Adopted 8 July 1948 on 92 F/6, as labelled on BC map 2A, 1913 and as listed in the 1930 BC Gazetteer.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

After Dr. John Ash (1821-1886), Victoria physician and one of the sponsors of Robert Brown's Vancouver Island Exploration Expedition of 1864. Born at Ormskirk, England, arrived in Victoria in 1862 and the following year pre-empted Sections 43 and 47, Metchosin Land District; Crown Granted to him 25 May 1871. Member of the House of Assembly for Vancouver Island 1865-66; Member of the Provincial Legislature 1872-82. Served as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Mines to British Columbia's first Legislature after Confederation (1872-1874). In 1883 he purchased approx. 40 acres in what is now the Gordon Head area of Saanich, and encouraged public access by building trails through the woods and to the beachfront. Dr. Ash died 1886 at Victoria.
Note that "Plan of the Route of the Vancouver Island Exploration Expedition, 1864" labels "Ash Lake" for the feature now known as Willemar Lake. Also Ash River, Ash Point and Mount Ash (also Ash Road in Victoria). See also Ronald Weir's biography of Dr. John Ash, provided 15 January 1988 (file V.1.38).

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office