St Ambrose Lodge
1891
Every Freemason Lodges is characterised by four main days across the yearly calendar. Those days start with a Lodge Meeting and finish with a dining. As such days are so important into the masonic life the building or buildings that host those meetings are equally important.
The needs for lodges, across the world, to have a well and worthily representative building it has always being so impelling that our cities, either big or small, have many of those buildings in it. You might have noticed some of those around you, and if you do, please come in, don’t be shy, ask around, have a drink and visit the building itself. The people in it will be proud of show you around and answer any of your questions.
Larger cities like London has more than one and Freemason Hall in Great Queen Street in Covent Garden being the grandest of all. However there is also Mark Masons Hall, West Ealing Masonic Centre, Croydon Centre, Uxbridge, few centres in the City with all the guildhall lodges. Some of those are considered provinces. Masonic Centres in the provinces and in the city not only contribute to be a location for Masonic meeting and dining but they also become a centre for goodness. Freemason meet there to do good for their communities and use them only as a base that spread goodness all around.
Mark Mason Hall for example is on of London Masonic Centre. The site of 86 St James’s Street has been used for public houses and private clubs since the early 18th century. In 1702, the building was home to Williams’ Coffee-House, a popular venue for the literati of the day. Many transformations and many public house later. The present building was built between 1862 and 1865 following a design by Sir James Thomas Knowles. On 3 December 1977, The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales obtained a lease for a term of 99 years. The conversion works began on 18 February 1978 and were completed by July 1979. Mark Masons’ Hall was formally opened on 1 September 1979.
Since Freemason was established under United Grand Lodge of England in 1717 the need to have a high representation of the honour and glory of the organization therefore in the mid of 18th century the planning of Freemason Hall began. Only to materialise at 60 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden, almost at the end of the century in 1775. The headquarter of Freemasons from the UK but also from all over the world sit there since then. Many renovation took place, of course, but the grand splendour building that we see today is the result of the last major renovation that took place in 1933. Erected in the memory of the 3225 Freemason that died during World War I the 30’s was the period in which Art Deco flourished therefore our temple and main building is a grand manifestation of that form of art.
Freemason hall today is the house of about 1400 between Lodges and Chapters. More than 200,000 people crossed its doors every year. In order to cope with this amount of work the building has 27 temples. The Grand Temple which sit about 1600, Temple Number 1 with about 600 sits and many other, smaller, but with all their specific and characteristic aspect.
St Ambrose meet here at Freemason Hall, and as the Temple room is assigned random to your lodge meeting it is always a pleasure to discover and explore the Temple you are in when you first arrive for your meeting.
Masonic business is not the only business that the building can handle. In fact this is a very popular venue in movie productions and once you get familiar with it you start to see images of it in many of your favourite movie. The world of fashion has also its love for the building and in fact London Fashion Week has Freemason Hall as one of its major venue twice a year.
The building has also the Museum of Freemasonry, the Library and the Gift Shop. The Museum is showing a marvellous permanent collection of all those object that belong to the masonry history since its foundation. From the Museum there are also guided visit to show the grandeur of the building in all its details. Guided tour are happening daily and frequently. The Library contains a comprehensive collection of printed books and manuscripts on every facet of Freemasonry in England, as well as material on Freemasonry elsewhere in the world, and on subjects associated with Freemasonry or with mystical and esoteric traditions.
The Future Plan for Freemason Hall look beaming! From making more Meeting rooms out of the apartment that once were reserved for the caretaker, to redeveloping the ground floor to have bigger meeting room and some rumour is saying that Freemason hall will have its own catering facilities. Is it that true? What we know is that what the Future hold for our Freemason Hall is for the future to tell us. What we do know is that Freemason hall is the house of Freemasonry for almost 300 years and we are most certainly sure that it will carry on to be for at least the next 300 years after that.
St Ambrose could not escape from such a mesmerizing and historical building therefore this is the building that so kindly host us on every meeting and Lodge of Instruction. The Lodge also contribute to the redevelopment that happened in the 1920’s and was completed in 1933. It is Because of this contribution that St Ambrose was granted the title of Hall Stone Lodge. The title comes with its own jewel. The Jewel is always worn around the neck of the Worshipful Master at all formal lodge meetings and when visiting other lodges. You will find St Ambrose name and number listed on the walls to the First Vestibule on the first floor which is an assembly lobby for Brethren attending meetings in the Grand Temple.
We dine after each regular Lodge meeting at The Connaught Rooms which is venue hall adjacent to Freemason Hall. These luncheons, called Festive Boards, are an important part of what we are, providing an environment in which members and their guests can socialise outside of the meetings. It is one of the two main opportunities to form and to seal our friendships. The other main opportunity is provided by participation in Lodge of Instruction where masonic ritual practised in our ceremonies is learned in a warm and informal atmosphere. St Ambrose is waiting for you to come and visit, the marvellous building in which we meet but also the Lodge and the people in the lodge.
