Broughton
Lodge History > Previous Histories
Broughton Lodge No.5437
An Early Beginning
The idea of this lodge was conceived in the village of Broughton, on the A6 to the north of Preston, in about 1933. Robert Prince, already a member of Wyreside lodge 2605 in Garstang, moved into the village after being married in that year, and he and his wife became very good friends of the vicar, Rev David Davies, who was a member of Newby Bridge lodge 4598. During one of the billiards games between the 2 men at Robert’s house, they decided to float the idea of a village lodge amongst their Masonic friends.
Our Friends up North
The concept aroused a lot of interest, but there was no mother lodge directly identified. Newby Bridge lodge might have been selected if it had belonged to the same Provincial Group, but meeting over 50 miles away to the north, it would not be in a position to monitor the progress of its daughter lodge very closely. Of the eventual 23 petitioners, 11 came from Preston lodges and 9 from northern West Lancashire or Cumberland & Westmorland — from Garstang, Lancaster, Morecambe, Grange-over-Sands, Newby Bridge and Windermere, so there was a lot of northern interest in this latest Preston lodge. Eventually it was Fraternity lodge 4072 at Preston which formally signed the petition on 13th September 1933, and the consecration took place in the Shuttleworth Arms at Broughton on 19th December 1933 with Arthur Foster, PrGM, with all 22 Founders and 54 other brethren present. Rev David Davies was the first Master, and his church of St John Baptist’s at Broughton was selected as the logo for the lodge badge and banner.
Above the Pub
The joining fees were set at £1.5s, and the meetings took place in the only place large enough to accommodate the lodge that agreed to house them — the room over the top of Mac’s Cafe, which had been built close to the main crossroads in the village during the year, and is now Kinders Garage. After the business of the evening there was a choice of either the Black Bull or the Golden Ball, both at the crossroads, for the brethren to repair to for the festive boards and the Old English Nights. The first Master, Rev David Davies, had a very short reign, because he installed his successor, John Clarkson, on 23rd February 1934. Meetings also went at a rapid pace, and were held every 2-3 weeks, so that by the end of May there had been 8 meetings and 10 candidates initiated into Freemasonry, as well as 6 joining members. The lodge was growing rapidly, although the spate of double double ceremonies lasted about 2 years.
Itchy Feet
In 1936 the lodge moved its meeting place twice, first to the Park Hotel in February, and in December to the Bull & Royal Hotel. There were now usually single ceremonies at each meeting with, occasional doubles. For the early Ladies’ Evenings, which were started in the 1930’s, the Bull & Royal Hotel in Preston was used, and the ladies’ presents were often boxed items of silver plate with the Masonic crest stamped thereon. The only acknowledgement of the Second World War was the comment on the summons of ‘Morning Dress or Uniform’, which appeared from October 1939 until March 1947. The lodge had moved to Saul Street in 1944, with the first meeting away from the cafe premises being held in September of that year. During the Second World War there were no Ladies’ Evenings held, so at the end of hostilities the 6 Masters whose ladies had missed out on their evenings combined together to hold a joint event on 12th January 1946 (with 6 presents for every lady attending?), by all accounts a splendid occasion and a huge success.
The lodge started the last half-century with 79 members, of which 18 remained of the 22 Founders. Most ceremonies were now singles, except Broughton seemed to like double passings. On 26th November 1953 the lodge celebrated its coming of age a month early - the December meeting was scheduled for Christmas Eve and likely to be less well attended. At the November meeting 119 attended, at that time a record for the lodge, with Eric Wells, Preston Group Vice-Chairman, George Guy and Walter Carefoot attending to hear W Clarke’s lecture on the ‘Lights of Freemasonry.’ In comparison the 25th anniversary passed by with little fuss, 54 brethren attending the double passing of Albert Goward and George Seymour. In February 1959 Reg Smithies was presented at his installation by his brother George, who had been Master only 3 years previously. A rare double ceremony occured in October 1964, with the initiation of brothers John and Robert Gorick. The ceremony was to be performed by Tom Riding, who unfortunately died just beforehand, and Jack Robinson, IPM, took the Chair whilst the ceremony was performed by George Smithies. An even rarer event in April 1967 was the double initiation of Frank and Michael Parker by the then Master and their father, Harold Parker. Dad also passed his sons, but left their raising to George Smithies. George was to extend the family connections in the lodge at the installation in 1968 of his younger brother, Donald, by co-presenting him along with his older brother Reg. In the previous month the lodge congratulated one of its stewards, Percy Lord and Chief Education Officer at County Hall in Preston, on receiving a New Year’s knighthood; the lodge obviously had quality in depth.
Juniors take centre stage
In January 1977 the Juniors were let loose with 10 of them delivering the 1st degree lecture, and they followed this with the 2nd degree lecture in December of the same year. Meanwhile in February 1977 the Secretary, had presented and addressed his son at his installation. On 27th October 1978 the Master, Alan Thomas, initiated his son Norman, but entrusted his passing in December of that year to another brother, who was assisted in the ceremony by the junior brethren for the first time. Interestingly the lodge was enjoying film shows at 3 successive March meetings 1978-80, but always the same film on the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution presented by E Brownlow of Horwich - perhaps the lodge was preparing members for the possibilities of retirement?
