History

Introduction

It is difficult to perceive the world as it was when The Lodge was consecrated all those years ago. Queen Victoria had only recently passed away but the British Empire occupied one-fifth of the land surface of the globe. The first aircraft had flown a short while ago and the motor car was a rare sight. Electricity was being introduced while women suffragettes were fighting to gain the vote.

Having attained our Centenary in 2006 it is was found appropriate a history of The Lodge should be produced to give some insight into the personality of the Brethren, their lives and their contribution which has sustained the Lodge to the present day and allowed so many Masons to benefit now and no doubt long into the future.

The following are excerpts taken from history of the Lodge produced by W.Bro. Geoff Hunt for the Centenary meeting in 2006.

Petition for a New Lodge

On 29th November 1905 15 Masons from various Lodges in Sussex petitioned The Grand Master, for a new Lodge to be formed. The Petition read as follow:

We the undersigned being regularly registered Master Masons of the Lodges mentioned against our respective names, having the prosperity of the Craft at our heart, are anxious to exert our best endeavours to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of the Art, and, for the conveniency of our respective dwellings and other good reasons, we desirous of forming a new lodge to be named

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND LODGE

In consequence of this desire, we pray for a Warrant of Constitution, empowering us to meet as regular Lodge at the Assembly Rooms, Portslade on the Fourth Thursday of the mons January, February, March, April, October & November, and there to discharge the duties of Masonry, in a constitutional manner, according to the forms of the Order and laws of the Grand Lodge; and wee have nominated and do so recommend Brother Frederick Sundius Smith to the first Master, Brother Walter Hillman to be the first Senior Warden and Brother Ernest Tom Cox to be the first Junior Warden

The Petitioners

Frederick Sundius Smith
Walter Hillman
Ernest Tom Cox
Thomas Corringham
Arthur Wellesley Green
Booth Hay Metcalfe
George Brigden
John W.C.Langfield
Ernest H. Kemp
Vicars A. Boyle
Frederick Jas. Jenkins
James Puttick
A.T.Warren
Charles M. Kempe
Walter Mews

This petition is recommended for the favourable consideration of the Worshipful Grand Master by the Officers of the St.Mary of the Harbour Lodge No.2591 meeting at The Town Hall, Shoreham

Signed
WM. Swales WM.
George Courtney JW.

The Lodge was named after the Provincial Grand Master of Sussex at that time the Rt.W.Bro His Grace the Duke of Richmond & Gordon K.G., C.B., &c.
The CONSECRATION MEETING was held (under Dispensation) at the ROYAL PAVILION BRIGHTON, ON Thursday 22nd March 1906 preceded by luncheon. The Ceremony of Consecration was performed by the Provincial Grand Master. The ceremony of Installation was performed by the Dep. Provincial Grand Master W.Bro. Thomas Weller-Poley

The other Consecration officers were

W.Bro. E.A.Smithers – Provincial Senior Grand Warden
W.Bro. J.Colboourne – Provincial Junior Grand Warden
W.Bro. Rev. W.N.Willis – Provincial Grand Chaplain
W.Bro. Rev. W.J.H.Newman – Provincial Grand Chaplain
W.Bro. A.J.Carpenter – Provincial Grand Registrar
W.Bro. J.P.Singsby Roberts – Provincial Grand Secretary
W.Bro. F Carr (P.P.J.G.W.) – Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies

Also in attendance were 4 Grand Lodge Visitors, 19 Acting Provincial Officers. Also in attendance were Masters of Lodges in the Province, their Wardens and other visitors who’s names were not recorded in the minutes. The musical arrangements were under the direction of W.Bro A.G.Whitehead, Provincial Grand Organist.

Members & their occupations during 1906

22.3.1906

F.S.Smith – Miller
W.Hillman – Contractor
E.T.Cox – Doctor of Medicine
T.Corringham – Manager (Company)
A.W.Green – Laundry Proprietor
B.H.Metcalfe – Lt/Cm Retired
G.Brigden – Baker
J.W.C.Langfield S- olicitor
E.H.Kempe – Solicitor
Rev. A.Boyle – Vicar (Portslade)
F.J.Jenkins – Traveller
Rev J.Puttick – Rector (Kingston on Sea)
A.T.Warren – Authorized Accountant
C.J.Kemp – Surgeon
W.Mews – Brewer

