The “Township of Flamborough West’ was in 1873 a truly agricultural community and through it ran the “Galt
Road,’ from Dundas to Galt, today the King’s Highway No. 8, conveniently serving Dufferin Lodge. But in 1873
it served rural inhabitants whose family names are still heard today – Weir, Betzner, Dyment, Neff, Jones,
Crooks, and so many others. Adam Crooks, for whom Crooks Hollow Road is named, appears to have then
owned the land on which Dufferin Lodge is now located.
However, in 1873 Dufferin Lodge had no home, indeed it had barely achieved life. An agreement had been
reached in 1872 with Valley Lodge No. 100, of Dundas, to permit a new lodge in West Flamborough, 5
brethren avowing intent, together with 3 supportive visitors, met January 9th, 1873, in a room over the West
Flamborough Blacksmith Shop owned by one of the brethren, Bro. Alfred Jones, to start the first 15 years. At
that first meeting in.1873, applications for membership were received from Mr. John Dodd and Mr. Robert
Peebles and although we hear nothing more of these brethren, their admittance into the Craft made seven.
Dufferin Lodge was now perfect.
Apparently, that philosophy of perfection was not balanced by a philosophy of realism as in 1888 a motion of
the lodge was recorded that steps be taken to dissolve the lodge and surrender the charter within six months.
A later motion, in 1889, that amalgamation with Valley Lodge be investigated, was passed and negotiations
were started. Valley Lodge passed the necessary motion approving the amalgamation and the demise of
Dufferin Lodge appeared imminent. However, Dufferin Lodge was unable to muster a quorum to ratify the
agreement and so by its inability to die, it maintained life. It is probably safe to assume that the amalgamation
agreement will now never be ratified.
The room in which the 8 brethren met in 1873 remained as the lodge meeting room for 38 years until 1911
when it became obvious that larger quarters were needed. Wor. Bro. Alfred Jones, one of the founders and the
owner of the lodge building, offered them the use of a frame carriage house on the same property and this
change solved the immediate problem. After Wor. Bro Jones’ death in late 1917, negotiations were begun to
purchase the present building from the Methodist Church Trustee Board. In early 1918 the purchase was
completed for $550.00, a sum which appears totally ridiculous today. In June of that year the lodge room with
its new furnishings was completed and the first new meeting was held there. R.W. Bro. George Jones was in
July 1918 the first candidate initiated in the new lodge room. In 1931 he was elected to be the Worshipful
Master and in 1954 to be the D.D.G.M. Hamilton District A.
In 1968, after 50 years in our present building, reminiscences by R.W. Bro. George Jones brought the lodge of
those years alive. It appears from the minutes that there was a building committee almost continuously, from
the start – repairing. remodelling, refurbishing and redecorating. Just two years after purchase, the building
committee had electric power and electric lighting installed. At times they seemed to go out of their way to
create work! In 1948 during Dufferin’s 75 th Anniversary celebrations, the banquet room floor collapsed. The
viewers of the spectacle included the M.W. The Grand Master, T. Hamilton Simpson and many other
distinguished Grand Lodge personalities. The extremely large gathering was just too much for the floor which
had stood for over 70 years and succumbed to dry rot. There is no doubt that both spectators and participants
will have long remembered this event. It was fortunate that no one was injured and the good humour of those
dumped into the crawl space saved the occasion.
Now in 2024, Dufferin is transitioning to maintain the strength and continuity as we amalgamate with
Waterdown. The benefit of age and experience is that it produces competence, stability and respectability.
Over the last 150 years, Dufferin Lodge has consistently demonstrated these qualities. We have only
perfection to achieve, and it is certain this will prevail in our new Lodge, Flamborough 357.
