Havelock Lodge No. 238 - Watford, Ontario - Established 1870

Meeting Info

Fourth Monday at 7:30pm

Closed July and August

Location

503 Huron Street, Watford, Ontario

Contact

Havelock Secretary

Located in Lambton County, approximately half-way between London and Sarnia, Watford was first called “Brown’s Corners” in 1853 after Richard Brown, an early settler. In 1854 it was renamed “Watford” after the borough in Herefordshire, England.

With the support of the District Deputy Grand Master and the Board of General Purposes, Warrant No. 238 was issued on July 14, 1870. Havelock Lodge No. 238 was consecrated on October 11, 1870.

Havelock Lodge No. 238 has met in rented rooms since being formed. The location of the lodge meeting has changed several times over the years. An effort to provide consistent comfort to members and visitors is evident by the 1909 purchase of 8 settees, each 8 feet long and made of quarter cut oak by a company in Chatham.

The brethren of Havelock Lodge No. 238 enjoyed a visit in 1922 by the man known to Canadians as General and Sir Arthur Currie, a war hero. He was warmly welcomed in the lodge as W. Bro. Arthur Currie.

A notable member of Havelock Lodge is W. Bro. Alexander Saunders. He served as Worshipful Master of the lodge in 1895, 1897, and again in 1902. He served as Grand Master (1933 - 1934) of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Ontario (Cryptic Rite). Alexander Saunders was born in Brooke Township, Lambton County, Ontario in 1862. He received his early schooling here and attended High School in Sarnia. He entered the law profession and after graduating settled in Watford, Ontario, where he practiced until 1903. During this time, he took an active interest in local affairs and served for several years on the Municipal Council. In February 1903 he was appointed Local Registrar of the High Court of Justice, Registrar of the Surrogate Court and Clerk of the County Court of Lambton County, necessitating a move to Sarnia.

Havelock Lodge No. 238 enjoys warm fraternal relations with the other lodges in Sarnia District. This led to the decision by Alvinston Lodge No. 323 to amalgamate with Havelock Lodge No. 238. This was accomplished in 2001. Some of the lodge furnishings of Alvinston Lodge No. 323 are proudly displayed in the Havelock Lodge No. 238 lodge room.

A notable member of Alvinston Lodge No. 323 was Bro. Joseph Ross Yorke. After becoming a Mason in Alvinston Lodge No. 323 he moved to Saskatchewan and became Grand First Principal (1929 - 1930) of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Saskatchewan, Grand Master (1935 - 1936) of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan A.F. & A.M. as well as Grand Master (1937 - 1938) of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Ontario (Cryptic Rite).

During its existence, eleven members of Havelock Lodge have served as DDGM: R. W. Bros. N. J. Lindsay (St. Clair #1, 1882 - 1883), Archibald Jamieson (St. Clair #1, 1883 - 1884), Frederick Goodier (St. Clair #1, 1893 - 1884), Alexander Saunders (St. Clair #2, 1901 - 1902), Richard Williamson (St. Clair #2, 1922 - 1923), Paul Shirley Kingston (Sarnia, 1938 - 1939), George C. Searson (Sarnia, 1961 - 1962), Frederick N. Leaver (Sarnia, 1990 - 1991), Thomas J. Keith (Sarnia, 2005 - 2006) and Ivan A. Bryce (2016 – 2017, and 2022 - 2024).

For 1902 – 1903 the Grand Sword Bearer was V. W. Bro. William E. Fitzgerald of Havelock Lodge No. 238.

Other members of the Lodge have distinguished service to our Grand Lodge as Grand Steward including: V. W. Bros. H. Williams (1894 - 1895), Orlo Jacklin (1923 - 1924), Joseph Dorricott4 (1931 - 1932), James Menzies (1939 - 1940), Gerrard S. Cowan (1962 - 1963), D. Edward Fisher (1970 - 1971), David S. Wilson (1991 - 1992), F. Carlyle Searson (2006 - 2007), Randal Ripley (2022-2023) and Kevin Sitzes (2023 – 2024).

Havelock Lodge was originally a moon lodge and met on the Tuesday before the full moon. In 1937 - 1938 it changed its meeting night to the third Tuesday. In 2001 - 2002 the Lodge again changed its meeting night and now meets on the fourth Monday of each month from September to June inclusive at the Masonic Hall, 5286 Nauvoo Road, Watford.