| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | J.A. (John Alfred) Irvine was born on September 20, 1868, at Granville Ferry, Annapolis District, Nova Scotia, to Hugh Marshall Irvine and Martha Ann Mills. Irvine was educated at Granville Ferry and studied law before becoming a manager for Annapolis Savings Bank and later working for the Nova Scotia Savings and Loan Company in Halifax from 1886-1906. Irvine married Mina Celia Buckley on September 12, 1901 and together they had six children, Hugh Avery, Inez Abigail, William Douglas, Enid Eileen, John Alexander, and Wilfred Harland. In 1906 Irvine and his family moved to Alberta and settled in Calgary where Irvine began working as a real estate and insurance broker. Irvine was a member of the Calgary Liberal Association and served as a liberal candidate in the Dominion election of 1917, being defeated by H.M. Tweedie. Irvine was an amateur photographer and also active in his community, belonging to a number of different organizations including the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, the Dominion Council, Kiwanis Club, Calgary Board of Trade, the Central United Church, and the YMCA. Irvine was one of the founders of the Navy League of Canada and was Secretary-Treasurer for the Alberta Division. He purchased a large piece of land at Sylvan Lake ca. 1916 where summer camps were held for Navy League Cadets, Canadian Girls’ Brigade, the YMCA, the Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT), and the YWCA. Irvine died on July 18, 1928, survived by his wife and children. |