In Memoriam: Wallace McLeod, FPS

June 3, 2020

Wallace McLeod was a Mason, a professor of classics, and a passionate researcher, writer and lecturer on all aspects of Freemasonry who applied his considerable intellectual faculties and great erudition to his work on the history of Freemasonry and its symbolism. He was equally adept at writing and lecturing on the management of the Craft.

Early in my Masonic career in Canada, I came to know Wallace and to appreciate his tremendous appeal as a speaker and educator. On a personal level, I found that his great warmth, courtesy, and engaging demeanour drew me to him and encouraged me to embrace his approach to Freemasonry.
Bro. McLeod, as a consequence of his tremendous talents, was appointed Prestonian Lecturer for the United Grand Lodge of England, was installed as the Master of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No- 2076, and served as President and as Executive Secretary of the Philalethes Society. Wallace also received many awards from premier research lodges throughout the United States and beyond. Wallace authored eleven books and numerous pamphlets, articles, and book reviews on Freemasonry, over a period of about forty years in the public Masonic forum.
Wallace was born in East Toronto on May 30, 1931. He graduated from Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1953 with a degree in Classics (Greek and Latin). He proceeded to Harvard University where he earned his master’s degree in 1954 and his doctorate in 1966.

Wallace married his wife Elizabeth, a classmate whose subject was Latin and who went on to pursue a career as a teacher of Latin. Both with scholarships, they spent two years together in Greece studying archaeology as Fellows of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens (1957–1959). A bit of the time was spent in Turkey.

