HISTORY OF ENDERBY LODGE 5061
In February 1928 the Past Masters of the Granite Lodge No.2028, concerned about the size of the Lodge, proposed that they should petition Grand Lodge for permission to establish a new Lodge. A committee was established under the guidance of W.Bro. T O Judge, Master of Granite Lodge.
It was decided that the founding Master would be W. Bro. Henry Jinks Grace, a distinguished mason who had been Worshipful Master of Granite Lodge in 1894 and 1916, Past Provincial Grand Treasurer since 1914, a Grand Officer, a Founder and Past Master of the Wiclif Lodge No.3078, a Founder and Past Master of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 and a Past Master of the Lodge of Research No.2429.
The founding committee wanted to honour W.Bro. Grace by calling the new lodge “The Grace Lodge” but Grand Lodge would not accept the name. They tried a number of alternatives until finally they agreed upon “Enderby Lodge”. W.Bro. Grace was managing Director of The Enderby & Stoney Stanton Granite Company and had resided in Enderby for most of his life.
It was decided that the motto of the Lodge should be “Aedificatus in Saxo” – “Founded on a Rock”, since the Lodge was formed by Granite Lodge.
A further link to Enderby was achieved by using a photograph of Grace’s house, Pen Craig in Enderby on the Lodge Summons, Banner and the Past Master’s jewels.
All except one of the 20 Founder Members were members of the Granite Lodge. Consecration of the new Lodge took place on Tuesday 22nd January 1929, although the event did not take place without incident. As W.Bro. Grace was leaving home he slipped and broke his ankle. The weather at this time was extremely icy. W. Bro. Grace was eventually installed as Worshipful Master of the Enderby Lodge at an Emergency Meeting on Thursday 23rd May 1929, but his health was not good and he died in September 1932 having only attended seven meetings.
In 1919 Grand Lodge decided new headquarters for the English Craft as a memorial to many brethren who had given their lives during the First World War. The cost of over one million pounds was financed by contributions from members of the Constitution to a fund known as the Million Memorial Fund. A Brother who contributed 10 guineas was entitled to wear a Commemorative breast jewel. The Master of a lodge that contributed an average of 10 guineas per member was entitled to wear a medal on a collarette and the lodge designated as a Hall Stone Lodge.
At a meeting of the Founders on 11th January 1929, eleven days before Consecration, W.Bro. Grace proposed that the Lodge should be a Hall Stone Lodge. The proposal was confirmed in Open Lodge on 24th September 1929 and the members of the Lodge contributed sufficient funds for the Lodge to be awarded the Hall Stone Lodge status, one of only two in the Province of Leicestershire & Rutland.
The Worshipful Master of the Enderby Lodge still wears the Hall Stone Jewel as part of his regalia today.
Enderby Lodge No.5061
Freemasons’ Hall
80 London Road
Leicester
LE2 0RA
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