Photo: Summerland Museum & Archives Society

In recognition of March being Irish Heritage Month and St. Patrick's Day being celebrated on Monday, the Summerland Museum & Archives Society has shared the story of one of the community's Irish settlers.

William Charles Widenham Fosbery was born in 1874 in County Westmeath, Ireland and came to the Okanagan in 1896.

He was one son of a family of 10 who lived on a large estate of over 1,000 acres in Ireland, called Mosstown House.

William came to the Okanagan to join his brother Forbes Fosbery and friends such as Bob Faulder, according to the museum.

"The two brothers worked at the Barclay Ranch for five years before Forbes left for the US. Will stayed in Summerland, however, claiming a preemption site a little beyond Trout Creek Canyon, next to Morgan Granville," the museum shared in their post.

He built a log cabin and was joined by another brother, George Fosbery in 1905. In 1908, Will married Sarah Eliza Doyle (Lily) and the couple went on to have a daughter, Dulcie.

"William was employed by the Summerland Development Company as a surveyor and was instrumental in developing the irrigation system for the municipal council," the museum added.

"He also helped to build the original St Peter's Anglican Church in West Summerland and the present St Stephen's stone church."

The Irishman was noted for being a large contributor to community life in Summerland.

Outside of his surveyor work, he also acted as Anglican Church secretary, the financial secretary for the Canadian Order of Foresters, captain and secretary of the Summerland cricket club, secretary for the Conservative Association, and treasurer of the South Okanagan Progressive-Conservative party.

"After retiring from the irrigation service, Will became Summerland's first librarian, plus he served as returning officer for the district. If all that wasn't enough, Will also managed to find time to play and hold offices for the tennis club, badminton club, football club, and lawn bowling club, in addition to taking part in several Summerland Singers and Players productions," the museum said.

"He must have been a very busy man!"

The photo of Will shows him with some beautifully dressed unidentified ladies and two dogs. The museum said St. Stephen's is just visible in the background, with the edge of Giants Head rising behind them.

The Summerland Museum & Archives Society shares photos and information from their archives every week for Throwback Thursday on their social media, which can be found online here.