Prospect Lodge is located at 1371 Lynn Valley Road in North Vancouver, B.C. Canada and our meetings are generally held on the second and fourth Monday of the month.

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History

During the year 1957 Wor. Bro. Donald M. McLachlan occupied the chair in King David Lodge No. 93, West Vancouver, B.C., and in his year of office visited a great number of lodges both on the North Shore and in Vancouver. He encountered a large number of Freemasons who were unaffiliated, some having moved here from the East a number of years before, and of course many who had recently arrived.

There were also many members of King David Lodge No. 93 who could seldom get to the Friday night meetings as so many businesses had recently commenced staying open on that evening. Wor. Bro. D.M. McLachlan concluded from his careful observations that there was a need for a new lodge,not sponsored by his Mother Lodge, but a new lodge practicing the new Canadian Ritual recently published by Grand Lo4ge.

At the completion of his year in office he approached Rt. Wor. Bro. George A. Small and Rt. Wor. Bro. Martin C. Davidson and both agreed that a new lodge was almost an urgency.

During the early organization it became apparent that a Past Master of considerable experience to assume the office of Secretary was of major importance. Rt. Wor. Bro. George A. Small knew two Past Masters who might be interested. Both were approached with the idea of them taking the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. It is interesting to note that Rt. Wor. Bro. Harry C. Scarlett and Wor. Bro. Frank J. Skinner were both raised in Composite Lodge No. 76 by Harry Scarlett’s father, who was then Worshipful Master of the L Due to their private avocations one stayed to go through the Chairs in his Mother Lodge and the other, Wor. Bro. Frank J. Skinner moved to Prince Rupert, affiliated, and went through the Chairs in Tyee Lodge No. 66. A few years ago they became neighbours in West Vancouver. It was these two worthy and Worshipful brethren who took the offices in the new lodge: Rt. Wor. Bro. H.C. Scarlett as Treasurer, and Wor. Bro. F.J. Skinner as Secretary.

Now Wor. Bro. D.M. McLachlan and Wor. Bro. F.J. Skinner set to work with vigor. A visit to Grand Lodge made it clear that a brother who had served the office of warden for one year must be found.

During the early part of our history Wor. Bro. J.M. McLachlan had listed forty or fifty names, most of whom were unaffiliated Freemasons. A meeting was called for November 19, 1958, and attended by thirty-five brethren. A tentative name, Sunset, was adopted, a committee formed to collect other choices, and a report to be made at the next meeting was recorded. During this time Senior Wor. Bro. D.M. McLachlan had selected Bro. Les L.Hayes as senior warden. Not only was Bro. L. Hales unaffiliated but he had served as warden in the East only to have his masonic career there halted by moving to the West Coast. The choice was approvead by Grand Lodge and a meeting was called for December 17, 1958.

At the second meeting the committee had among others the name of “Prospect, and a show of hands selected this name as the most appropriate. Wor. Bro. D.M. McLachlan now proclaimed his officers and a list of sixty-five names composing the Founder Members went to Grand Lodge with the request for a Dispensation to practice the new Canadian Ritual at the Masonic Hall in West Vancouver.

The happy result was the granting of the Dispensation and a meeting called for Saturday, January 17th, 1959, to institute the lodge with Wor. Bro. Donald M. McLachlan as Worshipful Master designate. There was considerable strength in the new lodge inasmuch as nine Past Masters had joined with enthusiasm.

At eight p.m. Saturday, January 17th, 1959, the members, visitors and officers seated themselves in the Lodge Hall. A few minutes later Rt. Wor. Bro. Martin C. Davidson, D.D.G.M., District No. 17, entered the Lodge room accompanied by many members of Grand Lodge. Rt. Wor. Bro. M.C. Davidson called the meeting to order and Most Wor. Bro. J.H.N. Morgan, Grand Secretary, read the Dispensation. The Wor. Master designate was sitting among the brethren as were all his officers. They were then called before the East where Rt. Wor. Bro. George A. Small, D.D.G.M. District No.24, invested each with his badge of office. Very Wor. Bro. W.C. Werthner, Grand Director of Ceremonies, escorted each officer to his station.

The lodge was then opened on the Master Degree by Wor. Bro. Frank Millerd, Wor. Master of King David Lodge No. 93. Other Grand Lodge Officers taking part at the Institution were Most Wor. Bro. Laurence Healey, Rt. Wor. Bro. James R. Mitchell and V. Wor. Bro. Fred C. .Page. It was noted with regret that Most Wor. Bro. Donald A. Stewart, who was ill, could not attend.

