Brant 45 History

• 150 Yrs in Brantford
• 1852-1980
• 1978-1997
• Past Officers
• Grand Lodge Officers
• Secretaries
• Generation of Members
• Member HISTORY
• Service Pins
• 50 Year Canes
• DDGM Regalia
• Bios of 2000 Officers

History 1852-1980

Prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of Canada in 1855, Brant Lodge operated as No. 323, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Ireland.

The Charter granted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland was dated June 6, 1853, and was signed by Augustus Frederick, Duke of Leinster, Grand Master; George Hoyte, D.G.M.; Richard, Earl of Donoughmore, G.S.W.; Sir John McNeil, G.J.W. of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. It was granted to Arunah Huntington as Worshipful Master; Charles H. Waterous as Senior Warden and Charles R. Wilkes as Junior Warden.

On July 19, 1855, at the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge in Niagara Falls, the Brant Lodge was well represented. It was at this meeting where the delegates from all of the masonic lodges in the province considered the propriety of establishing a Canadian Grand Lodge.

Brant Lodge was again well represented at a meeting in the Masonic Hall, Hamilton, Ontario, on October 10, 1855, where it was resolved "that the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada be and is hereby formed upon the ancient charges and constitution of masonry." Colonel William Mercer Wilson was then elected as the first Grand Master.

Brant Lodge, upon being instituted under this new Grand Lodge, was assigned the number "22", and received its new Charter dated November 24, 1855. The signature on the Charter was that of the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother William Mercer Wilson.

On July 14, 1858, when the two Grand Lodges were finally united, with 129 Lodges now under the one jurisdiction, the lodges were renumbered giving recognition to seniority. Brant Lodge was then assigned the new number "45".

Brant Lodge No. 45, Brantford, has supplied the nucleus for the formation of other lodges in this district, including Doric Lodge No. 121, Ozias Lodge No. 508, Burford Lodge No. 106 and St. George Lodge No. 243. Brant Lodge became a grandmother lodge when Doric Lodge No. 121 supplied the nucleus of members for the formation of Reba Lodge No. 515, and when Burford Lodge No. 106 supplied members for the formation of Scotland Lodge No. 193.

On January 18, 1909, the lodge rooms that were to be occupied co-operatively by Brant Lodge No. 45 and Doric Lodge No. 121 were dedicated.

On June 13, 1953, the 100th Anniversary of Brant Lodge was celebrated with a reception for the Most Worshipful, the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Nelson Collins Hart. (237 signed the Tyler's Register on this occasion).

Brant Lodge No. 45 was one of the four Brantford City Lodges who worked co-operatively for the construction and equipping of the new Brantford Masonic Temple, on Greenwich Street, which became its home in 1955.