De Shurland Lodge History

CHAPTER SIX National History Reflected in the Lodge’s Records To any student of history it is always a matter of more than usual interest to find how national and, indeed, international events are mirrored in the lives of the ordinary people of the land, and the archives of De Shurland lodge are rich in references to our national history and throw a strong side-light on the social life of the times.

One thing which is particularly noticeable from these past entries is the concern caused by the very real poverty which was the lot of many in those mid-Victorian days, before the coming of any real State Welfare schemes. Under such conditions one finds that often brethren of the Craft were not immune from hardship and trouble caused by poverty, for it cannot be denied that, in those days particularly, “among the thousands who ranged under our banners there were some who, from circumstances of unavoidable calamity and misfortune, were reduced to the lowest ebb of poverty and distress". On their behalf, therefore, great efforts had to be made by their more fortunate companions to relieve their necessities.

The brethren of De Shurland Lodge were never chary in extending relief and consolation to those of their number who were in need. Thus from its inception the Lodge has participated in subscribing to masonic funds for charitable purposes and a great number of our members have received help of one kind or another. Annuities have been granted to members and widows, children of deceased brothers of the lodge have obtained places at the Royal Masonic Institutions for Girls and Boys, and many brethren have received treatment at the Royal Masonic Hospital, to which the lodge has regularly subscribed. Thus many who would have existed in penury or died from privation, because of the cruelty of the times in which they lived, had their lives brightened and their days lengthened by the timely 32