Grand Lodge of Manitoba, A.F. & A.M.

Identity area

Identifier

MMA

Authorized form of name

Grand Lodge of Manitoba, A.F. & A.M.

Parallel form(s) of name

  • Grande Loge du Manitoba

Other form(s) of name

  • Grand Lodge of Manitoba

Type

Contact area

 

Grand Archivist

Type

Address

Street address

420 Corydon Avenue

Locality

Winnipeg

Region

Manitoba

Country name

Canada

Postal code

Telephone

Fax

Email

URL

www.glmb.ca

Note

Description area

History

Freemasons are the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Freemasonry teaches that each person, through self-improvement and helping others, has an obligation to make a difference for good in the world. This has led to the formation of several Masonic groups, each with a special social, educational, or philanthropic focus. The Manitoba Masonic Archives (MMA) is one of those groups. It was created to receive, restore and preserve for posterity the historical records of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba, and to make those records available to all qualified persons.
In Manitoba, the Grand Lodge of Manitoba, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons was formed in 1875. It is the governing body of the forty three Masonic Lodges located throughout our province.

Geographical and cultural context

Freemasonry traces its roots to the Middle Ages. It is from the guilds of operative, or stone masons, who built the magnificent cathedrals, castles, and monasteries of Europe from where the fraternity evolved. These guilds eventually began to accept members who were not actual working, but speculative Masons. At that time they adopted the term “Accepted” Masons, and Freemasonry was born.

Mandates/Sources of authority

The mandate of the Archives is to provide users with a safe, reliable, and innovative archival experience.
Key functions and services include:
-Extend services to researchers and students within our jurisdiction.
-Respond to public requests in a timely fashion.
-Operate and maintain the computer system.
-Maintain and backup the stored archival information.
-Respond quickly to emergency requests.
-Plan for the long term.
-Improve the data storage and retrieval system.
-Replace antiquated equipment.
-Manage the overall performance of information requests.
-Conform to applicable archiving standards.

Authority:
On November 23, 1990, the following resolution was approved by the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba.
"On the instruction of the MW Grand Master, the Editorial & Library Committee has accepted responsibility for archival material presently held in the Masonic Memorial Temple at 420 Corydon Avenue, Winnipeg. We accept this responsibility fully realizing the importance of the archival materials being placed in our care and the magnitude of the work ahead of us.
Bearing in mind the value of these materials, we feel that a deliberate and prudent course of action by our Committee must be planned and that certain steps are fundamental to carrying our responsibility forward."

Administrative structure

Administration of the Archives will be the responsibility of the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and delegated by that Board to the Grand Secretary. The Grand Secretary will delegate that responsibility, in turn, to the Archivist who accepts responsibility for the Archives. All three functional units report to the Archivist.

Work within the Archives is organized under three functional units:

  1. Accessioning
  2. Educational Outreach & Research
  3. Conservation and Restoration

Masonic Organizational Structure
The fundamental unit within the Grand Lodge of Manitoba is the Constituent Lodge. That is the basis on which the Archives is organized. Most lodges are numbered and named, thereby determining the structure of archival material for this level.

The second level is the geographical Districts into which the lodges are grouped. These Districts are also numbered, again determining the structure of archival material for this level.

The remaining level is the Grand (Provincial) Lodge. This organization is governed by the Grand Master. He is assisted by the Board of General Purposes which, for purposes of efficient management is divided into eight standing committees, each with clearly defined areas of responsibility and authority. These standing committees include:

  1. Finance and Investments
  2. Arrangements and Elections
  3. Jurisprudence
  4. Fraternal Relations
  5. Masonic Relief
  6. Resource
  7. Education and Training
  8. Management and Administration

The Grand Master and the Board of General Purposes are assisted by the Grand Secretary. His authority and responsibilities are clearly spelled out in the Constitution of the Grand Lodge. The Archivist reports to the Grand Secretary and provides him with a monthly update on the Archivist’s work for submittal to the Board of General Purposes.

Records management and collecting policies

MMA Collection Policy:
MMA staff engage in the following activities to promote successful and consistent appraisal decisions:

  • work with Grand Lodge, the Districts, and the constituent Lodges to gather the information needed to make informed appraisal decisions.
  • select appropriate records for archival preservation.
  • document the selection of archival records.

