£4000 was raised for charity in an evening of festivities, a raffle and the auction of a Laptop computer, gifted to the Lodge by a member. A contribution from the Lodge Relief Chest, made up the total.
On the 21st of October at Halsey Masonic Hall, Cheshunt and presided over by Lodge Master, W Bro David Bridge, 115 brethren attended a very successful Centenary Meeting of Earl Strafford Lodge No. 3500 which included the dedication of a new banner. The event had been planned over a five year period in which funds were raised to purchase a replacement banner and to make a substantial contribution to charity. The charity benefiting was Keech Hospice Care. This hospice cares for children and young adults with terminal medical conditions.
After the banner dedication ceremony ably conducted by the Provincial Grand Chaplain, the PGM presented the Lodge with a Centenary Certificate recognising the achievement of one hundred years of Masonic service.
The meeting concluded with the PGM R W Bro Colin Harris conveying his good wishes to Lodge and its members and reminding them of their responsibility to conduct the affairs of the Lodge in such a manner to see the lodge successfully through the next hundred years.
After the meeting all attendees enjoyed a pre-dinner glass of bubbly and a four course meal. The Festive Board had an international flavour with Rt W Bro N Lowe and Bro J Harris representing the Prince Hall Lodge The Widows Son No.28 located in Boston Massachusetts who presented the PGM Colin Harris and the Centenary Master W Bro. David Bridge each with a Boston Redsox baseball cap and to the Senior and Junior Wardens Redsox team T-shirts.
Lodge Biography
The Lodge was formed in February 1911 by Masons who originally met in the West End of London and who took the expedient step to reduce their dining expenses by forming a Lodge in Barnet Middlesex. Permission was sought of the 5th Earl Strafford, the Rt Hon and Rev. Francis Byng, Past Grand Chaplain of England to use his title in the name of the Lodge and the family Coat of Arms in the Lodge Banner. Earl Strafford was pleased to grant this request. After its formation, the Lodge met at several venues in Middlesex until it became a founding Lodge of the Southgate Masonic Centre, and remains a shareholder of that centre to the present day.
The migration to Hertfordshire began with moving the Lodge of Instruction to Halsey Hall, Cheshunt in 2001. This move was prompted by brethren and new initiates who were living in the West Essex and East Hertfordshire area. The Lodge applied to leave the Province of Middlesex and became a member of the Hertfordshire Province, this took place in 2004. The Lodge was welcomed on behalf of the Masonic Province of Hertfordshire by W Bro. Paul Gower AGPM who explained that the signatures on the Lodges’ warrant included no less than Lord Halsey himself.
One hundred years after its consecration, seeking to replace the banner meant that certain hurdles had to be overcome with which the Province gave much assistance. The coat of Arms had to be verified by the Heralds of the College of Arms to ensure no variation had taken place from the design they have registered, which admittedly has undergone permitted modification since its initial award by King Charles I to Thomas Wentworth. Grand Lodge insisted that the current holder of the Earldom, the 8th Earl Strafford must give his written approval for the Lodge to continue to use his family Coat of Arms on the replacement Lodge banner which was successfully granted.
