Grey Friars Lodge was sponsored by Kingsley Lodge No 2431 which was consecrated on 24 October, 1892 and also meets at the Northampton Masonic Hall.
Our Lodge was consecrated on the 12 January 1928 at the Masonic Hall, Princes Street, Northampton by the then Provincial Grand Master, Lord Lilford. 300 Brethren were present at the luncheon which was served at 1 pm at the cost of 6/- (30p) per head.
A number of prominent local business men were founder members.
Among these were
The Lodge held its first meeting eleven days after the consecration on Monday 23 January 1928 (the 4th Monday of the month - our usual meeting day ever since). One of the Agenda items was to ballot for no less than seven candidates for initiation.
Also during that first year of the Lodge, in September 1928, Bro HE Tyson was initiated. Unfortunately that was the only meeting Bro Tyson ever attended. He was taken ill before the next meeting in October and died in December 1928 aged 37.
During the first two years (the Lodge was extremely busy, performing
There were also eight Joining Members, swelling the original 23 members to a healthy 55 by January 1930. All this was achieved in just 18 meetings by
At the June 1930 meeting Mr JE Davis was initiated. He was a Northamptonian working as a Coffee Planter in the Solomon Islands but desirous of being initiated in his home town before returning to the Solomon Islands on the 5 July 1928. He must have completed his Second and Third Degree Ceremonies because at the Grey Friars Lodge meeting of February 1940 he was presented with his Grand Lodge Certificate, 12 years after his initiation.
He remained a member of Grey Friars Lodge until his death in tragic circumstances at the age of 44 years - a record of which is recorded in the minutes of September 1947.
The name Bro Davis appears in the Lodge minutes of February 1950, when it was recorded that a petition on behalf of his daughter to attend the Royal Masonic Institute for Girls was signed. This girl is, in fact, Mrs Jackie Stanton, present chair of the Lady Associate Masons ( LAMS) and wife of WBro Colin Stanton of St John's Lodge. Jackie's grandparents, WBro and Mrs Herbert Lawrence of Pomfret Lodge No 360 didn't want their grand daughter to go away to school, so they took her in and brought her up. However, her two brothers did attend a Masonic school. They have lost touch with one. The other became the secondary school Head teacher.
Neither the Senior Wardens of 1930 nor 1931 wished to continue as Master and, on both occasions, the Junior Warden was elected.
At its February 1931 meeting the Lodge completed its first single ceremony (Third Degree) since its formation in 1928.
During the meeting of September 1933, at the insistence of the Grand Lodge, Bro OE Reynolds took his obligation in the Second Degree for the second time. He had taken his obligations in the First and Second Degrees on 31st March and 25th April 1933 - contrary to Rule 195 in the Book of Constitution (not allowing 28 days between each according). This also meant that Bro Reynolds had to take his third Degree obligation for the second time later that year. The Worshipful Master thanked Bro Reynolds for travelling from Peterborough for these special ceremonies. Bro Reynolds eventually received his Grand Lodge Certificate at the December meeting, 15 months after first completing his Third Degree ceremony.
At that same September 1933 meeting, the Secretary read a letter of thanks to Grey Friars Lodge from the Grand Master, the Duke of York, later to become King George VI, for the support the Lodge had given towards the building of the Peace Memorial Temple at Great Queen Street, London. A presentation was also made to the Worshipful Master WBro EU Stanton who had married during the summer recess.
In part of the 1935 Almoner's Report he stated, "I refused assistance to the applicant owing to the fact that he gave a different name from the one in which I relieved him in March 1934, and he is no doubt obtaining a living by calling upon the Almoners and obtaining their assistance - unfortunately for him I remembered his face from last year." The Almoner was Bro Peter Thompson who was a Superintendent in Northampton Borough Police Force.
The Senior Warden's chair (still in use today) was presented to the Grey Friars Lodge (and all other Northampton Lodges) in March 1938 by WBro AE Dickens, a founder member of Grey Friars Lodge and also member of Kingsley Lodge.
The only mention reference to the Second World War in the 1939 Lodge minutes is a proposal at the September meeting that meals and toasts at the Festive Board be restricted to allow the meetings to close by 9 pm. The Lodge managed to continue meeting on the fourth Monday of the month throughout the whole of the Second World War.
At the January 1944 Installation Meeting, WBro Reg Neale was invested as Treasurer - an office he held for the next 30 years.
