Biography of Grand Master J.K. Kerr

By: W. Bro. David Lawrence, Ionic Lodge, No. 25 GRC, Toronto

James Kirkpatrick Kerr was born near Guelph, Ontario, on August 1, 1841, the son of Robert Warren Kerr (City Chamberlain of Hamilton) and Jane Hamilton Kirkpatrick (daughter of James Kirkpatrick, County Treasurer of Wentworth County). He was educated at the Galt Grammar School (Dr. Tessie's).

In 1864 he married Anne Margaret Blake, the daughter of the Hon. W. H. Blake, Chancellor of College University). There is no record of any children and his wife died in 1882. In December 1883 he married Cecil Staveley Pinhorne (who would be the President of the Women's Welcome Hostel in 1908). She was the niece of the Right Honourable Staveley Hill, QC, of London, England.

James Kirkpatrick Kerr became a barrister in 1862 and a bencher of the Law Society in 1879, being named as a QC in 1874. He practiced with Messrs Blake, both of who were active in law and politics, Edward Blake as an MP from 1867 onwards and Samuel Blake as a judge. In 1885 he became a partner in Kerr, Macdonald, Davidson and Paterson. He was a member of the Liberal Party and was President of the Liberal Association. The Governor-General, Earl Minto, called him to the Senate on March 12, 1893. On January 16, 1896 he was named as Speaker of the Senate and in 1911 he was created a Privy Councillor of Canada.

He was an Anglican and served as a delegate to both the Diocesan and Provincial Synods.

He was active in civic affairs and was one of the founders of the Havergal Ladies College in Toronto. He was also a Director of the Canadian General Electric Company.

He was present at the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 and was presented to their Majesties in June 1911.

M. W. Bro. James Kirkpatrick Kerr, KC, died at his home, ?Rathnelly- in the city of Toronto on December 4, 1916, after a long illness.

MASONIC CAREER

James Kirkpatrick Kerr was initiated into Ionic Lodge, No. 25 GRC, Toronto in 1865 and served as WM. He was elected as DDGM in 1874 and later appointed as Grand Representative for the Grand Lodges of Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Utah. He was elected Deputy Grand Master at the nineteenth Annual Communication in July 1874 when M. W. Bro. William Mercer Wilson was elected as Grand Master (for his tenth term). [Note: and R. W. Bro. Thomas Bird Harris was elected for his twentieth successive term as Grand Secretary, although he died shortly afterwards.] On January 16, 1875, M. W. Bro. Wilson passed to the Grand Lodge above and R. W. Bro. Kerr assumed the duties of that office for the next six months. He was 34 years of age at the time. At the Annual Communication in July 1875, he was elected as Grand Master and re-elected in July 1876.

One of the first challenges facing the new Grand Master concerned the request for a Warrant of the brethren interested in forming a new Lodge in London, to be called ?Eden. Opposition from other Lodges in the area resulted in the issue of a Dispensation to meet but when Eden Lodge attempted to initiate a candidate M. W. Bro. Kerr instructed the Grand Secretary to immediately write to the Lodge and prohibit the meeting as exceeding the authority granted by the Grand Master. In a welter of bad feeling the WM and members of Eden Lodge established the -Grand Lodge of Ontario- with Eden Lodge as a founder. The Grand Master then summarily suspended all members of Eden Lodge, including some dissatisfied members of legitimate Lodges who had joined Eden. Recognition by the Grand Lodge of Texas was almost immediately withdrawn and no other Grand Lodge extended recognition, most have concluded that the move was irregular and revolutionary, spurious and unconstitutional. The issue of Eden Lodge and the -Grand Lodge of Ontario- would not be resolved until 1879-80.

A second challenge was also posed in 1875 when three Lodges in Manitoba District, after mature reflection of the needs of Freemasonry in their new Province, formed a new Grand Lodge. As noted by W. S. Herrington, ?The Grand Lodge of Canada, upon the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes, extended due recognition to the new western star in the Masonic firmament.

YORK RITE

In Capitular Masonry he was a Royal Arch Mason.

He was a member of the Sovereign Great Priory of Canada and had been Provincial Grand Prior. He visited England and helped to secure the recognition of the Great Priory of England and Wales, as well as its consent, to the establishment of the Sovereign Great Priory of Canada as an independent and sovereign body. For his work in this endeavour he received the Grand Cross of the Temple from the Great Priory of England and Wales at the hands of the then Great Prior, HM King Edward VII.

SCOTTISH RITE

He was a member of the Scottish Rite and was a Grand Inspector General, 33.

[Sources: (1) A History of the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario 1855 - 1955, by Walter S. Herrington and Roy S. Foley, Published by the authority of Grand Lodge, McCallum Press Ltd., Toronto, 1955 (page 126). (2) The History of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario 1855-1930, by R. W. Bro. Walter S. Herrington, K.C., F.R.S.C., Deputy Grand Master. (3) Canadian Men and Women of their Time, by H. J. Morgan, 1898 Edition, copy held in the National Library of Canada.]