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The History of St. John's Lodge No. 17

The introduction of Masonry into what is now the Dominion of Canada was the work of those professors of our noble art who, in the early days of its organization, made homes for themselves in the new world.

In the Newcastle District, comprised of the Counties of Northumberland and Durham , four Lodges were warranted about the year 1800 A.D.  North Star Lodge of the Township of Hamilton met in the Town of Cobourg .  Meetings were held at Styles Hotel.  A swinging sign in front of this hotel was adorned with Masonic emblems.

The membership of North Star Lodge embraced many well known brethren of Cobourg and vicinity.  Among these were W. Bro. John Gilchrist, W.M. in 1821, Bros. Caleb Mallory, Mark Burnham, Barnabas McKeys, Thomas Ward and Lewis Styles.

In these early days, Masonry in and around Cobourg developed principally under St. John’s Lodge No. 19, of the Township of Haldimand , the only survivor of the early Lodges of the District.  St. John’s Lodge No. 19 was created by Rt. Wor. Bro. William Jarvis, who had been appointed by Grand Lodge of England on March 2^nd, 1792 , to be Grand Master in Upper Canada to grant warrants and dispensations to such worthy brethren as should apply for the same according to the ancient form.

The original warrant was dated October 4^th, 1801 .  In the warrant Wor. Bro. Aaron Greeley was named W.M., Bro. John Grover the S.W. and Bro. Manchester Eddy the J.W.

In the years 1806 to 1808, Craftsmen from the Township of Cramahe joined the brethren of Haldimand in efforts to revive Masonry and the records show that in the two latter years a revival took place.  A new warrant was issued to Wor. Bro. John Peters the W.M., Thomas Ward the S.W. and James Norris the J.W.  On April 4^th, 1811 , a code of By-Laws for this Lodge was submitted by a committee composed of Bros. John Kelly, Benjamin Ewing, Joseph A. Keeler and Samuel McKenning.

Meetings were held in Grover’s Inn in the Village of Grafton .  Some meetings were held at the house of Bro. Caleb Mallory, three miles east of Cobourg and from 1816 to 1819 the Lodge met regularly at the house of Bro. John Kelly on Kelly’s Hill near the boundary line between the Townships of Haldimand and Hamilton.

In 1819, this Lodge affiliated with the Kingston Convention, a petition having been presented by Wor. Bro. J.L. Losee the W.M., Bro. Jerry Scripture the S.W. and Bro. Peter McDonald.  Meetings appear to have been held fairly regularly from 1822 to 1826.  From this time until 1844, there are few records; for a part of this period the Lodge was dormant.  The Lodge next appeared on the roll of the Provincial Grand Lodge in 1844.  Having been revived, the Lodge met at Grafton and then at Cobourg.

This revival was under an English warrant granted in 1822.  The Lodge had previously affiliated with the Second Provincial Grand Lodge organized at York ( Toronto ) in September 1822.

The Lodge, which was No. 11 on the Provincial Registrar, affiliated with the Third Provincial Grand Lodge organized at Hamilton in 1845.  The Lodge became No. 5 on the Provincial Registrar and continued with that Grand Lodge body until the union of the Grand Lodge of Canada and the Provincial Grand Lodge of England in Canada in 1858 as St. John’s No.17 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Canada in Ontario .

On December 31, 1856 , the cornerstone of Victoria Hall in Cobourg was laid with Masonic ritual and symbolism by the Grand Master Sir Allan Napier McNab.

On September 7, 1860 , the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, officially opened Victoria Hall.

A Lease Dated August 1^st, 1860 was signed by St. John’s Lodge No. 17 for Lodge rooms in this magnificent building.  The Worshipful Master at this time was Wor. Bro. F.W. Barron.  These Lodge rooms were in use until 1971 when, due to restoration work on Victoria Hall, it became necessary to find suitable accommodation elsewhere.

Port Hope Masonic Lodges Ontario No. 26 and Hope No. 114 graciously offered their facilities to St. John’s Lodge.

In 1976 the current building at 20 James Street East in Cobourg was purchased.  After the necessary renovations were completed, the first meeting was held in the new Lodge on February 8^th, 1977 .   On Monday October 3^rd, 1977, a special meeting was held for the purpose of receiving the Grand Lodge and for the Dedication of the Masonic Temple.

In reviewing this brief history, tribute has to be paid to the foresight and fortitude of these early Masons for the Genesis of St. John’s Lodge No. 17, A.F. & A.M.

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