Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Hertfordshire

Rose & Lily Lodge of Mark Masters No 354

The petition for the Rose & Lily Lodge of Mark Masters (note: not Mark Master Masons) was signed on 27th March 1885 for the Lodge to meet at the Four Swans, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire and the consecration took place at that location on 18 July 1885 at 3pm.

The Consecrating Officer was RW Bro Charles Matier, who later became the Grand Secretary in 1889, the SW was RW Bro T F Halsey MP and the Junior Warden was W Bro A Williams, PGD.

The first Master of the Lodge was Bro Major E J Gardiner and RW Bro Matier was appointed as the first Secretary of the Lodge.

At the consecrating meeting a resolution was carried "That the Rose & Lily Lodge do humbly pray the MW Grand Master to constitute the Lodges in the County of Hertfordshire (the only other one being Watford 241 at that time) a Provincial Grand Lodge and that the Lodge do hereby recommend RW Bro Thomas Frederick Halsey MP, PGW, to be the Provincial Grand Master."

The Grand Master felt that a Province of 2 lodges was too small, so Bro Matier formed and consecrated Hertford Lodge 366 on 29 April 1886 and followed this a few weeks later by consecrating Gladsmuir Lodge 367 on 16 June 1886. This had the desired effect and the Province was constituted on 24th June 1886.

The Lodge moved from Waltham Cross to the Pea Hen Hotel, St Albans on 4 July 1887 and then moved in 1893 to the Town Hall, St Albans, were it continued to meet until 1910. In June 1910 the Lodge re-located to Mark Mason's Hall, but retained its connection with Hertfordshire and continued to meet there until 1949. The lodge then removed to the Cafe Royal until 1970 when meetings took place at the Angus Steak House in Regent Street after which they resolved to move back to Mark Mason's Hall. Meetings continued there until 1983 when the Lodge moved to Freemason's Hall in Great Queen Street where it still meets today. It is the only Mark and RAM Lodge to meet at FMH.

To commemorate its Centenary, the Mark Lodge decided to sponsor a RAM Lodge, which was consecrated in February 1986.

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