Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge
2978
Knightsbridge Lodge No 2978, as it was then named, was founded, and consecrated on Tuesday 19th September 1903 at the Alexandra Hotel, Hyde Park Corner London. The Consecrating Master was V.W. Bro. Sir Edward Letchworth FSA, Grand Secretary.
At this time Knightsbridge was the only lodge in this part of London, and membership was open for men who lived or worked in the Knightsbridge area only.
The Knightsbridge Founder Members – September 1903
There were twenty-one founder members of the lodge mainly from the retail trade, Harrods, and Fortnum & Mason.
The lodge moved to the Hans Crescent Hotel, Knightsbridge in 1904 this was due to the amount of new members joining and the need for a larger venue. The lodge remained there until, in 1935, when it moved to Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, and its current home.
Knightsbridge Reserve Forces 2978 – Banner Celebration November 2023
The Banner Re-Dedication Ceremony of Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge No 2978 was a very special meeting held at Freemasons Hall London on Monday 27th November 2023.
The guest of Honour was V.W. Bro Julian Soper PGSwdB. Assistant Metropolitan Grand Master, he was also accompanied by W.Bro Matthew Christmas AGDC Metropolitan Grand Secretary, (who is an Honorary member of Knightsbridge Reserve Forces lodge), also present was W.Bro Lt Col (Reted) Canon John Morrison LGR Metropolitan Assistant Grand Chaplain, along with other members from Metropolitan Grand lodge, Members from Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge and also members from Moria Lodge No 92.
The Banner was Re-Dedicated by V.W. Bro Julian Soper PGSwdb, Assistant Metropolitan Grand Master, after this the Banner was paraded around the lodge room three times. The Metropolitan Assistant Grand Chaplain then gave an oration on the Lodge History and Banner.
On completion of the Dedication Ceremony the Members of Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge performed a Second degree ceremony for Moriah Lodge No 92. At the end of the Meeting the Members and visitors enjoyed an excellent festive board at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms. The evening was closed by a Trumpeter from the Household Cavalry, who gave a perfect performance of the ‘Last Post’.
Knightsbridge Lodge was awarded a special ‘Medal’, which is to this day worn by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge. Throughout the First World War a Roll of Honour had been kept of brethren who had fallen, and this jewel recognises the Lodge‘s contribution to the fund raising, to build a memorial to all those Servicemen.
The resulting memorial building was completed in 1933, and is Freemasons Hall, in Great Queen Street, by Covent Garden.
Inside Freemason’s Hall is a Memorial vestibule, with stained glass windows and marble cladding, and housed within a bronze casket is a Scroll of Honour recording the names of the brethren who lost their lives in the First World War – it is well worth a visit.
The Memorial Vestibule – Freemasons Hall.
Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge is a Hall Stone Lodge, which is the root of the Lodges military connection.
A Hall Stone Lodge takes its title from an appeal that was set up after the First World War to commemorate all those Freemasons that had fallen during the conflict.
On the 27th of June 1919 a special Grand lodge meeting was held at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the end of the First World War, and the Grand Master, H.R.H. Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, requested that a permanent memorial be constructed ‘to render a fitting honour to the 3,078 brethren who fell during the war’. A special committee was set up to administer project, to locate a site and manage an appeal for funds to construct the memorial building.
The chosen site was at Great Queen Street by Covent Garden. The name of the Building was to be called ‘’The Masonic Peace Memorial’’ and the amount needed to be raised was £1,000,000. The ‘’Masonic Million Memorial Fund’’ was set up and an appeal was made to Lodges that met in London, along with English and Welsh Provincial and District Provinces that met abroad to donate the money needed.