The MMA Collection Policy gives priority to records that document the following broad areas of activity:

  • Acquiring, exhibiting, and conserving Masonic museum and research collections.
  • Fostering collaboration and partnerships.
  • Developing standards and best practices in managing archival material.
  • Ensuring MMA continuity.

In addition to making available the permanent records of Freemasonry, the MMA will also collect and make available other evidence of Masonic accomplishments and activities:

  • Masonic publications (books, ephemera, press releases, etc.).
  • Documentation of Masonic building projects.
  • Selected three-dimensional artifacts.
  • Information related to important Masonic-sponsored external projects.
  • Masonic-related documentation of former Grand Masters.
  • Press and media coverage of Masonic programs and events.

Appraisal Criteria:
Paper and/or electronic records are created at the MMA for identifiable or administrative purposes. Most of these records can be disposed of when that purpose has been fulfilled and all legal and accountability requirements for their retention have been met.
There are some records that have enduring value due to the purpose for which they were created, the activity they document, and/or the information they contain. One of the most critical tasks of the MMA is to identify these records through the process of appraisal, in conjunction with an Archives Collection Policy.
There must always be a clear and justifiable reason why the archival material has been deemed worthy of preservation. The MMA should never be used as a “dumping ground” for items that happen to be old, are being kept “just in case,” or are being maintained because they were expensive to create or acquire in the first place.
The following appraisal criteria should be used:

  1. The source and context of the records must be significant.
    The source and context of the records must be related to the mandate of Freemasonry.

  2. The informational or evidential content of the records must be identified.
    All archival records should have informational and/or evidential value. Records with evidential value are those records necessary to document the existence, organization, functioning, and achievements of Freemasonry. Informational value is those records useful for researching Masons, significant historical Freemasonry events, and significant social developments.

  3. The information should be unique.
    The appraisal process must determine whether the records are the most complete source for significant information rather than duplicated information.

    4.The records identify precedent setting decisions.
    Consider whether the decisions documented in the records set any kind of precedents, or if each decision is merely based on adherence to policy that has been set at some higher level.

  4. The records add value to other permanent records.
    Records that add value to other permanent records are more likely to warrant retention than records lacking such a relationship.

  5. The records are the most useable records for research.
    Records whose arrangement, indexing, or other identifying information makes it easy to locate pertinent information are best to warrant retention than records which are not.

  6. Assess the volume of the records.
    Records that are clearly archival, should always be proposed for permanent retention, regardless of their volume. Volume should only play a role in the appraisal of records whose archival value is marginal.

  7. The value of the record, compared with current holdings, warrants the time, cost, and space that will be required to maintain it.
    Determine the value of the record in relation to the time, cost and space needed.

  8. The value of the record justifies the application of needed conservation measures.
    Identify the cost of conservation measures required prior to accepting the record for accession.

  9. The MMA can adequately store and access the records.
    Archival space costs must be considered especially if this archival material and others like it will require additional storage.

  10. Accessing the information on the record requires the acquisition of special equipment or material.
    Significant cost may be incurred to access this archival material and other like it.

  11. The record has intrinsic value because of the identity of the author or an original signature.
    Intrinsic value may be judgemental.

  12. The physical form, material, or design of the record is unique, special, or important or has exhibition value.
    Uniqueness can be a reason for accessioning.

  13. The medium upon which the information is recorded is difficult to access or preserve.
    Conversion cost of the medium must be considered for long term storage.

  14. The record is intact.
    The value of the record can be determined by its ability to replace another record which is not intact.

  15. The value, accessibility, or reliability of the record’s content is affected by its condition.
    The cost of improving the reliability, accessibility of the record to enhance its value must be weighed against other factors.

  16. Archival material acquired from other (external) sources shall be appraised in the same manner as internal appraisals.
    An initial appraisal must happen before the collection is accepted and accessioned.

The terms of the acquisition should be formalized in a deed of gift. The deed of gift stipulates the disposition of materials that are not accessioned.

Acquisition Policy:
The acquisition policy of the Archives is as follows:

a. All current holdings of the Manitoba Masonic Archives will continue to be identified, catalogued and stored as a matter of first-priority on the approved accessioning software.

b. Material relative to dormant or merged lodges will be accepted for cataloguing and storage. These will be accessioned as a matter of second priority.

c. Archival material, (more than seven years old) will be accepted from Grand Lodge, Districts, and Constituent Lodges on a continuing basis.

d. Items of interest will be accepted as Deed of Gift from individuals or organizations subject to the suitability of the item and availability of storage or display space.

e. The Archivist reserves the right to decide which items will be transferred to the Archives of Manitoba. For matters of dispute, the Archivist will seek direction from the Grand Secretary.

f. The Archives reserves the right to determine which items will be accepted for archiving. Items deemed not acceptable for archiving will be returned to the donor.

g. The Archivist will ensure the Archives is used as a place of permanent storage for research purposes.

h. Archival material can be loaned out to the Grand Lodge, the Districts, or the Constituent Lodges provided a loan agreement form has been completed and approved.

i. The Archivist will determine if temporary records at the end of their retention, have further archival value. If so, they must be transferred to long-term preservation; records that are appraised as non-archival must be appropriately destroyed or returned.

Personal Information Policy:
Acquisition for the purposes of accessioning can at times involve personal information about individuals.

"Personal Information", as specified in PIPEDA, is as follows: information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title, business address, or telephone number, of an employee of an organization.

Although Freemasonry is an institution, with few exceptions it does not have employees. As such, information regarding Masons or members of the public under acquisition is deemed exempt from the PIPEDA.

However, PIPEDA will not apply where a province has enacted legislation that has been deemed to be “substantially similar”. Manitoba has enacted a “substantially similar” private sector privacy statute, entitled the Personal Information Protection and Identity Theft Prevention Act, C.C.S.M. c.P-33.7 which received Royal Assent in 2013 but has not been Proclaimed as of 2017.

However, in keeping with the spirit of the law, the Grand Archivist will abide by the following acquisition policy until a classification assessment has been completed on the material.

  • Treat all new archival material as “Confidential”.
  • Store the material in a secured area.
  • Prohibit research by the public or Masons on the unclassified material.
  • Enable research in compliance under applicable law.
  • Enable research by Officers of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba for internal use only.

Preservation Policy:
The Mandate of the Preservation Policy is to promote the preservation and use of the Manitoba Masonic Archives of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. It meshes with the Manitoba Masonic Archive’s Mandate by focusing on preservation. The purpose of the Preservation Policy is to safeguard Masonic accountability, provide a resource for the life-long journey of Freemasonry, and reinforce community identity by sharing appropriate information with the public.

Central to the preservation policy is ensuring the long-term preservation, and hence accessibility, of archival material destined for permanent preservation in accordance with our Acquisition Policy. This policy relates to all archival materials irrespective of medium or format.

This policy is intended to set out principles to guide MMA preservation activities. These are designed to lessen the main risks and threats to the long-term survival and accessibility of the archival material. This policy will follow local standards and where none exist, to use best practices in the area.

These can be grouped as follows:

a. Infrastructure and resources.
b. Intellectual control and management.
c. Environmental.
d. Security, exposing materials to damage or loss through theft or vandalism.
e. Handling and use.
f. Deterioration over time owing to inherent instability of materials, or pre-existing damage.
g. Electronic and digital records.

Buildings

The Manitoba Masonic Archives (MMA) is housed in the Manitoba Masonic Center located at 420 Corydon Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Holdings

Finding aids, guides and publications

Guide to Archival Resources for Manitoba Freemasonry at the Manitoba Masonic Archives
Introduction:

This guide was designed to help researchers locate Freemasonry related archival material at the Manitoba Masonic Archives (MMA) in the jurisdiction of Manitoba, Canada. Its purpose is to provide an overview of the private Fonds/collections, indicating those which contain relevant archival documents. It is designed to be the first finding aid for the researcher and is intended to make Manitoba Freemasonry research in the MMA more thorough and efficient.

The MMA collects records of The Grand Lodge of Manitoba. This encompasses records related to governing, and administrative functions related to Grand Lodge, its Districts, its Constituent Lodges and various committees. Inter-jurisdictional correspondence, conferences, and special events are also recorded.

A Fonds is defined as “the whole of the documents, regardless of form or medium, automatically and organically created and/or accumulated and used by an organization (Freemasonry in this case) in its everyday existence. A collection is a unit of material that is artificially created or brought together based on some common characteristic, such as subject (grand lodge history), language, etc. In this guide, both Fonds and collections are available for research on Manitoba Freemasonry.

This guide was developed by assessing the private Fonds/collections and defining categories of material relevant to Freemasonry research. The parameters and the range of materials that are found in within the categories are to be developed and will be enabled through links to assist the researcher locate documents best suited to their area of interest.

Below is a listing of subject categories of archival material. By clicking on any of the links, you will get a listing of the Fonds/collections that contain material relevant to that topic. Many documents fit into more than a single category and these categories have been indicated on the list to increase its scope and research potential. From time to time, the category list will be revised to accommodate high volumes of a specific interest and visa versa.

The amount of information that any given Fonds or collection within a category may range from a single document (letter, article, photo) to a series or body of work (a book, diary, register) or even the collection itself. Within the descriptions of each category the range of materials most commonly found is indicated to provide the researcher with clarification about possible documents.

Having found a Fonds containing material relevant to the researcher, they should proceed to the MMA and consult the Fonds inventories and related finding aids to identify the specific document titles and descriptions. At this level the researcher will be able to determine the relevance of the Fonds contents and request those items which of interest. Due to the nature of archival material, the researcher should be aware of two significant characteristics of the Fonds. Firstly, some degree of access (access restrictions) to documents varies within and between Fonds. Some will require permission from the Archivist or a higher authority. Secondly, while the Fonds are generally focused on a specific category, they most often contain extensive amounts of other material by or about other categories.

Finding Aid Example:
Abstract:
The archival material of The Grand Lodge of Manitoba covers the history of itself, its Districts, and its Constituent Lodges from their inception to today's date. The history of Freemasonry in the Province of Manitoba, could naturally be divided into three periods. The first dates to the early days of the Red River Settlement when, coincident with the arrival of white settlers, the pioneer Lodge, Northern Light Lodge, which was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 1864 and functioned for a few years. It was located at Fort Pembina, Dakotah Territory. Doctor John Schultz, was the first Worshipful Master, Andrew G. B. Bannatyne, was the first Senior Warden, and William Inkster, was the first Junior Warden.

The second period covers the few years from 1870 to 1873. This takes up the activity of the three lodges (Northern Light, Lisgar, and Ancient Landmark) chartered by the Grand Lodge of Canada (in Ontario) to the time when the brethren of the Province of Manitoba decided to form themselves into a sovereign body for the territory of the North-West Provinces in 1875 with Rev. W. Clarkson Clarke as the first Grand Master. The third period embraces the activity of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba from the date of its formation down to the present.

The bulk of the Fonds is composed of historical attendance registers, meeting books, Membership registers, Financial ledgers, Correspondence files, Petitions for initiation and affiliation, Certificates, Charters, and Dispensations, Grand Lodge Annual Communication minutes, Paintings, Prints, and Photographs. Some of these items have been or are in the process of being digitized.

The Fonds contains several items of note; two books on the history of Grand Lodge and its Districts and Lodges to 1974, histories of the most notable Charter Members of Grand Lodge, and histories of several of the constituent Lodges. As well there are several boxes containing detailed information on nearly all the Lodges. Of note are several files relating to the author of the first history book of Freemasonry in Manitoba, William Douglas “Freemasonry in Manitoba 1864-1925”.

Scope and Content Note:
The Fonds contains several types of material formats however most of the items are in paper format with book format second. As well, there are vintage photographs, dated certificates, and awards, 3 D jewelry, Masonic aprons of distinguished character, trowels marking a significant event, ashlars (stone cubes), wands, and Volumes of Sacred Law (bibles), What is not included is the regalia normally owned and worn by individual Masons unless deemed historically significant. Although the Fonds contains some reference to world events such as WWI and WWII or to the town/city that they reside, the amount of information is minor. The Fonds Series contain information on the Grand Master, Grand Secretary, several committees, Lodges, Districts and correspondence from other jurisdictions. The series are contained in numbered boxes and within each box are identified files forming a sub-series and sub-sub-series configuration. Some archival information is not paper but rather 3-D objects such as wands, ashlars, aprons which are identified by tags.

Historical Note:
1863: Northern Light Lodge formed, Fort Pembina Dakotah Territory, USA
1864: Northern Light Lodge relocated, Fort Garry, (Wpg) Red River Settlement, Brit. Possessions
1870: Winnipeg Lodge #1, GL of Canada
1871: Winnipeg Lodge renamed to Prince Rupert’s Lodge
1871: Manitoban Lodge #2 (Lower Fort Garry) Selkirk, GL of Canada
1871: Manitoban Lodge renamed to Lisgar, GL of Canada
1871: Assiniboine Lodge #251 (Marquette), Portage La Prairie, GL of Canada
1871: International Lodge #252 (North Pembina), Emerson, GL of Canada
1871: First DDGM, Robert Stewart Patterson, (Prince Rupert's Lodge), GL of Canada
1872: Ancient Landmark Lodge #288, GL of Canada
1875: Grand Lodge of Manitoba formed
1878- The Schism of Canadian Works versus American Works
1879: Kinistino Lodge #381, Prince Albert, NT
1890: Al Moghreb Al Aksa #018, Tangier, Morocco, Charter forfeited, GL of Manitoba
1905: Grand Lodge of Alberta formed
1906: Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan formed

Provenance and Acquisition Information:
The bulk of the archival material was transferred from the Grand Lodge, District, and Constituent Lodges in 1990, after the formation of the MMA. Since then and ongoing, the three groups transfer information based on available MMA space. External donations are received sporadically and continue to this day. Records are kept in original order, by the date they were created.

Processing Information:
For the past 20 years, the focus at the MMA was to establish the archival policy, procedures, forms, and archival space. Performing a high-level accession of the existing material was begun next using an excel worksheet file. Currently, there remains some material previously received but not accessioned, material of lodges gone dark yet to be accessioned, and an influx of newly transferred material from lodges to be accessioned. This information is disorganized and has not been acquisitioned to remove material of no historical significance. Until the acquisitioning has been completed and recorded, this information is not available for research purposes. It is expected going forward a new Archives software package will be used to complete most of the archival functions. This software is expected to be installed during 2018.

Some of the older archival material has suffered from an unstable storage environment and is of fragile condition. Other manuscripts have suffered fire damage as evidenced by the burnt portions of most of their pages. Lastly, there is some damage from either water or high humidity levels causing the writing material to blur and dry. In some cases, the original document shows signs of writing material fading, thus reducing the clarity of the information.

Series Description and Container List:
A list of the Fonds Series, Sub-Series, and Sub-Sub-Series is in the draft stage and is not eligible for today. It is expected that after the installation of the newly acquired software, a complete list will be completed and available for use by researchers.

Guide to Archival Resources for Manitoba Freemasonry at the Manitoba Masonic Archives
Introduction:

This guide was designed to help researchers locate Freemasonry related archival material at the Manitoba Masonic Archives (MMA) in the jurisdiction of Manitoba, Canada. Its purpose is to provide an overview of the private Fonds/collections, indicating those which contain relevant archival documents. It is designed to be the first finding aid for the researcher and is intended to make Manitoba Freemasonry research in the MMA more thorough and efficient.

The MMA collects records of The Grand Lodge of Manitoba. This encompasses records related to governing, and administrative functions related to Grand Lodge, its Districts, its Constituent Lodges and various committees. Inter-jurisdictional correspondence, conferences, and special events are also recorded.

A Fonds is defined as “the whole of the documents, regardless of form or medium, automatically and organically created and/or accumulated and used by an organization (Freemasonry in this case) in its everyday existence. A collection is a unit of material that is artificially created or brought together based on some common characteristic, such as subject (grand lodge history), language, etc. In this guide, both Fonds and collections are available for research on Manitoba Freemasonry.

This guide was developed by assessing the private Fonds/collections and defining categories of material relevant to Freemasonry research. The parameters and the range of materials that are found in within the categories are to be developed and will be enabled through links to assist the researcher locate documents best suited to their area of interest.

Below is a listing of subject categories of archival material. By clicking on any of the links, you will get a listing of the Fonds/collections that contain material relevant to that topic. Many documents fit into more than a single category and these categories have been indicated on the list to increase its scope and research potential. From time to time, the category list will be revised to accommodate high volumes of a specific interest and visa versa.

The amount of information that any given Fonds or collection within a category may range from a single document (letter, article, photo) to a series or body of work (a book, diary, register) or even the collection itself. Within the descriptions of each category the range of materials most commonly found is indicated to provide the researcher with clarification about possible documents.

Having found a Fonds containing material relevant to the researcher, they should proceed to the MMA and consult the Fonds inventories and related finding aids to identify the specific document titles and descriptions. At this level the researcher will be able to determine the relevance of the Fonds contents and request those items which of interest. Due to the nature of archival material, the researcher should be aware of two significant characteristics of the Fonds. Firstly, some degree of access (access restrictions) to documents varies within and between Fonds. Some will require permission from the Archivist or a higher authority. Secondly, while the Fonds are generally focused on a specific category, they most often contain extensive amounts of other material by or about other categories.

Finding Aid Example:
Abstract:
The archival material of The Grand Lodge of Manitoba covers the history of itself, its Districts, and its Constituent Lodges from their inception to today's date. The history of Freemasonry in the Province of Manitoba, could naturally be divided into three periods. The first dates to the early days of the Red River Settlement when, coincident with the arrival of white settlers, the pioneer Lodge, Northern Light Lodge, which was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 1864 and functioned for a few years. It was located at Fort Pembina, Dakotah Territory. Doctor John Schultz, was the first Worshipful Master, Andrew G. B. Bannatyne, was the first Senior Warden, and William Inkster, was the first Junior Warden.

The second period covers the few years from 1870 to 1873. This takes up the activity of the three lodges (Northern Light, Lisgar, and Ancient Landmark) chartered by the Grand Lodge of Canada (in Ontario) to the time when the brethren of the Province of Manitoba decided to form themselves into a sovereign body for the territory of the North-West Provinces in 1875 with Rev. W. Clarkson Clarke as the first Grand Master. The third period embraces the activity of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba from the date of its formation down to the present.

The bulk of the Fonds is composed of historical attendance registers, meeting books, Membership registers, Financial ledgers, Correspondence files, Petitions for initiation and affiliation, Certificates, Charters, and Dispensations, Grand Lodge Annual Communication minutes, Paintings, Prints, and Photographs. Some of these items have been or are in the process of being digitized.

The Fonds contains several items of note; two books on the history of Grand Lodge and its Districts and Lodges to 1974, histories of the most notable Charter Members of Grand Lodge, and histories of several of the constituent Lodges. As well there are several boxes containing detailed information on nearly all the Lodges. Of note are several files relating to the author of the first history book of Freemasonry in Manitoba, William Douglas “Freemasonry in Manitoba 1864-1925”.

Scope and Content Note:
The Fonds contains several types of material formats however most of the items are in paper format with book format second. As well, there are vintage photographs, dated certificates, and awards, 3 D jewelry, Masonic aprons of distinguished character, trowels marking a significant event, ashlars (stone cubes), wands, and Volumes of Sacred Law (bibles), What is not included is the regalia normally owned and worn by individual Masons unless deemed historically significant. Although the Fonds contains some reference to world events such as WWI and WWII or to the town/city that they reside, the amount of information is minor. The Fonds Series contain information on the Grand Master, Grand Secretary, several committees, Lodges, Districts and correspondence from other jurisdictions. The series are contained in numbered boxes and within each box are identified files forming a sub-series and sub-sub-series configuration. Some archival information is not paper but rather 3-D objects such as wands, ashlars, aprons which are identified by tags.

Historical Note:
1863: Northern Light Lodge formed, Fort Pembina Dakotah Territory, USA
1864: Northern Light Lodge relocated, Fort Garry, (Wpg) Red River Settlement, Brit. Possessions
1870: Winnipeg Lodge #1, GL of Canada
1871: Winnipeg Lodge renamed to Prince Rupert’s Lodge
1871: Manitoban Lodge #2 (Lower Fort Garry) Selkirk, GL of Canada
1871: Manitoban Lodge renamed to Lisgar, GL of Canada
1871: Assiniboine Lodge #251 (Marquette), Portage La Prairie, GL of Canada
1871: International Lodge #252 (North Pembina), Emerson, GL of Canada
1871: First DDGM, Robert Stewart Patterson, (Prince Rupert's Lodge), GL of Canada
1872: Ancient Landmark Lodge #288, GL of Canada
1875: Grand Lodge of Manitoba formed
1878- The Schism of Canadian Works versus American Works
1879: Kinistino Lodge #381, Prince Albert, NT
1890: Al Moghreb Al Aksa #018, Tangier, Morocco, Charter forfeited, GL of Manitoba
1905: Grand Lodge of Alberta formed
1906: Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan formed

Provenance and Acquisition Information:
The bulk of the archival material was transferred from the Grand Lodge, District, and Constituent Lodges in 1990, after the formation of the MMA. Since then and ongoing, the three groups transfer information based on available MMA space. External donations are received sporadically and continue to this day. Records are kept in original order, by the date they were created.

Processing Information:
For the past 20 years, the focus at the MMA was to establish the archival policy, procedures, forms, and archival space. Performing a high-level accession of the existing material was begun next using an excel worksheet file. Currently, there remains some material previously received but not accessioned, material of lodges gone dark yet to be accessioned, and an influx of newly transferred material from lodges to be accessioned. This information is disorganized and has not been acquisitioned to remove material of no historical significance. Until the acquisitioning has been completed and recorded, this information is not available for research purposes. It is expected going forward a new Archives software package will be used to complete most of the archival functions. This software is expected to be installed during 2018.

Some of the older archival material has suffered from an unstable storage environment and is of fragile condition. Other manuscripts have suffered fire damage as evidenced by the burnt portions of most of their pages. Lastly, there is some damage from either water or high humidity levels causing the writing material to blur and dry. In some cases, the original document shows signs of writing material fading, thus reducing the clarity of the information.

Series Description and Container List:
A list of the Fonds Series, Sub-Series, and Sub-Sub-Series is in the draft stage and is not eligible for today. It is expected that after the installation of the newly acquired software, a complete list will be completed and available for use by researchers.

Access area

Opening times

Although the hours or days of operation are subject to change without notice, the Archives are open every Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Access conditions and requirements

Access Policy
There are three classifications of archived material; Confidential, Masonic, and Public. The onus for proving eligibility for access to any of the classifications will be on the researcher.

Prior to being granted accessing privileges, researchers must complete an Application for Research Privileges identifying their name, address and phone number and stating the purpose of their research. Brethren requesting Research privileges must also complete an Application for Research Privileges and present a valid current year's dues card before being granted access to Masonic or Confidential material. All applications for access must be renewed annually and are available from the Archivist.

Confidential Access
Access to accessioned data classified as 'Confidential' will be granted at the discretion of any one of the following; the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master or the Grand Secretary. The Grand Archivist cannot grant access to confidential material. The Archivist will pass on the request to the appropriate body.

Masonic Access
The accessioned data classified as Masonic will be open only to members in good standing of a Masonic organization recognized by the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Access will be granted at the discretion of any one of the following; the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Secretary, or the Archivist. The Archivist should receive the request first.

Public Access
The accessioned data identified as Public will be accessible to all approved researchers. Access will be granted at the discretion of any one of the following; the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Secretary, or the Grand Archivist. The Archivist should receive the request first.

Access Principles
The following briefly described principles that have been adopted and modified from The Principles of Access to Archives [3].

Both public and private entities should open their archives to the greatest extent possible.
Archivists should encourage their institution to provide public access to its archives, especially if the holdings will help protect rights or will benefit public interests. Opening institutional archives helps maintain institutional transparency and credibility, improves public understanding of the institution’s unique history and its contributions to society, helps the institution fulfill its social responsibility to share information for the public good, and enhances the institution’s image.

Institutions should make known the existence of the archives, including the existence of closed materials, and disclose the existence of restrictions that affect access to the archives.
Archivists inform the public of the access policy of the holdings in accordance with the institution’s legal mandates, regulations. They ensure that descriptions of their archives are current, accurate and comply with international descriptive standards to facilitate access. Archivists begin with a presumption of openness; if access restrictions are required, they ensure that such restrictions are written clearly to enable the public to understand them and to enhance consistency in their application.

Institutions holding archives adopt a pro-active approach to access.
Archivists communicate information about archives through the Internet and web-based publications, printed materials, public programs, commercial media and educational and outreach activities. Archivists cooperate with other archives and institutions in preparing location registers, guides, archival portals and gateways to assist users in locating archives.

Institutions holding archives ensure that restrictions on access are clear and of stated duration, are based on pertinent legislation, acknowledge the right of privacy and respect the rights of owners of private materials.
Archivists provide the widest possible access to archives, but they recognize, accept and publish access restrictions imposed by legislation, by institutional policy, either of the archival institution or its parent body, or by a donor.

General access restrictions cover the protection of personal data and privacy, safety, investigatory or law enforcement information, commercial secrets, and national security.

Archivists seek to limit the scope of restrictions to those imposed by law or to identified instances where a specific harm to a legitimate private or public interest temporarily outweighs the benefit of disclosure at the time.

Archives are made available on equal and fair terms.
Archivists provide users with just, fair, and timely access to archives without discrimination. Existing donor agreements, institutional security needs, and related constraints may require archivists to make distinctions between researchers.

Archivists encourage legislative and regulatory actions that open records responsibly and do not support attempts to close information previously made public, either by reclassifying or ordering destruction of materials.

Institutions holding archives ensure that victims of serious crimes under international law have access to archives that provide evidence needed to assert their human rights and to document violations of them, even if those archives are closed to the public.
Persons seeking access to archives for human rights purposes are given access to the relevant archives, even if those archives are closed to the public. The right of access for human rights purposes applies to the extent possible, to private archives.

Users have the right to appeal a denial of access.
Each archival institution has a clear policy and procedure for appeal of initial denials of access. Users denied access are informed of their right to appeal, the procedure to submit an appeal and the time limits, if any.

Institutions holding archives ensure that operational constraints do not prevent access to archives.
The equal right to access includes the equal right to benefit from the archives. They assist those who are disabled, illiterate or disadvantaged and would otherwise have significant difficulties in using archives.

When private archival institutions charge admission fees, they should consider the applicant’s ability to pay and the fee charged must not be a bar to use of the archives.

If an archival item contains sensitive information in a few sentences or a limited number of pages, that information is omitted, and the remainder of the item is released.

Archivists have access to closed archives to perform necessary archival work.
Archivists have access to all closed archives in their custody to analyze, preserve, arrange and describe them in order that their existence and the reasons for their restriction are known. This archival work helps prevent the archives from being destroyed or forgotten advertently or inadvertently and helps assure the integrity of the archives.

Archivists participate in the decision-making process on access.
Archivists help their institutions establish access policies and procedures and review archives for possible release under existing access laws, guidelines and best practices. Archivists monitor restrictions, reviewing archives and removing restrictions that are no longer applicable.

Access Rules
Keeping in mind the access principles adopted above, the following rules will apply to all researchers making use of the archival material of the Manitoba Masonic Archives:

Access to the Manitoba Masonic Archives is permitted when the Archivist is available or a designate as identified by the Grand Secretary.
All researchers requesting access must first complete an Application for Research Privileges.
No smoking, drinking, or eating is allowed within the work or storage areas of the Manitoba Masonic Archives.
No document may be photocopied without proper approval.
No material may be removed from the Manitoba Masonic Archives without prior approval.
Researchers requesting physical access to an item will submit a completed Physical Access Request Form to the Archivist.
The researcher’s hands must be clean, or cotton gloves are required when handling artefacts.
No archival material may be physically altered or damaged.
The use of any writing instrument on archival material is forbidden.
When completed, the researcher will return the archival material to the Grand Archivist who will inspect if for damage, record its return, and return it to storage.
All forms of baggage will be subject to inspection at any time and without prior notice by the Archivist.

Failure to comply with any of the access rules will result in the immediate revocation of access privileges.

Accessibility

Services area

Research services

No research services are available but the MMA will assist researchers when on-site regarding access to materials.
Acknowledgement Policy:
All researchers must acknowledge, the Manitoba Masonic Archives of The Grand Lodge of Manitoba, A.F. & A.M., as a data source with which they have created their own work for the following key reasons:

l. To distinguish their own work from that of a source.
m. To receive credit for the research that has been done.
n. To establish credibility and authority of a researcher’s knowledge and ideas.
o. To place one’s own ideas in context with others.
p. To permit the reader to pursue the topic further by reading more about it.
q. To permit the reader to check on one’s use of source material.

Reproduction services

Reproduction services are available for a fee which shall be determined at the time of need.

Public areas

The Manitoba Masonic Center has restrooms and limited space to conduct research.

Control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Maintenance notes

Access points

Access Points

  • Clipboard

Primary contact

420 Corydon Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CA