Monday 16th December 2024 was the Christmas Meeting of the Lodge of Merit.
Prior to opening the Lodge the WM welcomed our very own PGM RWBro. Mark Constant who was accompanied by the PGM of Lincolnshire RWBro. David Wheeler.
RW.Bro David is the newest member of The Lodge of Merit (only for 45 minutes though!) and has been made an Honorary Member of the Lodge. This is a tradition that goes back to 1918. (The full story is below).
The first initiation of the year welcomed Bro. Glen Richardson into Freemasonry. With the WM conducting the ceremony, ably assisted by his officers and members of the Lodge. The candidate was led around the lodge by Junior Deacon Bro. Gareth Bell who was also the proposer of the candidate.
The following brothers expertly, confidently and with sincerity delivered the following work:
Address to the badge – W.Bro Paul Laycock
NE Corner – Bro James Wrigglesworth
Working Tools – Bro. Gareth Dwyer
The Charge – W.Bro Robert Pues
A very busy evening continued with the PGM presenting two Grand Lodge certificates to Bro. Dan Miller and Bro. Ellis Needham.
As is customary Christmas meeting, there was a festive “Festive Board” following the ceremony, with traditional Christmas Fayre and, as always the food was excellent.
The Initiate was given the pleasure of the “Initiates Song” which was performed by W.Bro Nick Garner and the “Initiates Chain” given by W.Bro Nige Adams.
The traditional singing of carols led by W.Bro Stuart Morgan was between courses with an energised rendering of The Twelve Days of Christmas being the final song, which certainly prepared everyone for a sound night’s sleep! The raffle raised £178.00.
The toast to the PGM was given by the WM. However, on this occasion our PGM gave the honour of replying to RW Bro. David Wheeler. RW Bro. David then presented a beautiful handmade gavel to the WM to mark the occasion. This gift was gratefully received and will hold a special place in commemorating the links between the two provinces.
The next meeting is on 20th January 2025 at 1830. This will be a raising and all visitors are more than welcome.
Brief history of The Lodge of Merit
o Warrant granted 9th January 1840 and meetings held at the Peacock Inn, Northampton,
o Moved to the Angel Hotel, Northampton in 1841.
o Moved to the Ram Inn in 1845.
o Moved to the Talbot Hotel, Oundle in 1856.
o Moved to the Dolphin Hotel, Oundle in1862.
o Moved again to the George Hotel, Stamford in 1865. This is on the south side of the river Welland and so still in Northants and Hunts.
o 1918 agreement that should the Lodge of Merit move to the north side of the river in Stamford it should for all Masonic purposes and for the foreseeable future remain in NH&H
o 1925 the lodge finally moved across the river to the Stamford Hotel.
o Again moved to Masonic Rooms in Austin Street, Stamford.
o Moved to the Masonic Centre, All Saints Street, Stamford in 1976.
The Lodge of Merit and the Province of Lincolnshire
Taken from the correspondence between the two provinces in 1918
During the summer recess of 1918 correspondence of the greatest importance for the future of Merit and Stamford Freemasonry passed between Lord Lilford, Provincial Grand Master of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire, and the Earl of Yarborough, Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire.
The historic result of this was that thenceforth and into the foreseeable future the whole of the town of Stamford, for Masonic purposes, would form part of the Province of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire. At the Installation Festival in September a copy of this agreement was pasted into the Minute book and, because of its unusual significance, is repeated below:
Northampton.
July, 1918
Dear Sir and Bro.,
Wil you please to officially receive and record the following letter (part) from Lord Yarborough, Prov. G.M. of Lincolnshire, to Lord Lilford, Prov. GM. . Norths. and Hunts., which explains itself.
Yours sincerely and fraternally,
T.P. DORMAN, P.A.G.Soj.
To:
J.W. Coulson Esq
Secretary
Lodge of Merit No. 466
Northampton. July, 1918
Dear Sir and Bro.,
Wil you please to officially receive and record the following letter (part) from Lord Yarborough, Prov. G.M. of Lincolnshire, to Lord Lilford, Prov. GM. . Norths. and Hunts., which explains itself.
Yours sincerely and fraternally,
Dear Lord Lilford,
I am afraid I have been some time in sending a reply to your letter in reference to Stamford.
I have felt no doubt about the justice of your suggestion or the wisdom of agreeing to it, but my Deputy made the suggestion that there would be an advantage in stating my views to P.G. Lodge, which met at Sleaford on 13th inst. I therefore took the opportunity on Thursday of stating my intention: I think this will be more satisfactory for all parties, and will now be recorded on our Minutes. By this means the arrangement will hold good not only during my tenure of office, but until the Province for some strong reason should consider it advisable at some future time to cancel it.
Pray therefore consider the whole of Stamford town is now for Masonic purposes in your Province. I hope this arrangement will be agreeable to you: it is a fair one.
Yours very sincerely and fraternally,
YARBOROUGH,
P.G.M. Lincolnshire.
For the reader unacquainted with Stamford's peculiar geographical position - it should be explained that most of the Borough lies North of the River Welland in the county of Lincolnshire, while a small part lies South of the river in what was then the county of Northamptonshire.
While the lodge continued to function in the George Hotel no difficulty arose as the George is in what was then the Northamptonshire portion of the town, known historically as Stamford Baron. It will be recalled that dissatisfaction with the premises was a very long-standing topic among the brethren but that all attempts to find a suitable alternative had failed.
In a small town, the choice must always be limited, but for Merit the position was greatly aggravated because almost all the few accommodation prospects lay Masonically in another Province. This, then, was the background to the discussions leading to the happy solution agreed between the two Provincial Grand Masters.
Merit's scope was immediately enhanced and must have been received by the members with great satisfaction and pleasure as they could now cross the Welland without leaving the mother Province.
In the event, seven more years were to elapse before the step was taken, but at least a very knotty problem had been solved and the way was now open to investigate all opportunities in the town whenever they arose.