Francis (Frank) Joseph Airey
Francis Joseph
Airey was born on February 5, 1889 in Vancouver, B. C., son of Albert Joseph Airey and Ellen Annie Smith.
Frank founded the
first Scout troop in North America in 1909 at St. Georges Mission at Third and
Bridge
Street (now Cambie Street) in Vancouver. As scoutmaster
of the 72 member Fairview troop, he attended the 1912 Brockton
Oval celebration in honor of the visiting Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy
Scouts.
Frank joined the
Army Engineers during World War I (1914-1918). He built several bridges for
transporting army equipment, but admits that he blew up many more enemy bridges.
Frank Airey
married Margaret (Daisy) Barrie
Dowie on June 12, 1920.
They settled at
Oyama, B. C. where Frank works on a fruit farm on Wood's Lake. Frank started another Scout troop at the local
Anglican Church. They lived in one of the oldest houses in the neighborhood that
was originally built by Mr. Sam Young. Frank had spent a great deal of time and
money on improvements on the house. On Tuesday before March 20, 1923, the house
was totally destroyed by fire. Frank and Daisy were away for the winter and were
on their return journey when the news reached them by wire.
When the house
was destroyed the family went to Cortez Island on the B. C. coast on a logging
venture. They settled in Marpole, Vancouver in 1925 for a decade of carpentry.
Frank built his home at 8362 East
Boulevard. He started yet another Scout troop at
St. Augustine's
Anglican Church in Marpole.
They moved to
1132 Bridgeport Road,
Richmond, B. C. in 1937 (Richmond
Memories shows 1932). Frank built several green houses and used them for growing
tomatoes and bedding plants. Later, he built a fruit and berry basket making
business in the back of his lot employing several workers. He continued to work
at making fruit baskets until after his 90th birthday.
Frank Airey was
presented a Good Service to Scouting Award by the Boy Scouts of Canada in July,
1979 for seventy years of service to the Boy Scouts.
Frank was also a
member of the International Fellowship of Former Guides and Scouts, the Masonic
Lodge, and the Eastern Star. Frank had a keen interest in traveling and
photography. He traveled around the world several times and took excellent
pictures of his journeys through Africa and Asia, which he presented at Scouting functions.
Frank Airey moved
from his home on Bridgeport
Road to live with his daughter Fran Airey at
6768 Ash Street,
Vancouver, eventually moving into
Trinity Lodge. Frank died on September 14, 1982 in Vancouver, B. C.
SOURCES:
Vernon News 1923; Richmond Memories.
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