Sackville Lodge

History of Sackville Lodge No. 1619

In consequence of the humble petition of Brothers Hale, Hook, Young, Sawyer and Horsey presented to the Most worshipful Grand Master, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, K.G., etc., a Warrant was granted dated June 1876 empowering them to meet at the Crown Hotel, East Grinstead. The Consecration Meeting of SACKVILLE LODGE 1619 took place on the 11th July 1876 at the Crown Hotel when Right Worshipful Brother Edmund J. Furner, Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Sussex, in the name of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales K.G., etc., dedicated and constituted the Lodge in due form and declared it “A Regular Lodge for Initiating, Passing and Raising Brethren.”

Worshipful Brother John Scott “assumed the Chair” and as Provincial Grand Secretary, installed Brother William Hale, P.M., 78 and 1351 as Worshipful Master designated in the Warrant, into the Chair of King Soloman.

Subsequent meetings were held in the Crown Hotel on the first Tuesday of varying months for the next nine years, when suitable accommodation was found at the corner of the High Street and called “The Masonic Rooms.” The Lodge met regularly here until 1891, when a return to the Crown Hotel was made and meetings held there until 1898.

Wednesday the 6th June 1898 was quite a red-letter day in the annals of Sackville Lodge and of North Sussex Freemasonry. It was the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the Masonic Temple now standing in St. James’ Road, East Grinstead, an event carried through with befitting and impressive ceremonial and marked, in every respect, by the most complete success.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Provincial Grand Master of Sussex, was unable to be present, but his Deputy, The Right Honourable Sir W. T. Marriott attended on his behalf and did the work most ably.

On the 6th September 1898, the Sackville Lodge 1619 held their first meeting in this Temple. It was the start of Freemasonry in East Grinstead having a home of its own. It was only the second such building in the Province of Sussex to be dedicated to Freemasonry, South Saxon in Lewes being the only other.

This Building was paid for and the land donated by one of our Provincial Officers, Worshipful Brother F. J. Budd-Budd.

At an Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge held at the Town Hall, Lewes, on 28th October 1898, H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, then P.G.M. of Sussex, made reference in his address to the building of our Temple, saying, “I must express my satisfaction that the brethren in the small town of East Grinstead have been able to build a Masonic Hall, which I hope and understand is to be dedicated to the purposes of Freemasonry, the principal share in which, has been borne by one of my Provincial Grand Officers, Brother F. J. Budd-Budd, who presented the ground and has contributed handsomely to the cost of the building; I wish more Brethren with means were willing to assist our cause in a similar manner.”

“I was sorry my professional engagements prevented me from laying the Foundation Stone, but I was well and worthily represented by my Deputy Provincial Grand Master, who reports that all was done satisfactorily and in order.”

The Lodge continued to progress and despite two World Wars played a loyal and co-operative part, responding to Grand Lodge appeals and performing ceremonies of Initiation and advancement of many service-men stationed in Forest Row during the 1914-1918 war. The end of hostilities was marked by the resignations of a number of these brethren who had been Initiated into, or joined Sackville Lodge during those four momentous years.

A steady influx of new blood gradually restored the membership to its highest number on roll. Consequently it was pleased to sponsor a daughter Lodge in 1938 – The Three Counties Lodge No 5726 and to attend the Consecration by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, R. Lawrence Thornton. A third Lodge in this Northern outpost of the Sussex Masonic Empire was similarly sponsored and Consecrated in 1965, The Greenstede Lodge No 8035 and during our Centenary Year, a fourth, The Hinge of Friendship No 8708 consecrated in May 1976.

It is pleasing and rewarding that after varied places of meeting, all four Craft Lodges, Chapter and Mark now meet at the St. James’ Road building.

The future looks exciting for the Sackville Lodge, who celebrated 100 years of meetings in the Temple at their September 1998 Meeting. The Lodge pressed ahead with the purchase of an adjoining building, now called The Centenary Building. This has now been connected to the existing Temple and conversion work carried out to provide new toilets, robing room and bar facilities, together with ample dining facilities upstairs, which makes the Centre self contained.

This has been mainly, the result of efforts by Sackville Lodge. Building refurbishment was assisted with money donated and raised by the brethren of all Lodges and Allied Degrees that presently meet there, - a magnificent response.

How nice to see all uniting in being happy and communicating happiness.

The new Centenary Building was officially opened by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master for Sussex, Right Worshipful Brother Ian Homan Lay and Mrs Jill Lay on Saturday 16th October 1999, at a Ladies’ Harvest Supper in the new dining room. Their support and enthusiasm was greatly appreciated.

No doubt then, that in another 100 years, the future brethren of the East Grinstead Centre will be grateful to those who have put a lot of time and money into this project, to enable it to be brought to a conclusion, and for their foresight, just as we are grateful today for the building of our Temple, some 100 years ago.

In the June of 2000, Sackville received a nice surprise when one of their members and former Secretary, Worshipful Brother T. J. Colin Scourfield was appointed as the Provincial Senior Grand Warden. What a lovely way to start the new Millennium!

He was appointed as a Grand Officer in 2002 and in June 2004 he was appointed Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Masonic Province of Sussex.

Finally, to update the position with the new facilities, we are pleased to announce that in 2003, we discharged our Bank loan and the refurbishment costs, making the Centre debt free apart from one small private loan that is rapidly being repaid.

Thanks for this goes mainly to the generosity of one of our Brethren and Tyler for many years, W. Bro. Bert Hoadley, who left a significant amount to the Lodge on his sad demise. This was applied to the elimination of the debt, as per his wishes. As our Scottish Tyler, he will always be remembered and to whom we shall be eternally grateful.

- Rank is but the guinea stamp - the man himself the Gold!

With the emphasis now on openness we hope to encourage a new influx of members into the Sackville Lodge and perhaps, more Lodges into the Centre.

SACKVILLE LODGE MEETS ON THE FIRST TUESDAY IN THE MONTH FROM SEPTEMBER TO MAY INCLUSIVE, EXCEPT FOR JANUARY