Freemasonry in Suffolk

Freemasonry in Suffolk dates back to 1772 when the Suffolk "Province" was founded.[1] In 2008 the current Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk, Barry ross, claimed they had 3,000 members organised in 66 lodges. They operate out of 21 centres, he added.[1] The Freemasons' Hall was built in Soane Street, Ipswich in 1897. It is a grade II listed building run by the Ipswich Masonic Hall Trust.[1]

Manorial Room at the Masonic Hall, Bury St Edmunds, circa 1900
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In accordance with the Suffolk Code, councillors in Suffolk are asked to declare whether they are a Freemason.[2]

History

Ipswich Royal Ark Masons

There are claims that Royal Ark Masons started in Ipswich in 1772, but the documentary evidence only goes back as far as 1789, when Ebenezer "Noah" Sibley and a Mr Wood arrived in Ipswich. The group is sometimes described as "irregular" or "quasi-masonic", as it was formed in order to have a political impact.[3]

United Grand Lodge of England

In 1886 Robert Adair, 1st Baron Waveney was the United Grand Lodge of England Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk until his death on 15 February. There were over 800 freemasons in Suffolk distributed in 22 craft lodges:[4]

Lodge No.Lodge nameLocationMembershipNotes
71 Unity Lowestoft 72
81 Doric Woodbridge 50
114 British Union Ipswich 47
225 St. Luke Ipswich 93 Some material archived at the Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich[5]
305 Apollo Beccles 20
332 Virtue and Silence Hadleigh 27
376 Perfect Friendship Ipswich 68
388 Prudence Halesworth 34
516 Phoenix Stowmarket 41
555 Fidelity Framlingham 35
929 Waveney Bungay 30
936 Adair Aldeburgh 22
959 Prince of Wales Ipswich *
1008 Royal St. Edmund Bury St. Edmunds 49
1224 Stour Valley Sudbury 61
1452 St. Margaret Lowestoft 25
1592 Abbey Bury St. Edmunds 31
1631 St. Andrew Gorleston 30
1663 Hertismere Eye 23
1823 Royal Clarence Clare *
1983 Martyn Southwold 25
9194 Court Knoll Boxford 39 * = No returns

Masonic buildings in Suffolk
LocationBuilding nameNotesImage
Chequer Square, Bury St Edmunds Masonic Hall Six masonic lodges meet at this hall situated in Chequer Square, at the junction of Churchgate Street and Angel Hill.This is a Grade II listed building, formerly the Six Bells Inn.[6]
Soane Street, Ipswich Ipswich Masonic Hall Located at far end of photograph. This is a Grade II listed building.[7]
North Street, Sudbury Masonic Hall

References
  1. Marston, James (2008). "Inside the Masons - dispelling the myths". Ipswich Star (27 August 2008). Ipswich Star.
  2. Bristow, Tom (2017). "Should councillors have to tell us if they are Masons?" (17 November 2017). Eastern Daily Press.
  3. Sommers, Susan Mitchell (2002). Parliamentary Politics of a County and Its Town: General Elections in Suffolk and Ipswich in the Eighteenth Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780275975135.
  4. "Freemasonry in Suffolk" (PDF). The Freemason's Chronicle. XXIII (57, Saturday 10 April 1886): 225–226. 1886.
  5. Archives, The National. "Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England: St Luke's Lodge 225, Ipswich". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archive. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  6. "Masonic Hall, Bury St Edmunds". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. BritishListedBuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  7. "Freemasons Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. BritishListedBuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
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