                   Freemasonry in LONDON 1803-1905
                        by Norman Pearson, MPS
       (Reprinted by permission of The Philalethes - June 1989)

     London  Ontario,  Canada  has  had  a  remarkable  place  in  the 
development  of Freemasonry in Canada, and it still remains  a  vital, 
unusual and special place for Masonry. For a long period, what is  now 
London  was  the wilderness, and while there was Masonic  activity  in 
what  was  then  called  "Detroit,  Canada"  prior  to  the   American 
Revolution,  Masonry arrived quite late in this region because of  the 
delayed  settlement of the Thames Valley. In 1791, when  Upper  Canada 
was  formed, there were no Lodges in the area, and likely  only  about 
300  Masons  between  Montreal and  Detroit.  This  absence  continued 
through  the early life of the first Provincial Grand Lodge  of  Upper 
Canada  1792,  and the split which resulted in  the  schismatic  Grand 
Lodge in Niagara in 1802.

                          A Turbulent Start

     The  area  springs into Masonic history in  a  characteristically 
vivid way, when the schismatic Grand Lodge based in Niagara  warranted 
in  1803 the Lodge King Hiram No. 21, Township of West Oxford,  Oxford 
County (now Hiram No. 37, G.R.C., of Ingersoll); and in 1816 warranted 
No.  30,  St.  Thomas,  Yarmouth  Township,  Middlesex  County,  which 
apparently died out by 1821.

     When  the  split was healed under Zeba  Phillips'  Grand  Masonic 
Convention,  another Lodge emerged in the area. A warrant  was  issued 
for Mount Moriah, in the Township of Westminister, in 1820. It  worked 
as No. 20 in 1822; by 1847 was re-numbered No. 4, and apparently  died 
out by 1852

     So  in  this  area  we had  schismatic  and  conventional  Lodges 
virtually   side-by-side:  a  confusing  time  for   pioneer   Masons. 
Nevertheless, there was local good sense. For example, in the rules of 
King Hiram Lodge No. 21, Ingersoll, we read:

               "...All   liquors  drank at supper  on  Lodge 
              nights  shall  be charged to  the  Lodge,  but 
              liquors  called  for  before  the  Lodge  hour 
              (unless  an account of markings,  etc.)  shall 
              not  be charged to the Lodge. No person  shall 
              be  permitted to sup in the Lodge room  during 
              Lodge hours..."

     Under  the Second Provincial Grand Lodge, Mount Moriah  Lodge  in 
Westminister was re-numbered 506 in 1832.

                       An Attempted Grand Lodge

     During  the  Morgan affair 1823-1840, Masonry  was  virtually  in 
eclipse  in  Upper Canada, and by the most difficult  time,  in  1835, 
tired  of  working in isolation, three Lodges in this  area  tried  to 
create  a  new Grand Lodge. They were King Hiram  No.  12,  Ingersoll; 
Mount Moriah No. 20, in what was by then London; and a third Lodge No. 
14, Townsend (then meeting temporarily in Brantford).

     Thus after preliminary organizational meetings in Oxford in 1835, 
on February 23, 1836, this abortive Provincial Grand Lodge elected its 
officers  in  London.  The  proposed Provincial  Grand  Master  was  a 
physician from Burford, Dr. Charles Duncombe, a considerable orator, a 
leader,  and  an  outstanding  member  of  the  Reform  Party  in  the 
Legislature.  Since  he was prominent in the 1837 Rebellion  and  fled 
Canada  to avoid arrest, it is scarcely surprising that he  was  never 
installed,  and that this London-based Grand Lodge collapsed,  despite 
an  attempt  by  the Provincial Grand Secretary to  call  together  an 
organizational revival in Toronto.

     Subsequently,  when  Zeba  Phillips,  on the  death  of  a  Simon 
McGillivray, called the Second Masonic Convention to seek an effective 
Provincial Grand Lodge, the London brethren denounced the whole scheme 
as  Masonically  illegal. Behind this scene was the  struggle  between 
'Moderns' and 'Ancients'.

                        A Fragmented Ancestry

     To  further  complicate life, London (which now had a  series  of 
Lodges derived, respectively, from the schismatic Niagara Grand Lodge, 
the  First Masonic Convention, the Second Provincial Grand Lodge,  the 
London  abortive Grand Lodge, as well as British  military  regimental 
Lodges  working  under  traveling warrants)  now  produced  two  other 
variants; a Lodge derived from the Second Masonic Convention, and  the 
Irish Lodges.

     The Ingersoll Lodge was again renumbered under the Second Masonic 
Convention,  which  seems to show a sensible attitude  to  continuity, 
while adding to the complexities.

                    Emergence of the Irish Lodges

     The case of the Irish Lodges is also quite remarkable. Basically, 
brethren  took  the  view,  which is understandable  in  view  of  the 
evidence  of  no  less than six venerable Masonic  ancestries  in  the 
surrounding handful of Lodges, that there really was no recognized (or 
even  recognizable)  Masonic  authority in the  western  part  of  the 
Province.  That being so, they decided to apply to the Grand Lodge  of 
Ireland.  The  result  was St. John's No.  209,  I.C.,  London,  which 
subsequently  became  the  focus  for  further  excitement,  including 
becoming the leader of a large group of Irish Lodges.

