Masonic Temple (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador)

The Masonic Temple built in 1894 at St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada is an example of Victorian construction which includes pilasters, free-standing columns and multiple pediments. The Masonic Temple was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in April 1995.

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Construction and Design

The cornerstone was laid in a Masonic ceremony conducted by Former Newfoundland prime minister (and Freemason) Sir William Whiteway held on August 23, 1894.

The building was constructed from large bricks imported from Accrington and built upon a stone foundation. It is three stories and contains several classical motifs, it includes pilasters, free-standing columns and multiple pediments. An elaborate pipe organ[1] decorates the main room which was dedicated on April 28, 1916 with a large portion of the funding contributed by Sir John Chalker Crosbie.

The Freemasons held the first Masonic meeting in the structure on November 1, 1896, but the order did not consecrate the building until April 23, 1897.

The St. John's Masonic Temple is the most architecturally impressive fraternal lodge in Newfoundland, and has the distinction of being the largest brick fraternal meeting hall in the province. As such, it holds a unique place in the architectural history of the province, and stands as an important example of Victorian lodge construction even when viewed in a much wider Canadian context.[2]

Use Post-Temple

The last Masonic meeting in the temple was held in June 2007, and there is no longer any Masonic connection with the building, and no Masonic events are held there. A new Masonic building was constructed in Mount Pearl, and in 2018, the District Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador, Grand Lodge Scotland, marked its 150th anniversary as an organization in the province.[3]

Kathie Hicks and Peter Halley bought the building in 2008 to house their local for-profit theatre company, Spirit of Newfoundland.[4] It is used by artists of all artistic genres, with the core business being dinner and show.[5] Restoration work by the company since its purchase has run into building code and funding issues.[4]

References
  1. "Masonic Temple Organ". hiddennewfoundland. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  2. Jarvis, Dale Gilbert (1998). "A Short History of the St. John's Masonic Temple". The Trident. Southcott Edition: 6–7.
  3. Whiffen, Glen (4 May 2018). "Freemasons celebrate milestone in Newfoundland and Labrador". The Telegram. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. Kwan, Megan (10 June 2018). "Masonic Temple owners haunted by heritage holdups". CBC News. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  5. "History of the Masonic Temple by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador". Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2010-08-17.

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