members in 1912 and has been a downtown Duncan landmark ever since.

 

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HISTORIC BUILDINGS & TEMPLE LODGE MEMBERS

There are a number of local historic buildings in Duncan, Mill Bay and the Cowichan Valley built by, or for, or otherwise connected to, Temple Lodge, No. 33 members or other Freemasons.

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VANCOUVER ISLAND MASONIC HISTORY PROJECT

The Vancouver Island Masonic History Project is an ongoing volunteer effort, coordinated by Temple Lodge No. 33, to document the rich heritage of Freemasons and Freemasonry on Vancouver Island.

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MASONIC EVENT CALENDARS

Here are links to Masonic Event Calendars for Vancouver Island and other areas through British Columbia & Yukon:

|| Vancouver Island || Greater Vancouver || B.C. Interior & Yukon ||

 

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LODGE SECRETARY'S PAGE

In Masonic Lodges, the Lodge Secretary is responsible for all matters of administration. We have a Lodge Secretary's Page containing contact information and other information about Lodge administration and communications

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GRAND LODGE OF B.C. & YUKON

The Grand Lodge of B.C. & Yukon has an excellent Masonic website, with links to e_Bee (the online Bulletin), Masonic Event Calendars, Masonic History, Answers To Our Critics, Freemasonry In B.C., Masonic Bulletin and much more.........

 

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INTERESTING CONNECTIONS

During research or travels we often come across Interesting Connections to Masons and Freemasonry. Our Interesting Connections Page has Masonic connections uncovered by members of Temple Lodge, No.33, like Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, shown at left.......................

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MUSIC BY MASONS - BOOKS BY MASONS

Masonic musicians and composers range from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to Howlin' Wolf. Writers include Rudyard Kipling. For music fans and book lovers, here are some links to the works of Masonic musicians, composers, movie makers and writers..............

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