On their return, after brief sessions of Wallace teaching at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut (1959), University of British Columbia (1960–1961), and University of Western Ontario (1961–1962), he returned to his Alma Mater, Victoria College. There he taught Ancient Greek Language and Literature from 1962 until his retirement as Emeritus Professor of Classics in 1996.
Wallace came from a Masonic family. His paternal grandfather was initiated into Edmonton Lodge No- 53, at that time on the Grand Register of Manitoba, on 10 February 1893. His father belonged to Mizpah Lodge No- 572, Toronto. His mother’s oldest brother was the first Master of Todmorden Lodge No- 647, Toronto. It was truly a Masonic family on both sides, as Elizabeth’s father, grandfather and great grandfather were all Masons as well as all being professors of Latin at Victoria College. Wallace was initiated into Freemasonry in his father’s lodge, in 1952, and served as its Worshipful Master in 1969.
Wallace became a charter member of The Heritage Lodge (of research) No- 730, Cambridge, Ontario in 1977 and was made an honorary member of several other Ontario lodges along the way.
In the 1970s, a large group of expatriate Hungarian Masons wanted to form their own lodge in Toronto. As the Grand Lodge of Hungary was not recognized by the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, special arrangements were mandated, including the re-initiation of the members. Wallace played a large role in mentoring them on their way under the name Andor Gero Lodge A.F & A.M. No- 726 GRC and continued to be an important part of their lodge.
He served for 15 years as the Grand Historian from 1980. During his tenure, Wallace brought the history of Freemasonry in Ontario to life through his publications and entertaining lectures.
He was appointed to the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario in July of 1972, where he served until 1982; he was an honorary member from 1989 until 1993. By virtue of his election, he carried the rank of Honorary Past Grand Senior Warden. During those years he served at various times as the chairman of the standing committees on the Library and on Masonic Education, and of the Special Committee on Publications. He was a Director of the Masonic Foundation of Ontario from 1976 to 1995, serving as Chairman of its Committee on Bursaries from 1981 until 1995 and as its president from 1993 to 1994. From 1993 to 1996, Wallace was the representative of the Grand Lodge of India at or near the Grand Lodge of Canada. That came about because his son John McLeod, a history professor, had spent three years in India doing research and writing books; it was John who made the introductions.
In 1986, he delivered the lecture at the annual meeting of the Philalethes Society in Washington, D.C., and named a Fellow the same year. He served as the society’s President in 1992, being the first person from outside the States to hold that position. Over the years, he has written or edited fourteen books, and hundreds of articles and book reviews, dealing with Greek literature, archaeology, but mostly with Freemasonry.
For his Grand Lodge, Bro. McLeod wrote and or edited three books: Beyond the Pillars (1973), Meeting the Challenge (1980), and Whence Come We (1980), and several booklets. For the Masonic Book Club of Bloomington, Illinois, he prepared extensive introductions to the reprints of The Sufferings of John Custos (1979), The Old Gothic Constitutions (1985), and A Candid Disquisition (1989). He also provided articles for Masonic periodicals such as the Proceedings of the Heritage Lodge, the Transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge, Philalethes: The Journal of Masonic Research and Letters, and The Freemason Magazine (of Canada).
He joined King Cyrus Chapter, Royal Arch Masons No- 232, Toronto in 1980 and was installed as First Principal in December 1986. Wallace was very involved in the Allied Masonic Degrees.
Outside of Freemasonry, Wallace performed research on ancient weaponry and authored a classic work on the bows found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.
He became a subscribing member of the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle in 1972 and in 1979 he was elected a full member of the Premier Lodge of Research, serving as Worshipful Master in 1983. He was the first North American to be so honoured in the lodge’s hundred years. He held the Delmar D. Darrah Medal of Ancient Landmarks Lodge No- 3579, Bloomington, Illinois; the Distinguished Service Plaque of the Virginia Lodge of Research No- 1777; the Certificate of Literature of the Philalethes Society; and the William James Dunlop Award of The Heritage Lodge No- 730, in Ontario. He was named a member of the Masonic Brotherhood of the Blue-Forget-Me-Not, which was restricted to Masonic educators. In 1984, he was inducted into the Society of Blue Friars—a very select group of Masonic writers. He served in the role of Grand Abbot for several years.
In 1986, he served as the United Grand Lodge of England’s Prestonian Lecturer. In that capacity, he delivered his paper on “The Old Charges.” This lecture was an excellent example of the way in which Wallace could present an academic topic in a manner that thoroughly engaged the audience. Wallace had an uncanny wit and humour that he wove into his presentations. The reports that he delivered verbally to the annual communications of Grand Lodge as Grand Historian had become the highlight of the proceedings. He was a brilliant academic and without doubt an accomplished entertainer.
By this point in his career, Wallace had been established as one of the most sought-after Masonic speakers. This was evidenced by his accepted invitation to do a lecture tour in Australia in 1996 hosted by Bro. Tony Pope.
One of my most treasured experiences involving Wallace occurred while I was serving as Master of the Heritage Lodge GRC. I was approached by Wallace with the idea to conduct the annual Heritage Banquet as an almost reenactment of a Grand Banquet put on by Most Worshipful John Ross Robertson in 1892. The original banquet was held to celebrate the 1792 arrival of Governor General John Graves Simcoe in Toronto. M.W. Bro. Robertson was one of the outstanding Grand Masters in the history of Freemasonry in Ontario. Wallace had the original toasts, speeches, the guest list and even the menu. It was a huge success and Wallace had a large part in that. For the Banquet itself, Wallace appeared attired as M.W. Bro. Robertson at the head table in period costume. A second head table included the then-current Grand Master M.W. Bro. Norman Byrne and members of Grand Lodge. The event planning and productions, including a commemorative coin that was struck took almost a year. During that time the whole committee became close with Wallace and his positive effect on them remained for many years. Wallace had that effect on all who knew and worked with him. At the Quatuor Coronati 1983 Installation toast to the Master of the Lodge, Bro. Harry Mendoza said of Wallace “those of us who have come to know him during his visits to this country can testify not only to his willingness to help others but also his kindness, courtesy and unfailing good humour.” There is no better way to sum up a tribute to Wallace than with those few words.
Tragically, some twelve years ago, Wallace started to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and subsequently withdrew from public involvement in Freemasonry. This change in his personal condition was a great loss to the Masonic world and all who appreciated his presence and his contribution. During this later period, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to maintain my fairly close contact with Wallace, speaking with him on the phone and visiting from time to time.
It was in the later part of January 2019 I decided to pop in and visit with Wallace. When I visited, I could not know if he was able to recognize me or understand me at all, but Elizabeth told me that he would be pleased to see me anyway, for he liked company. This time, when I called to set a time to visit, she told me that she had been in the hospital herself over Christmas and New Years and that the family had moved Wally, as she usually called him, to a very nice retirement residence, not too far from their house.
The decision had subsequently been made that they would stay together in the residence and sell their home which they had occupied since 1968, and in which they had brought up their four children, Betsy, John, James, and Angus. Their new home was quite close to my office and so I went right over and I sat in their living room chatting for an hour or so. Wallace was his normal jovial self, showed so much interest in all I had to tell him, but clearly he was just going through the motions. Elizabeth and I had a nice chat. I left, promising another visit shortly but it was only another few days later that Elizabeth called me to tell me that they would be selling their house. She asked me if I could take out all of the Masonic possessions that Wallace had accumulated over his nearly 70 years in the Craft. So began nearly two weeks of heavy work, sorting, and packing the contents of three rooms that were stacked with Masonic treasures, treasures that represent the life of one of the most important Masonic academics in the history of Freemasonry in Canada: a Freemason internationally renowned for his lectures, research, books, pamphlets and articles, and his extensive involvement with Freemasonry on both sides of the Atlantic, in Australia, New Zealand and India.
On June 3rd Wallace quietly passed to the Grand Lodge Above, as we say, to be reunited with companions of his former toils.
Today as I sit in my library at home I am surrounded by his regalia and so many of Wallace’s valued Masonic possessions. And from this vantage point I can not help but reflect on the special influence that he has had on my quest for Masonic light, and to reflect on the similar influence that he has undoubtedly had on so many other brethren.

