b. 1820
d. 1873-08
Born
c.1820 in Liverpool, England, Lumley Franklin immigrated first to
California (
1845) and then to
Victoria (
1858), accompanied by his brother,
Selim Franklin.
The Franklin brothers were auctioneers and real estate agents in
San Francisco, and continued their business ventures in
Victoria with the establishment of S. Franklin & Co., located on Yates Street. Both brothers were prominent members of the early Jewish community of
Victoria, executive members of the
Victoria Philharmonic Society, and had brief but significant careers in politics. Lumley is noted as a founding member, and in
1865 Worshipful Master, of the
Victoria Masonic Lodge (no. 1085).
In
November 1865, with the endorsement of
Thomas Harris (the first Mayor of Victoria), Lumley became the second Mayor of
Victoria and the first Jewish mayor elected in British North America. During his time in office, he prioritized sanitation initiatives, saw the completion
of the Atlantic Cable (which connected London and
Victoria via the telegraph in
1866), and, unlike
his brother, lent his enthusiastic support to the unification of
Vancouver Island and
British Columbia. After finishing his term as mayor, Lumley served on the Board of Education for
Vancouver Island and was generally active in his community until he returned to
San Francisco where he passed away in
August 1873.
- 1. J. Lutz et al., Biographies: Lumley Franklin, The Freemasons of Victoria.
- 2. Dorothy Blakey Smith, Franklin, Lumley, Dictionary of Canadian Biography.
- 3. Danda Humphreys, Franklin Bachelor brothers made their mark, Times Colonist, September 12, 1999.
- 4. J. Lutz et al., Biographies: Lumley Franklin, The Freemasons of Victoria.
- 5. Danda Humphreys, Franklin Bachelor brothers made their mark, Times Colonist, September 12, 1999.
- 6. Ibid.
- 7. Dorothy Blakey Smith, Franklin, Lumley, Dictionary of Canadian Biography.