Remembering the Queen Elizabeth Lodge in Mississauga
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Queen Elizabeth Lodge by Adrian Dingle from PAMA
It started in 1906. A well-recounted drive into the countryside in search of the perfect place. John Hall stopped the car along Mississauga Road and launched a golf ball into the river valley. They had found what they were looking for – a home for their new golf course. It would become the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. But that is another story.
John E Hall
Drawn to area around their new club, John Hall (or “John E.” as he was known), purchased land immediately to the south of the club in 1908, and built a cottage. In modern terms, it was located on the west side of the Credit River, east of Mississauga Road, and south of the Middle Road (now the QEW).
John Edwin Hall (1854-1942) was born in Warrington, Lancashire, England, and came to Canada around 1887. He first settled in Guelph, and later relocated to Toronto, partnering in the People’s Loan and Deposit Company and with F.W. Black and Company. He later formed his own real estate and insurance firm under the name of John E. Hall and Company. In 1891 John Hall married Mamie Sybil Little, and the couple had two children: Marjorie (1892-1987) and George (1896-1917). The Hall family lived on Victoria Street in Toronto and at their cottage here in historic Mississauga for several months each summer. John and Sybil Hall’s son, Captain George Osborne Hall, was killed in the First World War. Around the time of his son’s death, John Hall, then a widower, retired and moved to the cottage along the Credit River. The cottage was enlarged and dubbed “Osborne Cottage” – likely in reference to his late son’s middle name, although the name origin for Osborne is not currently known.
Queen Elizabeth Lodge by Adrian Dingle from PAMA
John seemed to have aspirations to develop his property as a subdivision plan (Plan E9) was registered in 1909. It appears that little was developed within Plan E9. In 1961 a new subdivision plan on John Hall’s former property was registered (Plan 677), which created Kedelston Way and Knareswood Drive.
From the Toronto Daily Star, January 14, 1944
But back to John Hall. He was regarded as a preeminent sportsman, with noted links to both golf and cricket in Canada. In 1895 he compiled a book entitled “Sixty Years of Canadian Cricket”. He was also a past master of the Mississauga Masonic Lodge in Port Credit.
In 1941 John E sold his property to Andrew and Augusta (nee Strauss) Fillafer. In December of 1943 the Fillafers, having enlarged Hall’s former cottage to include accommodations and a large restaurant, welcomed patrons to the Queen Elizabeth Lodge – likely named in reference to its proximity along the newly opened Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW). On Christmas Day in 1943, the formal opening, 281 patrons gathered for Christmas dinner. In January of 1944 the Toronto Daily Star announced the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Lodge, remarking on its charm and hospitality. The newspaper proclaimed that the Lodge was completely renovated, tastefully decorated, and was becoming the place to be for wedding parties, club dinners, and family gatherings. In most years it appears that the Lodge opened for the season on Good Friday and ran until early November and was then open again briefly for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
From Nov 10, 1956 - The Globe and Mail
Auction Ad, Oct 28, 1957 - The Globe and Mail
The Queen Elizabeth Lodge operated until 1957, when the property was expropriated by the Department of Highways for the expansion of the QEW. The Fillafers retired to Orillia. The contents of the Queen Elizabeth Lodge were auctioned off on October 29, 1957. The advertisement for the auction indicated that it was a large and well-equipped restaurant. (One wonders if any of the contents from the Queen Elizabeth Lodge might have found their way to other locations and were still in the community). The building itself stood until around 1959, when it was demolished. Although we have not located any photographs of the building, local beloved artist Adrian Dingle painted two images of the Lodge, helping to chronicle the story of the Queen Elizabeth Lodge.
From Apr 25, 1956 - The Globe and MaIL
Hat tip here to Dave Sheard for the inspiration for this article and the post card image of the Lodge he recently shared on the Growing Up in Port Credit Facebook group. The Region of Peel Archives also has a copy of the postcard, while another post card by the same artist shows the Lodge from a different perspective and is found in Gordon Hatten’s book “For the Love of Port Credit”.
