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Somerset Lodges
Queen's College Taunton Lodge No. 6988
warranted 1950
Regular meetings: the third Saturday at 16.00hrs Jan,
also the second Saturday at 16.00hrs May, Oct.
Installation meeting: the third Saturday at 16.00hrs Mar.
Contact the Lodge Secretary:
David Sargison
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Meeting at
The Masonic Hall
The Crescent
Taunton
TA1 4EB
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Queen's College, Taunton Lodge No. 6988 was
consecrated on 8th July 1950 and came into being as a result of the enthusiasm
of a number of English and Welsh Old Boys of the School who were Masons. The
Lodge was sponsored by the Lodge of Unanimity & Sincerity No. 261, meeting in
Taunton.
The Consecration Ceremony was carried out by
the Provincial Grand Master for Somerset, Brigadier General C. Lumsden Norman
D.S.O. and took place in the Masonic Hall in Taunton. The first Master was Dr.
E. L. Bunting, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master for Worcestershire. The
Founders established that the Lodge should work the Oxford ritual and that the
Installation Ceremony should be an extended working. This has been adapted over
the years to produce our own unique "Queen's Working".
After three or four years of meeting at the
Masonic Hall, Taunton, it was suggested that the Lodge might meet at the School.
This was agreed with the then Headmaster, Bro. Sidney J. Haynes, (who himself
was initiated into the Lodge in July 1957 and received Provincial Honours in
2002). The Lodge met at the School from 1955 until 2002 when it reverted to
holding its meetings at the Masonic Hall in Taunton.
The Lodge has been privileged over the years
to have had many eminent Brethren from Somerset and other Provinces as members.
It has had four Provincial and District Grand Masters as members, the late Dr.
E. L. Bunting, PGM for Worcestershire, the late Sir Arthur Reed, PGM for Devon,
the late J. H. Vivian, District Grand Master of Transvaal and the late Kenneth
C. Kinnersley, PGM for Somerset, 1981-1990.
The Lodge is a member of the Federation of
School Lodges and has hosted the Annual Festival of the Federation on two
occasions, in 1967 and 2000. The Lodge celebrated its Silver Jubilee Meeting on
12th July 1975 and its Golden Jubilee Meeting on 8th July 2000 - 50 years to the
day after the consecration of the Lodge. The Diamond Jubilee Anniversary was
celebrated by a lunch at the School on 3rd July 2010.
The Installation Meeting of the Lodge is held
in March each year and the Ladies Festival usually follows the
October meeting. At the latter event, the Lodge supports a local charity or
institution through its fund-raising efforts. The Lodge has had 11 home-grown Lewis's in its
history.
The Lodge, which currently has nearly 60
members who are former pupils, their direct relatives, members of staff,
Governors or other friends of the School, greatly welcomes
enquiries from old boys who might consider becoming a member of their School
Lodge or who, with other Masons from Somerset or elsewhere, might like to visit
us from time to time.
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