Gray Masonic Lodge #176
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (AF and AM)
Prepared by Worshipful Brother (W. Bro) T. V. Hannan, Former Secretary
1922 July 4 While in attendance at a Gray Sports Day a few members of the Masonic Order who were residing in the district discussed the matter of forming a Masonic Lodge in Gray. A canvass was made of the district and sufficient numbers were interested in investigating further. A meeting was held in the elevator office of Charles Bunn and included Walter Dunning, Homer B. Ashford, A. E. Staton, Merrill Clark and Charles Bunn. The group decided to take the necessary action required for the formation of Gray Lodge. They adopted a name for the lodge and elected their first officers. It was necessary to ascertain from the surrounding lodges - Milestone, Lang, Rouleau, Regina - if there were any objections to the formation. There being none, a petition for dispensation was forwarded to the Grand Lodge office. The procedure took considerable time.
1923 March 29 dispensation was granted. Since there was no lodge hall at the time, and no suitable place to hold a meeting, permission was secured from the local school board to use one of the classrooms. On March 30 Gray Lodge was instituted and the officers invested under the direction of Worshipful Brothers J. Robb and J. Adams of Assiniboia Lodge, Regina.
The inaugural officers were:
Worshipful Master (WM) Homer B. Ashford
Senior Warden (SW) Merrill Clark
Junior Deacon (JD) James S. Rice
Senior Steward (SS) A. F. Gunderson
Junior Warden (JW) Walter Dunning
Secretary - Charles H. Bunn
Treasurer - Thomas S. Swan
Senior Deacon (SD) John R. Bunn
Junior Steward (JS) Charles Torville
Inner Guard (IG) O. R. Holland
Tyler - Richard E. Miller
In June, Gray Lodge was granted its Charter and was numbered 176. In October of that same year the Lodge was consecrated by Most Worshipful (MW) Brother W. B. Tate (in the absence of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master) and assisted by other Grand Lodge officers. The majority of the Charter members included the first corps of officers. Several candidates were initiated in 1923 - in May: W. E. Lafoy, Frederick B. Lewis, John McPherson and Edward Smith and in November; Walter O. Eichenberger and C.C. Gillis. In December, the decision was made to purchase the unused Buck Lake Methodist Church (built 1893) and move it to Gray.
1924 In January, Norman McGillivray was initiated. That March, the Buck Lake Methodist Church was mounted on skids and moved by real horsepower - 24 of them. The building was then prepared to serve as a lodge hall. The original furnishings required for the lodge were built by volunteer labor and many of the furnishings, although not in use, still remained in the lodge hall at the time of the 50th Anniversary in 1972, evidence of the enthusiastic brethren who had the foresight to work for the benefit of all. Through the years, several presentations have been made to the lodge. On July 11, some 24 members of Banner Lodge - Regina, visited Gray Lodge and presented markers for the altar Bible as a token of fraternal love on the occasion of the consecration of the Masonic Temple. (As an aside, in February 1970, when Banner Lodge celebrated its 50th Anniversary, the same altar Bible and markers were used at their meeting.)
1926 King Hiram Lodge - Regina, visited Gray Lodge and presented a gavel for the Worshipful Master to use during the meetings. As a point of interest, a Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star (OES) was formed in March of this year – and surrendered its charter in 1937.
1938 on the occasion of a Past Master's Night, Worshipful Brother (W Bro.) Homer B. Ashford, the first Worshipful Master of the lodge acted as the Worshipful Master for the meeting.
1948 June celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the lodge along with the regular installation of the officers. The meeting was preceded by a banquet in the basement of the United Church. Special guests included Charter members - Homer B. Ashford, Walter Dunning, John R. Bunn, Charles Torville and Richard E. Miller - who were each presented with Life Memberships.
1952 four of the Charter members; Walter Dunning, Charles Torville, John R. Bunn and Richard E. Millar presented a new altar Bible. The lodge was also honored to have a new altar presented by the Burwell family in memory of Right Worshipful Brother (RW Bro.) Jack A. Burwell. At the same time, the Purves family presented new pedestals in memory of Brother Wm. Purves.
1958 35th Anniversary celebrations included four Charter Members being present - Homer B. Ashford, John R. Bunn, Walter Dunning and Charles Torville.
1972 November 50th Anniversary include a banquet attended by representatives from all lodges in the District as well as from Regina. There were 46 members. Non-resident members were spread from British Columbia to Ontario and from California to Alaska.
1976 December 6 Lang Lodge #34 (due to a decline in memberships) amalgamated with Gray Lodge at a ceremony held in Gray.
1982 December Gray Lodge amalgamated with Milestone Lodge. Some of the furnishings (altar and the pedestals) were taken to Milestone and used there. The building and property were sold to Worshipful Brother (W. Bro) Hugh McGillivray and still remain with his family.
Gray Lodge has been noted over the years for being a ‘family’ lodge. As early as 1926, we find recorded a unique event - a father (Paul Humbert) and son (Laverne) were initiated at the same time. In 1927, this event was repeated again when William B. Gillis and son Ken C. Gillis were initiated. Similar occurrences were recorded throughout the years - a father and three sons, four brothers from one family, three generations - grandfather, father and son. The records also indicate that on many occasions members were honored for 50-Year and Life Memberships.
