Clift Masonic Lodge No. 3694
Clift Lodge No. 3694 of the English Constitution of the Masonic Order was instituted on December 10, 1913 on Bell Island. It is No. 10 of the Masonic Lodges of Newfoundland. 32 members of the fraternity travelled from St. John's to attend the event. They journeyed by train to Kelligrews and crossed to the Island on the Mary. They were among the first passengers to be carried from the ferry at The Beach to the top of the hill on the newly installed Tramway. The opening ceremony of Clift Lodge was conducted by District Grand Master J.A. Clift, for whom the Lodge was named.
The founders and charter members of Clift Lodge were: John J. MacKenzie, William N. Butler, Jacob B. Cox, G.S. Hayden, Alfred Rees, John H. Bennett, George L. Dickson, Thomas Blackwood, A.R. Proudfoot, C.F. Taylor, George Stewart, Dr. C.A. Ames, J.C. Stewart, W.H. Pike, A. MacDonald, J.J. Miller, and W.J. Green.
The first officers of Clift Lodge were:
Worshipful Master: Brother J.J. MacKenzie
S.W.: Brother W.N. Butler
J.W.: Brother J.B. Cox
Treasurer: Brother J.J. Miller
Secretary: Brother A.R. Proudfoot
S.D.: Brother G.L. Dickson
J.D.: Brother J.C. Stewart
I.G.: Brother G.S. Hayden
Tyler: Brother A. Rees
On June 22, 1920, the new lodge room (Masonic Hall) of Clift Lodge was dedicated and consecrated by the following brethren from St. John's: J.A. Clift, S.G. Collier, W.J. Edgar, Hon. S.D. Blandford, W.N. Gray, and R.F. Goodridge. Officers of the Lodge were installed during their visit with C.F. Taylor as Worshipful Master and William Howell, Secretary. The rank of D.G.S.D. was conferred on the immediate past Worshipful Master, Rev. J. Stead. The photo below is of the Masonic Hall in 1928, eight years after it was built and 15 years after Clift Lodge was formed. The hall is located at 163 Main Street, on the west side of the street just south of Town Square and opposite the building that housed the Happy Home Lodge of the Loyal Orange Association. The Hall is still standing and the Lodge still active in 2019. Photo courtesy of A&SC, MUN Library.
The founders and charter members of Clift Lodge were: John J. MacKenzie, William N. Butler, Jacob B. Cox, G.S. Hayden, Alfred Rees, John H. Bennett, George L. Dickson, Thomas Blackwood, A.R. Proudfoot, C.F. Taylor, George Stewart, Dr. C.A. Ames, J.C. Stewart, W.H. Pike, A. MacDonald, J.J. Miller, and W.J. Green.
The first officers of Clift Lodge were:
Worshipful Master: Brother J.J. MacKenzie
S.W.: Brother W.N. Butler
J.W.: Brother J.B. Cox
Treasurer: Brother J.J. Miller
Secretary: Brother A.R. Proudfoot
S.D.: Brother G.L. Dickson
J.D.: Brother J.C. Stewart
I.G.: Brother G.S. Hayden
Tyler: Brother A. Rees
On June 22, 1920, the new lodge room (Masonic Hall) of Clift Lodge was dedicated and consecrated by the following brethren from St. John's: J.A. Clift, S.G. Collier, W.J. Edgar, Hon. S.D. Blandford, W.N. Gray, and R.F. Goodridge. Officers of the Lodge were installed during their visit with C.F. Taylor as Worshipful Master and William Howell, Secretary. The rank of D.G.S.D. was conferred on the immediate past Worshipful Master, Rev. J. Stead. The photo below is of the Masonic Hall in 1928, eight years after it was built and 15 years after Clift Lodge was formed. The hall is located at 163 Main Street, on the west side of the street just south of Town Square and opposite the building that housed the Happy Home Lodge of the Loyal Orange Association. The Hall is still standing and the Lodge still active in 2019. Photo courtesy of A&SC, MUN Library.
In the photo below, the Masonic Hall is the 2-storey building on the right, partially obscured by the bungalow in the foreground. The veranda can be seen immediately left of the bungalow. The top-floor front bay windows have been replaced by regular vertical windows. This print was acquired from Henry Crane in 1995. The photographer is standing at the top of Town Square looking south on Main Street. Avalon Telephone building is on the left. Gus Murphy, tinsmith, had the 2-storey on the right beyond the truck. Lily Carbage lived in the small bungalow in the 1940s. Prince's Theatre is out of the picture on the right, as is Hughie's Snack Bar. Photo is late 1950s to early 1960s.
