Frederick Buscombe

Frederick Buscombe
Mayor of Vancouver
In office
1905–1906
Preceded by William McGuigan
Succeeded by Alexander Bethune
Personal details
Born (1862-09-02)September 2, 1862
Bodmin, Cornwall, England
Died July 21, 1938(1938-07-21) (aged 75)
Vancouver, British Columbia
Resting place Mountain View Cemetery
49°14′7.7″N 123°5′33.5″W / 49.235472°N 123.092639°W / 49.235472; -123.092639
Spouse(s) Lydia Rebecca Mattice
Occupation businessman

Frederick Buscombe (September 2, 1862 – July 21, 1938), was the 11th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He served from 1905 to 1906. A glassware and china merchant, he was a President of the Vancouver Board of Trade in 1900.

Buscombe was born in 1862 at Bodmin,[1] Cornwall, England, to Edwin and Isabella Oliver Grilles Buscombe.[2] He immigrated to Canada with his family in 1870, settling near Hamilton, Ontario, where his father became a builder.[3] He first worked in Hamilton from 1878 to James A. Skinner & Company, a glassware and china company, as a travelling salesman from 1878 to 1891.[2] In 1891, his job with the company brought him west to Vancouver, where he established an office with his brother, George.[4] Prior to 1891, he visited the Vancouver area twice, in 1884 and 1886.[1] He served as a partner of the company in Vancouver until 1899, when he bought out the company, and established Frederick Buscombe & Co. Ltd. china, glassware and earthenware with his brother, which grew to be one of the largest businesses of the kind in the Canadian West.[3] He was also president of the Pacific Coast Lumber & Sawmills Company, and director of the Pacific Marine Insurance Company.[2] In 1899, he commissioned the Buscombe Building, located at 342 Water Street & 403 West Cordova Street, in Gastown, Vancouver, which is now the site of a restaurant and various businesses.[5]

Buscombe was elected Mayor of Vancouver in 1905. During the election, he advocated for improved financial management within the municipal affairs, earning support from three newspapers, and many businessmen.[6] He served two terms, until 1906. During his mayoralty, he helped develop the Greater Vancouver Water Board.[7] The city council also passed a motion to request suspension of immigration of East Indians to Vancouver due to public discontent of immigrants working in the growing amount construction jobs.[8]

Buscombe served as president of Vancouver's Board of Trade from 1900 to 1901, and as president of the Vancouver Tourist Association in 1901.[2] A Mason, he was also a member of the Vancouver Club, Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Terminal City Club, Jericho Country Club, and the Sons of England Society.[2] He died at Vancouver 1938 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was married to Cora Elsie Bird.[9]

He married Lydia Rebecca Mattice on May 6, 1886, with her he had five children: Robert Frederick Edwin, Harold Edwin, Erie Stewart, Margery Gordon, and Barnett.[3] He lived in Dundurn, Vancouver.[2] A member of the Church of England, he enjoyed yachting, fishing and golf.

References

  1. 1 2 Gosnell 1906, p. 674
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Western Press Association (1916), Northern who's who: a biographical dictionary of men and women especially compiled for newspaper and library reference, New York City, Portland, Oregon, retrieved February 12, 2014
  3. 1 2 3 Gosnell 1906, p. 675
  4. ↑ "Buscombe family - City of Vancouver Archives". Searcharchives.vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  5. ↑ "THROWBACK THURSDAYS: The Buscombe Building". Gastown.org. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  6. ↑ "The Mayors of Vancouver". Vancouverhistory.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  7. ↑ "Frederick Buscombe". Freemasonry.bcy.ca. 1938-07-21. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  8. ↑ "History of Vancouver - Mayors of Vancouver". Vancouverhistory.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  9. ↑ Frederick Buscombe, "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986", Family Search. Retrieved 2014-02-27.

Bibliography

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