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History of
Lethbridge
Lodge No. 39
The first Masonic Lodge in Lethbridge was
instituted in 1888 and granted its charter on February 14, 1889 as
North Star No. 41 on the Grand Register of Manitoba using York Rite
ritual. On October 12, 1905 sixteen lodges under the jurisdiction of
the Grand lodge of Manitoba met together in Calgary, Alberta and
formed the Grand Lodge of Alberta with a total membership of 1205.
North Star #41 on the Grand Lodge Register of Manitoba now became
North Star No.4 on the Grand lodge of Alberta.
By 1908 the town of Lethbridge had grown and
expanded to a point that the Masons of Lethbridge felt there was a
need for more than one Lodge in town. Therefore a dispensation was
applied for on March 7, 1908 for the formation of a new Lodge. The
first meeting of this new Lodge was held under dispensation on
Thursday, March 19, 1908, the charter was granted on May 30, 1908 and
the new Lodge, to be known as Lethbridge
Lodge No. 39 was constituted on July
9,1908 with 28 charter members.
In the first year Lethbridge Lodge No. 39
initiated 11 candidates and had 5 affiliations under its first Master,
W. Bro. A.C. Messer.
 The
Lodge’s first installation was a joint installation with North Star
No. 4 in December of 1908. In the next number of years the Lodge
continued to grow and by 1912 the Lodge felt it was time to sponsor a
second Canadian Rite Lodge in Lethbridge.
Consequently Lethbridge Lodge No. 39
sponsored a second Canadian Rite Lodge, which was to meet on the North
side of Lethbridge. This new Lodge was to be known as Charity Lodge
and was instituted and constituted as Charity Lodge No. 67 in 1912.
At the February 6, 1912 meeting the Lodge received
it’s first visit from a Grand Master belonging to a Lethbridge Lodge
M.W. Bro. T. McNabb and as well the first Grand Master to belong to a
Lethbridge Lodge (North Star No.4). The meeting was followed by a
joint Banquet with North Star No. 4
At the June 20 meeting in 1912 a motion was passed
invest Lodge funds in a new Masonic Hall in the form of shares. The
result was the purchase of the Sons of England Hall and the
transformed into the Masonic Hall at 315 – 10 St. South, which is the
Masonic Lodge Hall in use today.
During the First World War period from 1914 to 1918
nineteen members of the Lodge signed up to serve in the armed forces
with three paying the supreme price. In 1914 R.W. Bro. J.T. Graham
served as the DDGM of District No. 11.
The 1920’s were happier times and the membership
continued to grow and the Lodge prospered. In 1925 R. W. Bro. J.E.
Rannard served as the DDGM of District No. 7.
The 1930’s brought the depression along with
declining membership and difficult times requiring frequent calls for
charity due to the hardships being experienced by many of the members
and their families. R.W. Bro. T.R. Davidson served as the DDGM in 1931
for District #7 and R.W. Bro. W.T. Lingard in 1938.
The Second World War saw five members of
the Lodge serve overseas throughout the conflict with all returning
safely home. In 1943 R .W. Bro. P. Cull was elected DDGM for District
No. 7. During this period fraternal visits were started with Concord
Lodge No. 124 in Calgary and continue to this day. R.W. Bro. P.C.
Engle was elected DDGM for District No. 7 in 1950. In 1958 the 50
Anniversary of the Lodge was held at the Marquis Hotel under the
guidance on Lethbridge No. 39 member R.W. A.W. Rider who served as
DDGM that year.
The 1960’s brought with them many
changes including retiring the Union Jack and bringing the new flag of
the nation emblazoned with the Maple Leaf. It was during this period
that the Banff Spring Workshop came into being as a Masonic
instructional weekend. In 1969 R.W. R.H. Thornton was elected DDGM for
District No. 7.
During the 1970’s the Lodge continued to
thrive overcoming many difficulties including sickness and declining
membership and fewer candidates. A number of the Brethren took on the
responsibility of District Deputy in District No. 7 with R.W. Bro. J.A.
Norrie serving in 1976 and R.W. Bro. J. C. Moore in 1979. It was also
in 1976 that Lethbridge had another Grand Master from Lethbridge – M.W.
Bro. A. O. Aspeslet, a member of Charity No. 67. In 1979 a joint
effort was undertaken to rejuvenate the Masonic Hall creating some
retail space and upgrading the heating system and the building
exterior.
The 1980’s brought many changes to the
Lodge including many new members as well as the passing many of the
old guard. In 1983 Lethbridge No. 39 celebrated it’s 75th
anniversary with a banquet at which the Grand Master M.W. Bro. Stan
Harbin was in attendance. The grand Master was invested with the
honorary title of “ An Honorary Jerry Potts Scout” to celebrate the
occasion. The 1980’s saw two more members of Lethbridge No. 39 serve
as DDGM. In 1984 R. W. Bro. T. W. Band was elected DDGM and in 1985
R.W. Bro. P. Lewko was elected DDGM. In 1989 the Lodge published a
compilation of the “ Masonic Poems & Papers” of Bro. Tommy Topping.
In 1991 due to declining membership
Century Lodge No. 100 from Milk River amalgamated with Lethbridge No.
39 and in 1992 Lucerne-Doric Lodge No. 31, Vauxhall, amalgamated with
Lethbridge No. 39. During the 1990’s the Lodge undertook a highway
cleanup project as well as participating in the Lethbridge Air Show as
community activities in an attempt to raise the profile of Masonry in
the community. The 1990’s also saw a number of the Brethren serving in
the capacity of District Deputy for the new Chinookarch District. In
1994 R.W. Bro. W.M. Gillis served as DDGM, R.W. Bro. B. Irwin (affliated
with Lethbridge No. 39 in 1999) and in 1998 R.W. Bro. E. Wegielt was
elected as DDGM.
As the Lodge moves into the 21century
and closer to our 100 year in 2008, the Lodge we are continuing to
attract new members and maintain a steady membership. In 2003 R. W.
Bro. J.B. Hutton was elected and served as the DDGM for Chinookarch
District. Currently the Lodge participates in a number of community
activities, district barbeques, district research and education
activities, fraternal visits with Lodges outside the District, and
friend’s afternoons/evenings.
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