At the lodge’s 50th anniversary meeting, attended by Edward Dickson, APrGM the working tools were presented by James Brian Greenhalgh, James Roy Wilde and John Alexander Humphreys, and Ivor Whalley delivered a historical summary of lodge activities. Preston Group Officers were there in force, with Sidney Canning-Matthews as Chairman, Dan Scott and Cedric Kay as Vice-Chairmen, and Edward Casson as Secretary, and cheques for £250 were presented to both the Alpass Benevolent Institution and the new Provincial Grand Master’s charity fund.
In May 1985 Harold Iddon celebrated his 50 years with Broughton lodge, being its 16th initiate on 26th April 1935, and Edward Dickson and 82 brethren attended to hear the 3 sets of working tools explained by the Junior brethren. In 1990 another of these juniors was installed as Master, and went on to hold several barbecues at his house to raise funds for the MTGB Festival and other charities. The extent of the fund-raising by all members of the lodge was seen at the lodge’s anniversary meeting in December 1993, when £3,000 was donated to the Festival, £1,000 to Derian House, £1,000 to the widows of Fairlawn, and £437 provided to settle a bill for work carried out at the home - the lodge number, in £ sterling for Tom Blackburn, APrGM, to receive, which he did with alacrity. The Master of that year, became Secretary and then Chairman of the Preston Masonic Fellowship for retired Masons and families, and also lent his musical talent to continuing the organisation of the Masonic Choir and annual Carol Service usually held in Preston Parish Church.
Long Distance Relations
The lodge has always kept close contact with Newby Bridge lodge 4598, which had been so involved with the formation of the Preston lodge, and there are regular exchange visits to lodges and Ladies’ Evenings between them. Broughton has also enjoyed a wide range of social activities, including barbecues, socials and family events for its members, families and friends.
A Steady decline
In the past 10 years, the lodge has seen a substantial decline in its membership. It now has only 16 members of which one is an honorary member and three are non dining or country members. Last February the members agreed to reduce the number of regular meetings to 4 from the 8 it had been meeting since its inception in 1933.
It also began its discussions on the possibility of amalgamtion and was approached by representatives of Vanguard and Fraternity. These disscusions were amicable fro the very first meeting and it was with ease that an agreed "Settled Will" was approved by all brethren of Broughton Lodge.
Some Memorable Brethren
The members list until recently still contained the names of some of those mentioned above. Derrick Smith who resigned from the Lodge, had been the Charity Steward for a number of years and Almoner upto 2004. Ivor Whalley who passed away shortly before witnessing the first initiate into the new lodge , was the longest serving past master of Broughton Lodge.
Recognition
Over the years the lodge has been pleased that several of the brethren have been given acting ranks in the Province and in recent years two acting ranks were bestowed on its members. W. Bro. Norman Thomas (mentioned above) became the Deputy Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies from 1998-2001 and W. Bro. Chris Butterfield, the secretary, was a Provincial Senior Grand Deacon in 2002-2003.
W.Bro. John Whiteside was the Vice Chairman of the Masonic Hall and Company Secretary from 1993 for many years and W.Bro. Fred Parker who also recently resigned, continued his support of music for the group and was Group Musical Director for many years.
W. Bro. Brian Greenhalgh sadly passed away in 1999 whilst serving as Worshipful Master for the second time but the following year one of his dearest friends and a regular guest at Broughton Lodge, W.Bro. Phillip Aspinall was made an honorary member, (a member of Anchor & Hope Lodge No.37 – East Lancs.) and has been the lodge Guest Organist ever since and is to continue as guest Organist and an honorary member of the new amalgamated Lodge.
Bro. James Roy Wilde who is to be a Deacon in the amalgamated lodge also presented the 2nd Degree Working Tools at the 50th Anniversary in 1983.
Distinguished Installation Guests
Since 1997 the lodge has been honored at its installation meeting by no less Bro. Colin Penty Wright the R.W. Provincial Grand Master himself in 2002, when 137 brethren were present, W. Bro. Seddon A.Pr.G.M in 1999 and in 1997 W. Bro. Tom Blackburn, then as an A.Pr.G.M., but it had just been announced he was to be the next Dep.Pr.G.M.,and in 2001 W.Bro. C. M. Carefoot, ( the son of Walter Carefoot, mentioned above) represnted the Provincial Grand Master in his new capacity as a Grand Officer and in 1993, we were honoured to have the Provincial Senior Grand Warden, W. Bro. Geoffrey Bent (and I am led to believe, the wardens from the last three years).
The Future
Broughton Lodge has always been and still is a happy and energetic lodge. It will go down in the history of Freemasonry in Preston for its innovative meetings (the building of the Temple, the first lodge to have an open evening in the lodge room with ladies and non-masons present, its themed old English nights with the parking attendant, school master and the like) but it is now venturing on a new passage in its life and a rejuvenation of what it has always held good.
Acknowledgements
Grateful thanks to the W.Bro. E I Whalley P.Pr.J.G.W who was suddenly taken from us on the 10th January who prepared the majority of the lodge history for the lodge's 50th and 60th celebrations.
It has subsequently been updated by W.Bro. C.C.Butterfield P.Pr.S.G.D (February 2005)