46th Regiment of Foot - Masonic Lodge

[wm5806]

Greetings All,

Although this is not my usual haunt in the GMIC, that being the Masonic section, there is some overlap in a post I made there yesterday.

I have a Masonic badge (or jewel) from the Lodge of Antiquity in Montreal, celebrating it's 150th Anniversary in 1902. On the badge is the number 46 and the words "South Devon", "Sevastopol" and "Salamanca", which I assume to pertain to the 46th Regiment of Foot, being the South Devons and these are their battle honours. The post can be found HERE.

My further assumption is that the Regimental Lodge settled in Montreal when they were posted there and remained behind when the Regiment left.

I would be grateful if anyone can firm up those assumptions with their knowledge of the military aspect of this Lodge.

My kindest regards,

WM5806

[Michael Johnson]

From British Regulars in Montreal:

The other military lodge which had lasting influence on local Masonry was the lodge of "Social and Military Virtues" in the 46th Regiment of Foot. Although stationed in Montreal for scarcely a year, the Masons of the 46th Regiment established fraternal relations withthe Montreal Masons and formed part of the procession at the laying of the foundation stone of the new Masonic Hall on Dalhousie Square in 1846.

[wm5806]

Thank you Michael,

I shall try to get hold of that text. However, if the Lodge of Antiquity was 150 years old in 1902, the implication is that it was warranted in 1752 and had been there for nearly 100 years before the foundation stone was laid.

Curiouser and curiouser, as one little girl was heard to say

Thanks for your help,

WM5806

[Michael Johnson]

Some more information here

It also ties the two lodges together. If there was a branch lodge in Halifax in 1756, would it be too much of a stretch to posit a foundation date of 1752 for the origin of the 46th Lodge?

In 1752 if there were any Masonic lodges in Montreal they would have been secret, since Catholics aren't allowed to join, and the French authorities would have enforced that.

Edited January 10, 2006 by Michael Johnson

[Michael Johnson]

I shall try to get hold of that text.

I would try interlibrary loan. Amazon has them used, but look at the price! British Regulars in Montreal

Abebooks is rather more reasonable.

Edited January 10, 2006 by Michael Johnson