Our Proud History

World War No. 1 was over. Then, as now, man looked forward to the peace which would follow, dreaming that war was a thing of the past, that henceforth the brotherhood of man would be felt and practiced by all and that no more would Mars raise his ugly head to turn a peaceful world into an inferno of hate and destruction. Then, as now, man carefully laid his plans to enable his dreams to become a reality, dreams which to him meant the assurance of a post-war world wherein he and his family could Live and enjoy the four freedoms -freedom of speech, freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom to worship his Creator according to the dictates of his conscience.

It was in this setting that Victory Lodge was born.In the period immediately following the First World War, industries that previously had been working night and day to turn out the necessary munitions and implements of war now occupied themselves in producing the commodities essential to a world at peace yet slowly recovering from the effects of the struggle just concluded.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to definitely state where and when the idea of forming a Masonic Lodge in the east end of Montreal was formulated. It is generally believed, however, that some of the many discussions took place between a group of employees in an east-end industry of a type just mentioned. It has now come to our knowledge from a discussion between the late R. W. Bro. R.G. (Bob) McArthur of Eastern Star Lodge and V.W. Bro. Chas. E. Jennings of Victory Lodge, at a Grand Lodge meeting in 1966, that several meetings were held around this time. Although he did not attend these meetings, R.W. Bro. McArthur was invited to a meeting in the spring of 1920 along with other officers and members of Eastern Star Lodge and held in the home of W. Bro. M.T. Mac Rae, to discuss and recommend the presenting of some essential equipment to start Victory Lodge on its way. Other names mentioned as having contributed in no small part to our beginning were R. W. Bro. J.J. York and V.W. Bro. Wm. Fraser. Presumably, it was at this stage of development that the name 'Victory' was chosen, to commemorate the HM.S. Victory, Flagship of the British Navy during World War No. 1. Permission to use the name was subsequently received from the British Admiralty along with a silhouette of a British man-o-war, which became our lodge insignia. These discussions and possibly others along the same lines eventually took a concrete form in the presenting to R.W. Bro. F. Max Hill, D.D.G.M. NO. 2 District of the Grand Lodge of Quebec on March 22, 1920 of a petition signed by R.W. Bro. Alexander W. Miller, as first W.M., Wor. Bro. Dr. Opzoomer as I.P.M., Bro. Chas. M. Mann as first Senior Warden, 'Bro. Malcolm J. Boyd as first Junior Warden, and Bros. A.B. Hutcheon, A.G. MacKean, Wm. C. Williamson, Fred Irvine, Chas. Smith, H.V. Eisele, Jas. Y. Blyth, F.G. Tuck, Wm. J. McMurray, Thos. Harrower, H.H. Makin, Jas. C. McHaffie, Angus Black, W.E. Bindon and Thos. Hollingworth asking for a dispensation to open and hold a Lodge at Landsdowne Hall, 17 Marlborough St., Montreal, to be named Victory Lodge.

Constitutional sponsorship having been received from Eastern Star Lodge No. 74, R.W. Bro. F. Max Hill endorsed the petition and forwarded it to the Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. Arthur B. Wood, who was graciously pleased to grant the prayer of the Petitioners.

The Lodge was officially instituted by the Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. Chas. McBurney, on September 22nd, 1920, and the officers appointed for the period under dispensation were inducted. That same night the V.S.L. was presented by W. Bro. M.T. McRae on behalf of Eastern Star Lodge.

In the minutes of a regular meeting held on January 12, 1921, appears this motion: "That the brethren to whom the dispensation was granted make application to the Most Wor. Bro. Chas. McBurney, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Quebec for a charter"

On April 15, 1921 the Lodge was consecrated by Most Wor. Bro. Chas. McBurney, Grand Master, assisted by his officers under the name and number of Victory Lodge No. 94 G.R.Q., A.F. & A.M. and the officers who served under dispensation, and whose names appear on page 4 of this booklet, were installed.

It is obvious that valuable assistance can be rendered in the formation of a new Lodge by distinguished members of the Craft from other Lodges and Victory Lodge received such assistance in abundance. Recognition of these valuable services was made when Victory Lodge voted Honourary membership to several distinguished craftsmen. The names of those thus honoured both at the inception of the Lodge and since, appear on page 6 of this booklet. Special mention should be made at this time of the help given to our Lodge by the Past asters of Eastern Star Lodge No. 74, help of a kind that makes the rough edges smooth and promotes progress.

