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Founded 1847 Installation November Official Visit March |
Meeting on 2nd Thursday of the Month (except July and August) at 7:30 PM at the Richmond Hill Masonic Hall Click Here for Info on Crosby Street Masonic Hall 112 Crosby Avenue, Richmond Hill |
| Officers for 2011/2012 | |
| Worshipful Master | R.W. Bro. G. S. (Joe) Whitmore |
| Immediate Past Master | W. Bro. John Mitsonis |
| Senior Warden | Bro. Kostas Margetis |
| Junior Warden | Bro. Labrado Ibe |
| Chaplain | Bro. David Qamar |
| Treasurer | R.W. Bro.Douglas G.R. MacKay |
| Secretary | V.W. Bro. Robert H. Heyworth |
| Senior Deacon | Bro. Khasho Bannayan |
| Junior Deacon | Bro. Gabriel Ghafari |
| Director of Ceremonies | W. Bro. Paul Terzakis |
| Inner Guard | Bro. Peter Marossis |
| Senior Steward | Bro. Tarek Marroushi |
| Junior Steward | Bro. Shant Khatcherian |
| Tyler | Bro. Barete Santourdjian |
| Assistan Secretary | Bro. Alan Marchione |
| Historian | Bro. Marco Khoury |
| Organist | Bro. Thomas Terzakis |
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History of King Solomon's
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except in July and August at the Richmond Hill Masonic Hall 112 Crosby Avenue, Richmond Hill |
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Instituted June 24, 1847 King Solomon's Lodge received its original Charter from the Grand Lodge of Ireland and was numbered #222 G.L.I. The first Lodge Master was William Cassidy. He, like the other Charter members, were settlers in Canada emigrating from Ireland, so it was only to be expected that they would ask the Irish Grand Lodge to supply their Warrant of Constitution.
The 1840's and 1850's were a time of considerable emigration from all parts of Europe, and as various Masonic Lodges were formed, the founding members would seek to obtain charters from different Grand Lodges of Europe. This was a great convenience, and in some cases, when a Grand Lodge of one country refused a Charter, (usually because they did not understand the great unoccupied spaces of Canadian geography) the applicants would simply obtain a Warrant elsewhere. While this practice was a convenience, it very quickly led to great confusion, and in some cases, animosity.
After considerable debate and negotiation, the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario was established in 1855 as the governing body of Masonry in Ontario. It was some of the members of King Solomon's Lodge who were prime movers in this process, along with members of St. Johns Lodge #40 in Hamilton. Included were such famous names in Masonry as Daniel Spry, Aubrey White, Kivas Tully, and in particular, John Ross Robertson. Robertson achieved considerable fame and fortune as the founder of the "Toronto Telegram" newspaper, and he devoted much of his time and personal wealth in forging the success of the Masonic movement in Canada. A number of the early Masonic Temples in Toronto were built as a result of his efforts and financial assistance.
King Solomon's Lodge was renumbered by Grand Lodge as #22 G.L.C. in 1855. This Lodge also owed much of its success to these active members listed above. In the century that followed, King Solomon's Lodge established numerous daughter Lodges throughout Ontario, and several of these are now members of the Toronto York District.
The Lodge held its first meetings in downtown Toronto at King & Jarvis Streets. As the needs of the Lodge changed and as new sites became available, King Solomon's moved to new quarters. Next they held their meetings at 390 Bay (at Queen Street). In 1873 the Temple at College and Yonge became their home. When the building at 888 Yonge Street was opened in 1918 King Solomon's Lodge moved to that location and remained there until the building was sold in 1994. It was in that year the Lodge moved to their present location at the Richmond Hill Masonic Hall.
