Odd Fellows Hall
c.1869
Constructed in 1869, this building was first a Christian Church. This church was originally located in the Hamlet of Whitevale. It sat on the North Road, just north of the 5th Concession Road. This building is an excellent example of mid-19th century frame churches, found throughout Ontario. All the woodwork, interior doors, and the balcony are original.
The first Christian Church established in Canada was in Prince Edward Island, in 1810. Elder Asa Morison was the first Christian Church preacher to come through Pickering Township. Under his guidance, Pickering’s first Christian Church was established at the Brougham home of United Empire Loyalist, James Sharrard (Lot 21, Conc. 6) on 25 July, 1825. The records of that first meeting clearly state their intention to follow the simplistic doctrines of the Christian Church outlined only by the teachings of the Bible. Sixty-two charter men and women of the township signed this record. Later, a brick church was built in Brougham for worship. The first preacher of the Whitevale congregation was Reverend Elder Jesse Tatten. He also led congregations in West Gwillimbury, Oshawa, and Markham. Seventeen years after opening, the congregation dwindled, and the doors were closed. It sat vacant from 1886 to 1901.
Colour photograph of the the Bible Christian Church and the store at the Pickering Township Museum when it was located in Brougham. Courtesy of the Pickering Public Library.
Brougham Lodge no. 155 I.O.O.F.
The Village of Brougham instituted Lodge no. 155 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows on January 29th, 1875. The charter members were J.W. Wonch, Simpson Webb, Walter Heather, W.J. Bodell, and Frank Bentley. From 1875-1892, the lodge met in Brougham where they held their meetings in the Temperance Hall. When fire destroyed the hall in 1879, they moved their meetings to the Brougham Township Hall. They moved back into a new brick Temperance building in 1880. Sadly, a second fire destroyed the charter and paraphernalia of the Lodge in December 1892. In August 1893, a duplicate charter was issued. In 1901, the I.O.O.F. Lodge of Brougham purchased the old Christian Church for $400. They remodelled the steeple and added a false ceiling. They held lodge meetings in this building until 1966, when the Lodge moved back to Brougham to hold meetings in the Township Hall.
Did you know?
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The birth of the Order is somewhat hazy. It appears to have originated in England in the 18th century. It was made up of men who plied “odd” trades that did not meet qualifications for master craftsmen’s guilds. These men banded together to form the “Odd Fellows”. The Order was much like the Masonic Lodge in its rituals & symbolism. Its purpose included philanthropy and fellowship.
It also provided social services and financial help to members and their families. This was a time when that kind of government support was virtually non-existent. Lodges such as these were popular during the 19th century. Collected membership dues became relief money. Dues money covered temporary unemployment, sick leave, education, housing of orphans, and burial costs for members.
I.O.O.F. fraternal ribbon. Pickering Museum Village collection, 2020.3.46A