Below is the Masonic Hall (Clift Lodge) in August 2005. The "No. 10" on the plaque above the door represents the fact that this was the 10th Masonic Lodge formed in Newfoundland. Photo by Gail Hussey-Weir.
While searching the Ancestry website for something else, I came across the following four pages of ledger information on the members of the Clift Masonic Lodge from its formation in 1913 up to 1921. The ledger was part of the "United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921," with this particular register being "United Grand Lodge of England, 1910-1921, Membership Registers: Country Q 3689-4385." Other Masonic lodges in the Register were from the far reaches of the world, such as Queensland, Australia, and South Africa. These two pages were the only ones for Bell Island. The information for Clift Masonic Lodge must have been sent to the United Grand Lodge in England, where it was transcribed into this ledger. I took screen shots of four sections of each of the two pages. The first image below is of the top left hand side of page 4 of the ledger, which is where the information for Clift Masonic Lodge begins. The next image is of the top right hand side of page 4.
The next image below is of the bottom left hand side of page 4 of the ledger. [Note: I believe the occupation for Arthur Pitts Rees (#7 counting up from the bottom of the page) was transcribed incorrectly. He was listed as "machinist foreman" in the 1919 Directory for Bell Island, Census data, etc., with no indication he was a merchant as listed below.] The next image is of the bottom right hand side of page 4.
The next image below is of the top left hand side of page 5 of the ledger. The next image is of the top right hand side of page 5. Because the handwriting on page 5 is difficult to read, I have transcribed the names and their occupations here. Information in square brackets is from the 1919 Directory for Bell Island:
Charles Edwin Feaver, Clerk
Walter Squires, Manager [Bell Island Transportation Company]
Alonzo William Howe, Clerk [Scotia Company Warehouse]
Thomas Skanes, Electrician
Lauchlin McLean, Mine Superintendent
John Archibald McLean, Sergeant of Police [DISCO]
George Arthur Harvey, Electrician [Superintendent of Power Plant, DISCO]
Walter Nichols, Merchant [general store]
Clarence Whiteway Skanes, Chemist
Edward Bennett, Merchant [groceries & provisions]
Alexander Tilley, Surveyor
Nathaniel Sheppard, Blacksmith
Albert William Bursey, Electrician
John Courtenay Mews, Surveyor
Frank Godden, Clerk
John Burton Gilliatt, Engineer
James Robert Allen, Electrician
Walter Stewart Sellars, Clerk
John Duncan Bartlett, Clerk
Charles Oakley Butler, Clerk
Ananias Rees, Machinist
Stanley Alfred Skanes? (First letter is "S." Remainder of surname is smeared ink.) Draftsman
George Arnold Mowat, Banking [Manager, Bank of Nova Scotia]
Charles McFarlane Foote, Storekeeper [Manager of Scotia Company Warehouse]
Henry Matthew Skanes, Electrician
Nathan Cohen, Bookkeeper [Merchant]
John Lorraine Cavanagh, Electrician [Mining Engineer]
Jacob Bennett Cox, Merchant [sic: Sergeant of Police]
John Fylear, Merchant
Walter Nicholas, Merchant
Fred Rice Rand, Chemist
Thomas Nelson Shave, Clerk
John Marshall LeDrew, Bookkeeper
Levi Shepherd, Police Officer
Robert George Watson, Mechanical Engineer
Charles Edwin Feaver, Clerk
Walter Squires, Manager [Bell Island Transportation Company]
Alonzo William Howe, Clerk [Scotia Company Warehouse]
Thomas Skanes, Electrician
Lauchlin McLean, Mine Superintendent
John Archibald McLean, Sergeant of Police [DISCO]
George Arthur Harvey, Electrician [Superintendent of Power Plant, DISCO]
Walter Nichols, Merchant [general store]
Clarence Whiteway Skanes, Chemist
Edward Bennett, Merchant [groceries & provisions]
Alexander Tilley, Surveyor
Nathaniel Sheppard, Blacksmith
Albert William Bursey, Electrician
John Courtenay Mews, Surveyor
Frank Godden, Clerk
John Burton Gilliatt, Engineer
James Robert Allen, Electrician
Walter Stewart Sellars, Clerk
John Duncan Bartlett, Clerk
Charles Oakley Butler, Clerk
Ananias Rees, Machinist
Stanley Alfred Skanes? (First letter is "S." Remainder of surname is smeared ink.) Draftsman
George Arnold Mowat, Banking [Manager, Bank of Nova Scotia]
Charles McFarlane Foote, Storekeeper [Manager of Scotia Company Warehouse]
Henry Matthew Skanes, Electrician
Nathan Cohen, Bookkeeper [Merchant]
John Lorraine Cavanagh, Electrician [Mining Engineer]
Jacob Bennett Cox, Merchant [sic: Sergeant of Police]
John Fylear, Merchant
Walter Nicholas, Merchant
Fred Rice Rand, Chemist
Thomas Nelson Shave, Clerk
John Marshall LeDrew, Bookkeeper
Levi Shepherd, Police Officer
Robert George Watson, Mechanical Engineer
The next image below is of the bottom left hand side of page 5 of the ledger. The next image is of the bottom right hand side of page 5.
