Georgina Lodge in Etoicoke
Sandwiched in between a Scottish Rite meeting on Thursday evening, and a Heritage Lodge meeting on Saturday morning, was a visit to Georgina Lodge on the occasion of the Official Visit of the DDGM, RWBro Brainerd Blyden-Taylor. This was the week when RWBro Harold Clarke had finished the encasement of MWBro C. Edwin Drew's regalia and it had been mounted on the wall, above the organ in the temple. a fitting tribute to a wonderful man and inspirational leader. In addition to the many WMs from Toronto Humber Valley, joining me in the East was RWBro Mark Kapitan and RWBro Terry VanHorne.
At the outset of the meeting, after the lodge had been duly opened and the brethren were called from labour to refreshment, I provided some Masonic Education - a piece on the use of threes in Freemasonry, and in life, or triads (versus dyads), the groupings of three and the concept of three. I believe it was well received, and generated further discussion. As a young Mason, I was signing the register at a lodge I was visiting, and MWBro C. Edwin Drew was behind me - but I did not know who he was - and I signed in as a member of "Beaches Lodge #476"... and he immediately booms out in a voice everyone who knew him will remember well: "It's The Beaches Lodge No. 473." I have never forgotten that moment and always sign in properly since that day.
As written by my good friend, RWBro Clarke: "In passing Ed now joins his father, Charles, mother Anne and brother Alan.
Charles Edwin Drew was born and educated in Blackpool and Manchester, England. He served with the Royal Naval Air Service before coming to Canada in 1951, where he was employed by the Avro Aircraft Company, in Malton, working on the Avro Arrow project. It was at Avro that Ed met Ellen Orr Patterson and their life together began.
His father, Bro. Charles Drew sponsored Ed’s application to Georgina Lodge No. 343, G.R.C., in 1955, which was the beginning of a decorated Masonic career that lasted over 63 years.
Ed served as Worshipful Master of Georgina Lodge in 1972 and subsequently as District Deputy Grand Master of Toronto District 3 from 1976 to 1977.
He was also a charter member of Heritage Lodge No. 730, G.R.C., serving as Worshipful Master in 1985, charter member of the Heritage Masonic Corporation, and Chairman of the Black Creek Pioneer Village Project.
Becoming a member of the Board of General Purposes of our Grand Lodge in 1985, Ed served as the Chairman of various committees. In 1991, he became the first Chairman of the Management Committee.
In July, 1991, Ed was elected Deputy Grand Master, and at the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Annual Communication, in 1993, was elected for a two-year term as our sixty-sixth Grand Master.
Following his term as Grand Master, Ed went on to serve as our Custodian of the Work for over ten years, during which he conducted an innumerable number of Lodges of Instruction.
He was a member of University Chapter No. 241, R.A.M., serving as its First Principal in 1983 and Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1990.
Bro. Drew was also an active member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Toronto, Hamilton and Barrie.
Ed served as Most Wise Sovereign of the Toronto Sovereign Chapter of Rose Croix in 1985. In 1988 he was coroneted Honourary Inspector General 33°, Supreme Council for Canada, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
M.W. Bro. Drew was also a member of the Royal Order of Scotland; Holy Land Conclave No. 3, Red Cross of Constantine; Rameses Temple A.A.O.N.M.S.; The Philalethes Society; York Council No. 133, Allied Degrees; and the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle.
Our Past Grand Master was also the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of New York, near this Grand Lodge."
Charles Edwin Drew was born and educated in Blackpool and Manchester, England. He served with the Royal Naval Air Service before coming to Canada in 1951, where he was employed by the Avro Aircraft Company, in Malton, working on the Avro Arrow project. It was at Avro that Ed met Ellen Orr Patterson and their life together began.
His father, Bro. Charles Drew sponsored Ed’s application to Georgina Lodge No. 343, G.R.C., in 1955, which was the beginning of a decorated Masonic career that lasted over 63 years.
Ed served as Worshipful Master of Georgina Lodge in 1972 and subsequently as District Deputy Grand Master of Toronto District 3 from 1976 to 1977.
He was also a charter member of Heritage Lodge No. 730, G.R.C., serving as Worshipful Master in 1985, charter member of the Heritage Masonic Corporation, and Chairman of the Black Creek Pioneer Village Project.
Becoming a member of the Board of General Purposes of our Grand Lodge in 1985, Ed served as the Chairman of various committees. In 1991, he became the first Chairman of the Management Committee.
In July, 1991, Ed was elected Deputy Grand Master, and at the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Annual Communication, in 1993, was elected for a two-year term as our sixty-sixth Grand Master.
Following his term as Grand Master, Ed went on to serve as our Custodian of the Work for over ten years, during which he conducted an innumerable number of Lodges of Instruction.
He was a member of University Chapter No. 241, R.A.M., serving as its First Principal in 1983 and Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1990.
Bro. Drew was also an active member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Toronto, Hamilton and Barrie.
Ed served as Most Wise Sovereign of the Toronto Sovereign Chapter of Rose Croix in 1985. In 1988 he was coroneted Honourary Inspector General 33°, Supreme Council for Canada, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
M.W. Bro. Drew was also a member of the Royal Order of Scotland; Holy Land Conclave No. 3, Red Cross of Constantine; Rameses Temple A.A.O.N.M.S.; The Philalethes Society; York Council No. 133, Allied Degrees; and the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle.
Our Past Grand Master was also the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of New York, near this Grand Lodge."
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