It's The story of St. Michael's Lodge No. 211 is accessible in a book entitled "The History of St. Michael's Lodge" by two of our own brethren, Edward Hopkinson and Martin Nutt. This book was published in 1995 and is available in all good bookshops, the book was published to commemorate our bi-centenary year: it takes you through a time tunnel starting six years into the French revolution in 1795, well before the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England, through the great Industrial Revolution, through two World Wars, the Rock 'n' Roll era of the 50's, the swinging 60's and into the hi-tech era.

The lodge has had many great characters, some well-known names and many distinguished Freemasons. St. Michael's has a long heritage as a London Lodge, it being one of the oldest surviving Lodges in the City despite being able to trace freemasonry in London back to 1717 when Four Lodges assembled at the Goose and Green Ale House at St. Paul's, and formed themselves into a Grand Lodge, the first in the world. Not all Masons accepted this Grand Lodge, and periodically new grand Lodges would spring up in the Cities around the Country: in 1751 the Grand Lodge of Ancients was founded and flourished.

Although we know little of St. Michael's consecration, the Lodge was warranted in 1795, with the number 290 under the Ancient Grand Lodge by the 4th Duke of Atholl, the then Grand Master. We are in fact an Atholl Lodge and a member of Atholl Lodges Association. For this reason the term Atholl Lodge is used to describe Lodges of such origins as St. Michael's.

Our Founders, in addition to the Master, were a bricklayer, a Licensed Victaulic (important to the harmony of Lodges in those days), a Carpenter, a Rigger and a Mariner. Our very first Initiate was a Mariner, who presumably was proposed by a Fellow Mariner?

As there were two mainstream Grand Lodges in those days, and one was called the Ancients, the original Grand Lodge, as part of its competitiveness, became known as The Modern in reference to their modern alterations to the Ritual.

In 1813, probably as a result of many Brethren belonging to Lodges under both Grand Lodges, the two Grand Lodges, the Ancients and the Moderns merged to form the United Grand Lodge of England under the founding Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Sussex. A common ritual was agreed between the two founding parties and the merging of the two Grand Lodges meant renumbering and we become number 367. 

In 1832 there was another renumbering process and we were promoted to Lodge number 255 and finally in 1863 to the present No. 211. The Lodge still has and uses today, its original Warrant, but its records/minutes of the very early days have been lost: we do however have all the minute books dating back to 1830.

In 1979 we moved to Mark Masons Hall where we have maintained the traditions of an old Lodge with our Taylor’s Workings which encapsulates what we affectionately refer to as St. Michael's Workings which, ever challenged: we have that somewhat exclusive opportunity to remind the challenger that we were around before the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England!

Over the year the Lodge has had amongst its member and honorary members, many distinguished individuals and Freemaons. In 1937, a W.Bro. Thomas Harker a Past Master, was appointed President of the London Rank Association (now the London Grand Rank Association). Also included in the list of members, but in no specific rank order, are; RW. Bro. Brigadier General Darrell - Assistant Grand Master in 1945, VW Bro. Sir Sydney White - Grand Secretary, Sir Reginald McAllister - a member between the mid 50's and the 80's was the Under Secretary at the Premier's Office in Queensland Australia, and in 1995 we elected the late Rt. Hon Lord Farmham - Past Pro Grand Master an Honorary Member during our Bi-Centenary meeting at which be officiated, attended by a retinue of Grand Officers.

Additionally the Lodge has been served by many great man and devoted Freemasons whose names still crop up in conversations at Festive Boards and at Chapter dinners: to name them here is not necessary for their names live on in the memories of the members and in the History of the Lodge, as indeed we hope our names will, in the future of the Lodge we are so proud to call our Lodge.

 

 

A brief introduction of St. Michael's Chapter

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At a Regular Meeting of St. Michael's Lodge in October 1924, a proposal was made to form a Royal Arch Chapter to be known as St. Michael's Chapter No. 211. The Warrant of the Chapter is dated the 25th August 1925.

In fact, this was not the first time that St. Michael's Lodge had formed a Chapter. Before the merging of the 'Ancient' Grand Lodge and the 'Modern' Grand Lodge in 1813, to for the present United Grand Lodge of England, the 'Ancient' Lodges regarded Royal Arch Chapters as an integral part of Craft Freemasonry.

St. Michael's Lodge was consecrated in 1795 and was an 'Ancient' Lodge. In the history of St. Michael's Lodge, there are several references to Royal Arch Chapter being an integral part of the Craft Lodge. Following the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813, Royal Arch masonry and Craft masonry were separated. There is no record of St. Michael's Lodge forming a separate Royal Arch Chapter on the establishment of the United Grand Lodge of England.

While the Chapter bears the Title and Number of the Mother Lodge of St. Michael's, other Lodges have supported us since the consecration of the St. Michael's Chapter.