The History of Antiquity Lodge #571
Over a Century of Brotherhood & Tradition
The Founding Years
Antiquity Lodge was born at the time of the great wave of interest in Freemasonry that followed the horror of the great war that ended in 1918. Our Grand Lodge experienced an unprecedented increase of 7,000 members in 1919 and 9,000 in 1920.
The release of hundreds of thousands of young men who had been under arms for years and had learned the value of true comradeship formed the source of the flood seeking refuge of the Craft. This, together with the comforts and peacefulness of Masonry after the holocaust of the trenches and the deadly seas, made this refuge seem more attractive.
A review of the rolls of Grand Lodge shows that in the decade 1918 to 1928, the number of constituent Lodges in this grand jurisdiction rose by one hundred and five. In comparing the growth with the 30's, we find an increase of five only and four of those were in 1929. Even the 40's which produced a membership growth of 29,000 shows an increase of only eight Lodges. The stage was therefore set for the creation of new Lodges especially in Ontario, a Province where the population was growing by leaps and bounds.
The large number of new Lodges formed in these early years after the war resulted not just from the availability of the candidates to swell their ranks, but a feeling of rebirth was abroad in the land, a sensation of newness and hope, now that the war to end war was ended.
The Birth of Antiquity Lodge
And so it was with happy thoughts of a prosperous future in mind that a number of companions of Antiquity Chapter Royal Arch Masons No 91 of the Grand Registry of Canada decided to form a symbolic Lodge. Early in the year 1920, thirty-eight brethren signed a petition to the Grand Lodge seeking dispensation to form a new Lodge, which dispensation was received from the Most Worshipful the Grand Master on June 5th, 1920.
The petitioners were particularly interested in calling their new Lodge "Antiquity" because many of them were also members of Antiquity Chapter and thought it fitting to perpetuate that proud name.
There were some difficulties to overcome however as Grand Lodge had denied the use of the name Antiquity on previous occasions and once before in the Toronto area. In 1885, a petition had been made for a new Lodge to be known as "The Lodge of Antiquity", however, the warrant when issued to that new Lodge bore the name "Zeta" and is now known as Zeta-Shamrock Lodge No #410 after amalgamating with "Shamrock".
The objection seems to have its origin in the fact that the first Lodge of Freemasonry, as we know it, and the founding Lodge of the Grand Lodge of England was called The Lodge of Antiquity. Furthermore, at the formation of the Grand Lodge of Canada in 1855, which encompassed the whole territory of what is now Ontario, as well as certain Lodges in what is now the Province of Quebec, the most senior Lodge was Antiquity of Montreal. It is a very old Lodge indeed, having been warranted May 4th, 1752 by the Grand Lodge of Ireland and was No #227 under that constitution. Today it is Antiquity Lodge No #1 on the Grand Registry of Quebec.
The first meeting of the Lodge was held on June 16th, 1920 and on September 16th, 1920 the first two candidates were initiated. The ceremony of dedication and consecration was held on November 16th, 1921.
The Press Lodge
By the year 1924, it had become apparent that a significant number of members were employed by the Toronto newspaper industry. It was therefore decided to hold a press night, which, it was hoped would become an annual event. The hope was fulfilled and for twenty years, press night was a gala occasion in Antiquity Lodge being usually held in October.
Famous entertainers performed in the banquet room and celebrated speakers graced the rostrum. Masons who earned their livelihood in the newspaper fraternity gathered with the Antiquity brethren in the temple and often filled the rooms to overflowing. On press night 1931, close to 400 masons heard Sir Thomas White talk on "The Old Days in Toronto's Newspaper World".
The word and popularity of press night naturally attracted to Antiquity newspaper employees who were considering Masonic membership. Thus, the membership grew and press night attendance increased and Antiquity's fame as a press Lodge was established.
Our Meeting Places
One or two early pre-institution meetings of the Lodge were held at the Masonic Temple on College Street, but when dispensation was granted, the Lodge moved to new quarters at 888 Yonge Street where it remained until 1936. The first meeting of that year was held at York Temple, 5 Eglinton Avenue East.
Another move was made in September 1964 when York Temple was re-established at 1100 Millwood Road. Another move was made to the temple at Yonge and Davenport and then to the Rameses Masonic Temple at Keele St. In 2012/2013, Antiquity Lodge made yet another move to its current meeting place, Weston Masonic Temple at Weston Rd. in Toronto.
Military Nights & Sister Lodges
During the first decade many military nights were held. These special events usually included an initiation conferred by one of the degree teams of a regiment of the Toronto Garrison Militia. The most frequent invitee was the team of the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
In the early years of the Lodge, visits were exchanged with many sister Lodges in Southern Ontario but no regular recurring visits were established although a frequent exchange was made with Doric Lodge in Hamilton. All that was changed however in April of 1934 when a group of Antiquity members traveled to North Tonawanda, New York, to visit Sutherland Lodge No #826. In October of the same year the Toronto Brethren were honoured by a return visit and thereby established a custom of annual visits which exists to this day.
Antiquity and Sutherland are sister Lodges and although of different nationality are bound together by the greater bond of fraternalism and brotherly love. The personal friendships that have grown from this Lodge association are legion and no important occasion is celebrated in either Lodge that is not supported by members of the other. It is the heartfelt hope of Antiquity members that their association with Sutherland Lodge may flourish and survive forever.
Fellowship & Service
Each year the brethren have devised entertainments for themselves and families to advance the fellowship aspect of the Lodge. The minute books are filled with accounts of ladies' nights, golf tournaments, picnics, children's Christmas parties and other gala social functions.
As the social side of Masonic life was almost adequately supported, there was nevertheless no shirking of duties in the areas of benevolence and charitable work. From the earliest beginnings of the Lodge, its Officers and Past Masters have stressed perfection of ritual and at one time, Antiquity Officers reached such a standard of proficiency that for many years they were in demand as a team to demonstrate their talent in Lodges far and near.
God grant that brotherly love may flourish forever in Antiquity Lodge.
Fraternally,
The Brethren of Antiquity Lodge No #571