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Buchanan Lodge No.550


Background
 R.W. Bro. Robin J. Colville 

AS SHOWN BELOW:
THE ARMORIAL BEARINGS OF CLAN BUCHANAN
"JUVO AUDACES: I ASSIST THE BOLD OR THE BRAVE"
"CLARIOR-HINC-HONOS: BRIGHTER HENCE THE HONOUR"

Buchanan Lodge No. 550 was named after the Honourable Isaac Buchanan, who was born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on July 21st, 1810 less than two years before the battle of Stoney Creek was fought. He arrived in Canada about 1833 and by 1841 was first elected to parliament as a member for Toronto. He was also the elected representative for Hamilton in 1857, 1861 and 1864. In 1853, he built his home on the mountain at Fennel Ave. and West Fifth Street to accommodate his wife Agnes and their eleven children. He called his home ‘Auchmar’ meaning ‘Field by the water’ after his father’s home that overlooked the ‘Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’ in Scotland. The park surrounding his home, he called ‘Claremont’ which means ‘clear mountain’. Today the ‘Claremont Access’ arrives at the top of the Hamilton ‘mountain’ near the spot of the original entrance to his lands. Isaac Buchanan’s home was the meeting place for many of the government officials including several Governor-Generals and Sir John A. MacDonald, Father of Confederation and Prime Minister of the Dominion who was a frequent visitor.

Early in the year of 1919, a few Master Masons on the mountain top conceived the idea of forming a Masonic lodge in their neighbourhood to avoid the necessity of members having to go either to the city or to lodges at a considerable distance in the rural district. They had already received permission from W. Bro. James Isaac Buchanan of Pittsburgh, son of Isaac Buchanan, to call it ‘The Buchanan Lodge’ in honour of the Buchanan Family, who were early pioneers of the district and highly esteemed citizens.

On June 23rd, 1919, a meeting was held in Barton Township Hall, on Upper James St. which had been rented exclusively for one year. At this meeting the lodge was instituted and the dispensation from Grand Lodge was presented by the D.D.G.M., the Right Worshipful Brother Judge John G. Gauld. W. Bro. J. C. Springsteed was installed as the first Worshipful Master.

James Isaac Buchanan was born in Hamilton on August 3rd, 1853. He became a very accomplished man in the realm of business. He was raised to the S. degree of a M.M. in Strict Observance Lodge No. 27, Hamilton, and later became a Royal Arch Mason and a member in several concordant bodies. He was Commander-in-Chief of Pennsylvania Consistory from 1889 to 1893. As a note of interest, a portrait of him is on the landing between the first and second floor, right-hand stairs of the Scottish Rite building in Hamilton. On July 3rd, 1919, W. Bro. James Isaac Buchanan requested that he be permitted to furnish the Altar, Bible, Square and Compasses and the three lesser lights. On October 2nd, 1919, following the motion duly moved, seconded and balloted on, he was declared an Honorary Life Member, with full rights and privileges of Buchanan Lodge No. 550. W. Bro. James Isaac Buchanan, Past Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 219, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania U.S.A. was then escorted by the D. of C. into the lodge and formally introduced to the members of the lodge. On February 12th, 1920 Buchanan Lodge held an ‘At Home’ in the Parish Hall of Holy Trinity Church. The speaker of the evening was W. Bro. James Isaac Buchanan and he was accompanied by his two sisters, Miss Jane M. Buchanan and Miss H.E.J. Buchanan more commonly known as Elsie. Sadly, W. Bro. Buchanan passed to T.G.L.A. on January 2nd, 1931.

On May 6th, 1920, after a motion duly moved and seconded, the By-laws of The Electric Lodge No. 495, with a few necessary changes to conform to the needs of our lodge were adopted.

In September 1920, we received our charter under the number 550 at the hands of R. W. Bro. H. A. Graham, D.D.G.M. who constituted and consecrated the lodge and dedicated our hall in a most impressive manner.

On December 2nd, 1929, it was reported that the Hall Committee had completed arrangements with the Barton Township for the purchase of the Hall. The W.M. appointed a Board of Trustees to act on behalf of the lodge.

On February 4th, 1932, W. Bro. T. H. Simpson was duly declared an Honorary Life Member with full rights and privileges of Buchanan Lodge No. 550. On October 5th, 1933, R. W. Bro. T. H. Simpson, D.D.G.M. of Hamilton District ‘B’ honoured us with his official visit. In July, 1947 he was elected and installed as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

On April 4th, 1935 the officers and members of Longbranch Lodge No. 632, Mimico, Ontario made a Fraternal visit to our lodge. Here it is some 76 years later and we still visit each other from time to time.