(Thanks to Bro. Stephen Maizels, MPS, for this tribute.)

2025 Masonic Research Lodge Conference

On the evening of Friday, September 19, 2025, at Lexington, Kentucky’s Spindletop Hall, William O. Ware Lodge of Research will be a co-host of The Rubicon Masonic Society’s 13th Annual Festive Board.  On Saturday, September 20th, the Lodge of Research will be the host for “The Role of Research Lodges in Delivering the Message of Freemasonry Conference.”

The purpose of the Conference is to open and facilitate discussion on the role of Research Lodges in 21st century Freemasonry.

Rev. Joseph Fort Newton wrote of approaching the matter of Masonic Education “from the right end;” and in Short Talks on Masonry, published in 1928, he offered an approach to the delivery of Freemasonry’s message that was, “neither impossible nor impracticable, if we really mean business in the matter of Masonic education.”  The 2025 Conference will explore and expand upon Rev. Newton’s themes, particularly with respect to how Research Lodges may best deliver the message of Freemasonry to not only the current generation of Masons, but also to future generations of men who enter the Craft.

To date, thirty-four Research Lodges and Masonic societies from twenty jurisdictions including Scotland and England have expressed interest in participating and attending the Festive Board and one day Conference. The Conference is designed to give participants the opportunity to share their efforts in delivering the message of Freemasonry and learn how other Lodges of Research conduct their business. Each participant will be expected to add his voice to the several discussions being held through moderated panel discussions.

This unique Conference will offer the opportunity for participants to network with leaders and members of other Lodges of Research and aid in further development of the labor of our respective Research Lodges.

A preliminary Zoom meeting about the Conference will be hosted by the William O. Ware Lodge of Research on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., EDT. Masons are encouraged to attend this virtual meeting and join others who have already expressed their interest in these events. 

Please contact the Secretary of The Heritage Lodge for the link to complete, and submit the RSVP for this virtual meeting by Monday, December 30, 2024.

CANADA’S SESQUICENTENNIAL – FREEMASONRY AND CONFEDERATION: JULY 2017

On July 1, 2017, Canada celebrated the sesquicentennial of Confederation. This was when the Dominion of Canada was formed by the confederation of the Province of Canada (Canada East and Canada West), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

This was one of the key periods in our history which would help to define what it is to be a Canadian. The process would continue with the addition of Manitoba and the Northwest Territory (July 15, 1870), British Columbia (July 20, 1871), Prince Edward Island (July 1, 1873), Alberta and Saskatchewan (September 1, 1905) and Newfoundland (March 31, 1949). These ten provinces are considered co-sovereign divisions deriving their power and authority directly from the Constitution Act of 1867 where the “Crown” is represented by a Governor General and Provincial Lieutenant-Governors. The three Territories — Northwest Territories (formed July 15, 1870), Yukon (formed 1898) and Nunavut (separated from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999) — derive their mandates and powers from the federal government and are headed by a Commissioner.

Throughout the process leading to Confederation, and afterwards, the thirty-seven men who were directly involved were ones who saw beyond the limits of religion, race, nationality, and language. They sought a common ground with benefits to an evolving “country.” Compromise achieved results which accepted diversity in society. Eleven of these men were Freemasons. The majority were not. But when we look at their activities, we see men for whom brotherly love, relief and truth were truly present and practiced in their daily lives.

Who were they? What were they? Why did they take these steps?