The records indicate that the members of Gray Lodge were active in visitation of other lodges and on many occasions presented degree work.
by Tom Hannan 1984 the ties that bind pg 367 (edited for website)
1922 July 4 While in attendance at a Gray Sports Day a few members of the Masonic Order who were residing in the district discussed the matter of forming a Masonic Lodge in Gray. A canvass was made of the district and sufficient numbers were interested in investigating further. A meeting was held in the elevator office of Charles Bunn and included Walter Dunning, Homer B. Ashford, A. E. Staton, Merrill Clark and Charles Bunn. The group decided to take the necessary action required for the formation of Gray Lodge. They adopted a name for the lodge and elected their first officers. It was necessary to ascertain from the surrounding lodges - Milestone, Lang, Rouleau, Regina - if there were any objections to the formation. There being none, a petition for dispensation was forwarded to the Grand Lodge office. The procedure took considerable time.
1923 March 29 dispensation was granted. Since there was no lodge hall at the time, and no suitable place to hold a meeting, permission was secured from the local school board to use one of the classrooms. On March 30 Gray Lodge was instituted and the officers invested under the direction of Worshipful Brothers J. Robb and J. Adams of Assiniboia Lodge, Regina.
The inaugural officers were:
Worshipful Master (WM) Homer B. Ashford
Senior Warden (SW) Merrill Clark
Junior Deacon (JD) James S. Rice
Senior Steward (SS) A. F. Gunderson
Junior Warden (JW) Walter Dunning
Secretary - Charles H. Bunn
Treasurer - Thomas S. Swan
Senior Deacon (SD) John R. Bunn
Junior Steward (JS) Charles Torville
Inner Guard (IG) O. R. Holland
Tyler - Richard E. Miller
In June, Gray Lodge was granted its Charter and was numbered 176. In October of that same year the Lodge was consecrated by Most Worshipful (MW) Brother W. B. Tate (in the absence of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master) and assisted by other Grand Lodge officers. The majority of the Charter members included the first corps of officers. Several candidates were initiated in 1923 - in May: W. E. Lafoy, Frederick B. Lewis, John McPherson and Edward Smith and in November; Walter O. Eichenberger and C.C. Gillis. In December, the decision was made to purchase the unused Buck Lake Methodist Church (built 1893) and move it to Gray.
1924 In January, Norman McGillivray was initiated. That March, the Buck Lake Methodist Church was mounted on skids and moved by real horsepower - 24 of them. The building was then prepared to serve as a lodge hall. The original furnishings required for the lodge were built by volunteer labor and many of the furnishings, although not in use, still remained in the lodge hall at the time of the 50th Anniversary in 1972, evidence of the enthusiastic brethren who had the foresight to work for the benefit of all. Through the years, several presentations have been made to the lodge. On July 11, some 24 members of Banner Lodge - Regina, visited Gray Lodge and presented markers for the altar Bible as a token of fraternal love on the occasion of the consecration of the Masonic Temple. (As an aside, in February 1970, when Banner Lodge celebrated its 50th Anniversary, the same altar Bible and markers were used at their meeting.)
1926 King Hiram Lodge - Regina, visited Gray Lodge and presented a gavel for the Worshipful Master to use during the meetings. As a point of interest, a Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star (OES) was formed in March of this year – and surrendered its charter in 1937.
1938 on the occasion of a Past Master's Night, Worshipful Brother (W Bro.) Homer B. Ashford, the first Worshipful Master of the lodge acted as the Worshipful Master for the meeting.
1948 June celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the lodge along with the regular installation of the officers. The meeting was preceded by a banquet in the basement of the United Church. Special guests included Charter members - Homer B. Ashford, Walter Dunning, John R. Bunn, Charles Torville and Richard E. Miller - who were each presented with Life Memberships.
1952 four of the Charter members; Walter Dunning, Charles Torville, John R. Bunn and Richard E. Millar presented a new altar Bible. The lodge was also honored to have a new altar presented by the Burwell family in memory of Right Worshipful Brother (RW Bro.) Jack A. Burwell. At the same time, the Purves family presented new pedestals in memory of Brother Wm. Purves.
1958 35th Anniversary celebrations included four Charter Members being present - Homer B. Ashford, John R. Bunn, Walter Dunning and Charles Torville.
1972 November 50th Anniversary include a banquet attended by representatives from all lodges in the District as well as from Regina. There were 46 members. Non-resident members were spread from British Columbia to Ontario and from California to Alaska.
1976 December 6 Lang Lodge #34 (due to a decline in memberships) amalgamated with Gray Lodge at a ceremony held in Gray.
1982 December Gray Lodge amalgamated with Milestone Lodge. Some of the furnishings (altar and the pedestals) were taken to Milestone and used there. The building and property were sold to Worshipful Brother (W. Bro) Hugh McGillivray and still remain with his family.
Gray Lodge has been noted over the years for being a ‘family’ lodge. As early as 1926, we find recorded a unique event - a father (Paul Humbert) and son (Laverne) were initiated at the same time. In 1927, this event was repeated again when William B. Gillis and son Ken C. Gillis were initiated. Similar occurrences were recorded throughout the years - a father and three sons, four brothers from one family, three generations - grandfather, father and son. The records also indicate that on many occasions members were honored for 50-Year and Life Memberships.
The records indicate that the members of Gray Lodge were active in visitation of other lodges and on many occasions presented degree work.
by Tom Hannan 1984 the ties that bind pg 367 (edited for website)