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GOSHTC LODGEA. F. & A.M. , No. 508 G. R. C.

10 Ridout StreetLindsay Ontario7454244232

Instituted hrlay 2Z*, l92Z

Regular MeetiagsThird Monday ercept Juns, July and August when in recess.

A HISTORY OF GOTHIC LODGE,A.F. & A.M., No.60g, G.R.C.

l:ll"_l'lt,:le^,Fir1t_W,ort!1Var,.rhere was a targe influx of new members iinro FaithfulBrethren Lodge No. 77. ln 1919 ihere were 3l initiati' 'tt tJ rr Lrsre were Jr Inrtratrons and it was fert that it was timefor a second lodge in Lindsay. At the regular meeting of December 5th. 19.,9. when th"

Very rittle was done in 1g20 to obtain a rist of petitioners but in r921 R. wor. Bro.James B. Begg began an active campaign in *pport of the projeci una uv March 1st, 1922he had obtained the names of +7 ireihren on the petition, 32 of whom were members ofinn:f,|

Brethren Lodge No. 77 and the other 15 were rror orr'"liodges bur resident in

The petition for the ne.w.lodge, arong with a rist of the petitioners, was forwarded tothe District Deputy Grand MastJr, of victoria District, R. wor. Bro. Arbert E. Bottum ofBobcaygeon and under date of March 1stht,1g22, he'submitteJ'r-h'" run.'" to the GrandLodge. Authority to form the new lodge wis promptly furnished.

1919, when rhe

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,,tnot, ioitiiui y1J,il"i;;;: _;:77ri"i,J)"i;;;?:i;z3::L::i::,'!1,'.^1,:sy.!:!y', oi rzy"g- ii ti,a;:';;:"';1",i:;"':;::I;: {nZmembership of Faithfur Brethrei r-oage No- il ii ri^r' ,iri,=*"J;;J;"rH]

li":::r^it:,,f"ri.1i""ers" was hetd on March27th,,t922,andrhe name,.Gothic:,::::;:T.:::nTi9 ,Y:: Bro. Harrv B;;';ii;;;:;ffi ;;: ffillfiT "ffi':l:il'ffi:b3H;:And:nnrnrro.l hrr th^ (--^^) at- --and approved by the Grand Master. The regutar day of meetiIng was established as theThird Monday.

A Committeewere named:

R. Wor.Wor.Wor.Wor.

R. Wor.

Wor.

The first

was appointed to bring in a suggested srate of officers and the foilowinp

Bro. James B. Begg ....,Bro.lamw.ctari?...:. """' w'M'Bro.sidneyr.chrnlu"ir.i" ...1i.il.Bro. Robert W. Groves . .Bro. (Rev.) c. n. r'a""."..r,1;' . : . : . : . . . : . . . . : : . . . . . : . . . . . ;1,;i.Bro. John W. Andersongro.iry.n.el.iv...'..:' " "" Treas'

Bro. Ed strouin'' . :::: : ' secty'

Bro. ArchibarJ j. rr,tieirdi' ' ' ' s.D.ero. n. Loi;ed'o#ri-. "' J'D'Bro. (Dr.) n"*",J [.

-r.i"iirii . . . : : : . : . . . : : . . . . . : . : : . . . . ?."{.3:Bro. E. M. Lockie .......

Bro. s. L. Reade . . . . :. . : :. ., : _ : . : :,. . : . . . . : . : : . . . . : . . : : l'i:I he first meeting of Gothic Lodge was herd on May 22nd, 1922, when it wasinstituted by R. wor. Bro. Albert E. B"off,,- D Dc rM at \/i-+^-i^ ^:-3-:^a r,l;-pj: ?:.: Atbert E. B-ottum, o.o.o.rrr.

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" o'' i #;'' iJ;o' L u' iL'.v v,J*,w,,r4lruil LU Lne tooge and tt was read by the Secretary, Bro. w. R.Allely' R' wor' Bro' Bottum then proce-eded to install and invest the officers for 1922.

I:",1.,".,0r',"# j"":^':T:::.*X_., f"".iy.d, the firsr candidate being Mr. Edgar George

:,":iij,r::j:.::.^.1,:::,:knr, oakwood,.a'member of rh; il; ;;;:;'& i;iil ;',1,i:regular meeting on June 19th four were iinitiated and at an emergent meetiing on June25th five were initiated.

Grand Lodge was held at Fort William in July and R. Wor. Bro. Jamesappointed a deregate with expenses paid. They amounted to $g5.00. R. wor.w' Groves, an affiliated past Master of Faithfur arethren L.og. N". zzD.D.G.M.

B. Begg wasBro. Robertwas elected

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I

The warrant for the new lodge was dated at Hamilton on July l9th, 1922,andsignedby w.J. Drope, the Deputy Grand Master, and w. M. Logan, the Grand Secretary.

R. Wor. Bro. R. W. Groves represented the Grand Master at the constituting andconsecrating of Gothic Lodge No. 608, A.F. & A.M. on Monday, september 1gth,7g22,at which R. wor. Bro. w. J. Drope, the Deputy Grand Master, was the guest speaker.

on December 1Sth, wor. Bro. Sid chamberlain, Manager of the Bank of Montreal,who had been Senior warden, was elected worshipful Mastei for 1923.

on January 15th, .l923 the by-laws of the lodge wereadopted. R. wor. Bro. James B.

Begg installed and invesfed the officers with Wor. Bro. Sidney F. Chamberlain asworshipful Master but when the returns were made to Grand Lodge the lodge wasinformed that he had not served twelve months as a Warden in Ontario and 6e wastherefore disqualified. R. Wor. Bro. A. M. Fulton became the second Worshipful Masterof the lodge, and was installed on March 5th.

Bro. Ed stubbins, machinist, initiated in speed Lodge No. 1g0, Guelph, June 20th,1916, affiliated with Faithful Brethren Lodge No. 77 on October 5th, 1917 , and a charteimember of Gothic Lodge No. 608, was the first Worshipful Master to come from theranks, and served as such in 1924.

Thereafter Gothic Lodge No. 608 continued to flourish reaching 1 04 members in 1931and dropping back during the depression years to 91 in 1 938, thin continuing a gradualincrease reaching its peak year in 1962 when there were 173 members, since wtriJtr timethere has been a small decrease each year, the membership as of 1972being149.

During its first fifty years in addition to the 47 charter members, 225 have beenreceived into membership by initiation, T3 by affiliation, 10 were restored, 77 resigned,81 died and 48 were suspended.

R. Wor. Bro. William MacMillan was the first D.D.G.M. of Gothic Lodge beingelectedat Kingston in 1932, R. wor. Bro. w. Ewart Rogers served in1943, R. wor. Bro. HerbertH. McFadden in 1956 and R. Wor. Bro. lvan G. Rodd in 1970.

R. Wor. Bro. G. Ken Johnson was initiated )anuary 17th,1949, was Worshipful Masterin 1959, served as Grand Registrar of Grand Lodge in 1965, wasappointed to the Boardof Generaf Purposes of Grand Lodge in Toronto on July 21st, 1971.

On April 21st, 1958, Bro. William R. Allely was awarded the William Mercer WilsonMedal in recognition of his services to Gothic Lodge No.608 asSecretary from1922tothat date. He actually served up to and including 1960.

From l922to i965inclusive,thelodgemetonthethirdfloorof thepostBuilding,william street, North. ln 1963, Faithful Brethren. Lodge No. 77 purchased prop"rty iithe corner of Ridout Srreet, Mill Street and Kent Street, East, foi $'|0,400,00 with thepurpose of constructing a Masonic Temple. work commenced on May 19th, 1965, andthe transfer of furniture, etc. from the old temple to the new was done on December27th,1965.

Administration of the Temple is by the Lindsay Masonic Temple Corporation, the costof the structure and its contents being just over 960,000.00. Gothic Lodge No. 60gcontributed $4,000.00 from its Trustee Fund, members donated $4,s76.1g and from1966 to 1972has paid 95,975.00 in rental.

The Temple was dedicated on saturday, Aprir 16th, 1966,by Most wor. Bro. James N.Allan, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.Twenty-two members of Gothic Lodge, 58 from Faithful Brethren Lodge No. 77, and128 brethren from 48 lodges between windsor and ottawa were Dresenr.

II

II

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submitted by 'u.

