Order of the Eastern Star

Grand Chapter of British Columbia and Yukon

HISTORY: 

The Order of the Eastern Star was formed in 1867. It was the first such organization to include both men and women, and it is still the largest organization in the world with men and women as members.

Dr. Rob Morris, Poet Laureate of Masonry, was the founder of our organization. He felt that the female relatives of Master Masons should also share, in a small way, the benefits of this great fraternal Order. It was through his dedication that the ritual, with its fundamental principles, was first published in 1849-50. In 1950, the 100th anniversary of the writing of the ritual was observed in Washington, D.C.

The Grand Chapter of British Columbia was constituted in 1912.

History of our Projects:

Making Cancer Dressings: In 1945 while Sister Grace Shane was Worthy Grand Matron, she started the Cancer Dressing stations.  She had been looking through the Memorial Book and was shocked to read of how many of our members were touched with cancer and decided to do what she could to alleviate the suffering.  Ruby Fletcher PGM had all the history and related it on many an occasion

Stamp Collecting: An association of secretaries was formed in British Columbia, when Hazel Freeze was Grand Secretary,  (she held this position for 38 years). The association was named after her mother, M. B. Foster, who had been Grand Secretary before Hazel for ten years.  In Hazel's capacity as Grand Secretary, she had to go to the customs office when she received supplies  from General Grand Chapter.  On one occasion, while visiting the customs office, the customs official commented on the stamps that were on the parcel saying something about stamp collectors would be interested in the stamps.
 
Hazel thought about this and decided that she would go to the Foster Secretary Associations next meeting and see if they were interested in collecting stamps to sell with the monies going to one of our Grand Chapter projects. They readily agreed and the rest is history. the first year the association made $54.00 and it was decided that they would support the Cancer Projects of Grand Chapter.
 
The first convenor was Roslynne Goodwin, next was Jean Bissell and then Gladys Pierce who has been looking after the project for over 25 years.  During all of these years, the association has  given almost $367,000.00 to either research or dressings. That's a lot of money for what we used to throw out as garbage and in this small way, maybe we can "STAMP OUT CANCER".

.

NOTE TO ALL READERS: IF YOU HAVE A HISTORICAL EVENT TO SHARE - PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME  

PAST GRAND MATRONS AND PATRONS of the Grand Chapter of British Columbia and Yukon

YEAR

WGM

WGP

YEAR

WGM

WGP

1912

M. M. Douglas*

W. C. Taylor*

1959

D. Watson*

A. McDonald*

1913

A.D. Perry*

W. F. Richdale

1960

I. Erith*

A.H. McDonald*

1914

A. M. Roberts*

B. E. Beers***

1961

F. M. Porter*

W.S. Western*

1915

Mertle Rees*

J. Wilby*

1962

A. Hindmarch*

Dr. W.W. Bell*

1916

F. N. Jones*

B. F. Andrew**

1963

A. Kennedy*

W. Blinch*

1917

M. B. Foster*

D. Deavelle*

1964

G. Rose*

S. Buckthorp*

1918

M. E. Barry**

A. Rowell**

1965

N. Swailes*

J. Moir*

1919

M. H. Austin*

H. E. Morris***

1966

R. Fletcher*

A. Gatz*

1920

C. Thompson*

L. E. Frith*

1967

M. Royston*

H. Hill-Tout

1921

B. Sabin*

J. N. Mcleod*

1968

G. Irving*

W. Kennedy*

1922

J.M. Cornett*

Rev. J. Thompson*

1969

V. Merrick*

R. Cheale*

1923

F.S. Clair*

C.F. Campbell*

1970

M. Johnston

J. Thomas*

1924

M.O. Paterson*

G.F. Cameron*

1971

F. Wood*

R. Swailes

1925

J. Shirras**

J.K. Holmes**

1972

E. Batkin (Bottaro) *

J.B. McMinn*

1926

R. Barrow*

J. Hammond*

1973

E. Thomashewsky

L.C. Adair*

1927

R.M. Warwick*

J.W. Cornett*

1974

M. Hill-Tout*

J.J. Brown*

1928

K.M.E. Davis*

J.W. Clark*

1975

D. M. Galpin

W.R. Thomas*

1929

A. Lacey*

J. Shirras**

1976

B. Schellenberg

J.F. Fisher*

1930

E. Maxwell*

E. Deller*

1977

E. Fetterly*

W.C. Jones*

1931

C.E. Wilcox*

L.C. Brockway*

1978

G. McKay

J.R. Fawcus*

1932

F. Livingstone*

W.C. Scafe*

1979

R. Moffat

N.I. Campbell

1933

E. Schmeelk*

H.G. Wilcox*

1980

I. Finholm

E.L.Millin

1934

A.E. Savage*

H.E. Wenman*

1981

I. McManus

B. Peters

1935

J. Northey*

C.W. O’Neill*

1982

V. Hanson*

R.P. Ellis*

1936

E. Gogaty*

J.J. Meredith*

1983

H. McCall*

V.G. Willis*

1937

M.E. Baillie-Davis*

J.R. Hartley*

1984

I. DeYaeger

R. Williscroft*

1938

E. Robinson*

Capt. A. B. Watson*

1985

R. Cole*

G. Tench*

1939

K. Irwin*

J.V. Beklam*

1986

R. M. Barnes

D.J. Morris

1940

A. Smith*

L.P. Young*

1987

R. I. Millin

I. Hamilton

1941

A. McMaster*

F.A. Francis*

1988

M. Tucker*

D. Vass

1942

S. Harvey*

W.J. Garvin*

1989

B. Blythe

E. Pierce

1943

V. Jessen*

J. Flack*

1990

M. M. White

J. Branson

1944

E. Bentley*

E. Webster*

1991

B. Wardill

A. Staley

1945

G. Shane*

A.C. Carter*

1992

R. Davis

G. Martin

1946

A. Marr*

E.V. Bell*

1993

E. Williscroft

B. Minchin

1947

J. Hitchens-Smith*

J. Robinson*

1994

M. Lebed

M. Barry

1948

M. Buchan*

W.A. McLagan*

1995

M. Cooper

R. Morgan*

1949

F. Struthers*

Geo. Welwood*

1996

B. Caswell

W. Diggens

1950

E. Brown*

R. Davidson*

1997

M. Newbury

A. Thomson

1951

A.G. Purvis- Boss*

L. Withrow*

1998

G. Pierce

W. Verge

1952

A. C. McDonald*

H. Pook*

1999

A. Vossberg

R. Simpson*

1953

M. Powell*

F. Airey*

2000

P. Crowe

D. Caswell

1954

C. Argyle*

G.S. Barker*

2001

E. Jackson

S. Vrskovy

1955

J. Allbright*

W.J. Barge*

2002

T. Emery

D. McMillan

1956

I. Vance*

W. Nicholson*

2003

L. M. Massey

M. Solecki

1957

W. Kirkham*

H.I. Jones*

2004

N. Witt

W. Woodhouse

1958

M. Carr*

H. Olts*

2005

G. Verge

N. Parham
Contact Us | ©2006 Order of the Eastern Star