Lodge History

The birth of our Lodge in the year 1930 occurred during the reigns of the M W Grand Master H.R.H The Duke of Connaught whose years of office were from 1901 – 1939 and our own Provincial Grand Master Brig-General R Beale Colvin C.B, Lord lieutenant of Essex, who was installed on April 23rd 1929 and reigned for seven years.
At this period of time, Freemasonry flourished in the local area and due to the increasing membership of the St Johns Lodge #1343, it had been discussed for some time, a means of alleviating the pressure on the lodge by creating a new lodge. So it was that the Stanford Le Hope Lodge was formed as a result of a petition by the members of the St Johns Lodge #1343 and it was so recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the 26th March 1930 that

‘‘A petition was presented for the forming of a new lodge to be held at Stanford Le Hope and to be named the Stanford Le Hope Lodge’

In accordance with custom and rule, It was duly signed by the Worshipful Master and his wardens . Interestingly, as a pre-emption to the forming of our Lodge, the minutes of the May meeting of 1929 of the St Johns Lodge recorded that :
‘Sanction was given to hold a Lodge of Instruction at the Kings Head, Stanford Le Hope in response to a petition from the Brethren of the neighbourhood. The Lodge of Instruction to be held under the banner of the St Johns Lodge No 1343 and to be named Stanford Le Hope Lodge of Instruction #3’

It would appear that we had a lodge of instruction before we had a consecrated Lodge.

The petition for the new lodge was granted by the M.W Grand Master and the Lodge was to be consecrated on the 27th September 1930 at the Queens Hotel, Grays, Essex. The founder members and Officers of the lodge were :
  • W Master  – W Bro George Henry Kitchener
  • S.W – Bro R S Richards P.M P.P.G.D. L.R.
  • JW – Bro W T Cox
  • Treasurer – W Bro J S Goggin Sqd.Leader R.A.F W.M 2738
  • Secretary – Bro A S Francis S W 4757
  • D of C – W Bro E M Horncastle W M 4117
  • S.D – Bro C A Collins
  • J.D – Bro W Jefferies
  • ORG – W Bro A C Adams P.M 2648
  • I.G – Bro A T Bugler
  • Steward – Bro J W Vincent
  • Steward – Bro H P Lawrence
  • Steward – Bro J Hodge
  • Steward – Bro R C Boorman
  • Tyler – Bro A H Rolfe
The ceremony of consecration was performed according to ancient custom and solemn rite, by the R.W Prov Grand Master,Brig-General R Beale Colvin C.B  and his consecration team.
We had been allocated the lodge number of 5217 under the roll of the register of the United Grand Lodge of England. The founding officers were duly installed in office, In the ensuing meetings, the lodge benefitted tremendously by an influx of new members and fraternal support from its sponsoring lodge.  The foundational issues such as the bye laws were soon formulated and one of the very first acts of the new lodge was to state their intention to become a Hall Stone Lodge. It is interesting to note that at that time the Annual subscription was 4 Guineas. At the meeting of 16th September 1931 the desire to become a Hall Stone Lodge was realised and the first ‘Masonic Million Memorial jewels were presented.

The lodge continued to grow from strength to strength and saw a steady increase in membership, then as the war years loomed high on the horizon, mans inhumanity to man surfaced in such a manner as to effect not just our lodge in particular, but the whole of the free and freemasonic world. The Lodge, as with others at that time suffered during the war years, but was still able to maintain its input of membership, and a great reliance was placed upon the Stewards of the Lodge as there were many occasions when Officers would be absent. It was due to this reliance that we have always held our stewards in the greatest of esteem and have always ensured that they are in a position to fill any office in the lodge, should the occasion demand it. After normality descended upon Europe and the world found some respite from its continual conflicts, Freemasonry, though inevitably changed by its perception in Europe flourished, and so it was with a resurgence in interest and the ever increasing waiting lists that it was decided by the members that a daughter lodge should be formed, the minutes of the May meeting of 1947 state:

 ‘That the Stanford Le Hope Lodge No 5217 sponsors and gives every support and encouragement to the formation of a Daughter Lodge, the designation of which is to be decided’
 So it was decided that the ‘shell Haven Lodge’ should be formed, and this was later shortened to ‘Haven Lodge’. During the years leading up to 1954, the Lodge continued to increase its membership until eventually on the 28th June 1955 the minutes of the Lodge record…
‘That the Stanford Le Hope Lodge No 5217 sponsors and supports the petition for the formation of the proposed Hassenbrook Lodge’
So it was decided that the Hassenbrook Lodge should be formed.
In 1963 after 14 years at St Margarets Hall, the Lodge was forced to find a new Home, and although the Grays Masonic centre was being constructed, at that time it was decided to set up home at the Orsett Masonic Centre. Where the Lodge has, to this day enjoyed a fruitful relationship. The Stanford Le Hope lodge continues to enjoy local, provincial and grand Lodge respect as the honours received by the Lodge testify. Our Daughter Lodges continue to flourish and we maintain great links with them to this day.
W Bro Adrian Court PPJGW