Harmony 388

Meeting Schedule

2nd Tuesday @ 7:30pm

Lodge Venue

Masonic Hall

District

London West

Email

[email protected]

Contact The Lodge

In August 1880, a group of Masons who were members of neighbouring Lodges met at the Lorne House in Ilderton to consider the organization of a Masonic Lodge in Ilderton. A motion was duly moved and passed requesting the Grand Lodge of Ontario to grant a dispensation for the purpose of forming a Lodge in Ilderton to be styled the Henderson Lodge, named in honour of the Grand Master at that time, M.W. Bro. James A. Henderson. As membership continued to grow, it is interesting to note that six of the earliest ones came from Duncrief, which at the time was a thriving hamlet, and remained that way until after 1920, when it slowly faded off the map. Two of these brethren became Masters in the early years, and two were Secretaries. One was a youthful Methodist Minister at the Duncrief Church, who left the area shortly after, and in 1932 was elected Moderator of the United Church of Canada. A committee was named to rent a hall suitable for holding Lodge meetings, and also buy the necessary furniture and equipment. They were empowered to borrow $100.00 to pay for these materials and each Charter Member was to be assessed $10.00 to add to the finances. All meetings to date had been held in the Lorne House or George Lipsett’s residence. (These two buildings are still in use). At another meeting the Committee reported that they had rented the hall above William Patrick’s stable on the site of the present hardware store. Another motion to pay the Secretary $10.00 and the Tyler $5.00 per annum was carried. In 1888, a Committee was appointed to meet with the Oddfellows to make arrangements to hold our meetings in their new hall. A deal was made with annual rental being $35.00 plus $3.50 for the use of the horse sheds. In 1891, the Lodge was honoured with a visit by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master. Each brother was permitted to bring a guest to the banquet, which cost 25 cents each, and there was a small bill from the hotel keeper for some added refreshments. In 1947, the I.O.F. Hall was destroyed by fire, and a lot of the Masonic records were lost. For a short time after the fire, meetings were held at Ashlar Lodge, Byron, and the room above Chester Hutchinson’s garage was used for a Lodge Room until the Community Hall was completed in 1951.