As part of Humber Lodge’s 150 Anniversary taking place in 2024, we will be sharing excerpts from historical documents and photos from the archives.
Above is a photo of the former Oddfellows Hall on Church Street in Weston. This building has been converted into a private residence, but from 1883-1924, this was the home of Humber Lodge prior to the building on the Weston Masonic Temple in 1924.
One cold winter night in 1893 the Lodge’s held one of their famous “At Home” events, which were attended by Members and their wives and families and included entertainment and speakers. At the end of the program, the floor of the upper level collapsed sending everyone in attendance in a free fall to the lower level!
This mishap made it into the Globe and Mail newspaper:
The at home given In the Weston hall by the Humber Masonic Lodge on Wednesday evening turned out rather disastrously. The entertainment opened at 8 o’clock. And a very interesting programme of music, readings and addresses were presented.
When the programme was concluded the audience rose to go down stairs to the lower hall, where refreshments were to be served. When, without warning, the floor gave way in the centre and fell to the ground flat, everyone in the crowd being thrown off their feet, and many falling into the hole in a confused mass.
Below is an excerpt from The Globe newspaper from February 24, 1893 that shared the news of this disastrous Humber Lodge gathering with the residents of the city of Toronto:
