On November 9, 1857 seven Master Masons from the City of Charlottetown met at the residence of Bro. John W. Morrison “to take into consideration the propriety of establishing a Lodge of Freemasons under the Jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful the Grand Lodge of Scotland.” The Worshipful Master elect of St. John’s Lodge No. 562 E.R., Bro. William Taylor Paw, was in the chair. After some discussion the seven Brethren unanimously adopted the following resolution: “Resolved that the draught (sic) of a petition to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia just submitted by Past Master Morrison, praying for a Letter of Dispensation for the holding of a Lodge at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island under the name and title of “Victoria Lodge’ be adopted and that a copy be forwarded to Halifax, N.S. by tomorrow’s mail, and further, that the following brothers be the office bearers”

Right Worshipful Master	W.Bro. John W. Morrison
Deputy Master	Bro. James Duncan Mason
Substitute Master	Bro. Samuel Nelson
Senior Warden	Bro. Albert Hynde Gates
Junior Warden	Bro. James Romans
Treasurer	Bro. Wm. Russell Watson
Secretary	Bro. Alexander MacKinnon
Senior Deacon	Bro. Wm. Samuel Longworth
Junior Deacon	Bro. John Thomas Rowe
Inner Guard	Bro. Watson Duchemin
Tyler	Bro. Wm. Billings Davison

The two other Brethren who were included among the thirteen petitioners were William Taylor Paw and Samuel Abbott Fowle who was actually the first candidate to petition the new Lodge for membership and was not initiated until December 12, 1957. The list of petitioners included nine merchants from the City. Ten were Master Masons from St. John’s Lodge. Bro. MacKinnon was a member of Keith Lodge No. 365 E.R. in Halifax. (Minutes, February 8, 1858)

In 1857 there was only one other Masonic Lodge in the Colony, St. John’s No. 562 E.R. which had been chartered in 1797. Sussex Lodge No. 833 E.R. had operated for a brief period (1828-1837). Bro. Samuel Nelson, the first Substitute Master in Victoria Lodge, had been a Charter Member of Sussex Lodge. The Jewels and other paraphernalia of the late Sussex Lodge were placed in the possession of Worshipful Master Morrison by Bro. Samuel Nelson, Bro. John McGill and Bro. David Wilson as a loan or until called for by them. (Minutes, November 30, 1857) It was interesting to note that in 1896 a daughter of Bro. McGill requested the return of the Jewel worn by her father in Sussex Lodge. The Lodge Trustee met with her and the issue was resolved when she learned that the Regalia was still being used by the Lodge Officers. (Bro. McGill’s Master Mason Certificate is displayed in the Ante Room of the Temple in Charlottetown.)