Information on Freemasonry from the website of the Grand Lodge of Newfoundland & Labrador, glnl.ca:
Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest fraternal societies. Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms and use stonemason’s customs and tools as allegorical guides.
The Essential Qualification for Membership:
The essential qualification for admission into and continuing membership is a belief in a Supreme Being. Membership is open to men of any race or religion who can fulfil this essential qualification and are of good repute.
Freemasonry and Religion:
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. Its essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. It does not allow religion to be discussed at its meetings.
Guiding Principles:
Brotherly Love – Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.
Relief – Freemasons are taught to practise charity, and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Truth – Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
Freemasons believe that these principles represent a way of achieving higher standards in life.
The 1973 photo below features the following Mason members:
Front Row, L-R: Bill Ash, Larry Harvey, Lloyd King, Gordon Skanes, Jack Rees and Tom Lamswood.
Middle, L-R: Harry Tucker, Roy Hookey, Albert Butler, Harold Miller, Lloyd Noseworthy, Clarence Atkins, Lester Rose, Harry French, Arthur Bennett and Bobby Hibbs.
Back, L-R: Clayton King, Walter Fillier, Robert Bennett, Calvin Vokey, Joe Somerton, David Hookey and Lew Bragg.
Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest fraternal societies. Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms and use stonemason’s customs and tools as allegorical guides.
The Essential Qualification for Membership:
The essential qualification for admission into and continuing membership is a belief in a Supreme Being. Membership is open to men of any race or religion who can fulfil this essential qualification and are of good repute.
Freemasonry and Religion:
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. Its essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. It does not allow religion to be discussed at its meetings.
Guiding Principles:
Brotherly Love – Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.
Relief – Freemasons are taught to practise charity, and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Truth – Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
Freemasons believe that these principles represent a way of achieving higher standards in life.
The 1973 photo below features the following Mason members:
Front Row, L-R: Bill Ash, Larry Harvey, Lloyd King, Gordon Skanes, Jack Rees and Tom Lamswood.
Middle, L-R: Harry Tucker, Roy Hookey, Albert Butler, Harold Miller, Lloyd Noseworthy, Clarence Atkins, Lester Rose, Harry French, Arthur Bennett and Bobby Hibbs.
Back, L-R: Clayton King, Walter Fillier, Robert Bennett, Calvin Vokey, Joe Somerton, David Hookey and Lew Bragg.
In the 1973 photo below:
Front Row, L-R: Joe Somerton, Larry Harvey, Lloyd King, Gordon Skanes, Bill Ash, Clayton King and Jack Rees.
Back Row, L-R: Don Bennett, Harold Miller, Harry Tucker, Bobby Hibbs, Roy Hookey and Albert Butler.
These 2 photos from album of Arthur N. Bennett, courtesy of Lydia Bennett, with info from Don Bennett.
Front Row, L-R: Joe Somerton, Larry Harvey, Lloyd King, Gordon Skanes, Bill Ash, Clayton King and Jack Rees.
Back Row, L-R: Don Bennett, Harold Miller, Harry Tucker, Bobby Hibbs, Roy Hookey and Albert Butler.
These 2 photos from album of Arthur N. Bennett, courtesy of Lydia Bennett, with info from Don Bennett.
Below are members of Clift Masonic Lodge No. 3694 at the Bell Island War Memorial on November 11, 2019. Photo from Clift Masonic Lodge Facebook page. L-R: John Hussey, Ron Moores, Will Lomar (wearing beret), Rick Clarke, Colin Young, Chellis Parsons, Steven Fitzgerald, Martin Hurley, Don Bennett.
