Colonel Edward Bruen Worthington (1860-1945)
Notary, Mayor and WW I Overseas War Veteran
Sherbrooke’s Worthigton Street is named for a prominent Sherbrooker who led a career of 60 years as a notary and at the same time a miltary career of over 50 years.
Edward Bruen Worthington was born in Sherbrooke, December 1st, 1860. He was the son of Frances Louisa Smith (ca 1828-1887) and of Dr Edward Dagge Worthington (1820-1895), an Irish immigrant and one of the first anaesthesist surgeons in Canada. (The Edward-worthington Park, near the Fleurimont hospital was named after him.) The parents had married in 1845 in Ascot Township. Edward Bruen studied at Sherbrooke Academy, Bishop’s College School and Bishop’s University where earned a degree in Law. He finished his studies in 1883 and became a notary in 1884. He opened his study in the Sherbrooke Library and Art Building on Dufferin Street and later on, in the Sun Life building, on Frontenac Street. He had his office there from 1900 until he retired in 1943. He partnered with Notary George Edmund Borlase from 1900 to 1926. From about 1891 to 1906, Worthington was the Vice-consul in Sherbrooke for the United States of America.
In 1890, Worthington married Mabel Isabel Molson (1869-1946) in Lennoxville’s St. George’s Anglican church. She was the daughter of Lennoxville resident Joseph Dinham Molson, the son of famous Montreal beer-brewer John Molson. They had a daughter, Gladys Day (1893-1966).
Around 1877, Edward Bruen enlisted as bugler in the 53rd Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry, which became the 53rd Sherbrooke Regiment in 1900. From at least 1881 to 1887, he was Captain in the regiment’s 3rd Company. In 1895, he became the regiment’s Commander, with the rank of Lieutenant-colonel and, in 1898, he was promoted to Colonel. During his mandate, he went to Ottawa in 1896 with Major Henry Redfern Fraser to request the building of an armoury, which was finally built between 1906 and 1908 on Belvédère Street South. It is now the Colonel-gaétan-j.-côté Armoury of Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke Regiment. In 1900, Lieutenant-colonel Henry Redfern Fraser took over command from Colonel Worthington. From 1900 to 1903, Worthington was Brigadier in the 8th Infantry Brigade. In 1903, he took part in the transformation of the 54th Richmond Regiment to the 11th Hussars Cavalray Regiment, of which he was Commander from 1903 to 1906. As a reserve Brigadier, he commanded the 3rd Eastern Townships Mounted Brigade from 1909 to 1920. During World War I, he took part in the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force with the rank of Lieutenant. While in France, he was in charge of communications at Le Havre and at Étaples. He also commanded the 17th Nova Scotia Highlanders Battalion. The French Government awarded him the Vermeil Medal of Honor and the Star Auxiliary Officers Long Service Medal. He was also made an honorary member of the British Legion and Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. Along with all this recognition, he was very active in the Royal Canadian Legion and was President of Sherbrooke’s Section no 10. From 1920 to 1922, he reorganised and commanded the 53rd Sherbrooke Regiment with the rank of Lieutenant-colonel and, in 1926, he held the rank of Honorary Colonel.
In 1901-1902, Edward Bruen Worthington was elected by acclamation as the 23rd Mayor of Sherbrooke after having been a Municipal Councilor from 1899 to 1901. At the beginning of his mandate as Mayor, he led a delegation from Sherbrooke to Quebec to obtain the building of a new court house, which was eventually built in 1903-1904 on Strathcona Square. In 1989, the building became Sherbrooke City Hall. Edward Bruen Worthington died in Sherbrooke, October 20, 1945. His military funeral was held in St. Peter’s anglican church and he was buried with his wife in Elmwood cemetary.