History_short

HISTORY

Click on these links to find

signed photographs of our Founders
details of the Ceremony of Consecration for Grey Friars Lodge
the first Summons of Grey Friars Lodge
the first Bylaws of Grey Friars Lodge
the current Bylaws of Grey Friars Lodge
photographs of WBros Gibson Snr & Jnr (WM's in 1949 & 1954)
a list of all Past Masters from our foundation in 1928 (including those who are still subscribing)
a history of the first seventy years of Grey Friars Lodge written by WBro Bob Farey
photoraphs of Principal Ladies and Worshipful Masters from Ladies' Festivals gone by

Notable Events

Here is a brief resume of our history. (For a fuller version click here.)

12 Jan 1928	Grey Friars Lodge (with 23 founding members) consecrated at the Masonic Hall, Princes Street, Northampton by the then Provincial Grand Master, Lord Lilford
1928 Lodge Fees	Initiation - £15.75 (15 guineas). Annual subscription- £1.57 (1.5 guineas)
23 Jan 1928	First meeting at which WBro GWH Nelson Worshipful Master DA Nelson (son of WBro GWH Nelson) and HH Benbow (son of WBro L Benbow) initiated bye laws adopted alms collection was 57.5p (11s 6d)
1928 - 1929	Membership increased to 50 with 24 initiations (22 Second Degree and 20 Third Degree) ceremonies and eight Joining Members
March 1938	Senior Warden's chair, which is still in use today, presented to Grey Friars and all other Northampton Lodges by founder member W Bro A E Dickens
1939 - 1945	Meals and toasts at the Festive Board restricted to allow the meetings to close by 9 pm
Jan 1949	Largest Grey Friars Lodge attendance of 157. On the First Rising, two messages of loyalty sent to the Crown - the first praying for the recovery of King George V, and the second congratulating Princess Elizabeth on the birth of her new son, Prince Charles
Jan 1950	On its 21st birthday, Grey Friars sponsored a new Lodge - Ceres Lodge No 6977
Oct 1950	One of Grey Friars founder members, W Bro A R Heygate, became first Worshipful Master of Ceres Lodge
31 Jan 1952	White gloves worn for first time
1953	Grey Friars celebrates its 25 birthday
Jan 1957	2nd largest Grey Friars Lodge attendance of 155
1964	Lodge subscriptions had risen to a massive £4.4.0. (£4.20)
1970	Grey Friars membership 101. Subscriptions £4.20
1972	Grey Friars membership 82
1973	Subscriptions rose to £22.50 - large increase in subscriptions to help pay the mortgage on new Masonic Hall and to keep pace with inflation running at 15%
Jan 1974	W Bro Neale invested for his 30th and final year as treasurer
1976	Grey Friars membership 59
28 Feb 1972	Last Grey Friars Lodge meeting to be held in the old Masonic Hall, Princes Street
Feb & March 1972	Meetings held at Towcester Masonic Hall
23 Sept 1972	First meeting at George's Ave Masonic Hall, Northampton
1978	Grey Friars celebrates its 50 birthday
22 Sept 1980	Presentation to W Bro Jack Heygate who had completed 50 years as a Freemason
Sept 1986	Death of Bro H Benbow recorded in the minutes - he had been Grey Friars first initiate and was a member of this Lodge for 59 years
1987	£11,603 raised for Provincial Festival
24 March 1997	W Bro Tom Nicholson honoured with the Provincial Grand Master's Certificate of Merit
Jan 2002	W Bro Don Wilson invested for his 31st and final year as Lodge Organist
June 2002	£16,798 raised for Provincial Festival
Jan 2003	Lodge banner laid up
June 2003	New Lodge banner commissioned
Dec 2003	New Lodge banner dedicated
Oct 2004	Lodge member WBro Peter Jones installed as Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Wiltshire
Jan 2005	WBro Alan Bailey first Grey Friars Member to complete two years as Worshipful Master
Sept 2005	Bro Joe Apea becomes first candidate to be initiated into Grey Friars Lodge directly through its web site
Jan 2006	WBro Gerry Crawford first Grey Friars member to be proclaimed as Worshipful Master for a second successive year
Feb 2008	Bro Richard Gansbuehler Jnr initiated into Grey Friars Lodge to join his brother, Bro Mark Gansbuehler, and father Bro Richard Gansbuehler Snr