Our History
Any institution that can boast centuries of existence must necessarily have made some sort of history. Our lodge was constituted in 1829, and has lived on with more or less success ever since.
The Southampton Lodge obtained its ‘Warrant of Constitution’ from the United Grand Lodge of England when His Royal Highness, the Duke of Sussex, was the Grand Master. This Warrant, which is displayed on the wall of our lodge room, bears the date of the 4th day of February 1829.
Hampshire at that time was a Province of itself, it did not include the Isle of Wight, the two not being combined until 1869. The Southampton Lodge is the second oldest lodge, the first being Royal Gloucester Lodge No. 130, to work within Southampton, with Peace and Harmony Lodge No. 359 not originally meeting within the (then) town of Southampton but within Romsey, Eling and Shirley before the move to Southampton.
The Petitioners for the Warrant for the Southampton Lodge were Sir J. P. Milbanke Bt, Edward Bryant, John Shadwell, Richard Pritchard, William Carter, Joseph Lobb and Edward Andrews, with the lodge advocated for by the Royal Gloucester Lodge No. 130. Bro Sir J. P. Milbanke was named as the first Worshipful Master of the lodge with Bros. Bryant and Lobb appointed the first Senior and Junior Grand Wardens respectively.
The Southampton Lodge got to work very soon after obtaining its Warrant, holding the first meeting of the lodge on 3rd March 1829. The Warrant directed the lodge to originally meet at the Benwell’s Rooms in Southampton on the first Tuesday of every month.
The association with the Royal Gloucester Lodge No. 130 was established and cemented very early on in the lodge’s history with a Past Master of Royal Gloucester, W. Bro. John Penleaze, a Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire from 1832-1840 and a Member of Parliament for Southampton, being one of its earliest joining members.
The lodge number recorded was originally eight-hundred and twenty-seven (827), however in 1846 the lodge number was further revised to be 555 (often resulting in the lodge being referred to as “Three Jolly Fives”), before it finally received the number of three-hundred and ninety-four (394) in the register of the United Grand Lodge of England, which it still operates under today.
Around 1877 the question of ‘accommodation’ for the lodge was raised, and a committee of various lodges and chapters, including the Southampton Lodge, was formed to consider the purchasing of a site. As a result, the current site at Albion Place in Southampton was purchased and a limited liability company was formed to erect the building.
And so came about the current lodge number and home of the Southampton Lodge. Many years of happy brotherhood, Masonic principles and charitable donations have flowed through the lodge ever since.
The Southampton Lodge has been fortunate to have had many members of repute, among them:
- Nine Past Masters of the lodge were Mayors of the (then) town of Southampton.
- Several have been Sheriffs.
- Two past Provincial Grand Masters have been members of the lodge.
- Five past Deputy Provincial Grand Masters have called Southampton Lodge their home.
- Many Members of Parliament have been noted on the vast register of historic lodge members.
- Many Officers of all the Armed Forces have counted themselves among the brethren of the lodge.
The lodge continues to this day to have a diverse, special and friendly membership, and whilst some changes and modernisation have been necessary through the years, at its core the lodge still respects and follows the principles of those who founded the Southampton Lodge all the way back in 1829.
Why not join us on our journey as we build on the lodge’s story and history, write new chapters and move the lodge forwards to ensure we leave it stronger than ever for those that follow on, to carry on the ideals of the lodge and Freemasonry for many more generations.
Want to be part of our history?
With the Southampton Lodge having existed for nearly two centuries, we have had many members over the years who have all contributed to our esteemed history and the good work we do. Interested in hearing more or joining our lodge, why not get in touch?