ST. GEORGE’S LODGE - NO. 3065 (1904)
St. George’s Lodge was founded in 1904 Consecrated on 1st, 1905. From the outset, St.George’s has had a very unique status and direction. Historic facts include:
– The names of the 16 founders, as recorded in the roll of members included WBros. Ungebauer, Walton, Hopkins, and Fairburn all of whom later occupied the Master’s Chair between 1095 and 1910. WBro. Ungebauer, the Lodge’s first Master, presented the Lodge with its original Banner in 1915 which still hangs today in the Lodge Committee Room and was replaced by a new banner at the Lodge’s Centenary in 2005. The archives show that a resolution from Grand Lodge was received on June 2nd 1915 requesting all brethren of German, Austrian, Hungarian or Turkish nationality abstain from any Masonic meeting during the continuance of the war. WBro. Ungebauer, who was present, stated that he would abstain from attending. Brethern expressed their regret and trusted that his absence would be short. On the 5th of December 1928, resolution was received from Grand Lodge to re-admit any brother who had been excluded as an enemy alien.
– The application to Grand Lodge for the Charter of the Lodge was supported by Roquelle Lodge No.2798 of Freetown and Accra Lodge No. 3063. (Roquelle Lodge supported the warrant to form Accra Lodge).
– The first meetings were held in the Forester’s Hall at Odunlami Street, Lagos. The first Master of the Lodge was WBro. Charles Ungebauer who in 1913 became the first Deputy District Grand Master of the District of Nigeria.
– In its first year, the Lodge held 26 meetings in which 24 candidates were initiated. Of these, 22 were passed to the 2nd degree and 20 had the third degree conferred on them. In addition, 26 Brethren were elected joining members.
The Lodge Archives show these resolutions:
– In the meeting of August 1905, it was resolved that black or white evening dress be worn to meetings.
– The meeting of October and November 1905, St George’s Lodge was given two important dispensations from Grand Lodge;
1. That the Lodge be authorized to proceed in full Masonic clothing to hear divine service, attend funeral of a deceased brother (Provided he is a MM and has indicated his desire for a Masonic burial), attend public gatherings for the laying of the foundation stone of any public dispensation also allows members to wear Masonic craft clothing and jewels to any Ball held by St. George’s Lodge on condition that tickets are not sold openly and indiscriminately.
2. That the Lodge be permitted in cases of emergencies to advance a Brother to a higher degree seven days clear of the date of the Brother’s last ceremony.
On January 10th, 1910, the lodge was “called off” and the Brethren were kept within hail for seven days and labour resumed at 6:30p.m on January 18th.
January 3rd, 1911 notice of a motion which states that “the honorary rank of past Master be conferred on distinguished Masons” and was carried on August 5th 1911. It was also agreed that all subscribing members be entitled to vote by proxy for the election of the Worshipful Master.
Of interest is a mention of a condolence letter being sent to Lagos Lodge and the Yoruba Lodge on a death of one of their members. Our records show that the Yoruba Lodge was an off-shoot of the Lagos Lodge but being unable to continue, handed back its charter to the Grand Lodge.
At 3rd April 1915, during a raising ceremony, an omission was made and a brother below the rank of MM was still in the Lodge while the two candidates were being entrusted. It was therefore decided at once to include the Brother with the two candidates; all three were raised to the sublime degree of a MM.
June 7th 1924, installation date was altered from July to September.
St.George’s Hall:
In April 7th 1906, St. George’s accepted the offer of His Excellency the Governor for a plot of land on Broad Street on a 99-year lease, exempt from rates and taxes.
On the 5th January, the lodge was opened at 3:40 p.m. called off at 4pm, and proceeded to lay the foundation stone of the new temple. The Lodge was called on again at 6:35p.m and proceeded to confer the 2nd degree on two candidates. The lodge was closed at 7:55 pm.
On the 4th of May 1907, it was unanimously agreed to name the new Masonic Hall “St. George’s Hall” and a month later, on the 29th of June a resolution was passed to move the present place of meetings to St. George’s Hall. The first meeting was held on July 6th, 1907.
