FOUNDERS UNIT 1888
At a Shriners convention in Miami, Florida in 1952, Jack Robertson approached Arnold Taylor and Harold Lessee to discuss the need of greater recognition for the Toronto Temple and that’s when the idea of a streetcar was born.
Robertson Motors Limited, owned by Jack Robertson, and managed by Grover Robertson, donated two trucks. The first one was in 1953, the second in 1966. a third, the present one, was donated in 1991 by Across Canada Car Leasing, Grover Robertson, President, and Associates.
In January 1953, the unit of 12 Shriners was formed primarily to enable Rameses Temple of Toronto to have a float available for parades.
The float itself is made up to resemble an old Toronto Streetcar, vintage 1888, the year Rameses Temple was founded. The members likewise dress in costume representative of an early era and depicting those stalwart Shriners who originally founded the Temple.
On the Streetcar itself has been installed a public address system, tape player, and a 110-volt gas-operated generator to run the same so that entertainment is prevalent wherever the Unit goes.
The Unit members and streetcar have attended every Spring Ceremonial, since its construction in 1953 and every Imperial Session since that date where motorized units were authorized to do so by the Rameses Potentate of that year. Other activities of the Unit are participating in local parades and the sponsorship of the Annual Golf Tournament for the Potentates Trophy.
Our membership has been increased to 25, which is the capacity for standing and seated members.
The streetcar was the first Fun Unit for the Toronto Rameses Shriners and made its debut at the Shriners Convention in Chicago in 1955.
