The Sword

Paper 34/2007 Title The Sword Author Bro Dennis Eve - England Little did we know of the forthcom ing “gold nugget” when arriving in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, on the week-end of the 25/27 th May 2001 for the Centenary celebration of the Yukon Masonic Lodge No.45, Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon. However V.W.Bro. Thomas J. Hay den and his wife Pat, from Guelph, Ontario, will forever treasure and remember the events of this weekend when a beje welled masterpiece belonging to her maternal grandfather was returned from the past. I was very lucky to be befriended by Tom and Pat, together with Don Frizzell the lodge Secretary, and joined them for a tour of Dawson City, this being where Pat was born and lived until her family left when she was just six years old.
The house that Pat’s grandfather, an Englishman Alfred E. Lee lived in, was still here though an additional timber extension had been added. Pat sat in the car reminiscing quietly of her past relating many stories of her childhood. She smiled hugely when recalling her mother giving her a little bag and a note to go for a loaf of bread; she vividly remembered that walk to the shop. Bro. Tom being very interested in the Yukon Gold had hear d that a chap by the name of John Gould had written a book called Frozen Gold and was signing the books at the Dawson City Museum so he decided to get a signed copy. While talking to John at the museum about gold, Tom mentioned that his wife’s Grandfather had walked into Dawson from Edmonton in 1897, arriving in Dawson in 1898, almost a year later. (Over 2800 miles) John asked what her Grandfather’s name was. A look of surprise came over his face when Tom told him that the name was Alfred Edward Lee. John knew of a lady who lived across from the hospital who had just found a sword with his initials on the hilt and his name engraved on the blade. In the olden days, for insulation, they had used sawdust to fill between the rafters. The pres ent owners were looking at placing new fibreglass insulation and when vacuuming out the sawdust found the sword, carrying harness, his hat and a seal.
With a little dickering, the sword was purchased by To m as it was felt it belonged with the family. Alfred Edward Lee had left Dawson for Vancouver in 1927 so it must have been there for 75+ years when found. Tom said later that when she brought out this leather case, he carefully lifted out a sword encased with a soft leather covering, momentarily holding his breath as he withdrew the sword to read the name of Alfred Edward Lee engraved along the blade. The beauty of the workmanship on what he knew to be a Preceptory sword, was of the hi ghest quality. Tom and Pat stood and gasped , that such a thing of beauty had been returned to Pat’s family.