Bro. Rodger smith, Historian, Gothic LodgeFaithful Brethren Lodge No- 77 in Lindsay had 31 initiations in1919 and a membership around 300- At the. regurar meeting of December5th.- 1g1g with 71 members and 4 visitors present, R. wor. Bro. JamesB' Begg moved, S€conded by l'lor. Bro. Harry Brimmel I ,,that Faithf uIBrethren Lodge No' 77 recommend to the Grand L0dge that a new lodqe

be formed in Lindsay.,, The motion carried.- By March 1st., 1922, the names of 4r brethren h/ere on thepetition ' 32 of whom were members of Faithful Brethren Lodge No. 77and the other 15 were from other rodges but resident in Lindsay.

0n March 15th', 1922 the petition was submitted to Grand L0dgeby District Deputy of victoria District, R. l.lor. Bro. Aiberr E. Bottum

z---of Bobcaygeon' Authority to form the new lodge t.las promptly furnished.At a meeti ng on Marc h 27tn - , 1g27, the propsed name ,,Goth i c L0dge,, wasapproved by those present and was adopted. The Third Monday of themonth was estabr ished as the regular meeting date.

Gothic Lodge was instituted on May 22nd.1gzz and thefor 1922 were instaHed that evening. Four?, were initiatedregular meeting on June 19th., and five were initiated atmeeting on June 25th.

The l.larrant for the new lodge was dated at Hamilton on July 1gth,1922' R'wor'Bro. R- l^l- Groves represented the Grand Master at theconstiruting and consecrating of Gothic Lodge No. 608, A.F-7 A.M. onMonday, september 1Bth., 1g22. R. wor. Bro. ,u.J.Drope, the DeputyCrand Master, wds the guest speaker^.

Membenship in the lodge stood at 104 members in 1931. A peak wasreached in 1962 with 173 members. After that date, membershipdeclined but has revelled in the 1990's, at between 120 and 130menbers.

off i cers

at the

an _emergent

p.2

have served as Grand Lodge 0fficersR. l{or. Bro. |,li I i i am MacMi t I an _ 1g3ZR.l^/or.Bro. Ewart Rogers _.1 943

R.llor.Bro. H.H.McFadden _ ,|956

R.l,lor.Bro. Ivan G. Rodd _ 1970

R.l{or.Bro. Gordon R. Henry _ 1gB4Junior Warden - R.Wor.Bro. B.A.WilsonRegistrar - R.l,{.Bro. G.K.Johnson _ 1965

R.l^I.Bro. David M. l,li lson - 1985Grand Steward V. t.lor. Bro. h/. Wansbrough _ 1g32

V. l.lor. Bro. H. J. LytIe _ 1g43

V. l^lor. Bro. J. V. Sloan - 1956

V. l.lor. Bro. R. F. Quibel 1 - 1970

V. }.Jor. Bro. Irwin Brown _ 19g4Member of the Board of Genera I purposes: - R. 14. Bro. G. K. Johnson was

appointed on July Z1st., 1971

Recipient of l.Jilliam Mercer l.lilson MedalBro' wm'R' Allely - April 21st-,1958 - Secretary of Gothic Lodge

from 1922 to 1959.1st' vice President l{arden's Association for victoria District - 1g97

l,J. Bro. Floyd HallThe lodge has met in two locations. From lgzz to 1g65 inclusive,

the iodge met on the third floor of the post Building on l.lilliamstr"eet r'rorth. since January 1g66 it has met at the Masonic Lodge,

z'-ridout Street' Lindsay' The Masonic L0dge was dedicated on saturday,Aprir 16,1966 by Most hlor. Bro.James N. Alran, the Grand Master ofCanada in the province of 0ntario.

Members of Gothic Lodge who

Di stri ct Deputy Grand Master

Grand

Grand

P.3Gothic Lodge has received the victoria District Lodge A.F.& A.M.support rrophy for 1gg4-1995 and 1995-r996. , This trophy is presented

annually to the Lodge in victoria District whose members best supportsthe D.D.G.M. at the 14 0fflcial visits in victoria District.when Grand Lodge initiated awards for the Lodge Summons, Gothic

Lodge placed first in 1993.

For over ten years' at the Instailation and Investiture of 0fficersat Gothic Lodge , the brethren present have donated to the brokencolumn with all proceeds being donated to the victoria county santaclaus Stocking Fund on behalf of the Masonic Brethren of victoriaDi stri ct.

Gothic Lodge may be the

/-{t certainly is comprised of,rlasons.

a very active and dedicated group of

youngest lodge in Victoria stri ct butDi