Consecrated 18th July 1906
Meeting at: Johannesburg - Kensington Hall, Cnr Roberts Ave/Ivanhoe Str., Kensington
Meeting Dates: 1st Mon Feb, Apr, June, Aug, Oct, Dec, Inst Oct
Contact 083 378 4420
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Lodge History
The first venue proposed by the founders was a mine recreation hall, but this was unacceptable to District Grand Lodge. So the Consecration took place at Hans Street, Jeppestown and the founders purchased a piece of land in Malvern and built the Lodge's own masonic hall, which was ready for occupation by June 1907 : Unfortunately the hall was built of poorly vitrified bricks, on relatively shallow foundations, and the resulting upkeep has strained Lodge finances ever since.
Most of the earlier members appear to have been miners but over the years the membership developed on general lines.
Stalwarts of the Lodge have included the Charter Master, W Bro James Arthur, who remained a member for 36 years, and four Grand Officers, W Bros Evans (WM 1911/2), Cain (WM 1918/9), Cowin (WM 1926/7) and Prosser (1949/50). But none is more deserving of special mention than W Bro Neil McAlpine (WM 1952/3), who virtually rescued the Lodge in the 1960s, when it was in serious decline, and played a major part in the Royal Arch District, where he was President of the Committee of General Purposes for ten years, resigning only shortly before his death, when he was totally incapacitated by the loss of both legs.
A notable event, in 1982, was the visit of nine members to Denver Lodge in Colorado, USA where they demonstrated the Emulation 3rd Degree working to nearly a thousand masons from as far afield as Kansas and Wyoming. A reciprocal visit by the Americans ensued, which coincided with the Transvaal District meeting in June 1984, when they were given a warm welcome and their Worshipful Master presented the District Grand Master with a set of gavels made from timber which survived the fire which had recently destroyed their masonic hall in Denver.
Currently the Lodge is in the hands of a small but very capable nucleus of members and its future looks assured, although the area in which it was situated has deteriorated, posing a problem which was solved by moving to the Kensinton Hall.
Reference: 'A Century of Brotherhood' by A A Cooper & D E G Vieler