Transvaal Jubilee Lodge No. 6143
Consecrated 15th September 1945
Meeting at: Johannesburg - Freemasons Hall, 8 Park Lane, Parktown
Meeting Dates: 4th Monday Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov Inst Mar
Contact 083 442 5514
Lodge History
Transvaal Jubilee was the first lodge to be consecrated in the Transvaal after the end of the Second World War, with 'Jubilee' being included in its name to mark the completion, in 1945, of the first fifty years of the District. The lodge had twenty founders, largely professional men, drawn from three Constitutions and interestingly ten of these were of the Ancient Faith, giving the lodge membership a balance which has been more or less maintained throughout its history.
The lodge met first at Kerk Street and eventually moved to Park Lane. Its steady progress can be safely attributed to the type of member it has attracted and to their sustained loyalty to the lodge and the District over the years. Obviously pride of place in this connection must go to Merton Freeman, who in 1989 became fourteenth District Grand Master of the Transvaal. But others merit mention, including Jack Harris (WM 1952/3 and still active), Bemabe van Alphen (WM 1953/4, District Grand Secretary 1956/8 and a major contributor to the additional degrees), Cecil Lowe (WM 1954/5 and Treasurer for the Royal Arch District from 1978 to 1987), Ernst Hausmann (WM 1957/8, Past District Senior Grand Warden), Vernon Nettleton (WM 1964/5, very active in District and honoured with Grand rank in 1983) and Phoebus Perdikis (WM 1986/8, Board of General Purposes from 1985 and promoted to Grand rank in 1991). And it must be added that, in spite of his District commitment, which goes back to 1963, Merton Freeman has remained fully active in his mother lodge, including being Preceptor for many years. He was also the Charter Master of the daughter lodge, Aviation, consecrated in 1973.
Reference: 'A Century of Brotherhood' by A A Cooper & D E G Vieler