Introduction
Freemasons in Victoria intersected with most every other aspect of society. From merchants and tradesmen to military and government, the members of the Lodge influenced the formation of the city and the province. Masons were active in government and society in Victoria including the first two mayors of Victoria coming from the Lodge and many members of the first elected Legislative Assembly.
- The first two owners/editors of the Victoria Colonist
- St. Andrew's Society (J.G. Shepard, Reverend Theos Somerville, Dr. Jas Trimble, J.G. McKay, A.F. Main - Almost half)
- The Victoria Philharmonic Society - Lumley Franklin, founder; A.F. Main, member
- The Chamber of Commerce - Robert Burnaby, one of the founders
- The Amateur Dramatic Association of Victoria - Robert Burnaby, president
- The first Vancouver Island Board of Education - Lumley Franklin and Israel Wood Powell (Chairman)
Masonic Mayors
- #1 1862 - 1865 Thomas Harris
- #2 1865 - 1866 Lumley Franklin
- #3 1867 - 1870 Dr. James Trimble
- #6 1871 Lumley Franklin
- #8 1872 Richard Lewis
Masonic Premiers
- #1 13/11/1871 - 23/12/1872 John Foster McCreight
- #2 23/12/1872 - 11/2/1874 Amor De Cosmos
- #3 & #5 11/2/1874 - 1/2/1876 , 25/6/1878 - 13/6/1882 George Anthony Walker
- #6 13/6/1882 - 29/1/1883 Robert Beaven
- #8 1/5/1887 - 1/8/1889 Alexander Edmund Batson Davie
- #11 4/3/1895 - 15/8/1898 John Herbert Turner
A Selection of the Masonic Community
|
|
Masonic Cornerstones
Freemasonry takes its symbols and structure from working or operative stonemasons. This heritage makes the ceremonial laying of cornerstones an important Masonic ritual. For more information on these ceremonies see the Victoria’s Victoria Cornerstone website.
Here are some of the prominent buildings that the Freemasons of Victoria officiated at the cornerstone laying ceremonies:
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
680 Courtney St, Victoria BC V8W 1C1 The cornerstone was placed on August 20th 1868.
The Synagogue of Congregation Emanu-El
|
The Masonic Temple
650 Fisgard St, Victoria BC V8W 1R6 The cornerstone was placed April 22nd 1878.
Protestant Orphan’s House
|