Exploring Ancestors and Visiting Other Lodges

I (David Hall part of the Leicester Freemasons) mentioned in my last post, my Great Grandfather had been the Master of the Harmony Lodge number 272 in Boston, Lincolnshire.

In 2018, I being Leicester Freemason contacted the secretary of the Harmony Lodge and requested permission to attend a meeting and remain for the Festive Meal, and I invited my Proposer Worshipful Brother Trevor Rogers to attend with me.

In December 2018 we visited the Masonic Building in Boston.

The entrance to the Lodge building was spectacular, fronted with two very large pillars.

The Lodge room itself was compact, but the walls were decorated with boards displaying past masters. There, I could clearly see my Great Grandfathers name for the year 1887.

The Harmony Lodge secretary had kindly located and presented to me the original Lodge Minute book for the meeting that my Great Grandfather was master for in 1887. It showed his original writing and signature for the meeting.

The Harmony Lodge has a custom to read out old minutes from a previous meeting. On this occasion, they chose to read out the same minutes from the meeting that my Great Grandfather had presided over.

I was later presented with a typed copy of these minutes.

I was also presented with a book that gave the historic background to the Harmony Lodge.

We received a very warming welcome by all of the Brethren, which proved that wherever you visit as a Freemason, you are greeted with open arms and kindness. Leicester Freemasons are the same.

During the Festive Board we were mentioned in the Masters Address, and we were involved in various conversations, including discovering that one of the elders of the lodge had a daughter who also shared the same surname as my Great Grandfather. I am still trying to follow up on this to see if there is more family history to be uncovered.

The Future

Since Joining Regular Freemasonry in Leicester I have enjoyed rising through the various positions within the Lodge, and I look forward to reaching position of Master of the Lodge in a few years time.

I am really pleased to have made a circle of new friends who i could call upon at anytime for support.

Nowadays you don’t need to be invited to become a member of the Leicester Freemasons, and if I had known this, I would have joined many years ago.

This has given me a new interest in life, enabled me to give something back to others who are in need of help, and the knowledge that I can call on my fellow brethren for help and support at anytime.

Having progressed as a Freemason in what is known as Craft, In September 2018 I decided that it would be great to take the next step and follow on by joining Royal Arch Freemasonry.

This is relatively new to me, but I have already met companions, and look forward to the next Chapter in my Freemasonry Life.