History

History of Rose of Lancaster Lodge No. 2353

The Rose of Lancaster Lodge was consecrated on Thursday, 21st November 1889 by the then RW Provincial Grand Master, the Earl of Lathom who was also the Deputy Grand Master. This was the first mention of a Southport Lodge being consecrated by the Provincial Grand Master. At the consecration, the ‘excellent dinner’ served consisted of eight courses, which unfortunately we can’t match these days. The petition stated that the Lodge was to meet on the third Thursday of each month, and meetings have been, and are still held to this day on that same day of the month.

The minutes of the early years showed the spirit that was in the Lodge, the great feelings of fraternal love and affection for each other, two values on which the foundations were laid for a great Lodge. The early years were ones of development with large numbers of candidates. During the first twenty five years, there were to be three changes of venue, moving into the Masonic Rooms at the Victoria Hotel in 1909. To try to show some stability, the Treasurer entered into a five year tenancy at the Victoria Hotel at £15 per annum, equivalent to about £1500 today.

The first twenty five years ended with the start of the Great War in 1914. In October of that year, it was resolved “that the names of the members of this Lodge who were serving their King and Country in the present crisis, be inscribed in a Roll of Honour for the information of all present and future members”. This Roll of Honour is not in our archives, but we believe it is the one which is displayed, at the Hall, in the passageway leading through to the bar. With the first twenty five years ending with the country at war, no one was to know that the end of the second twenty five years, the country would again be at war.

The period between the wars was mainly a quiet time but was marked with the move to the new Masonic Hall in Post Office Avenue. The Lodge had, since the consecration, met nine times a year but in 1915, possibly because of the low numbers during the war, the May meeting was dropped.  Honours were coming to the members of the Lodge, both in civil life and in masonry. In 1920, Earnest Hadfield, who was Mayor of Southport, was appointed C.B.E and in 1938 he received a Knighthood. WBro William Platt was appointed Chairman of the Southport Group and, in 1924, he was appointed to the rank of PAGDC, the only member of the ‘Rose’ to be given Grand Lodge honours until WBro Albert Cross PJGD formerly of Egerton Lodge 2132, Cheshire,  joined the Lodge in 2014. 

The end of our second twenty five years, also ended with the country at war. In October 1939, the minutes show that a circular was read in Open Lodge to the effect that all Masonic meetings be suspended. Nevertheless, this must have been rescinded because the Installation was held as usual in November. However, the 50th Anniversary of the Lodge had to be postponed, and in January it was resolved to hold this at the March meeting.

At first, during the war, no new candidates were forthcoming but from 1942 onwards, numbers began to return to normal with two or three candidates each year. Numbers had risen to a high of 62, when in 1946, it was resolved that the Lodge petition for a new Lodge which was to become Tudor Lodge No.6477. The first Master was WBro Fred Blomley whose office as the Principle of Southport Technical College is still marked by a bust of him in the entrance lobby of the college. In 1956, the Lodge held its first meeting at the new Masonic Hall in Duke Street which was a converted Methodist Church. At this first meeting, the Worshipful Master was WBro Geoffrey Binks, father of our Worshipful Master in 2009 and 2019-21, WBro Roger Binks. 

It was at this time that it was resolved that, in future, there should be a Lodge Committee consisting of the WM, Past Masters of and in the Lodge and the Senior and Junior Wardens with its first meeting being held on March 16th, 1966. The minutes of this committee were recorded each month, and gave a second source of information. In January, 1970, it was first recorded that an Ancient Charge was read in the Lodge. This is now a regular item every meeting and it was WBro Gordon Hughes, who had the honour of being the first Brother called on to do this.

In 1974, the Lodge again petitioned for a new Lodge, Hillside Lodge, which was consecrated on 16th September 1975, the first Worshipful Master being WBro Walter Wilkinson who was Master of the ‘Rose’ in 1959. In 1976, the Lodge was evacuated in the middle of an Initiation ceremony due to a bomb scare. This was the period when terrorist bombings were all too prevalent, but after the hall was searched, the brethren were allowed back in. The amusing side of this incident was that the candidate did not return with the other Brethren. He did however, reappear at the next meeting.