The “event” of July 1, 1867, is “book-ended” between political actions in the late 1830s in the two Canadas. These included rebellions in 1837 and 1838 as well as the investigative visit of John George Lambton, 1st Earl Durham. His famous Durham Report resulted in Lower and Upper Canada uniting into the Province of Canada in 1841. In 1949 (when Joey Smallwood won the referendum to bring Newfoundland into Confederation with an affirmative vote of 52.3%). Lord Durham was a sixth generation Mason, a member of Marquis of Granby Lodge in Durham and a one-time Provincial Grand Master of Durham. Right Worshipful Brother Joseph Roberts Smallwood was a Past Master of Lodge Northcliffe, No. 1086 (Scottish), Grand Falls, Newfoundland. Of the thirty-seven Fathers of Confederation, nine were born in the UK, one in Bermuda, one in Jamaica and one in the USA. The rest were born in the “Canadian colonies.” By occupation, twenty were lawyers, five journalists, eight merchant businessmen, two doctors, one land promoter, and one soldier. Although they would vary the terms used to describe their political affiliations from time to time, fifteen could be labelled Conservatives, twelve Liberals, five Reform, two Liberal-Conservatives, two Reform-Liberals and one “radical independent/conservative.” Six had entered politics as appointed members of government and 31 were elected when entering the political arena. Twenty-seven were supporters of Confederation almost from the beginning of their political careers.

As a result of the creation of the Dominion of Canada, fifteen of the “fathers” would be elected to the new Canadian Federal Parliament in the elections of 1867. One of the fifteen would be our first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald. Another, Thomas D’Arcy McGee. would become our first Member of Parliament to be assassinated. (Six were appointed to the new Canadian Senate. Three were appointed to other senior offices (Federal Commissioner, Federal Deputy Minister of Justice and one as Lieutenant-Governor of Rupert’s Land and the Northwest Territory, although he was never installed). One chose a career in provincial politics. Three delegates lost in the 1867 elections. Eight were not eligible for any federal office by election or appointment as they were from PEI and Newfoundland which did not enter Confederation in 1867. After Confederation activities and “active” political careers, three would later become Senators, nine would become Lieutenants-Governor of Provinces (including one for Manitoba and the Northwest Territories and was later appointed for Nova Scotia), three would become Provincial Premiers, one would become a Federal Supreme Court Justice and six Provincial Supreme Court Justices, two were appointed as Canadian High Commissioners to London, one became Governor of the Bahamas, one returned to his military career, one returned to business as a railway promoter and one was appointed to collect and classify Canadian statutes of the time.

Who Were the Eleven Freemasons?

Courtesy: Masonic Education Pillar – Masonic Education; as prepared by Michael Jenkyns, Grand Historian, Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario, April 20, 2016 (Rev: 3 December 20, 2016)


Lodge in The Village at Black Creek re-opens

This past weekend the lodge room in The Village at Black Creek was finally re-opened to the public and what a day for Freemasonry, and especially for both Andrew Turk and George Burt who have spent so much time organizing the volunteer corps.

According to George (who reported close to 100 visitors walked through and were introduced to our gentle craft), he said: “It was a great feeling and satisfying moment to at last open the Historic Lodge Room to visitors. R.W. Bro Thomas Cober of Union Lodge Schomberg and W. Bro David Lovelock of Mississauga Lodge had a wonderful and very busy day from opening until closing.”

Visitors came from across the globe, added Burt: “Many from the GTA and others from Pickering, Ajax, Barrie, Oakville and Hamilton, as well as visitors from China, Peru, Uganda, Iran, Malaysia, England, Scotland, Germany and Ukraine.”

All of the Heritage Lodge members should be very proud of the work done by all involved, including Bill Willis, who has worked tirelessly with the administrators at the popular tourist attraction, to ensure such an incredible success. In order to keep up the momentum, please contact the Secretary at Heritage Lodge if you’d like to get involved.

Cornerstone Ceremony 2023: The Village at Black Creek Parade & Historic Re-Dedication LIVE 🔴

On May 13, 2023, an unforgettable event took place on the 40th Anniversary of the original Cornerstone dedication, a celebration held in The Village at Black Creek. Members first assembled and enjoyed a pipe and drum led spectacular parade in regalia through the village, which was followed by the historic re-dedication of the Cornerstone Ceremony conducted by R. W. Bro. Jamie R. Ireland, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

This event – as seen in the video – commemorates M.W. Bro. Ronald Groshaw’s dedication of the Cornerstone for the restored pre-confederation building in 1983. The Heritage Lodge, which still houses a Lodge Room on the second floor, will be hosting this momentous occasion. Volunteers from The Heritage Lodge will be on-site to answer any questions visitors may have, and also staff the facility during the summertime weekends. Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer as well.