31.5.1906

A.W.Hillman – Contractor
F.W.A.Cushman – Solicitor

22.11.190

L.Franklin – Surgeon
T.Brown – Schoolmaster

Past Masters of The Duke of Richmond Lodge

1906-1907 – W.Bro. F.Sundius Smith
1907-1908 – W.Bro. W.Hillman
1908-1909 – W.Bro. E.T.Cox
1909-1910 – W.Bro. W.Mews
1910-1911 – W.Bro. T.Brown
1911-1912 – W.Bro. Rev. Vicars A Boyle
1912-1913 – W.Bro. T.Corringham
1913-1914 – W.Bro. E.H.Kempe
1914-1915 – W.Bro. F.J.Jenkins
1915-1916 – W.Bro. A.W.Hillman
1916-1917 – W.Bro F.W.A.Cushman
1917-1918 – W.Bro A.W.Green
1918-1919 – W.Bro L.Franlin
1919-1920 – W.Bro H.Baker
1920-1921 – W.Bro W.Henderson
1921-1922 – W.Bro A.J.Campion
1922-1923 – W.Bro H.G.Gravett
1923-1924 – W.Bro. F.W.Markwick
1924-1925 – W.Bro J.Miles
1925-1926 – W.Bro A.W.Avery
1926-1927 – W.Bro H.Ridge
1927-1928 – W.Bro. W.T.Bradshaw
1928-1929 – W.Bro. F.Hillman
1929-1930 – W.Bro F.Woolgar
1930-1931 – W.Bro G.J.Barnes
1931-1932 – W.Bro T.Wiley
1932-1933 – W.Bro C.C.Johnson
1933-1934 – W.Bro A.W.Lee
1934-1935 – W.Bro. C.O.Pigott
1935-1936 – W.Bro. W.A.Hollan
1936-1937 – W.Bro E.Miles
1937-1938 – W.Bro. A.E.Russell
1938-1939 – W.Bro. A.W.Lee
1939-1940 – W.Bro. C.O.Pigott
1940-1941 – W.Bro. C.A.H.Holloway
1941-1942 – W.Bro. F.C.Balls
1942-1943 – W.Bro S.G.Barnes
1943-1944 – W.Bro. A.C.Harmes
1944-1945 – W.Bro. A.H.Dilley
1945-1946 – W.Bro. R.W.Harvey
1946-1947 – W.Bro R.J.Churcher
1947-1948 – W.Bro J.J.Wakeford
1948-1949 – W.Bro. A.E.Dannatt
1949-1950 – W.Bro H.T.Mogridge
1950-1951 – W.Bro. W.K.Sharpe
1951-1952 – W.Bro V.L.Miles
1952-1953 – W.Bro A.Adams
1953-1954 – W.Bro. R.H.Mason
1954-1955 – W.Bro. R.A.Kendall
1955-1956 – W.Bro V.R.Chennell
1956-1957 – W.Bro. E.L.Cook
1957-1958 – W.Bro. C.J.Barnes
1958-1959 – W.Bro H.J.Jackson
1959-1960 – W.Bro A.K.Perham
19601961 – W.Bro. L.A.Brittain
1961-1962 – W.Bro E.F.Allfrey
1962-1963 – W.Bro G.O.Sutton
1963-1964 – W.Bro. C.W.Green
1964-1965 – W.Bro. L.G.Burton
1965-1966 – W.Bro W.C.Wallace
1966-1967 – W.Bro L.Gordon
1967-1968 – W.Bro I Evans
1968-1969 – W.Bro. V.L.Miles
1969-1970 – W.Bro W.C.Upton
1970-1971 – W.Bro A.F.Robinson
1971-1972 – W.Bro J.E.Hamlen
1972-1973 – W.Bro. D.Josephs
1973-1974 – W.Bro. A. Oxley
1974-1975 – W.Bro D.S.Payne
1975-1976 – W.Bro. J.H.Vance
1976-1977 – W.Bro. P.ALamont
1977-1978 – W.Bro S.O.Standing
1978-1979 – W.Bro. A.E.Woodthorpe
1979-1980 – W.Bro L.G.F.Stevens
1980-1981 – W.Bro K.R.Miles
1981=1982 – W.Bro C.F.G.T.Tester
1982-1983 – W.Bro M.W.Hancorn
1983-1984 – W.Bro A.G.Frost
1984-1985 – W.Bro W.L.K.Hancorn
1985-1986 – W.Bro. L.R.Knott
1986-1987 – W.Bro. D.L.Took
1987-1988 – W.Bro. R.V.Lassetter
1988-1989 – W.Bro W.C.Fuller
1989-1990 – W.Bro G.H.Parsons
1990-1991 – W.Bro W.T.J.Partridge
1991-1992 – W.Bro. H.H.Eacott
1992-1993 – W.Bro R.J.Attwood
1993-1994 – W.Bro V.B.Langley
1994-1995 – W.Bro A.C.Costick
1995-1996 – W.Bro J.J.W.Fortin
1996-1997 – W.Bro D.A.Hodges
1997-1998 – W.Bro. T.F.K.Heanen
1998-1999 – W.Bro. P.G.Creasey
1999-2000 – W.Bro. C.Cork
2000-2001 – W.Bro C.J.Farrell
2001-2002 – W.Bro. J.P.Blissett
2002-2003 – W.Bro R.Daughtrey
2003-2004 – W.Bro. G.C.Wells
2004-2005 – W.Bro V.T.Gillam
2005-2006 – W.Bro K.Nilchibar
2006-2007 – W.Bro P.Smith
2007-2008 – W.Bro R.Heaven
2008-2009 – W.Bro P.E.Noakes
2009-2010 – W.Bro C.R.Cresswell
2010-2011 – W.Bro A.Zarrabi
2011-2012 – W.Bro L.C.W.Wells
2012-2013 – W.Bro. R.W.Baldock
2013-2014 – W.Bro. R.W.Baldock
2014-2015 – W.Bro R.J.Palfrey
2015-2016 – W.Bro R.J.Palfrey
2016-2017 – W.Bro. A.C.Jones
2017-2018 – W.Bro T.Bourne
2018-2019 – W.Bro L.S.Hunter
2019-2020 – W.Bro. A.W.Lang
2020-2011 – W.Bro. A.W.Lang

2021-2022 – W.Bro. A.W.Lang
2022-2023 – W.Bro. G.M.Field
2023-2024 – W.Bro G.M.Field