Chapter 1 - Masonry in Sheppey

Masonry in Sheppey

Masonry in Sheppey appears to have had its beginnings towards the end of the eighteenth century, for records show that Adam’s lodge, No. 158, was granted its warrant in 1778, although in such a small town as Sheerness then was, having only about 5,000 inhabitants, chiefly Dockyard employees and servicemen who were constantly on the move, it must have been extremely difficult for a lodge to function very successfully, and indeed, for a time this fine old lodge was forced to close down. However, with the coming of the Napoleonic Wars and the consequent arrival in the area of increased naval and military personnel, many of whom were, no doubt, members of the Craft. There followed a time of greater Masonic activity. Meetings were held in various convenient places both by Adam’s Lodge and by service lodges, the premises most frequently used being the “Marquis of Granby”, which was in the precincts of the barracks itself, the “Bell and Lion” and the “Masons’ Arms”.

As time went on the population of Sheerness greatly increased until, by the time De Shurland Lodge was founded in 1866, there were probably more than 15,000 inhabitants, and the town itself had spread past the limits of Blue Town to the marshes beyond, to form the newer areas of Mile Town and Marine Town; the street names of the latter being those well-known names of the Crimean War which were then so fresh in people’s memories, just as the name, Banks Terrace in Mile Town, commemorates the great part played in the development of the Dockyard and Sheerness itself by that great engineer, Sir Edward Banks, the builder of London and Waterloo bridges. A further boost to the island’s development came in 1860 when the railway was extended to Sheerness from Sittingbourne, crossing the Swale by a new toll bridge, so that we

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find a great number of mainland residents being enabled to join in island Masonry. In consequence Adam’s Lodge became somewhat overcrowded and it was apparent that there was room for a new lodge in the area. Therefore, the necessary permission having been received from Grand Lodge, the new De Shurland Lodge was consecrated on Thursday, 1st March 1866, the first Worshipful Master being WBro. C. B. Shrubsole, a member of Adam’s Lodge and a previous Worshipful Master of the Lodge of Harmony, No. 133 of Faversham. Both of these lodges appear to have sponsored the formation of the new lodge and the connection has always been a valuable and helpful one. At the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the lodge’s foundation, in 1916, one of the most honoured guests was the above named first Worshipful Master and, in the minutes of the occasion is a copy of a letter from that worthy Mason which is worth quoting in full, as it gives a revealing insight into our early history. Brother Shrubsole writes,

“I was born on the 24th day of June, 1829, at Faversham and was educated in Queen Elizabeth School at that town. I came to Sheerness and for some years was a teacher in the Holy Trinity Sunday School. In 1859 I was initiated in Adam’s Lodge, and I have a lively recollection of the happy hours spent in the top floor of the British School Room. In 1860 I was given the office of Provincial Superintendent of Works at Gravesend by Lord Holmesdale. In 1866 I conceived the idea of founding this Lodge, and with the assistance of three naval and three militia officers with three civilians the lodge was duly consecrated, and I had the honour of being the first Master.

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“I had a great desire to find premises set apart for the use of the Craft, and on the Victoria Hall being built, now the Hippodrome, I had the plans prepared for a suite of rooms suitable for Lodge and banqueting rooms, I being then the Chairman of Directors in building that large block of buildings. Adam’s Lodge, did for a time occupy those rooms now called the Assembly Rooms, but for some reason I now forget, they left and returned to their old ways. When the United Service Lodge was formed, with the cooperation of the other two lodges, this noble block of buildings was erected*, of which I am sure every Mason must be proud, and thus the great work of my heart was realised. “I have done my duty to my country in bringing up six children, all of whom are still alive, and one has just returned from HMS Glasgow after an absence of nearly four years. If I am spared till next Saturday I shall enter my 88th year. I am very grateful for the kind reception you have given me this evening and in return you have my hearty good wishes for the Happiness and Prosperity of the Lodge”. *The present premises in St. George’s Avenue. At the time of the consecration of the lodge the Provincial Grand Master of Kent was Viscount Holmesdale, the Grand Lodge ruler being the Marquis of Zetland. As Viscount Holmesdale was unable to be present that day, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, WBro. W. Dobson, presided in his stead, but the Provincial Grand Master handsomely atoned for his unavoidable absence by sending two dozen bottles of champagne for the inaugural banquet, which was held in the Co-operative Board Room, at which sixty-six members and guests were entertained. One can imagine that the toast of the “Provincial Grand Master” was drunk that day with more than the usual good feeling and relish. Another unusual feature of

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the day’s proceedings was that the ceremony itself ended with the singing of the National Anthem and the “Hallelujah Chorus”, but, unfortunately there is no record stating which was the heroic choir brave enough to render the latter difficult music on such an occasion.

Thus De Shurland Lodge was born, and its course, after a few teething troubles, some due to financial worries and some to questionable conduct on the part of one or two members, has run very smoothly and successfully. so that although it has now reached the grand old age of one hundred years it can still boast of being one hundred years young.

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