     Today,  it  is  really "the Irish twins," No. 20  and  No.  209a. 
Basically, the original Irish warrant was issued on May 6, 1841. As we 
shall see later, it joined the Grand Lodge of Canada at its  inception 
on  May 6, 1841. As we shall see later, it joined the Grand  Lodge  of 
Canada at its inception in 1855, and while maintaining the then unique 
Irish  working,  became St. John's 20, G.R.C., London. In  1859,  some 
brethren  began working again under the old Irish warrant, as No.  209 
I.C. This new Lodge later affiliated with the Grand Lodge of Canada in 
1872, and became St. John's 209a, London.

     London  is thus a very remarkable place. Masonically, a  sort  of 
epitome of our strange history.

                   The Third Provincial Grand Lodge

     Thus  in 1846, with the emergence of the Third  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge,  the  situation  essentially simplified itself  into  two  main 
streams:  the  Lodges in London area were basically  oriented  to  the 
Third Provincial Grand Lodge, with the Irish Lodge taking a lead  with 
a number of others (including Lodges in Hawkesbury and Kingston).

     Between  1846  and  1855,  there was the  struggle  to  create  a 
Canadian central Masonic body, or at least one voice for Canada  West. 
By May 1855, William Mercer Wilson was trying to get Canada West split 
into  three Provincial Grand Lodges, and it was at this juncture  that 
the London area again played a key role.

     There were losses and gains: Mount Moriah, No. 9, London; No. 506 
E.R., which had been No. 20 of the Second Provincial Grand Lodge,  had 
ceased  working  by  1852,  after a period  of  heroic  survival.  St. 
George's No. 37, London, became No. 895, E.R. in 1853, after operating 
under dispensation since 1852. It is now No. 42.

     The  next  phenomenon  was, of course, the growth  of  the  Irish 
Lodges.

                      Growth of the Irish Lodges

     Between   1841  and  1855,  as  a  consequence  of  heavy   Irish 
immigration, some 15 Lodges working under the Irish Constitution  were 
warranted, with two in Canada East and thirteen in Canada West. Two of 
them (including King Hiram 226, Ingersoll) were English Lodges seeking 
Irish  warrants,  a  reflection  of discontent  with  Grand  Lodge  in 
England.  We have already seen that, in the absence of  local  Masonic 
authority, brethren in London in 1841 petitioned Ireland and  received 
warrant  No.  209.  Essentially,  all of this  sprang  from  the  very 
benevolent  attitude  of  the  Grand Lodge of  Ireland  and  its  long 
experience with the traveling warrants of the British Army  regiments. 
London, as a garrison town, was very familiar to Dublin.

                      The Independence Question

     Indeed  the  independence question surfaced first  in  the  Irish 
Lodges  in 1853, from the Irish Lodges in the York and Niagara  areas, 
and  No. 209 went to the Toronto Convention seeking means to set up  a 
ruling  power  in Canada West. This was supported by King  Hiram  226, 
Ingersoll.  The outcome was a petition to the Grand Lodge  of  Ireland 
seeking  recognition  as  "the Grand Lodge  of  Canada  West."  Dublin 
countered  with the offer of a Provincial Grand Lodge, with the  right 
to nominate the Grand Master subject to confirmation.

     After  two  further conventions the Irish offer was  accepted  in 
Toronto  in  1884. There followed a further plea for  special  status, 
effectively real independence, but it was rejected by the Grand  Lodge 
of Ireland.

     The Irish Lodges then met again in Hamilton on May 14, 1855,  and 
invited  all  Lodges,  English and Irish, to the  convocation  of  the 
English Provincial Grand Lodges in Niagara Falls in 1855.

     When  the Irish idea was rejected, the dissidents met  separately 
and  took  the  plunge, inviting all Lodges in  Canada  West  to  send 
delegates  to Hamilton in October 1855 to set up an Independent  Grand 
Lodge in Canada.

     When that was duly achieved, they then materially assisted in the 
swift and first recognition of the Grand Lodge of Canada which was  by 
the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Thus the London-Irish link had  profoundly 
important consequences for Masonry in Canada.

                          The Irish Progeny

     Some  of their progeny still survive in the London area. We  have 
traced  the  progress  of  the  "Irish  twins"  and  their  remarkable 
retention  of  the  Irish working. Other Lodges  followed,  and,  with 
subsequent  adaptation of their work, survived. There was, of  course, 
King  Hirman 226, I.C., Ingersoll, warranted on August 30,  1851,  and 
still working as King Hiram No. 37, G.R.C., Ingersoll. There was  also 
No.  211, I.C., Port Stanley, warranted on October 3, 1851, and  still 
working  as  St.  Mark's  No. 94, G.R.C.,  Port  Stanley.  Later  came 
St.Thomas No. 232, I.C., St. Thomas, warranted on January 1, 1853, and 
still working as St. Thomas No. 44, G.R.C., St. Thomas.

