Aylesworth

W.Bro. Sir Allen Bristol Aylesworth KCMG (1854-1952)

By V.W.Bro. Paul Skazin

W. Bro. Aylesworth was born in Camdem Township, Upper Canada on November 27, 1854. He was initiated into Ionic Lodge on February 1st 1887 and was installed as Master on December 3rd 1895. He achieved prominence when he was appointed Postmaster General of Canada in 1905. He served as Minister of Labour in the Lourier Cabinet in 1905 and as Minister of Justice for Canada from 1906 to 1911. In the early 1900s he was part of a Commission that argued the Alaskan/Canadian boundaries. In 1910 he acted as British Agent in the North Atlantic Coast Fisheries arbitration at The Hague. For that achievement he received a Knighthood and became known as Sir Allen Bristol Aylesworth KCMG.

He nominated MacKenzie King for leadership of the Liberal Party, resulting in King later becoming Prime Minister of Canada.

Through a connection dating back to the late 1600s in Plymouth, Massachusetts, W. Bro. Aylesworth was a distant relative of the US Presidential Bush family .

W. Bro. Ayelsworth was called to the Senate in 1923, where he served until he passed to the Grand Lodge Above on February 13, 1952 in Toronto. His portrait, done by E Wyly Grier hangs at Osgoode Hall.

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