On May 5th, 1938, the officers of Buchanan Lodge started to wear the Buchanan Tartan to welcome the visit of the Scottish Masonic Craftsmen of St. Catharines and District. The Buchanan Clan that wore this tartan from the 13th century came to an end in 1919 when the last Chief of the clan, J. H. Buchanan passed away. By strange coincidence, Buchanan Lodge No. 550 started in that year.

The first visit of Western Star Lodge No. 21 of Youngstown, Ohio took place on April 29th, 1939 and the biennial fraternal visits by both lodges continue to this day. On May 25th, 1940 we visited Youngstown and in attendance at that meeting, were 810 visitors representing 119 American lodges and 7 Canadian lodges.

On November 2nd, 1944 at our 25th Anniversary celebrations, the brethren of Buchanan Lodge burned the mortgage that was held on our building. Sadly, due to overbearing maintenance and other expenses, the Buchanan Hall Board decided to sell the building in 1986 and it was sold in that year.

On Saturday, October 5th, 1946, we were honoured with a large delegation of members from Western Star Lodge No. 21. They were headed by their Ruling Master and 93 visitors. Our speaker in the banquet hall was Mayor Samuel Lawrence, who welcomed our visitors to Hamilton, this being the city’s Centennial Year.

We have also enjoyed for many years fraternal visits from the St. Mark’s Lodge No. 105, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Each year we, in turn, conduct the Elections for each other and participate in the Installation and Investiture of the Officers of the lodge.

In the year 1969, Buchanan Lodge celebrated our 50th anniversary under the direction of W. Bro. David C. Lane, Worshipful Master and the 50th Anniversary Chairman, V. W. Bro. Joseph Hobson.

A big jump in time, in 1994 we were honoured with the presence of the Grand Master, M. W. Bro. C. Edwin Drew at the celebrations of our 75th anniversary which was very enjoyable and a great success.

Perhaps just prior to 2019, the year of our 100th anniversary ceremonies, a more detailed history of our modern times may be written.

Compiled by R. W. Bro. Michael J. Kingsley, Historian
Buchanan Lodge No. 550 G.R.C.


PAST MASTERS OF BUCHANAN LODGE A.F. & A.M. NO. 550 G.R.C.