     These  Irish  progeny  are still understandably  proud  of  their 
origins,  which may account in part for their frequent visitations  to 
see the Irish work in St. John's 20, and St. John's 209a.

                       Independence & Aloofness

     The independence of the new Grand Lodge of Canada being  achieved 
in  1855,  it  was perhaps characteristic of  the  hotbed  of  Masonic 
concern  in the London area that some Lodges stood aloof for a  while. 
There  are three in this area: King Hiram 226, I.C.,  Ingersoll  which 
held  out until 1859, after the Union; St. Geroge's No. 37,  P.R.C.W., 
London,  which  joined in 1885; and King Solomon,  No.  38,  P.R.C.E., 
Woodstock, which also joined in 1858, at the Union.

                          Ancients & Moderns

     Behind  all  this, of course, was the long struggle  between  the 
aristocratic "Moderns" (the Establishment), basically derived from the 
oldest  mother  Grand Lodge of England in 1717;  and  the  proletarian 
"Ancients,"  who broke away in 1751 to prevent innovations. The  Third 
Provincial  Grand  Lodge  gradually lost ground (as a  result  of  the 
defections such as we have seen in the London area), and eventually by 
1856-1857,  we  had them functioning as "the Ancient  Grand  Lodge  of 
Canada"  under Sir Allan MacNab, facing the allegedly  "Modern"  Grand 
Lodge of Canada.

     As  we  have  seen,  most  of  the  Lodges  in  the  London  area 
participated  in  the  1858 Union of these two bodies,  and  were  re-
numbered.

     The  independent  King  Hiram 226,  I.C.,  Ingersoll,  which  had 
belonged  to neither body, came out of its Masonic limbo and  was  re-
numbered, as we have seen, No. 37.

     Perhaps  characteristically, St. John's 209 I.C.,  having  helped 
spearhead the Grand Lodge of Canada, stayed independent until 1872.

                        Grand Lodge in London

     In  1859, the English work was adopted as the  established  work. 
The  Grand Lodge of Canada got jurisdiction over the whole  of  Canada 
West,  and  in  1861  Grand Lodge met in London  for  its  6th  Annual 
Communication. The Craft then decided at that meeting not to take part 
in the laying of the cornerstone of the Parliament Building.

                      The Grand Lodge of Ontario

     The London area's penchant for turbulence was not, however, over. 
Canada  confederated in 1867, and Canada West became the  Province  of 
Ontario.  The  Quebec Masons, however, broke away  years  earlier,  in 
1869, leaving a problem of nomenclature for the Grand Lodge of Canada. 
The trouble in London began over a plan to form "Eden Lodge," in 1875.

     After  the  death of M.W. Bro. Mercer Wilson,  the  Acting  Grand 
Master,  the R.W. Bro. J.K. Kerr of Toronto issued a  dispensation  to 
some  London  brethren to meet as "Eden Lodge." Masons in  the  London 
area  then  objected, on grounds that a new Lodge was not  needed.  In 
July  1875, Eden was refused a warrant, while 13 others were  granted. 
The  Board of General Purposes recommended a further  dispensation  to 
Eden. The Grand Master was disposed to do so under certain terms. Eden 
held a meeting to initiate a candidate, despite being forbidden to  do 
so,  and  they  refused to surrender their  earlier  dispensation.  On 
February  7, 1876, the Grand Master refused further  dispensation  and 
again demanded the surrender of the first.

     On  February  10, 1876, Eden declared its  independence  as  "the 
Grand Lodge of Ontario." Subsequently, 48 brethren were expelled  from 
the  Order. While most returned to the fold by 1879, and the seal  had 
been  surrendered  and destroyed, the last  vestiges  continued  until 
1896.  One consequence was to permanently blacken the idea of  a  name 
change of the Grand Lodge of Canada to "the Grand Lodge of Ontario."

                       The Enthusiastic Masons

     While the period up to about 1899 was one of economic depression, 
and Masonry came to a period of great difficulty, there is evidence of 
a remarkable enthusiasm in the London area. In 1897, the DDGM  visited 
Warren  No. 120, Fingal, and we are told "it was in the early dawn  of 
morning  before  the  brethren could bear to separate  and  say  good-
night." A Lodge of Instruction in Woodstock continued a full day,  the 
following evening, and up to four in the next morning. Perhaps this is 
why,  by  the  50th Anniversary of Grand Lodge  in  1905,  Masons  had 
increased  for 1,500 to 35,000; and 41 Lodges had become 430  (or  390 
after ceding 40 to Quebec and Manitoba).

     London had played a key role, and an unusual role, in this period 
from 1803 to 1905, providing us with a colorful insight into the ideas 
and actions of our first Masonic Century. Much was achieved after 1905 
in  London,  but  that is another story for another  time.  The  first 
century  might best be described as a hotbed of Masonic creativity:  a 
rich heritage to contemplate while giving thanks for the peaceful  and 
harmonious nature of Masonry in London today!

     
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