In 1985, the Lodge signed an MOU with the District Grand Lodge of Nigeria giving the District the right to renew the lease on
In 1925, the lodge received the Hall Stone Jewel, being the only Lodge in Nigeria that qualified for it at that time. This is in recognition of the response to the MW The Grand Master’s appeal in 1921 to support the Masonic Peace Memorial, when St. George’s Lodge achieved the stipulated took the form of the brethren of Freemason’ Hall in London as a lasting memorial to those Brethren who gave their lives for their Sovereign and Country in the First World War, and the Master of St. George’s is therefore entitled to wear The Hall Stone Jewel appended to a craft blue collaret on all Masonic occasions. The jewel itself is made of the canon’s that were used in the war and St. George’s jewel was subsequently lost/stolen with a replacement sent to the Lodge in the fifties. The original jewel was later found by a brother in a hut on bar beach and returned to the Lodge.
Throughout its history, the Lodge has made a significant contribution to English Freemasonry in Nigeria, and since the formation of the Masonic District of Nigeria, five of the district Grand Masters of Nigeria have at some time occupied the Master’s Chair at St. George’s Lodge.
In the History of the Lodge, St. George’s members have supported the petitions for the formation of 12 craft lodges and 1 Royal Arch chapter. Details of which appear below.
FORMATION OF LODGES/CHAPTERS
As Freemasonry grows much the same as a family tree does, St.George’s Lodge was privileged to have played an active role in supporting the formation of other Lodges which in turn also helped found Lodges themselves. A look at the Lodge family Tree Database (WBro.J.G.Amore) and Lane’s Masonic Records (Published by HRI Online Publications) shows:
1. CALABAR Lodge 3434: warrant supported on the 2nd of October 1909: 1st February 1910. Consecrated 27th April 1910.
2. ST. GEORGE’S ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER: 4th of February 1911: Petition from St. George’s Lodge to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter to grant a Chapter to the “Petitioners of the Royal Arch Masons of Lagos.”
3. NIGER Lodge October 2nd 1915: Petition for Niger Lodge at Warri conditionally approved by Brethren. Final approval granted 19th march1918.
4. TRAVELLERS Lodge 3726 (supported the formation of Ketu Lodge No. 9175).
5. NIGERIA Lodge 3773. February 5th 1916: Petition for formation of Port Harcourt Lodge 3880 approved (Nigeria Lodge supported the formation of Okrika Lodge 4578, Enugu Lodge 5440, Ionic Lodge 9353 – 5 other lodges).
6. NIGER Lodge 3882 (Nige Lodge supported the formation of Okpare Lodge 9863).
7. EBUTE METTA Lodge: 5th of April 1919 petition for formation (Ebute Metta Lodge supported the formation of Fraternity 7477 and Sir Adeyemo Alakija 9870).
8. KANO Lodge: 7th of May 1925 petition for the formation of Kano Lodge.
9. IBADAN Lodge 5316: 5th of September 1931 petition for the formation of Ibadan (Eureka 6222 (supported the formation of Abekouta 7764 and Western Nigeria Lodge 7806).
10. IKEJA Lodge 8670.
11. SPIRIT OF ST GEORGES 9373 in the UK 1987.
12. ABUJA Lodge 9866: April 2011 petition for the formation of the Abuja Lodge No.9866.
Other notes of interest from the Lodge’s archives show:
– St George’s Lodge of Instruction: formation recorded on the 6th October 1906.
– Petition of Masons at Forcados to hold a Lodge was unanimously agreed to 7th of June 1913. But on the 5th of January 1918 request from Brethren residing in Benin and Warri for sanction to form a Lodge at Warri. This was agreed to by the Brethren and the sanction for the Lodge at Forcados was withdrawn.
– August 7th 1715: Petition for the formation of an Installed Master’s Lodge. The Brethren. Final approval granted 19th march 1918. No record of this Lodge after this note.
– Calabar Lodge: Archives show that initial proposed name of Calabar Lodge was “European Lodge at Calabar” but it seems it was later amended to Calabar Lodge which received the number 3434 EC.
Lodge Venue and Meeting Days
Meeting Days:
First Friday of Every Month.
Installation in October.
Time: 6pm
Venue:
Meets at St. George’s Hall,
28 Broad Street, Lagos.
Contact:
Mail: P.O. Box 227, Marina, Lagos.
