North Worcestershire Lodge No 8180

Hopefully, by now, you have read all about the history of North Worcestershire Lodge No 8180 on the Lodge history page, it was consecrated on Feb 28th 1968 and only has a short history of 40 years. But, if we start to investigate the origins of how our lodge came to be, we can trace back all the way back to our great, great, great, great, great grandmother Lodge more than 200 years ago. Please scroll down to follow the trail backwards in time to see if your Lodge is part of our history.

Merston Culy Lodge No 6879

Merston Culy Lodge No 6879 is our 'Mother Lodge' and our Lodge sponsor. It was consecrated on 27th August 1949 by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master at that time, the R.W. Bro Ben Marsh J.P. P.G.D. Merston Culey is the medieval name of the local village of Marston Green, though it appears in the doomsday book as “Merstone” which is said to indicate “Marshy Farmstead”. When the 1262 assize rolls were drawn up, the manor was then held by a certain Ralph de Culy.Two Merston Culy Past Masters were amongst the founders of North Worcestershire Lodge, W. Bro’s E. E. Howell and H.E. Mitchell who went on to become long serving members of the Lodge resigning in 1991 & 1996 respectively.  Sadly, Merston Culy Lodge is no more as it surrendered it's warrant in 2005/6 although Merton Culy Chapter is still going strong at Stechford.

Samaritan Lodge No 5728

The Samaritan Lodge No 5728 was consecrated on 30th March 1938 and is North Worcestershire's 'grandmother' Lodge. The title of the Lodge bespeaks the kindly nature of it's brethren who founded the Lodge and this expressed itself in the subject of the Lodge banner, which portrays two individuals, a half naked, injured traveller, victim of attack by brigands, the other a sympathetic fellow traveller, willing to give his time and energy even to face possible further danger, to render assistance to one in distress. Both the scene and the name on the Banner are reminicent of one of the popular parables spoken by our Lord during his ministry in Palestine. The scene mirrors the countryside road that ran from Jerusalem to Jericho, the stranger, a red-robed Samaritan is ministering to the needs of a recumbent wounded Jewish traveller, thereby "Showing mercy to him who fell amongst thieves" On a very sad note, due to recent depleting numbers in membership, the Lodge had struggled to run effectively and sadly returned its warrant in 2009 and no longer meets.

St Edburgha Lodge No 4621

St Edburgha Lodge No 4621 is our great, grandmother Lodge and was the 31st active lodge in the province of Worcestershire. It was consecrated on June 14th 1924 at Worcester Masonic Hall by the Provincial Grand Master. The Lodge Banner, presented by the Founders, depicts the 15th Century Parish Church of Yardley and the Elizabethan School Room. The Church is dedicated to St Edburgha, from who the Lodge derives it's name. The following record is intended to bear witness to the growth of the Lodge. In it's first year 14 initiations were carried out, 10 Passings, 6 Raisings and the Lodge had 9 joining members. The Lodge still meets today at Stechford Masonic Hall.

Stechford Lodge No 3185

Stechford Lodge No 3185 was the first Lodge to be warranted in Worcestershire in the present Century. This Lodge is our great, great, grandmother Lodge and was consecrated on Jan 11th 1907. At that time, Stechford was a village in Worcestershire in a rural setting by the River Cole, so it was only natural for the designers to have a 'beaver' as the main symbol on the banner - for the beaver is a furry animal that builds it's Lodge under water. It uses its powerful teeth to gnaw through the trunk of a tree growing by the riverside for the purpose of building it's Lodge of two compartments. It exibits engineering skill, silent purposeful effort and co-operation - a model for the founders of Stechford Lodge. The masonic halls at Stechford are decorated with Lodge furniture belonging to Stechford Lodge, the Master and Wardens Chairs, the desks they use in office, even the chairs used by the senior officers have the names of Past masters of the Lodge carrved into them. The Lodge has always held a healthy membership and met at Stechford for many years but recently moved to Kings Heath.

Lechmere Volunteer Lodge No 1874

This Lodge began its career as Lechmere Lodge at Kidderminster on 23rd February 1881, being consecrated by Provincial Grand Master R.W Bro Sir Edmund A.H. Lechmere Bart. The Lodge banner was donated by Lady Lechmere for the opening ceremony. All went well for a few years but the policy it held of only having no more than 33 current members and 7 honorary members proved to be a negative policy and the Lodge suffered and weakened. Meanwhile, some masonic members of the Warwickshire Volunteers had been refused permission to found a military Lodge had offered a merger to recontitute the Lodge as Letchmere Volunteers and to hold its meetings at the new Moseley Institute. This was agreed and the revised Lodge met for the first time on the 4th September 1895. This Lodge is our great, great, great grandmother Lodge and still meets today at Kings Heath Masonic Hall.

Hope and Charity Lodge No 377

Lane's Masonry record states: 26th January 1824:The Lodge of Hope and Charity, originally numbered 791 had it's petition approved, warrent signed and was empowered to meet at the Talot Hotel on the Monday after every full moon. Just exactly when it was consecrated but it is known that the first minute book of the lodge deals with the first nine years of its origin and development. It's first page headed Tuesday January 6th 1824 records an emergency meeting where a Mr William Chappele was succesfully balloted for and another candidate proposed. The 'sick' club seemed to have loomed large in the minds of the members, as at the first meeting, they unanimously accepted the proposal "that in case any brother belonging to the Lodge Hope & Charity should be sick so as to render him incapable of labour, he shall recieve from each and every member of the Lodge threepence weekly addition to any other sick pay he may recieve from any other club. The Lodge had it's number changed in 1863 becoming No 377. The Lodge remains to this day very healthy in it's membership and meets eight times per year in Kiddiminster.

Worcester Lodge No 280

The Worcester Lodge No 280, originally No 574 was consecrated on 19th May 1791. Remarkably is still meeting today in Worcester and one member of North Worcestershire Lodge is also a member of this Lodge which brings our circle nicely to a close. And so we reach the end of our history trail, we find that Freemasonry is still very popular within Worcestershire as there are now well over 100 Lodges in the Province, many of them originating from this Lodge. The Worcester Lodge is our great, great, great, great, great grandmother Lodge. We are sure it goes back further, but we have no more records. Over 200 years separates these two Lodges, yet one member continues to keep a brotherly bond between the two.

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