Andrew McCreight Creery

M.W. Bro. Andrew McCreight Creery, P.G.M.

At the last meeting of our Grand Lodge, we had, but will have with us no more, a brother whom we all knew and loved, and delighted to honour, a friend to all of us, an unassuming, genial, Christian gentle man. He was a good citizen of the country in which he made his home. He was a good Freemason, who loved the ancient Craft and every member of it. Up to the time of his death, even when bowed down by the weight of years, and the infirmities which accompany old age, he never failed to attend our meetings when humanly possible to take his part in the work, and to cheer the brethren with his smile and friendly greeting. His sudden death was a shock to us all, and he will be mourned by every one who had the privilege of being one of his multitude of friends.

M.W. Brother Creery was an Irishman by birth and a Canadian by adoption. He was born at Ardglass, County Down, on June 2nd 1863, the son of Rev. Andrew and Alice (Tate) Creery. He was educated at Monaghan Diocesan School, Monaghan, County Monaghan and at Foyle College at Londonderry, from 1877 to 1882. He was a student in Trinity College, Dublin, from 1882 to 1886, and graduated there with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The Canadian West beckoned to him and he came to Calgary, Alberta, where he entered the employ of Lafferty & Moore, investment bankers. He remained there until 1890, when he exchanged Calgary for Vancouver, and opened a branch of his Calgary firm here. Later, the business of Lafferty & Moore in Vancouver was taken over by the firm of Casement & Creery in which he was a partner, and was carried until 1896, when the firm ceased to carry on business. Since that time he was in business for himself as a real estate and insurance agent until his death.

The son of an Anglican clergyman, and educated in Anglican institutions of learning, he was naturally a member of the Anglican Church and a strong supporter of it. He was one of the founders of St. Paul's Church in the west end of Vancouver and the right hand man of its incumbents, including the present rector, R.W. Brother Canon King. He was a member of the Diocesan Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster, which, for historical reasons, includes the City of Vancouver and surrounding districts, for forty years, and for all that time was Diocesan Treasurer. He was elected many times to serve on the General Synod of Canada.

He was always interested in the public affairs of the province and of the city in which he lived. In 1924 he was elected member of the Provincial Legislature for the City of Vancouver, and served as such for one term, with credit to himself and to the city which he represented. For many years he was a member of the Board of Trade of the city, and took a prominent part in its work. He was made an honourary life member of the board in 1941. He was always interested in amateur athletics, and in his younger days played on the cricket and rugby teams in Vancouver.

In 1891 he married Anne Hulbert of Chilliwack, who passed away a few years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Creery were blessed with five sons and one daughter. Two sons, Cuthbert and Ronald, perished in the Great War, which we now call Great War, No. 1. Those now living are Kenneth Andrew Creery in business in Montreal; Leslie Charles Creery in business in Vancouver; and Commander Wallace B. Creery, in charge of H.M.C.S. "Fraser," at Esquimalt, B.C. Their daughter, Mrs. Clare Underhill, passed away January 24th, 1938.

M.W. Brother Creery was associated with Freemasonry for many years. He joined Cascade Lodge, No. 12, in 1895. In 1908 he became a charter member of Western Gate Lodge, No. 48, and was its Worshipful Master in 1913. His ability and his interest in the Craft soon made itself felt in Grand Lodge, and in 1919 he became Junior Grand Warden. He was Senior Grand Warden in 1920, Deputy Grand Master in 1921, and Grand Master in 1922. His report to Grand Lodge in 1923 shows how diligent he had been during his term of office in carrying out his duties as the occupant of that high office and his thorough knowledge of its law and practice. For many years he was the representative of the Grand Lodge of the State of Kansas at the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, but on the death of M.W. Brother John M. Rudd, who had represented the Grand Lodge of Ireland for many years, he was most appropriately given that position. He was an honourary member, with full voting rights, of Mount Lebanon Lodge, No. 72, Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 102, and Zenith Lodge, No. 104. He was also prominent in several organizations closely associated with Freemasonry.

A mutual friend sends me this tribute to his memory.

passing is like the removal of a friendly and familiar landmark. He served with honour and distinction in the community life of the growing city, but nowhere will he be missed so much, as in our Masonic lodges where he was a constant attendant. Scholar, sportsman, Freemason—and always a kind and considerate gentleman."

ANDREW CREERY | GRAND MASTERS

Robie L. Reid, Annual Proceedings, Frank Sumner McKee (ed.). Vancouver : Grand Lodge of British Columbia, 1942. pp. 184-85.

ANTI-MASONRY | FAMOUS FREEMASONS | HOME | ESSAYS & PAPERS | SITEMAP

© 1871-2021 Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon A.F. & A. M. Updated: 2009/11/27
freemasonry.bcy.ca/grand_masters/creery_a/creery_a.html