County Orange Lodge of Toronto

Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Formation of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto

The present County Orange Lodge of Toronto was formerly a District Lodge in the original County of York. At the County of York meeting in February, 1859 held in Holland Landing, the County of York was divided into four counties; namely, York East, York West, York North and Toronto. There were 96 brethren present at that meeting, the largest meeting of the County of York up to that time. The motion to divide the County into four was to properly reflect the federal electoral districts at that time. The motion was put forward by Brother Rev. Harry Bath Osler and seconded by Brother Harcourt P. Gowan and passed by the members of the lodge unanimously.

The Notice Calling the First Meeting

The following advertisement published in The Patriot called together the first meeting of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto:

Loyal Orange Institution of British America
County Lodge of Toronto

Annual Meeting

Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern that the approval and ratification to form the County Orange Lodge of Toronto has been duly received. And in accordance with the vote of the last meeting of York County Lodge, the annual meeting for 1860 shall be held in the George Street Orange Hall, in this city on Monday the 6th day of February next, commencing at half-past seven o’clock p. m. Of all which every brother concerned will take notice and govern himself accordingly. The lodge will, as usual, be opened in the Royal Arch Purple Mark Degree.

God Save the Queen.

F. Medcalf W.M. No. 275, County Master
H. P. Gowan W.M. No. 4, County Secretary

First Officers of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto

The first officers of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto were as follows:

■ Francis H. Medcalf, County Master
■ James Burns, Deputy County Master
■ Harcourt Gowan, Recording Secretary
■ John Carr, Treasurer
■ Robert Bell, Chaplain
■ W. Nichols, Director of Ceremonies
■ John Rogers, County Proxy

Following Brother Medcalf, William Adamson filled the chair of County Master for 19 years to January, 1880, when he was succeeded by Brother E. F. Clarke, followed by Worshipful Brothers Frank Somers, William Bell, H. A. E. Kent, J. L. Hughes, John McMillan, W. D. McPherson, John Hewitt and Harry Lovelock.

The County Orange Lodge grew significantly for the next several years and was sub-divided itself into three District Lodges (Centre, Eastern and Western) in 1876.

Submitted by John Wells, County Secretary (February 28th, 2011).

County of Toronto in 1860

The County Orange Lodge of Toronto was comprised of the following lodges:

■  Nassau L.O.L. No. 4
■ L.O.L. No. 136
■  L.O.L. No. 137
■ William III L.O.L. No. 140
■ Royal Canadian L.O.L. No. 212
■ McKinley L.O.L. No. 275
■  L.O.L. No. 287
■  L.O.L. No. 301
■  L.O.L. No. 328
■ Pride of York L.O.L. No. 375
■ Duke of York L.O.L. No. 396
■ Brunswick L.O.L. No. 404
■  L.O.L. No. 506
■ L.O.L. No. 551
■ L.O.L. No. 588
■ L.O.L. No. 621
■ L.O.L. No. 657
■ L.O.L. No. 781

Vertical Divider

Metro Toronto House of Orange

The total membership was 1140, an average of 60 members to each lodge. The warrants of four of these lodges (4, 136, 137 and 140) pre-date the incorporation of Toronto itself in 1834.

Official Orange Souvenir in honour of the Two Hundredth and Twelfth Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne

156th Annual Session of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto

County Master of Toronto and Associate Officers at the Metro Toronto House of Orange in 2015.

The 156th Annual Session of the County Orange Lodge of Toronto took place on Saturday January 24th 2015 at the County Orange Hall of Toronto located at 417 Kennedy Road in Scarborough, Ontario. The meeting began at 10 a.m.

Reports of the years activities, as well as reports of committees were presented for the memberships information and approval. Along with the usual business of the day the County Master, Rt. Wor. Bro. Donald Guy welcomed the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ontario West, Rt. Wor. Bro. Keith Wright and the Most Wor. Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada M. Wr. Bro. John Chalmers.

At the conclusion of the afternoon the County Master Bro. Donald Guy called upon the Grand Master Bro. Keith Wright to conduct the election of officers of the County of Toronto for the year 2015.

The results of the election are as follows: