Harry Allan Ross (1878-1930)
Harry Allan Ross (1878-1930) was Robert Butchart’s accountant and “right hand man” at the Vancouver Portland Cement Company operations at Tod Inlet.
He was one of the initial shareholders in the Vancouver Portland Cement Company when it was incorporated in April 1904 and became the Treasurer of the Vancouver Portland Cement Company, as shown on the Vancouver Portland Cement Company letterhead below:
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 4 our our Butchart Gardens History:
“Another investor [in the Vancouver Portland Cement Company]was Harry Allan Ross (1878-1930), the Butchart’s accountant and the new company’s treasurer, who purchased 1 preference share.
Little is known about Harry Ross’ life prior to 1903. He was born in Port Hope, Ontario, about 60 kilometers from Peterborough and may have worked for the Lakefield Portland Cement Company, although his name doesn’t appear in that company’s surviving records.
But other records clearly show that Harry Ross moved to Victoria in 1903, the same year Robert Butchart first arrived in Victoria. It is quite possible that Harry Ross was working for Robert Butchart in Ontario and moved to Victoria with his employer to assist in Robert Butchart’s work at Tod Inlet. In any event, Harry Ross became Robert Butchart’s “right hand man” at the Vancouver Portland Cement Company.
Harry Ross’ real importance in the Butchart family history came 14 years later when he married the Butchart’s eldest daughter, Jennie, in 1917. Harry Ross became the father of Robert Ian Ross, the Butchart’s eldest grandson, who became the owner of the Butchart Gardens in 1938…..”
In 1916 Harry and Jennie Ross commissioned Victoria architect Samuel Maclure to design and build a house for them at 2031 Runnymede Avenue in the Victoria suburb of Oak Bay. That house is still standing and has been listed on the Oak Bay Heritage Register.
Harry Allen Ross is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C.
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