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Enoch Lodge No. 99
A lodge history is generally written by a member of the lodge who, with the assistance of senior members and the lodge secretary, will have combed the lodge minutes and records for interesting anecdotes and notable events. Enoch Lodge left no such history. What remains, other than a short entry in John Marshall's History of Grand Lodge, is the correspondence of the Grand Secretary's office detailing the sad, final days of the lodge hall in the years after the lodge went dark in 1990. Twenty years prior, in 1970, John Marshall wrote:
The next Lodge was established in one of the outlying parts of British Columbia. Anyox is situated on Granby Bay about 30 miles from the head of Observatory Inlet and about 100 miles north-east of Prince Rupert. It was a mining town which was taken over by the Granby Mining Company, and later when the company's mines at Phoenix were closed down, many of the employees were transferred to Anyox. Some attempts had been made in 1914 to secure a dispensation for a Lodge at Anyox, but without success. Now the movement for a masonic lodge was taken up again, and on 23 March 1922 the GM issued a dispensation for a Lodge to be known as "Enoch" because, as one member suggested, "Enoch walked with God," and it was thought that no better example could be held up to the brethren of the Craft. The Lodge was instituted on 26 April 1922 by the District Deputy Grand Master for District 11, and at the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge on 21 June 1923, it was granted its charter as Enoch Lodge No. 99. The Lodge was constituted by RW Bro. A. M. Manson, acting for the Grand Master, on 11 July 1923. Later the mines closed down, the town ceased to exist, and on 15 September 1936 the lodge removed to Stewart, at the northern end of Portland Canal.
The following correspondence in the Grand Lodge Archives is listed without comment.

1989/05/20
From: C. E. Bartlett, sec. Enoch Lodge No. 99 [Cecil Edward]
To: The Grand Secretary
Expressed the inability of the lodge to hold meetings, and the unavailability of six candidates.

1990/11/29
Warrant suspended by MW Bro. Douglas R. Grant.

1991/06/21
Warrant revoked.

1990/10/25
From: R
To: W.L.S.[Grand Secretary]
Memo: DDGM has boarded up lodge windows and took collars and charter.

1990/10/17
From: William L. Stirling
To: Eric Erickson, Sec. Enoch Lodge No. 99
VW Bro. Murray Webster assisted in determining property description: Lot 13-14 Block 14, Plan 1191, District lot 466, Cassiar Land District: Crown grant in 1937 to three named and their heirs and assigns forever. No mention of Enoch Lodge or role as trustees.

1990/10/22
From: William L. Stirling
To: Oren O. Wingo
Unpaid Hydro account now paid [$1,143.05]. "Please drain water lines and ensure against vandals."

1990/10/25
From: William L. Stirling
To: Keenleyside Indurance, Terrace, BC
Enclosed $150 cheque for insurance to 30 September 1990.

1990/12/04
From: William L. Stirling
To: Eric Erickson, Enoch Lodge
Property insurance expires 1990/12/09, recommend non-renewal. Local interest in using it for library.

1990/11/13
From: William L. Stirling
To: Eric Erickson, Enoch Lodge
Recommend property go to tax sales.

1991/04/24
From: William L. Stirling
To: C. E. Bartlett, Kitselas Lodge No. 123
Confirm purchase by Kitselas Lodge of bingo machine from Enoch Lodge for $300.

1991/06/27
From: William L. Stirling
To: Malcolm Chaplin, Omineca Lodge
Lodge Master suggested there might be interest from local brethren to pay tax arrears and maintain property. Please confirm.

1991/07/16
Notice of 1991 Property Tax Levies
Property will be sold 30 September 1991 for $1,088.88 tax arrears.

1992/03/17
From Nancy E. Gordon
To: Grand Lodge
"Building is now not locked and power is off."

1992/03/31
From: William L. Stirling
To: Nancy E. Gordon
Gave authority to ascertain taxes owing.

1992/07/5
Notice of 1992 Property Tax Levies
Property will be sold 30 September 1992 for $1,684.40 tax arrears.

1993/06/21
From: Nancy E. Gordon
To: Grand Lodge
No word from Grand Lodge since September 1992 when she paid delinquent taxes. Should she pay taxes again?

1993/07/14
From: District of Stewart
Current taxes, penalties and arrears: $3,135.44.

1993/11/15
From Gordon J. Phillips
To Raymond R. Low, soliciter, Burns Lake
Permission to use name Enoch Masonic Lodge Hall Society.

1993/11/16
From Nancy
To: Gordon
Suggestion lodge hall be used as community library.

1994 Property Assessment
Lot 13-14 Block 14, Plan 1191, District lot 466, Cassiar Land District $71,000.

Undated memo:
Nancy Gordon paid $924. PO Box 572, Stewart, BC 250-636-2757

1994/06/27
Nancy Gordon to hand key over to Stan Holland.

1995/02/15
1995 Property Assessment: $77,000.

1995/06/20
From: Gordon J. Phillips
To: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Close account 34-03416.

1995/06/07
From: T. V. Tattersall
To: Gordon J. Phillips
Request for Grand Lodge to authorize closing Enoch Lodge bank account and transfer funds to Enoch Masonic Hall Association bank account.

1995/06/12
From Gordon J. Phillips
To Craig Fraser-Easton, Enoch Masonic Hall Society
2 cheques: $4,175. 18 to pay back taxes and Reimburse Nancy Gordon; $1,900 loan to make repairs and prepare for event rentals, do you accept terms of loan?

1995/11/24
From District of Stewart
Re: Outstanding Utility Account.

1997/09/16
From Gordon Phillips
To Brian Woodward, Stewart Town Administrator
Is Enoch Masonic Hall up for tax sale at $15,000? Grand Lodge paid taxes current to 1995, assigned control to Enoch Masonic Hall Holding Society.

1998/04/09
From: Enoch Masonic Hall Association 1511 7th Ave. East, Prince Rupert
To Grand Lodge, Attn. Gordon J. Phillips
Notes issue of two cheques: $1,900 and $3,835.43, less bank charges, leaving a total of $5,735.43, and expresses hope to have lodge warrant returned.

Nancy Gordon's attempts to save the building for a community library were unsuccessful and the building was abandoned.

1.History of Grand Lodge of British Columbia 1871-1970, John T. Marshall. p. 237, citing Proceedings of Grand Lodge, 1931, p. 141.


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