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Seymour Lodge No.272
The first meeting of Seymour Lodge Under Dispensation (U.D.) was held in Ancaster on May 15, 1872 with seven members present. Seven applications for initiation and one for affiliation were received. It was also moved at this meeting to use the By-Laws of Strict Observance Lodge No. 27, of Hamilton, until such time that a warrant was granted to Seymour. The first regular meeting of the lodge was held on May 22, 1872 with 11 members and one visitor present. The warrant of Seymour Lodge was issued on July 11, 1872 A.D., 5972 A.L., and numbered 272 on the Register of the Grand Lodge. Seymour adopted its own By-Laws in September of 1872 and Seymour Lodge was dedicated and consecrated on November 27, 1872.
Seymour Lodge was named after M.W. Bro. James Seymour who was the Grand Master in 1871 and 1872. He was very helpful and instrumental in the formation of both Seymour Lodge No. 272 in Ancaster and Seymour Lodge No. 277 in Port Dalhousie.
The Masonic Hall is situated on Wilson Street and is one of the oldest stone buildings in Ancaster, dating back to the 18th century. History shows that it was used by the military in the War of 1812. Seymour Lodge has met in the same building since the first meeting. Originally, Seymour rented the upper part of the building for $3.00 per month and then it was reduced to $2.00. In June 1900, the lodge bought the building for $350.00. In 1914 an addition was built, almost doubling the size and since then several remodelling programs have been undertaken.
Originally, the meeting night was the 3rd Wednesday until 1899 when it was changed to the Tuesday on or before the Full of the Moon. In 1928 it was changed to the 2nd Tuesday. Installation was on June 24th, St. John the Baptist Day, then in 1928 was changed to the regular meeting day in June, and finally in 1939 the date was changed to the regular meeting in January.
Since 1872 Seymour has held 1556 regular or emergent meetings and a total of 994 brethren have signed the by-laws either through initiation or affiliation. A total of 120 Masters have served Seymour Lodge with some serving twice or three times. There have been 27 brethren with Grand Lodge rank and one William Mercer Wilson Medal recipient. In World War One, 24 of the brethren served their King and Country and in World War Two, 19 of our brethren donned the uniform.
We at Seymour Lodge have cause to be proud of our founding fathers. The men, who with vision and foresight started this lodge from a humble beginning, and through sometimes very difficult times, gave of their time and talents to build up this lodge, spiritually, materially, and with a bond of fraternal brotherhood.
Seymour Lodge was not the first lodge in Ancaster. The first Provincial Grand Lodge of Upper Canada, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England was formed at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake) in 1795 and by 1797 there were twelve lodges on the roll, the Township of Ancaster was No. 10. Then in 1810, the Grand Lodge of England issued a warrant to Union Lodge No. 24 of the township of Flamborough West. The lodge held its meetings at various locations in Ancaster, Dundas, and Flamborough West and then in April 1821 at the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge at Kingston, dispensation for the removal of Union Lodge from Dundas to Ancaster was granted. Union Lodge later became No. 770 on the English Register and No. 17 on the Provincial Register of Upper Canada. The lodge broke up and the lodge records disappeared during the troublesome Masonic times of the 1830s.
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R.W. Bro. Tom Marshall
Secretary
Phone: 905-578-2833 272seymour@gmail.com
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Seymour Lodge No.272
phone:
905-578-2833 272seymour@gmail.com
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