Hon. Major the Reverend Crawford Brown, MA was the minister of St Andrew’s Church from June 1905 to October 1915. He was appointed Chaplain of the 48th Highlanders of Canada in 1907 and served until his death in 1929.
The portrait was painted by John Russell in 1918 and was a donation to the 48th Highlanders Trusts from the Robert Kearns Collection, facilitated by Hon. Col. John B. Newman, MSM, CD, and is on loan to St. Andrew’s Church from the 48th Highlanders Trusts.
Crawford-Brown was born in Richmond, Carlton County, Ontario on 18 Jan 1874. He was a graduate of Queen’s University, Kingston, BA and MA, 1903 and 1904 and postgraduate at University of Edinburgh 1904-5. Despite his young age he was ordained and inducted Minister at St Andrew’s Church 16 Nov 1905. Brown was a force for involvement and change for the church. Clubs multiplied, for men, women, boys and girls. He initiated the remodelling of the church adding a colourful chancel plus a centre aisle and a new organ by Casavant Freres, all opening on 1 Dec 1907. Other changes included a gowning of the choir in Oct 1907, with black gowns and white blouses/vests, an initiative followed by Presbyterian churches across the country; a recasting of the Order of Divine Service; Processional and Recessional hymns in 1912 and the introduction of the Individual Cup.
On 16 June 1909, at St Andrew’s, he married Eallien Necora Melvin-Jones, a union that produced two children. Despite a young family and an active ministry he found time to participate in many organizations: the House of Industry, the provincial council of the Victorian Order of Nurses, the dominion council of the British and Foreign Sailors’ Society, the Navy League of Canada, the masonic order, the St Andrew’s Society, the Canadian Club, the Empire Club of Canada, the Victoria Club, the Toronto Skating Club, the Canadian Military Institute, and the Canadian Institute.
When World War I broke out Crawford Brown expected to proceed overseas with the 48th Highlanders, which had appointed him chaplain in 1907, but because of continuing bad health he could not accompany his unit to England. His chaplaincy work continued at the military barracks in Exhibition Park, Toronto. In 1917 he became, in addition, a chaplain at the Royal Flying Corps’ No. 4 School of Military Aeronautics, University of Toronto, and at other RFC stations in the Toronto area. The following year, his health evidently improved, he was seconded to the chaplain service of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, but did not go overseas. An honorary major, he was demobilized in 1919.
In November 1918, unable to resume full-time ministry because of health, he became a popular supply minister, preaching in hundreds of churches over the next 11 years. He also continued his duties as padre to the 48th Highlanders, officiating at the presentation of the regiment’s second Stand of Colours on 24 May 1925 and participating in its celebration of the tenth anniversary of peace on 11 Nov. 1928.