It could be said that the history of Victory Lodge, from its inception to the present day, has been as eventful or uneventful, depending upon the point of view, as that of most other Lodges. Victory Lodge, however, points with pride to some landmarks along the way which reflect credit, in large measure, not only on the Lodge in particular, but on the Craft in general. It would appear that our Lodge, on account of its location, was destined to play the unique role of fostering the Craft and maintaining the interest of the members in the eastern section of Montreal. That Victory Lodge, in this role, has acquitted itself nobly, is a matter of record for all to examine. In the year 1925, our Lodge was most happy and honoured to be able to sponsor a new Lodge in the far east end of the city, and thus The Royal Alexandra Lodge No. 104 became our one and only "Daughter Lodge". Since then it has been an everlasting source of satisfaction to Victory Lodge to be able to point with pride to the superlative record of our "Daughter in the East". Since it’s inception, The Royal Alexandra Lodge has conferred Honorary Membership on the following members of Victory Lodge; V. Wor. Bro. Fred Irvine, R. Wor. Bro. H.V. Eisele, V. Wor. Bro. J.Y. Blyth, W. Bro. R. Thompson.

Victory Lodge has also shown much desire in promoting international Masonry as attested to by our annual exchange of visits for many years with Champlain Lodge No. 237 of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. World War 2 brought these visits to a halt in 1939, but not before Champlain Lodge graciously voted honorary membership to our late W. Bro. Fred Tuck.

Another milestone in our history was the inauguration of "Armistice Day" in November 1929 with Most Wor. Bro. Alan P. Shatford as our first speaker. Held annually to commemorate those of the Craft who fell in World War 1, it was suspended in 1938 because of World War 2 and again revived in 1951 with 'more significance than ever. Under the personal direction of W. Bro. Peter Notman, it has become the most reverent night of the year.

The advent of World War 2 in 1939 saw Victory Lodge Brethren respond to the .call and share the burden price of freedom with other 'Just and Upright Men of Goodwill'.

"All we have of freedom,

 all we use or know –

This our fathers bought for us

 long and long ago."

KIPLING

 The fact that Victory Lodge has been a progressive lodge has not escaped the attention of Grand Lodge and the following members have received Grand Lodge honours:-

R. W Bro. A.W. Miller*                   V.W. Bro. C.E. Jennings * *

V.W. Bro. Fred Irvine*                     R.W. Bro. R.P. Murray *

V.W. Bro. C.M. Mann*                      V.W. Bro. J. Fraser *

R.W. Bro. H.V. Eisele*                     V.W. Bro. J.J.C. Woodburn *

V.W. Bro. J.Y. Blyth*                        R.W. Bro. Thomas E. Herron

V.W. Bro. W.J. Yearsley *                 V.W. Bro. Harry Leonard *

R.W. Bro. H.A. York *                      R.W. Bro. Jules A. Wood

R.W. Bro. Joseph S. Scott                         V.Wor. Bro. Douglas Cowan*

V.W. Bro. M. Broadrip*                    V. Wor. Bro. John H. Bryan

R.W. Bro. G. Diamond *                V. Wor. Bro. Fern Richer

R.W. Bro. John B. Simms*            V. Wor. Bro. John Hawkins

( * Deceased.)

Victory Lodge at its inception occupied Lansdowne Hall on Marlborough St., and was the birthplace of many fond memories until December 1944 when we moved to Maisonneuve Protestant School on Morgan Boulevard. Five years later, almost to the day, we found ourselves retracing our steps back to Lansdowne Hall. This was in December 1949 and on this occasion; our organ took exception to the move and fell off the truck. We continued to hold our meetings at Lansdowne Hall until mid 1961, when we received notice to vacate the premises by September 1st. 1961, as the building had been sold. Notwithstanding several special meetings and much communication and footwork in an effort to relocate ourselves, we were finally rescued by our daughter lodge, The Royal Alexandra Lodge No. 104, who graciously offered us the use of their lodge room (a case of Mother going home to daughter) and the move was made on September 13th. 1961. Finally, in January 1962 arrangements been made to move to Rosemont First United Church at 5857 Seventh Avenue., Rosemount, where we still met in our Fiftieth anniversary year.

In January 1989, due to difficulties with the Church Building and Church Management, we had to move back to the Montreal East Masonic Temple.

Then on March lst.1993 Victory Lodge moved to Harmony Hall, Pierrefonds, changed our Regular Meeting Night to the Second Thursday of the month. The Lodge is still meeting there with so far, better success in candidates and attendance.