Frederick Buscombe (September 2, 1862 – July 21, 1938), was the 11th

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, British Columbia, Canada. He served from 1905 to 1906. A glassware and china merchant, he was a President of the

Vancouver Board of Trade The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) is a non-profit organization. It serves Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in a fashion similar to the Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce. The Board is the largest business association between ...

in 1900. Buscombe was born in 1862 in

Bodmin Bodmin () is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated south-west of Bodmin Moor. The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character. It is bordere ...

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, England, to Edwin and Isabella Oliver Grilles Buscombe. He immigrated to

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with his family in 1870, settling near

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, where his father became a builder. He first worked in Hamilton from 1878 to James A. Skinner & Company, a glassware and china company, as a travelling salesman from 1878 to 1891. In 1891, his job with the company brought him west to Vancouver, where he established an office with his brother, George. Prior to 1891, he visited the Vancouver area twice, in 1884 and 1886. He served as a partner of the company in Vancouver until 1899, when he bought out the company, and established Frederick Buscombe & Co. Ltd. china, glassware and earthenware with his brother, which grew to be one of the largest businesses of the kind in the Canadian West. He was also president of the Pacific Coast Lumber & Sawmills Company, and director of the Pacific Marine Insurance Company. In 1899, he commissioned the Buscombe Building, located at 342 Water Street & 403 West Cordova Street, in

Gastown Gastown is the original settlement that became the core of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and a national historic site and a neighbourhood in the northwest section of the Downtown Eastside, adjacent to Downtown Vancouver. Its hi ...

, Vancouver, which is now the site of a restaurant and various businesses. Buscombe was elected

Mayor of Vancouver The mayor of Vancouver is the head and chief executive officer of Vancouver, British Columbia, who is elected for a four-year term. The 41st and current officeholder is Ken Sim, who has held office since November 7, 2022. List indicat ...

in 1905. During the election, he advocated for improved financial management within the municipal affairs, earning support from three newspapers, and many businessmen. He served two terms, until 1906. During his mayoralty, he helped develop the Greater Vancouver Water Board. The city council also passed a motion to request suspension of immigration of East Indians to Vancouver due to public discontent of immigrants working in the growing construction trade. Buscombe served as president of Vancouver's Board of Trade from 1900 to 1901, and as president of the Vancouver Tourist Association in 1901. A

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, he was also a member of the Vancouver Club,

Royal Vancouver Yacht Club The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC) is a yacht club located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Royal Vancouver Yacht Club currently operates two marinas, the one at Jericho Beach in English Bay and another in Coal Harbour. The Jericho site inclu ...

, Terminal City Club, Jericho Country Club, and the Sons of England Society. He died at Vancouver 1938 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was married to Cora Elsie Bird.Frederick Buscombe, "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986"
Family Search. Retrieved 2014-02-27. He married Lydia Rebecca Mattice on May 6, 1886, with whom he had five children. He lived in Dundurn, Vancouver. A member of the

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, he enjoyed yachting, fishing and golf.

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Buscombe, Frederick 1862 births 1938 deaths Businesspeople from Vancouver People from Bodmin Mayors of Vancouver British emigrants to Canada Canadian people of Cornish descent Burials at Mountain View Cemetery (Vancouver) 20th-century Canadian politicians