Background History
Haida Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 166, B.C.R., of Victoria, B.C., came into being from an idea conceived by R.W. Bro. Stanley H. Okell assisted by W. Bro. B. Gough and W. Bro. E.A. Bleathman, all of Camosun Lodge, No. 60. The idea was to form a small, daughter lodge, the charter members of which would be drawn wholly from the mother lodge, Camosun No. 60.
It was felt that Freemasonry could be better served by Lodges with not too large a membership and some 30 members of Camosun Lodge quickly agreed, and were anxious to participate in the formation of a small, daughter lodge from within their Mother Lodge. Camosun. No. 60. This action took place in May and June of the year 1955.
The name “Haida” was adopted for the proposed new Lodge. This chosen name had been suggested to the charter members, by Bro. D. B. Turner in an article dealing with the important historical Haida First Nations of British Columbia and with the suggested significance of the “Haida” concept to Masonic principles.
To assist the new Haida Lodge, Camosun Lodge No. 60 first wanted and offered to give one thousand dollars towards getting Haida on its financial feet. The charter members, however, with warm thanks to Camosun, did not take advantage of this most generous offer.
Our Mother Lodge was determined to help us get started in someway however, and presented “Haida” with the Lodge Regalia. As Wor. Bro. W. Craigmyle, Secretary of Camosun at the time, remarked, “That’s what mothers are for, you know!”