After the gavel had been handed to the Wor. Master, he was presented with a beautiful Master’s collar and jewel, the personal gift of Rt.Wor. Bro. Martin C. Davidson, D.D.G.M., District No. 17. After Grand Lodge retired, “Prospect Lodge”U.D. closed in prescribed form. There were present at the meeting two hundred brethren. In the banquet hall, speeches were made by Most Wor. Bro. J.H.N. Morgan, Rt. Wor. Bro. James R. Mitchell and Rt. Wor. Bro. George A. Small, and many of the visiting brethren.

The first Regular Meeting was called for February 9,1959. On the second meeting March 9, 1959, the Lodge ballotted for the first time with the result that the third meeting, held March 23, 1959, was an emergent Entered Apprentice Degree. We conferred this degree on Mr. Robert Ramsey McLachlan, bro. of the Wor. Master of “Prospect Lodge”, U.D.

Mr. Robert Ramsey McLachlan had’waited especially for the organization of Prospect Lodge U.D. and it was a very impressive evening. On April 13 a Regular Meeting was held and the F.C. Degree was conferred on. Bro. Robert R. McLachlan.

On Saturday, April 25, 1959, a number of the officers and brethren accompanied Rt. Wor. Bro. Martin C. Davidson, D.D.G.M., District No. 17, on his official visit to Mount Garibaldi Lodge, Squamish, B.C., where the Entered Apprentice Degree was conferred on one of their candidates. A Regular Meeting was held on May 11, 1959, and Rt. Wor. Bro. Martin C. Davidson was officially received as D.D.G.M. of District No. 17. The Fellowcraft Degree was conferred on Bro. R.H.Avery and Bro. C.A. Smith.

It is of historical interest that the members of “Prospect Lodge” U.D. formed an entertainment committee and the first “Ladies Night” was held on Saturday, May 23, 1959. The members, their ladies and friends in attendance, numbered one hundred and thirty.

At a meeting held May 25, 1959, Bro. Robert R. McLachlan was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, becoming the first brother so raised in Prospect Lodge. As Grand Lodge was to convene in June, our Dispensation was returned, to await the pleasure of Grand Lodge and no meetings were held in that month.

Wor. Bro. Donald M. McLachlan, Wor. Bro. H.J. Harrod and Bro. George Mitchell-Dwelly were present at Grand Lodge held in Victoria, B.C., to hear that Prospect Lodge U.D. had been granted a charter and was to be number 172 on the register of the Most Worshipful the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of British Columbia.

On Friday, August 28, 1959, Prospect Lodge No. 172 was consecrated. All the brethren including many visitors, assembled in the Lodge Room at 8:00 p.m. Fifteen minutes later Grand Lodge entered and the invocation was given by the Grand Chaplain, Very Wor. Bro. John R. Davies. The Deputy Grand Master, Rt. Wor. Bro. C.G. McMynn, gave his address to the Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. M.A.R Howard. As Most Wor. Bro. J.H.N. Morgan was ill and could not attend, Most Wor. Bro. Karl P. Warwick, acting as Grand Secretary, read the Warrant of Constitution.

The Grand Master then dedicated the Lodge and the Constitution was declared. The Grand Director of the Ceremonies, Very Wor. Bro. Charles Burns proclaimed the Constitution to the brethren.

Wor. Bro. Donald M. McLachlan was presented to Grand Lodge, the Antient Charges were read and the obligation taken. He was then installed as were all the officers in the prescribed manner. Grand Lodge retired at 10:00 p.m. and the Lodge was closed at 10:15 p.m.

In the banquet .all the ladies had prepared an excellent banquet and they were toasted by Wor. Bro.Harry J Harrold the response was by Mrs. D.. McLauchlan wife of the worshipful Master Toasts were given and responses made by the following brethren: Wor. Bro. Donald M. McLachlan, Bro. James Wilson, Most Wor, Bro, M.A.R.Howard, Bor. Lenoard Skinner, Rt. Wor. Bro. C.G. McMynn and Rt, Wor. Bro. George A. Small.

The two hundred and forty members and visitors sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at 11:30 p.m. after a most impressive and memorable occasion,

BRO. OEO, MITCHELL-DWELL?,Historian