Birch Cliff Lodge in Toronto
Birch Cliff Lodge and The Beaches Lodge (my Mother Lodge) have enjoyed a long history together - from the early days of "East Toronto" - having once shared the same temple on Balsam at Queen in which they met for over five decades, before each moved to the new temple in Scarborough in the early 1960s. On Friday evening, Birch Cliff No 612 members proudly held a reception for RWBro Peter Sialtsis, who since the forming of their lodge is their first from among them to be elected to the Board of General Purposes at Grand Lodge.
Peter is a truly wonderful Mason - and sets a great example for our young Masons - and who sits on Grand Lodge committees providing his expertise in the realm of law, and is also a very active and knowledgeable member of many concordant bodies, and known throughout our Jurisdiction for his superlative ritual work. His parents attended the reception, as did many other friends and family members, not to mention Masons who have known Peter and his contributions to the Craft since joining Birch Cliff Lodge, and then affiliating with both The Beaches and Mimosa Lodge, all three in Toronto East District.
Here is a brief history of Birch Cliff Lodge: Birch Cliff Lodge was founded in 1922 as a daughter Lodge of Wilson Lodge No. 86, which was located in Toronto and named for William Mercer Wilson, the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in The Province of Ontario. At that time, the City of Toronto was growing rapidly, and Freemasonry matched its pace.
A number of Masons of Wilson Lodge were Toronto Hydro employees, and with the rapid growth of Toronto's Eastern suburbs, in the post-war period, a number moved out to what was then a near wilderness, to found the Scarborough Hydro Electric Commission.
As it was a significant distance to travel to the Yonge St. Masonic Temple in those days, these Masons desired a Lodge closer to their new homes. With this plan in mind, some 99 Masons of skill and learning met at the store of W.Bro. John Taylor, a Past Master of Wilson Lodge No. 86, located at Balsam Avenue at Kingston Rd. on March 23rd, 1922, to discuss the creation of a new Lodge. There were 84 Brethren who signed a petition of Charter to Grand Lodge.
One of their number was W.Bro. John A. Carveth who was chosen as the first Master of the new Lodge. The name "Birch Cliff", as the area then was known, was adopted as the name of the new lodge. It soon received Dispensation from Grand Lodge and was denominated No. 612 on the register of Grand Lodge.
During W.Bro. J.A. Carveth's term as Master, 27 new Masons were Initiated and 13 Affiliated. For his great service to the Lodge, he was granted the first Honourary Life Membership in the history of the lodge. Until 2006, he was the only Master to serve more than one full term in office. It is fitting that his great-grandson, W.Bro. R.G. Carveth, was elected as the Worshipful Master of Birch Cliff to mark the millennium year of 2000.
In 1961 the Lodge, along with a number of other lodges from the Scarborough area, moved to the new Scarborough Masonic Temple, located at what was then a dirt road intersection at Ellesmere and Markham Roads. The first meeting of Birch Cliff Lodge was held on February 10th, 1961 in the new building.
In the years that followed, the Lodge became one of the largest lodge in Ontario with some 385 members at one point and has always been at the forefront of Masonry in Toronto District No. 3, and then, as of July of 2006, a part of "Toronto East District".
Here is a brief history of Birch Cliff Lodge: Birch Cliff Lodge was founded in 1922 as a daughter Lodge of Wilson Lodge No. 86, which was located in Toronto and named for William Mercer Wilson, the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in The Province of Ontario. At that time, the City of Toronto was growing rapidly, and Freemasonry matched its pace.
A number of Masons of Wilson Lodge were Toronto Hydro employees, and with the rapid growth of Toronto's Eastern suburbs, in the post-war period, a number moved out to what was then a near wilderness, to found the Scarborough Hydro Electric Commission.
As it was a significant distance to travel to the Yonge St. Masonic Temple in those days, these Masons desired a Lodge closer to their new homes. With this plan in mind, some 99 Masons of skill and learning met at the store of W.Bro. John Taylor, a Past Master of Wilson Lodge No. 86, located at Balsam Avenue at Kingston Rd. on March 23rd, 1922, to discuss the creation of a new Lodge. There were 84 Brethren who signed a petition of Charter to Grand Lodge.
One of their number was W.Bro. John A. Carveth who was chosen as the first Master of the new Lodge. The name "Birch Cliff", as the area then was known, was adopted as the name of the new lodge. It soon received Dispensation from Grand Lodge and was denominated No. 612 on the register of Grand Lodge.
During W.Bro. J.A. Carveth's term as Master, 27 new Masons were Initiated and 13 Affiliated. For his great service to the Lodge, he was granted the first Honourary Life Membership in the history of the lodge. Until 2006, he was the only Master to serve more than one full term in office. It is fitting that his great-grandson, W.Bro. R.G. Carveth, was elected as the Worshipful Master of Birch Cliff to mark the millennium year of 2000.
In 1961 the Lodge, along with a number of other lodges from the Scarborough area, moved to the new Scarborough Masonic Temple, located at what was then a dirt road intersection at Ellesmere and Markham Roads. The first meeting of Birch Cliff Lodge was held on February 10th, 1961 in the new building.
In the years that followed, the Lodge became one of the largest lodge in Ontario with some 385 members at one point and has always been at the forefront of Masonry in Toronto District No. 3, and then, as of July of 2006, a part of "Toronto East District".
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