Introductory History:
On March 15th 1975, Athelstan College was instituted, location Toronto.
First meeting of Athelstan College was June 4th, 1975, at which the Order of Knight of York was conferred. Two of the several candidates were William Barlow and W. James Curtis.
On April 30th 1976 Fred Scott and William Maynard were made Knights of York at Athelstan.
On August 8th 1976, an emergent meeting of Athelstan College was held at Saskatoon in conjunction with the events of Great Priory that year, a new College known as Alberta Rose No. 52 was instituted after the candidates of that College received the Knight of York from Athelstan College.
Amongst the 31 candidates was Alfred H. Mellanby of Hamilton.
On October 2nd 1976, at Athelstan College the following were made Knights of York John Aldridge, Frank DeVenne, Russel Brown, James Shaw and Charles K. Mattison.
Hamilton now had enough Knights to form their own College as William Barlow had envisioned from the beginning.
At the regular meeting of Athelstan College N0, 41, held at the York Temple, the regular meeting locale in Toronto, on January 15th 1977, the new College known as Sir William York Rite College was instituted by Gordon H. Stuart, Grand Governor of Ontario, Robert W. Purdy, Deputy Grand Governor and Peter Mayden the Governor of Athelstan College. After which Comp. Kt William Barlow and his officers were then placed in their stations by ceremony.
On May 30th, 1977, Sir William York Rite College performed the Knight of York and the report was that it was well done. (Sir William York Rite College was named after William Barlow.)