#CornerstoneDay2023 #BlackCreekVillage #MasonicLodge #HeritageLodge #Parade #ReDedicationCeremony #LiveStream

Photos from the historic Ground-breaking Ceremony in The Village at Black Creek

At the Twenty-Seventh Regular Meeting of The Heritage Lodge No. 730, held in the Preston-Hespeler Masonic Temple, Cambridge, on Wednesday, May 18, 1983, the Expenditing Committee reported that arrangements had been made for a sod-turning ceremony, which was held on Thursday, March 31, 1983, at 10:00 a.m. on the grounds of The Village at Black Creek and where M.W.Bro. Howard 0. Polk broke the ground with a ceremonial spade presented by Mrs. Florence Gell, Chairman of the Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. The dedicatory prayer was read by R.W.Bro. Arthur Watson, Lodge Chaplain.

The sod-turning ceremony held in The Village at Black Creek

R.W.Bro. Balfour LeGresley, Worshipful Master of The Heritage Lodge was present, also Mr. Russell Cooper, Director of Heritage Buildings, M.T.R.C.A. and a group of 37 Brethren and their familites. Grateful thanks must be extended to Bro. A. Sykes of Zeta Lodge No. 410, who obtained and had gold-plated a suitable spade, complete with a commemorative plaque. The spade, when suitably engraved, will be presented to M.W.Bro. Howard O. Polk.

In 1983 dignitaries and Masons gathered in The Village at Black Creek

The cornerstone laying ceremony will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. October 1, 1983, as explained in detail by M.W. Bro. Ronald Groshaw in this clipping:

Written by the Grand Master MWBro Ronald Groshaw

Dedication of the Cornerstone in 1983 at The Village at Black Creek

Here is the recently-found video of the Cornerstone dedication ceremony that took place on October 1, 1983 at The Village at Black Creek. The re-dedication ceremony will take place – 40 years later – on Saturday, May 13, 2023 and Heritage Lodge will proudly enjoy the company of our Grand Jurisdiction’s Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro Jamie Ireland, who has agreed to attend this historic event.

The Lodge Room in The Village at Black Creek

Heritage Lodge has operated a display lodge at The Village at Black Creek for many years. Prior to COVID, the lodge room was managed and staffed by a very dedicated crew of Masons who volunteered their time to be “interpreters”. These volunteers explained the artifacts in the room and introduced Freemasonry to the thousands of visitors to the historic Village every year. Without our Volunteer Masonic Interpreters, the room cannot open to the public.

We are establishing a program whereby your lodge can have its day at The Village at Black Creek. Each participating lodge will supply two “interpreters” to staff the lodge room. This can be broken into shifts, if it suits the lodge. Heritage Lodge will train one of your members to be the trainer and supervisor of the interpreters and in turn he will train any of his members that will be assigned to the Lodge room.

To launch this program a rededication of the Cornerstone of the Lodge at Black Creek will be held in May of 2023. The Grand Master and Members of Grand Lodge will be in attendance and a parade through the village is planned. The Village at Black Creek will be promoting this day as a special event in their spring program.

To register your lodge and select your day please contact: Graeme Boyce, Sec, The Heritage Lodge

Corresponding Past Masters Membership Program

Beginning in 2023, Heritage Lodge is offering a “Corresponding Past Master” class of
membership as an introduction to Heritage Lodge to Immediate Past Masters. In this program, we
are asking all lodges in the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario to enroll
your Immediate Past Master and present him with his Membership and Certificate on the night of
Installation, along with his Past Masters Jewel. He will receive the benefits of this special
membership for one year.

He will also receive on the night of the installation:
– A membership certificate depicting the Heritage Lodge Building at Black Creek Pioneer
Village which is suitable for framing.
– The Heritage Lodge No 730 lapel pin.
The cost of this program is $40.00

For more information, please contact
Bill Willis, Worshipful Master: willisbill17 (at)gmail.com,
Dan Graham, Secretary: wbdgraham (at)gmail.com or,
Graeme Boyce, Asst Sec, Heritage Lodge at rawgraeme (at)gmail.com