Lodge Origins
Origins
The Lodge of Unity
Our ancestry prior to 1742 is hazy to say the least, however, we do know that in 1741 “The Union French Lodge” also met at the “Hoop and Grapes” our supposed ancestral home, but moved to the “Cardigan”, Charring Cross the following year before becoming extinct in 1753. In 1758 we adopted the name “The Old French Lodge” and because there is no record of another French Lodge existing in London at that time it is speculated that in 1742 “The Union French Lodge” may have split into two Lodges. The name “The Old French Lodge” possibly referring to its former roots.
Our present warrant is a “Warrant of Confirmation” and was issued on 24 April 1842 in response to a petition by the brethren of the Lodge in which they stated that the original Warrant had been lost or destroyed. There is, however, a question mark over whether the Lodge was ever issued with a Warrant in 1742. The postscript to the 1723 Book of Constitution makes no mention of the handing over of a document that would be called a “Warrant”, however, “Certificates of Constitution” were required to enable registration to take place. The earliest know “Warrant” in existence belongs to Palatine Lodge No. 97 and dates from 1757. So we may have never been issued with a “Warrant” at the date we belive we originated. We may never know.
Centenary Warrant
In 1842 the Lodge celebrated its Centenary, however, as a result of the missing records very little detail is known about what actually happened on that auspicious day. We do know that a Centenary Warrant was granted and issued, because Grand Lodge records hold a letter from us from 1942 referring to the warrant, which unfortunately appears to have been misplaced while it was being framed. It remains lost to this day, however, we continue to remain optimistic that one day it will be found.
Bi-Centenary Warrant
The Lodge’s Bi-Centenary in was commemorated at the Installation Meeting held at Freemasons’ Hall on 13 April 1942, when W. Bro. Fenn Kidson, C.B.E, P.A.G.D.C, was installed as Master by the Grand Secretary, V.W. Bro. Sydney A. White, P.G.D. in the presence of a number of Grand Officers and Brethren, among them R.W. Bro. A. Burnett Brown, P.G.W., Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex. The Bi-Centenary Warrant was granted by the then M.W. The Grand Master, H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, K.G., but in view of the Second World War, the meeting was a simple matter and the formal presentation of the Warrant was postponed until August 1945, after cessation of hostilities.
In 1842 the Lodge celebrated its Centenary, however, as a result of the missing records very little detail is known about what actually happened on that auspicious day. We do know that a Centenary Warrant was granted and issued, because Grand Lodge records hold a letter from us from 1942 referring to the warrant, which unfortunately appears to have been misplaced while it was being framed. It remains lost to this day, however, we continue to remain optimistic that one day it will be found.
Bi-Centenary Warrant
The Lodge’s Bi-Centenary in was commemorated at the Installation Meeting held at Freemasons’ Hall on 13 April 1942, when W. Bro. Fenn Kidson, C.B.E, P.A.G.D.C, was installed as Master by the Grand Secretary, V.W. Bro. Sydney A. White, P.G.D. in the presence of a number of Grand Officers and Brethren, among them R.W. Bro. A. Burnett Brown, P.G.W., Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex. The Bi-Centenary Warrant was granted by the then M.W. The Grand Master, H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, K.G., but in view of the Second World War, the meeting was a simple matter and the formal presentation of the Warrant was postponed until August 1945, after cessation of hostilities.
