Biographies

William Bell

 

Helped Form Western District, Founder of L.O.L.479

 

William Bell was born in Woolwich, England in 1836 and came with his family at a young age to Canada, first to Montreal and then onto Toronto in 1857.

 

At a meeting of the County Lodge of Toronto on Dec 18^th, 1875 he proposed a motion along with Brother W.J.Montgomery, to have the County of Toronto divided into three district lodges (Centre, Western and Eastern). This arrangement came into effect in 1876. Furthermore; William Bell received the warrant for Luther Western Pioneer L.O.L.479 on March 9, 1876 and was elected as that lodge’s Worshipful Master for the first five years of its existence. Bell went on to serve as Western District Master in 1880, 1881 and 1882 and as County Master of Toronto in 1889 and 1890.

 

In addition to his affiliation with the Orange Order; William Bell, was also a member of King Solomon R.B.P.No.344, St. George’s Masonic Lodge and the Sons of England.

 

Bell was a Trustee with the Toronto School Board in 1877 and between 1881 and 1896 (except for one year) sat as an alderman for St. Stephen’s Ward on Toronto City Council. William Bell passed away at the age of 61 on December 7^th, 1897 as a result of typhoid fever. A member of Crawford Street Methodist Church his funeral was held at his residence at 16 Foxley Street and conducted by Reverend Brother E. C. Laker (a member of Medcalf L.O.L.781), and his final rest is at St. James Cemetery. William Bell was survived by six sons; William, Henry, George, Arthur, Frederick and James. Many of the sons also had membership in L.O.L.479. His son, William L. Bell, Jr. served as County Master of Toronto in 1924; the only father-son duo to have held that office.

 

Sources: The Globe Dec 7^th and 10^th/1897, the Sentinel Dec 16^th/1897, Western District Historic Directory, published 1913

 

 

Submitted by John Wells – County Secretary – February 11^th, 2011

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