The Lodge was opened 4 pm for the April 1946 meeting. Before being called from labour to refreshment, the Brethren completed a double initiation ceremony, elected a Bro E McCabe of the Heart of Midlothian Lodge No 832 meeting in Edinburgh, as a joining member, and, on their return, raised Bro Dixon, who eventually became Tyler of the Lodge in the late 1970's. At that same meeting a proposal was made of a candidate for initiation - Richard George Brewster, father and eventual proposer of current member WBro Pip Brewster.
On the First Rising of the Installation meeting of January 1949 it was recorded that two messages of loyalty had been sent to the Crown. the first praying for the King's recovery. At that same meeting Grey Friars recorded its largest attendance of 157.
Raymond Watkins was initiated in April 1949. He was the art master of WBro Bob Farey and later became one of his proposers into Masonry. At the same April 1949 meeting the brethren received a shock when the treasurer proposed an increase in subscriptions from £1.17.6d (£1.87) to £2.10.0d (£2.50) - an increase of 27.5%. However, subscriptions remained at this figure for the next eight years.
On 24th October 1949 the Lodge initiated Harry Beesley of Briar Hill Farm, Rothersthorpe Road, Northampton - father of WBro John Beesley (Ceres Lodge).
Grey Friars Lodge was 21 years old at the Installation Meeting of January 1950 and it was agreed that this was an appropriate time to sponsor a new Lodge. A petition to that effect was duly signed and our daughter Lodge, Ceres, was formed. Our own WBro AR Heygate became the first Worshipful Master. He invited all members of Grey Friars Lodge to their first meeting in October 1950.
Our 1952 Installation Meeting was due to take place on Monday 29th January (as usual the fourth Monday of the month). However, on this date WBro Dr Field was being installed as the new Provincial Grand Master. (At that meeting that white gloves were worn for the first time.) Grey Friars Installation Meeting was therefore held by special dispensation on Wednesday 31st January.
On Monday 22nd December 1952 the ceremony of initiation was for Richard Cowling. WBro Cowling is now our longest serving member, although unfortunately we don't see him too often due to the fact that he spends most of the winter months in Australia.
At the Installation Meeting of 1957 the record attendance was almost reached when 155 brethren were present - only two short of the 1949 record.
The Cowling family seemed to take over the entire proceedings at the December 1961 meeting. WBro EP Cowling, Secretary of the Lodge at the time, first read the minutes of the previous meeting. He then took the Master's chair to initiate his second son, Bro RE Cowling into Masonry. Bro RJ Cowling then delivered the Working Tools and on the Third Rising father and son proposed another candidate for initiation.
By 1964 the Lodge subscriptions had risen to a massive £4.4.0d (£4.20).
In the minutes of April 1968 it was recorded that difficulties were being caused by members not returning their dining cards - a problem not unknown today! Also at this meeting the Lodge agreed to change the rehearsals from Saturdays to Thursdays. There is no mention as to when they were changed to the present Fridays.
The initiation Ceremony of November 1968 was for Jack Joseph. Bro Joseph was the father of Lesley Joseph, better known as Dorian in the television sitcom, "Birds of a Feather."
On the Third Rising of December 1968 the Secretary read a letter of resignation from Bro DA Nelson, son of the first Master of the Lodge, and the first initiate in a double ceremony in February 1928. Bro Nelson had originally resigned some 35 years earlier, but had rejoined in March 1962 - the only Grey Friars member to have resigned twice.
At the same meeting of December 1968 the Secretary reported on a communication received from the Provincial Grand Secretary concerning an impostor, who, claiming to be a Freemason in distress, was obtaining money under false pretences. Again there is no mention of this individual being prosecuted.
A letter was received in April 1969 from W Bro RA Palmer (later to become the Provincial Grand Master) in his role as Chairman of the newly formed Masonic Hall Appeal Fund, requesting assistance towards the cost of the land purchased in St George's Avenue, Northampton, for the new Masonic Hall, at a cost of £22,500.
At the Installation Meeting of January 1971 the Worshipful Master appointed and invested W Bro Don Wilson as organist. WBro Don continued as organist of the Lodge uninterrupted for the next 31 years.
Owing to the death of the Provincial Grand Master WBro B Guillame on the 4th February 1971, arrangements were made for the installation of the new Provincial Grand Master at the same time as the laying of the foundation stone of the new Masonic Hall on Thursday 22nd July 1971. That event had considerable ramifications for Freemasonry in Northampton - including Grey Friars Lodge whose membership figures decreased rapidly:
This considerable drop in numbers was due to the large increase in subscriptions to help pay the mortgage on the new Masonic Hall with inflation running at 15%. Grey Friars Lodge subscriptions rose from £4.20 to £22.50 in just 3 years.
