Freemasons dedication at Ladysmith Lodge

A new high-tech plaque was unveiled in Ladysmith on Saturday, February 11, in honour of the 150th anniversary of the Freemasons in the province.

The cast bronze plaque is displayed at the front of St. John’s Masonic Hall. It features a QR code, which can be scanned using a phone, that will connect immediately to websites, photos, videos and information about the hall’s history and its role in shaping the past 150 years of the Freemasons in BC.

By scanning the QR code, visitors can also take a virtual tour of lodge halls throughout BC and the Yukon and learn about how they shaped the west coast of Canada before the formation of a provincial Grand Lodge in 1871.

This is one of 45 dedications of plaques planned across the province since the beginning of the 150th anniversary celebrations.

Most Worshipful Grand Master Ken Overy, head of Freemasonry in BC and Yukon, attends Chemainus Lodge, which meets at the hall in Ladysmith. He was joined for the unveiling by Freemasons from across the jurisdiction and the officers of his Grand Line.

“Freemasonry has been an active but relatively quiet part of BC communities for 150 years. People see our buildings but don’t know what goes on inside. So, this an invitation to get to know us.”

Freemasonry is the oldest and the largest fraternal organization in the world, whose mission is to improve themselves and the societies in which they live. St. John’s Lodge was originally built in 1894. The brethren of the lodge originally met in Wellington, just north of Nanaimo in 1894.

With the relocation of mining operations to Ladysmith, the lodge building was completely dismantled and moved to this location by rail in 1901. The original wood-framed building at this location suffered a catastrophic fire in 1912 and burnt to the ground; it was rebuilt with the masonry brick structure that stands today.

Several million men of all backgrounds, religions, vocations and cultural groups call themselves Masons across the globe.

St. John’s Lodge No. 21, Ladysmith

On December 7, 1890, Worshipful Brother William Stewart persuaded Ashlar Lodge to petition the Grand Lodge of BC that a new lodge be formed in Wellington, just north of the city. Grand Lodge denied the initial request, stating that three lodges within a five-mile walk on good roads were too many. Through perseverance, on July 7, 1894, St. John’s Lodge No. 21 was constituted in Wellington, with Worshipful Brother Stewart being installed as the fi rst Worshipful Master. There were eleven Charter members. Today, they have a vibrant membership of 69 Masons.

Worshipful Brother Stewart was made a Master Mason in St. John’s Lodge No. 561 in Prince Edward Island in 1858. This connection, no doubt, contributed to the origins of the lodge’s name. Worshipful Brother Stewart was the fi rst member of St. John’s Lodge to be appointed as District Deputy Grand Master, and 21 deserving Lodge Brethren followed him.

James Dunsmuir, the owner of the mine in Wellington, closed it and relocated operations to the Town of Ladysmith in 1894. St. John’s Lodge Brethren continued to walk to Wellington until the Lodge Hall was physically moved to Ladysmith in July 1901. The wood-frame building was loaded onto company railway cars and later reconstructed on the site of the present lodge. The wood-frame building burnt to the ground in 1912 and was rebuilt with the masonry brick structure that stands today.

Prior to its destruction, St. John’s Lodge was the largest lodge building outside of Victoria. Today, St. John’s Lodge is the home of several concordant bodies, including Chemainus Lodge No. 114, Eastern Star (Sharon Chapter), Royal Arch, Cryptic Rite, Jobs Daughters (Bethel #11) and Allied Masonic Degrees. Other outside organizations, such as the Ladysmith Festival of Lights, use the lodge as a staging area for Ladysmith Light Up night.

Most of the lodge furniture was donated by the Brethren. R. Worshipful Brother William (Bill) Wilson and Brother Clive Davis donated the secretary’s desk. Brother Bricker donated the Worshipful Master’s chair and the Senior Warden’s chair. The other officers’ chairs have been in use since 1944. In 1944, Chemainus Lodge presented the brass door knocker to St John’s Lodge.

In 1948, St. John’s started a tradition that continues to this day of visitations with our sister Lodge, West Seattle Lodge No. 287, which later became West Seattle Service Lodge and, more recently, Alki Masonic Lodge No. 152 of the Grand Lodge of Washington State. Every year, the Travelling Square is presented to the host lodge during the visitation, with the most recent ceremonies included during their annual Installation of Officers.

Dedication of plaque in front of St. John’s Masonic Hall.

Photo: Marina Sacht