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Somerset Lodges
Lodge of St George No. 3158
warranted 1906
Regular meetings: the first Monday at 18.30hrs Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov,
Dec.
Installation meeting: the second Monday at 16.30hrs May.
Contact the Lodge Secretary:
David Palmer
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Meeting at
The Masonic Hall
The Crescent
Taunton
TA1 4EB
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The Lodge of St. George No 3158 is the second oldest Craft Lodge in Taunton, the
Lodge of Unanimity and Sincerity No 261 being the oldest. However the first
recorded Lodge in Taunton was St. George's Lodge No 315, which was founded in
1764. It lasted until 1783 and then surrendered it's Warrant. The minute books
of that Lodge are currently on loan to the Somerset County Archives Office.
At
the beginning of the 20th century with the spread and popularity of Freemasonry
it became obvious that another Lodge was required in the Taunton area. An
application was made to Grand Lodge to form the Lodge of St George and a Warrant
was issued on 16th March 1906. The actual consecration of the new Lodge taking
place at the London Hotel Assembly Rooms (the old County Hotel and now Marks and
Spencers) on Monday 30th April 1906 presided over by the Grand Master of
Somerset The Right Honourable the Earl of Cork and Orrery.
All the founder members came from "Unanimity and Sincerity No 261" and the first
Worshipful Master of the Lodge of St George No 3158 was W Bro G.H. Kite a
well-known local solicitor. The Director of Ceremonies on that night was W Bro
George Spiller (Spiller & Webber), who was the Provincial Grand Senior Warden at
that time. The Lodge prospered with many prominent businessmen of Taunton
joining over the years.
A unique feature of the way that the Lodge performs its ceremonies is that we do
not 'square' the Lodge. It has been the established practice, started long
before the living memory of any of our members to cut a few corners and this
tradition has been preserved. It has been suggested that originally the members
were businessmen who, after an active and busy day, were anxious to get to that
part of the evening when they were able to eat, drink and relax. No one is able
to confirm the original reason behind this tradition but rest assured it will be
continued.
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The present 'father' of the Lodge W Bro R H (Peter) May, who
recently celebrated his 90th birthday, was well acquainted with some of the
founder members. He was 'Initiated' into the Lodge during the war in November
1942 having been proposed by his father. At that time he was a Spitfire pilot in
the RAF. He managed to "arrange" a test flight and flew down from RAF West
Malling near Maidstone, landing at Culmhead Aerodrome. He hitched a lift into
Taunton, was 'Initiated' that evening and flew back the next day. It is
surprising what you can get away with in wartime.
W Bro Peter became good friends with Bro Sam Shattock, Initiated
in 1907, who was trained in the hotel trade. He was the caretaker for the
Masonic Hall, and, with the assistance of his wife, did the catering for all of
the Lodges that met there. He was also the 'Tyler' to all the Taunton Lodges
and, as far as Peter knows, is the only Mason to be awarded Provincial Honours
without ever having served in any office other than as Tyler. W Bro Peter worked
his way through the Lodge Offices and was Worshipful Master in 1956, the year of
the 50th anniversary and Golden Jubilee of the Lodge. The Lodge was graced that
evening by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master R W Bro Brigadier General
Claude Lumsdon Norman. As Peter says not only was he a General, he acted like a
General, he did not make requests he just gave orders.
The only surviving founder member that night was W Bro Charles
Stansell, the founder of the local building firm, whom Peter had arranged to
have a place of honour, but unfortunately at the last moment he was not well and
so his son W Bro Bill Stansell stood in.
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In the 1960's & 70's a number of today's more senior members were
Initiated, one of these, W Bro Terry Woods, who is a master carpenter by trade,
was proposed by W Bro Maurice Bartlett a local Headmaster. W Bro Terry has over
the years worked long hours for the Lodge of St. George in particular and,
indeed, the Masonic Hall in general, by repairing Lodge fixtures and fittings
and producing items for the different 'Degrees' that meet there. On Maurice's
death in 1990 Terry made, and had dedicated, new Warden's Columns for the Lodge.
They were of traditional design but the Celestial & Terrestrial globes are
unique. W Bro Terry asked a local artist friend of his to paint them and by
co-incidence at that time 'Halley's Comet' was passing and visible from earth
and so the artist incorporated this scene on the globe. W Bro Terry has been the
Lodge Director of Ceremonies since 1996 and is now about to hand over and enjoy
a well-earned rest.
A few years back the Lodge looked forward to celebrating it's
Centenary. A committee was formed in 2005 and with great anticipation started to
organise a suitable celebration of the event to take place in 2006. Following
consideration of how to deal with the fact that the original date of the
formation of the Lodge, the 30th April, was to be on a Sunday in 2006, it was
determined that the presentation of the 'Centenary Warrant' would take place at
the October meeting and a 'Lodge Luncheon' was to be held at the 'Castle Hotel'
Taunton on the 30th April to commemorate the actual day.
W Bro Terry Leach was Worshipful Master for the Centenary Year
and presided over the meeting on 2nd October 2006, when the 'Centenary Warrant'
was presented to the Lodge by the Provincial Grand Master R W Bro David Lloyd
Jenkins.
R W Bro David Jenkins together with his 'Provincial Team of Officers' performed
a very moving ceremony that took place in the Lodge Room at the Taunton Masonic
Hall. As well as the presentation of the 'Centenary Warrant' a new Lodge Bible
was dedicated, this being a gift from W Bro Leslie Johnson, a Past Master and
subscribing member of the Lodge.
The Lodge took this opportunity to purchase new Collars and
Gauntlets for all the Officers. Two members presented other gifts namely, W Bro
Terry Stacey, new DC and ADC wands, and Bro Ron Blake, new aprons for the
Wardens, Initiate, and Fellowcraft. A memorable festive board followed the
ceremony with not a spare seat in the house.
The Lodge continues and we, like most Lodges, are constantly
seeking suitable candidates to enter our Lodge, we have a lot to live up to with
our memorable past and a good reason to continue the traditions by striving to
attract new members.
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