Deceased Brethren
Our Ashlar Lodge No. 3 Historian recently came across the grave of Alexander Ross (died 24 January 1888) in Bowen Road Cemetery, Nanaimo, B.C.
The grave marker displays the Masonic Square and Compasses. The grave stone is cracked and the inscription has been very worn by exposure to the elements and is very difficult to read, but it appears to indicate that Alexander Ross died in a coal mine in the Nanaimo area.
We came across this list of fatalities in the coal mines around Nanaimo between the years 1874 and 1899 [note: PDF]. It lists an Alexander Ross who was killed, along with 58 other men, including a Mason named William Horne who is also buried in Bowen Road Cemetery, in an explosion in Wellington Mine No. 5 on 24 January 1888.
We will do more research on Alexander Ross and post what we find, hopefully within the next month or so.
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