Consecrated 26th March 1890
Meeting at: Johannesburg - Freemasons Hall, 8 Park Lane, Parktown
Meeting Dates: 2nd Wednesday Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov Inst Sep
Contact 082 389 2613
Lodge History
One of the twelve lodges constituting the District in 1895.
The difficulties experienced by the petitioners in obtaining a charter delayed its consecration until 26 March 1890. Shortly afterwards the lodge acquired a proprietary interest in its meeting place, the masonic hall at the comer of Main and Rissik Streets, and this led to a partnership arrangement between the lodge and Golden Thistle (SC) and Star of the Rand (NC) Lodges, and the joint development of a new masonic hall in Plein Street. This was completed in 1897, and in addition to being the home of the three lodges, served the District Grand Lodge as a meeting place for many years.
The lodge had a strong founder base of 28 past masters and in earlier years met several times a month, resulting in a high membership within a very short time. In retrospect this makes it surprising that the lodge was so strongly opposed (see chapter 1) to the formation of a second lodge in Johannesburg, especially as two of its members (John Green, a founder and George Richards, from 1891) were among the strongest promoters of Freemasonry in the Transvaal. However, the lodge eventually changed its mind and supported the petition for Gold Fields Lodge, which was consecrated in 1893.
With Richards and Green as members, it was natural for the lodge to play a leading role in the movement for formation of a District Grand Lodge and it takes pride in the fact that the first four District Grand Masters were all members of the lodge. The lodge went into recess during the South African war but otherwise has maintained steady progress over the years, and has made its contribution to wider masonic service, with seven of its Past Masters attaining Grand rank. The lodge eventually moved to Freemasons' Hall in Parktown and celebrated its own centenary there on 26th March 1990, exactly 100 years after its consecration.
Reference: 'A Century of Brotherhood' by A A Cooper & D E G Vieler