18. The Sunderland Presbyterian Church

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The Sunderland Presbyterian Church – 5 Albert St

King Edwards Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 464 G.R.C

Sunderland’s original Presbyterian church stood just north of the Sunderland Cemetery. As the village grew during the nineteenth century, a new church was built about 1875 at this location on Albert Street.

The street itself was originally known as Main Street and was later renamed Albert Street, a change that can sometimes cause confusion when locating buildings in early records.

By 1910, fire insurance maps show the Presbyterian church with an imposing tower consisting of a 30-foot block section topped by a 15-foot wooden spire.

In 1913, fire destroyed the Calhoun Block immediately north of the church. The blaze also damaged the roof and tower of the Presbyterian church, although the building itself survived.

A major change came in 1925 with the formation of the United Church of Canada. Sunderland’s Presbyterian congregation joined with the local Methodist congregation, and worship services were subsequently held at St. Andrews United Church on Church Street North. The united congregation used the former Presbyterian manse, located at the corner of Albert Street North and Doble Street.

Among the Sunderland families associated with and supporting the Presbyterian church were the Weddells, Pattersons, Tokers, Glendennings, Wallaces, Gillespies and Charters.

With the church no longer required for regular worship, the building was sold in 1928 to King Edward Lodge No. 464 of Sunderland. The former church was renovated for its new purpose and officially dedicated as a Masonic lodge in 1929.

The building thus began a second chapter in its history, serving for generations as the home of King Edward Lodge and associated Masonic organizations.