In 1979, whilst taking an inventory of the Lodge furniture, W.Bros Brimelow and Hughes rediscovered a Lodge Banner which had  been presented to the Lodge in 1895. The work of renovation was undertaken by WBro Arthur Scholes ably assisted by his sister, and a case was made by WBro Harry Barlow, a member of another Lodge in Southport. This is the banner now displayed in front of the Secretary’s table at every meeting whilst the original banner hangs on a wall in the Scarborough Temple

The Lodge was moving towards its Centenary with the Centenary Fund, set up in 1972, growing in value and the Lodge felt confident of being able to fund the costs of the evening. The Centenary celebration was held with a special meeting on Thursday 30th November 1989 and the Lodge was honoured by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Alan Fletcher Ferris who presented the Centenary Warrant to the Lodge and invested the Worshipful Master, Bro David Foulds, with the Centenary Jewel. Later in the ceremony, in open Lodge, he preferred the Lodge Secretary, WBro Arthur Williams, into Provincial Grand Lodge with the office of Past Provincial Senior Grand Deacon.

In 1993, the Lodge was again honoured by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro KE Moxley with his team at the Installation. The Master Elect was Bro Tony Davies, who was a member of the Provincial Choir. There were 28 members together with 42 visitors present that night.

In 1997 and 1999, the Lodge enjoyed visits from Olicana Lodge from Yorkshire West Riding. The Lodge ADC at that time, WBro Alan Foey, had worked in Leeds and had joined a Yorkshire Lodge during which time, he came into contact with Olicana Lodge who performed demonstrations in costume of 18th century ceremonies. These attracted a lot of interest with 90 present at the first and 75 at the second.

In January 1999, WBro Arthur Fletcher presented to the Lodge a hand-made gavel and an accompanying case which had been given to him by his brother-in-law, WBro. John Curran, a member of the Lodge of Golden Endeavour, No.173, in Australia. These had been made by WBro Curran from the wood of the Jarrah tree which had stood for over I 00 years as part of a bridge in Australia. A smaller version of this gavel is still used by the Worshipful Master at committee meetings.

In November, 1999, WBro DF Wallace became the first member of the Lodge in its history to be Worshipful Master for a second year. Since then there have been eight Past Masters take the chair for a second time.

In January 2004, the Lodge enjoyed the celebration of W.Bro. Alan Brown’s 50 years in Freemasonry. WBro Brown had become a joining member of the Lodge in 2002, having been initiated into Tower Lodge 3583 on 4th January 1954. The Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Harry Ross PSGD attended and presented the 50th Anniversary Certificate to WBro Brown who presented a Kneeling Stool to the Lodge to mark the occasion.

November 2008 saw the Lodge being given a particular honour by being selected for the first visit to Southport of the new Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Peter Hasker, which repeated the first visit to Southport, for the consecration of the Lodge, by his predecessor, the Earl of Lathom, in 1889.

In May, 2010, Bro Mel Smallwood became the first member of the Lodge to receive acting rank in Provincial Grand Lodge since 1969 being preferred as Provincial Assistant Grand Standard Bearer. This was the first acting rank in the Lodge since WBro Geoffrey Binks was appointed as Provincial Grand Steward. The Lodge was again honoured in May 2011, when WBro Peter Lower was preferred as Provincial Assistant Grand Standard Bearer and in 2016 when WBro David Scott was preferred as Assistant Grand Superintendent of Works.

On Saturday 21st March 2015 the Lodge held an Emergency Meeting at Freemasons Hall, London to celebrate its 125th Anniversary. The Worshipful Master, WBro David Scott arranged for the meeting room and organised the venue for the Festive Board. At the meeting the Worshipful Master Passed Bro JD O’Brien to the degree of a Fellowcraft.

Despite losses through Brethren being called to the Grand Lodge above the Lodge has maintained a good membership and attracts regular visitors to make Lodge meetings enjoyable, Festive Boards great social events, and raises generous amounts of money for charity each year.