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

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

Christopher Dobson – Featured Deceased Member of Temple Lodge For December 2016

Each month Temple Lodge, No.33 features a deceased member as a way of highlighting our Lodge history and the role Lodge members have played in the history of Duncan and the Cowichan Valley.

The featured Deceased Member of Temple Lodge for December 2016 is Christopher Dobson (died 1937, aged 74), who was the first new member Initiated in Temple Lodge in 1900 after Temple Lodge was formed in December 1899.

Christopher Dobson came to Duncan in the 1890’s and built what is now 101 Station Street (currently occupied by Leaf and Petal florists) for his wheelwright and carriage repair business. It is one of the oldest existing buildings in Duncan.

101 Craig Street was built circa 1893 by Christopher Dobson for his wheelwright and carriage making business.
101 Station Street was built circa 1893 by Christopher Dobson for his wheelwright and carriage making business.

Christopher Dobson’s house is still standing at 220 Beech Road in Duncan.

Christopher Dobson house, 220 Beech Road, Duncan. B.C.
Christopher Dobson house, 220 Beech Road, Duncan. B.C.

Christopher Dobson was an excellent carpenter. In 1927 and 1928 he built the altars which are still in use in Temple Lodge, No. 33 and in Ashlar Lodge, No. 3 in Nanaimo.

Christopher Dobson, circa 1928
Christopher Dobson, circa 1928, with the altar he built for Temple Lodge. This altar is still in use today (photo copyright Temple Lodge, No.33)

 

Christopher Dobson is buried in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican Cemetery.

Christopher Dobson grave, St. Peter's Quamichan Anglican cemetery
Christopher Dobson grave, St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican cemetery

Featured Deceased Member For September 2016 – James Grieg

James Grieg (28 July 1865 – 10 August 1954) was a Past Master of Temple Lodge, No.33. He served as Mayor of Duncan from 1936-1939 and had a long career in local public service. He is buried in St. Peter’s Quamichan Anglican Cemetery.

 

James Grieg, Past Master of Temple Lodge, No.33, Mayor of Duncan
James Grieg, Past Master of Temple Lodge, No.33, Mayor of Duncan (Photo courtesy of City of Duncan)

For more information on James Grieg, see our webpage about him on this site.

Richard Guy Mellin (1875-1931) – Joined Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1904

Temple Lodge, No.33 puts information about Deceased Brethren on this website and has found that the pages on Deceased Brethren are among the most viewed and most popular pages on the website. Genealogy is a very popular pastime and Temple Lodge, No.33 gets frequent requests for additional information from researchers who have found ancestors on our website.

Temple Lodge, No.33 also sends out requests for additional information on our Deceased Brethren. When we recently put up a page on Richard Guy Mellin (1875-1931), we sent information requests by email to Manchester Grammar School and the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of B.C., both of which kindly provided information which appears on our web page for Richard Guy Mellin and in the blog post below.

Richard Guy Mellin (5 March 1875 – April 1931) joined Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1904 and remained a member of Temple Lodge, No.33 until his death in 1931. He was Initiated, Passed and Raised in Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1904.

He was born in Manchester, U.K. and was educated at Chorlton High School and Manchester Grammar School, which he attended from 1888 to 1892.

We contacted Manchester Grammar School seeking information about Richard Guy Mellin and we were kindly given the photograph below, showing Richard Guy Mellin in 1890, aged about 15, in the back row, second from left.

The "Lower Classical Remove" class of 1890 at Manchester Grammar School. Richard Guy Mellin is #2, in the back row, second from left (photo courtesy of Manchester Grammar School, used with permission)
The “Lower Classical Remove” form of 1890 at Manchester Grammar School. Richard Guy Mellin is #2, in the back row, second from left (photo courtesy of Manchester Grammar School, used with permission)

Continue reading Richard Guy Mellin (1875-1931) – Joined Temple Lodge, No.33 in 1904

Frank Henry Price and Ernest Alfred Price, early hoteliers in Duncan, B.C.

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.

Ernest Alfred Price and Ada Price, circa 1900 (photo courtesy of Keith Price)
Ernest Alfred Price and Ada Price, circa 1900-1910 (photo courtesy of Keith Price)

Continue reading Frank Henry Price and Ernest Alfred Price, early hoteliers in Duncan, B.C.