Cornwallis Chapter No.1536

The Cornwallis family have for a long time been closely associated withFreemasonryin Kent. Col. Wykeham Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis, succeeded his father as Provincial Grand Master of Kent in 1935 until the county was divided into East and West Kent in 1973. He then served as Provincial Grand Master of East Kent until his death in 1982.

His son, Fiennes Neil Wykeham, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, rose to become Pro Grand Master and Pro First Grand Principal in 1982—92. Sadly his death broke a 100 year close link between the Cornwallis family and the Craft.

In 1919 the East Kent Masters Lodge No.3931 was consecrated in Canterbury and its first Master was Colonel Fiennes Stanley Wykeham Cornwallis, (later the first Lord Cornwallis), the Provincial Grand Master of the time. After seeing the growing collection of masonic artefacts and books, he conceived the idea of the Kent Provincial Library & Museum in Canterbury.

There is also an annual Cornwallis Lecture is organised under the auspices of the Kent Masonic Museum & Library Trust to promote Masonic thought, discussion, and understanding. The inaugural lecture, “Freemasonry Universal”, was written and delivered by the late The Right Honourable The Lord Cornwallis in 2002. It was delivered at the Winter Gardens, Margate, and was attended by approximately 600 Freemasons and their ladies.

His name was also used for the new Royal Arch Chapter consecrated in 1916 which now meets in the Masonic Centre, Sidcup. Below is a founder’s jewel and the first three pages of the summons of the first convocation on 10th March, 1916 which had three joining members (affiliates) and 13 to be exalted into the chapter, most of which are military men.

Cornwallis Chapter is one of the chapters with a different name to their attached lodge—United Military Lodge No.1536.