Donations could be made to the appeal as a Lodge, or as an individual member. If an individual raised 10 Guineas, (ten pounds ten shillings), within five years they received a breast jewel, (or medal), of Silver. If they raised 100 Guineas they received a breast jewel made from gold. There were some 53,224 individual Breast jewels presented
The Silver and Gold Breast Jewels
Lodges that committed to the Festival and raised the equivalent of ten Guineas for every member of the Lodge received a large medal of the same design. This jewel or medal is affixed to a light blue collaret and is worn by the Master of that lodge. Lodges that were awarded the Hall Stone medal, became known as Hall Stone Lodges and had their name and number engraved on the walls of the Memorial. There were 1,321 Hall stone Lodges.
Knightsbridge was such a participating Lodge and each year the medal is presented, in succession, to the new Master on his installation.
THE HALL STONE MEDAL – as awarded to Knightsbridge Lodge.
The medals were presented at Quarterly Grand Lodge Communications over a period of years, as Lodges achieved their targets and the fund grew. Knightsbridge Lodge was presented with their medal by the Pro Grand Master in 1927.
The engraving to the back of the Knightsbridge Reserve Forces lodge Hallstone medal reads: ‘’ Knightsbridge Lodge No 2978, Grand Lodge 2/March 1927’’.
The building of the Masonic Peace memorial began in June 1929 and the buildings dedication was held on 19th July 1933. The fund itself was closed on the 31st December 1938; the total cost for the new building was around £1.4 million.
The Memorial vestibule has stained glass windows and marble cladding. There is an honour scroll that has the names of the brethren who lost their lives in the First World War, housed in a bronzed casket. The names of Bro George Penny and Albert Levy the two members of Knightsbridge Lodge who died in service of their King in the First World War are included on the list.
The name of the ‘’Masonic Peace Memorial’’ building was changed in 1939 at the start of the Second World War to ‘’Freemasons Hall’’.
In 2003 the lodge celebrated its Centenary with a special meeting and Lodge Banner Dedication Ceremony.
Knightsbridge Lodge – Centenary Meeting 2003
On the 20th October 2021 the United Grand Lodge of England signed the ‘’Armed Forces Covenant’’ to support members of the Armed Forces. The signing of the partnership took place during a ceremony at Freemasons Hall led by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent. The signing of the covenant was held in the Masonic Peace memorial and was signed by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, and Major General Simon Graham, Director Reserves Army.
The signing of the Armed Forces Covenant October 2021
During the ceremony, The Duke of Kent said ‘’ It is my great pleasure to sign the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the United Grand Lodge of England. We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the Armed Forces and we will continue to promote their welfare, support, and respect amongst all our members’’.
As Knightsbridge lodge has members who are ex-military and from the Reserve forces and also past brethren with Military history, the Lodge considered how they could support and incorporate the ideals of the Covenant.
It was decided that the lodge would change its name to ‘’ Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge No 2978’’ and offer a permanent Masonic home in London and the South to current and ex members of the Military / Reserve forces and Blue Light Services.
There are many lodges that meet under the United Grand Lodge of England with a Military background, many of which are specific to a particular Regiment or Corp. However there is only one other lodge in the North of the country that was set up for all Branches of the Reserve Forces called ‘’ Reserve Forces Lodge of Northumbria No 2666”, (anyone who lives in the Newcastle-on-Tyne area and is from the Reserve Force background who is interested in becoming a Freemason we would recommend that you contact them).
As Knightsbridge lodge has current members who are ex-military, and from the Reserve Forces, and also an historical link with past military brethren, there was an enthusiasm among the members for the Lodge to positively support the Armed Forces Covenant. It was the member’s decision that the lodge should offer a permanent home in London and the South to current and ex members of the Military, and Reserve forces, including Blue Light Services.
Subsequently in 2023 the Lodge changed its name to ‘’ Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge No 2978’’ and its aim is to offer the Hand of Friendship to Military and non Military alike and promote the aims of Freemasonry.
Knightsbridge Reserve Forces Lodge ritual is officially West End. However, over the years as members who practice other rituals have joined the Lodge, variations have evolved, which are peculiar to Knightsbridge Lodge. Joining members with different ritual should, therefore, find no difficulties with our ceremonies.