 1919-21*  V. W. Bro. J. C. Springsteed
 1921-22*  W. Bro. D. A. Gallagher
 1922-23*  V. W. Bro. R. E. Johnston
 1923-24*  W. Bro. C. A. Alderson
 1924-25*  W. Bro. D. T. Kilpatrick
 1925-26*  R. W. Bro. W. Davies
 1926-27*  W. Bro. J. Turner
 1927-28*  W. Bro. J. S. Rogers
 1928-29*  V. W. Bro. Rev. G. Thompson
 1929-30*  W. Bro. J. R. Routledge
 1930-31*  W. Bro. N. F. MacKenzie
 1931-32*  W. Bro. W. S. Lovett
 1932-33*  V. W. Bro. H. S. Stears
 1933-34*  W. Bro. Dr. F. W. Vivian
 1934-35*  V. W. Bro. P. G. Moore
 1935-36*  W. Bro. W. G. Hall
 1936-37*  W. Bro. H. W. Young 
 1937-38*  V. W. Bro. F. H. Egan
 1938-39*  W. Bro. J. N. Chandler
 1940*  W. Bro. H. W. Savory
 1941*  W. Bro. J. E. Richardson
 1942*  W. Bro. R. G. Jeffery
 1943*  W. Bro. C. Smith
 1944*  W. Bro. T. J. G. Roberts
 1945*  W. Bro. G. I. Banks
 1946*  W. Bro. H. L. Truax
 1947*  W. Bro. W. Shillett
 1948*  R. W. Bro. S. H. Dolman
 1949*  V. W. Bro. K. F. Warwick
 1950*  W. Bro. G. A. Fuller
 1951*  W. Bro. A. G. Adams
 1952*  W. Bro. A. Kerr
 1953*  W. Bro. J. G. Reid
 1954*  W. Bro. G. B. Cowman
 1955*  W. Bro. P. Weatherley
 1956*  W. Bro. R. E. W. Tilbury
 1957*  W. Bro. J. Brierley
 1958*  W. Bro. R. E. Tilbury
 1959*  W. Bro. J. E. Campbell
 1960*  V. W. Bro. J. Hobson
 1961*  W. Bro. W. R. Magwood
 1962*  W. Bro. G. E. Oswald
 1963*  W. Bro. G. E. Oswald
 1964*  W. Bro. J. H. Newell
 1965*  R. W. Bro. B. W. MacDonald
 1966*  W. Bro. Kennedy
 1967  W. Bro. C. Booth
 1968  V. W. Bro. H. A. Prowse
 1969*  W. Bro. D. C. Lane
 1970*  W. Bro. E. B. Arkell
 1971*  W. Bro. J. R. Lindsay
 1972*  W. Bro. R. Carrington
 1973*  W. Bro. R. Hilbert
 1974*  W. Bro. G. B. Arkell
 1975**  W. Bro. W. McIlroy
 1976  W. Bro. J. S. Wood
 1977*  W. Bro. D. Snaidero
 1978*  W. Bro. J. Smith
 1979*  V. W. Bro. J. Cowman
 1980*  V. W. Bro. W. Rutlidge
 1981  W. Bro. W. Fulton
 1982*  W. Bro. C. Garner
 1983*  W. Bro. A. W. Fuller
 1984*  W. Bro. W. Mercer
 1985*  W. Bro. T. Stoddart
 1986*  W. Bro. A. Anderson
 1987*  W. Bro. A. Czemerynski
 1988  W. Bro. G. Hutton
 1989*  R. W. Bro. R. Hurst
 1990*  W. Bro. A. T. Fuller
 1991*  W. Bro. R. G. Brown*
 1992*  V. W. Bro. R. J. Brown
 1993**  W. Bro. D. J. Brown
 1994  W. Bro. A. J. Freckleton
 1995*  W. Bro. E. S. Kinsfather
 1996  W. Bro. A. J. Freckleton
 1997  W. Bro. W. E. Smith
 1998  R. W. Bro. M. J. Kingsley
 1999  W. Bro. D. Newton
 2000  W. Bro. W. E. Smith
 2001  V. W. Bro. D. Simms
 2002  W. Bro. W. E. Smith
 2003  R. W. Bro. P. A. James
 2004*  W. Bro. E. G. Pearson
 2005*  W. Bro. E. G. Pearson
 2006  R. W. Bro. M. J. Kingsley
 2007  W. Bro. D. Falconer
 2008  W. Bro. L. Noriega
 2009  W. Bro. W. E. Smith
 2010  W. Bro. D. Robertson
 2011  W. Bro. Gary Magwood
2012 V.W. Bro. Donald Falconer
2013 R.W. Bro. Michael Kingsley
2014 W. Bro. Scott Poole
2015 W. Bro. Kenneth Wallace
2016 W. Bro. Glenn Molnar**
2017 W. Bro. Joseph Murdoch
2018/22 W. Bro. Yaz Nabhan
  *<  ** Demitted

 



Officers of the Lodge

  R.W. Bro. Robin J. Colville
Worshipful Master
  W. Bro.Yaz Nabhan
Immediate Past Master
  W. Bro. Scott Poole
Secretary
Phone: 289 659 0939 secretary550@outlook.com
  V. W. Bro William Fulton
Assistant Secretary
  W. Bro. Gary Magwood
Senior Warden
  Bro. Brian Grice
Junior Warden
    W. Bro. Joe Murdoch
Junior Deacon
  Bro. Michael Trifunski
Senior Steward
 
  W. Bro. William Smith Sr.
Inner Guard
  Bro. William Smith Jr.
Tyler
  W. Bro. Steven Trifunski
Chaplain
 
  W. Bro. Kenneth Wallace
Treasurer
  R.W. Bro. Kenneth Adams
Organist
  W. Bro Gary Magwood
Historian
 

Location
Buchanan Lodge No.550
Hillcrest Masonic Temple, 257-261 Mohawk Road West, Hamilton, Ontario
phone: 289 659 0939 secretary550@outlook.com
Website Address: http://W. B. Bro. Scott Poole

Past Masters of the Lodge

Name Year
R.W. Bro. Robin J. Colville 2018
R.W.Bro. Michael J. Kingsley 2004
R.W.Bro. Ralph Hurst 1990
R.W.Bro. Bruce MacDonald 1976

Past Masters of the Lodge

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