The last meeting of Grey Friars Lodge to be held in the old Masonic Hall, Princes Street (now part of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre) was on Monday 28th February 1972. The secretary read a dispensation allowing the Lodge to hold its March and April 1972 meetings at the Masonic Hall, Towcester. At that March meeting our present Secretary, WBro Bob Farey, was initiated.
The attending the first meeting to be held in the new Masonic Hall on Monday 23rd September 1972 remember having to negotiate builders materials and planks and wear overcoats at the Festive Board because the building was incomplete and the heating system was still to be installed.
At the Meeting of January 1973 a letter from the Northamptonshire Police was read regarding a complaint they had received from the residents of St George's Avenue about the improper car parking. The letter was signed by Chief Superintendent TFM Nicholson. He had just been invested as the Senior Deacon!
The Installation Meeting of January 1974 had to be postponed because of the illness of the Master Elect WBro Eddie Lloyd. In accordance with Rule 198 in the Book of Constitution, another ballot had to be held for the Master. WBro Lloyd was elected again and installed at the next meeting in February 1974 - the first Master of Grey Friars Lodge to have been elected twice.
The Secretary informed the brethren at the March 1979 meeting of a proposal to amendment to the rules allowing for Lady Associate Members. This caused quite a stir, particularly amongst the older brethren. However, the LAMS as they are known (Lady Associate Members) were formed and continue to the present day. They contribute greatly to the fabric and furniture of the new Masonic Hall and support many charities.
On 22nd September 1980 the Lodge made a presentation to WBro Jack Heygate who had completed 50 years as a Freemason. Unfortunately WBro Heygate never attended Lodge again and died within the following few weeks.
The minutes of September 1986 record the death of Bro H Benbow. He had been one of the first initiates into the Lodge in a double ceremony with Bro Nelson. Bro Benbow had remained a member of this Lodge for 59 years.
At the 1987 Provincial Festival Grey Friars Lodge raised £11,603 which was £1,104 above our target of £10,000.
At the 2002 Provincial Festival Grey Friars Lodge raised £16,798 which was £1,798 above our target of £15,000.
At the December 1988 meeting in we had a visit from a WBro NF College, a Past Master of the Grey Friars Lodge No 6080 in the Province of Warwickshire, meeting at Coventry.
At the March 1990 Meeting WBro Mike Richards of the England Centre Lodge No 2555 informed us of a visit he was arranging to the Britannia Lodge No 1166 in New York. Three of our members attended. At the October 1991 Meeting Bro Gordon Hart, one of our members who went on the trip to New York, brought greetings from Britannia Lodge and presented the Master at the time, WBro Ray Barden, with a booklet and the toast list of that recent visit. At the November 1991 meeting Grey Friars Lodge was honoured with a visit from the Secretary of the Britannia Lodge, WBro Paul Dewe Matthews. From these visits came Sulgrave Lodge No 9462 of which three of our members (WBros Peter Jones, Glyn Wakeford and Gordon Hart) became founders.
The saddest day in the history of our Lodge was on 25th February 1991. At the meeting on that day Bro John Arnbidge, our Senior Deacon, collapsed and died whilst conducting the candidate round the Lodge in the Second Degree Ceremony.
In March 1994 when WBro Gordon Hart gave an interesting talk on his experience of discovering an overgrown Masonic garden and rockery at Abington Mill. It had been constructed in 1918 with a gift from WBro Alfred Cockerill, a very well known figure in Masonry and Northampton. A glass jar containing a letter and a prayer was discovered in the garden. The prayer was read by the Chaplain, WBro Ron Jennings Snr.
The Lodge can boast many distinguished members
During our history we have had many father and son combinations as members. Many of those fathers initiated their sons
Grey Friars Lodge has never had a Grand Officer of its own, although in 1985 we gained one as a Joining Member - WBro Ernest Rayner. The Lodge has had three of its members honoured with the Provincial Grand Master's Certificate of Merit (equivalent to Grand Rank) - they are
At the Installation Meeting on Monday, 23 January 2006, WBro Gerry Crawford became the first member in the Lodge's history to be elected for a second time and to serve as Worshipful Master for two consecutive years