HISTORY OF GRANITE LODGE 2028
A special meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge was held at 3.15pm at the Narborough Hotel, Leicestershire. This took place on Valentine’s Day, 14th February 1884 to consecrate the Granite Lodge. Granite Lodge became the eleventh Lodge in the county to be granted its Warrant. The present form of the Lodge badge first appeared on the Summons of 25th June 1885. The motto ‘Sermon in Stones and Good in Everything’ has always been depicted on the badge.
It is thought that the name and the motto are almost certainly connected to the local granite quarries at Enderby and Croft. There is one direct link with the occupations of the founders and early members i.e. Mr G W Rawson who was initiated at the first Regular Meeting on Thursday 6th March 1884. He was the Lodge’s eighth Master in 1891/92, and was a quarry owner.
At that first meeting twelve members were balloted for membership and nine were initiated. A frequent practice in those early days saw more than one ceremony at the same meeting and often four or five candidates were passed and raised on the same evening. The Lodge met on Thursdays on or before the full moon every month apart from May, August, and September.
In 1890 the first initiate in the Lodge was installed as Master, namely Bro. T.W. Everard. Bro. Herbert Simpson was installed in June 1897 at a ceremony where there were only 17 members present. At this meeting all four wardens and deacons were absent. He became Master in 1905 and initiated his father. Later that year he initiated his brother, and three years after (by permission of the then Master), initiated his son. His son was W.Bro. H. Simpson, who became Lord Mayor of Leicester in 1924.
meeting dates
Meetings were altered to the second Thursday in 1903, and in 1914 to the first Monday, as now. The Lodge continued to meet in Narborough until April 1914. In that year representations were made to W.Bro. Everard, the owner of the Narborough Hotel, to carry out certain improvements. However these were denied, and therefore Granite moved to Freemasons’ Hall Leicester. Granite’s first daughter Lodge, the Enderby Lodge No.5061, was consecrated on 22nd January 1929. Additionally, the lodges second daughter, Granstone Lodge No.6406, on 29th September 1946.
Granite Lodge No. 2028
Freemasons’ Hall
80 London Road
Leicester
LE2 0RA
[email protected]
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