London East District History

The London East Masonic District was created in July 1966. At that time all the lodges in London and the immediate surrounding villages and hamlets were in the London Masonic District which consisted of 27 warrented lodges, plus 1 lodge under dispensation (Ionic 716 which received its charter in 1966). The 12 city lodges met at the Masonic Temple on Dufferin Avenue in London and the 15 area lodges met in the various lodge buildings surrounding London. It was becoming a full time job for the D.D.G.M. to attend all the events and requests for his time was very demanding which was one of the reasons the District was split in two.

• The 7 country lodges located east of London along with 6 of the London city lodges formed the London East District. The 6 remaining city lodges and the 8 country lodges west of London formed the London West District.
• The new Masonic Temple on Dufferin Avenue which was built in 1964, was dedicated by the ruling Grand Master in 1964, M.W. Bro. Jack Irvine, a member of St. John’s 209a in London. This building has 2 Blue Lodge Rooms.
• Since its inception in 1966, one more lodge has been created in the London East District. Daylight Lodge No. 735 was instituted in 1982 and received its charter in 1983.
• Through the years several of the country lodges have had to move to other locations because of older buildings in need of extensive repair or inaccessibility for their older members.
• Middlesex 379 which was located in Bryanston moved 10 miles west to the Masonic Temple in Ilderton, home of Henderson 388 of the London West District.
• Merrill 344 which was located in Dorchester moved 3 miles west to the Nilestown Masonic Temple, home of Nilestown 345 in the London East District.
• In 1997 Moffat 399 located in Harrietsville moved more than 15 miles west to the new William Mercer Wilson Centre Apartment Building in London where a new lodge room was built for them in the lower portion of the building. Several members of the lodge are also residents of the building which means they only have to take the elevator to go to lodge. Every mason should be so lucky.
• London East District had M.W. Bro. William Pellow of Ionic Lodge 716 serve as Grand Master from 1987 – 1989. At the present time the East District has two members on the Board at Grand Lodge – R.W. Bro. Garry Dowling of Kilwinning 64 and R.W. Bro. Paul Mullen of St. John’s 20. The London East District has been well represented on the Board over the years.
• At the present time London East District has approximately 2050 members with some brethren being members of lodges in both districts.
• The brethren of London East as well as London West are both active in the Past Masters’ Masters’ and Wardens’ Association which consists of the 28 lodges in the London area.