Chapter 5 - Co-operation between the Lodges - A New Home

Co-operation between the Lodges - A New Home

One of the happiest features of Masonry is the spirit of brotherhood and co-operation that exists and has always existed between the various lodges. Throughout the century of its life there are numerous references to the bonds of union which have been established between the De Shurland Lodge and other neighbouring lodges. As could be expected, Adam’s Lodge has played a large part in joining with this Lodge in many activities which have included combined Ladies’ Nights and Children's Parties, conjoint attendances at Church services, local ceremonies, commemoration banquets and in many other efforts far too many to mention. The banquet held in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee was a highlight in the history of both lodges. For some years members of the “Peace and Unity Lodge” at Gillingham and our own lodge paid each other return visits, a manifest display of real fraternal feeling being markedly apparent at these gatherings. Unfortunately these visits have now lapsed, although it is quite possible that, from time to time in the future, there will be revival of the custom.

Like other lodges, the De Shurland Lodge has, on sundry occasions, given support to the founding of new lodges, having helped sponsor the forming of the Queenborough Lodge, the United Service Lodge and the Isle of Sheppey Lodge. There is also a belief amongst many of the brethren that the formation of St. Michael Lodge at Sittingbourne was mainly due to the sponsorship of De Shurland Lodge, although no note of this is to be found in the minutes. Most of the early Masters and officers of the Isle of Sheppey and the Queenborough lodges seem to have been well-known, experienced past officers and brethren of De

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Shurland, so it is no surprise to find such a strong feeling of helpfulness existing. No doubt the most outstanding example of this unity was the joining together of the three island lodges in the early years of this century to provide themselves with a more suitable meeting place. The members had for long years been gathering in all kinds of buildings many of them not well adapted for the purpose, such places as the Fountain Hotel, the Wesleyan Schoolroom, St. Paul’s Schoolroom, the Co-operative Hall, the Victoria Assembly rooms and the Britannia Hotel, and a great deal of dissatisfaction must often have been felt at the lack of a desirable venue. Adam’s Lodge also had a long record of working in various premises and desired a change. Thus, when the United Service Lodge was founded in 1905, it gave an impetus to the search for better premises and more acceptable accommodation. A committee was formed of representatives from each lodge, and after a rather disappointing search, during which a piece of land was nearly purchased at the rear of Acorn Street, and later some land at the corner of Cavour Road being nearly acquired, the present site was obtained and a suitable building was erected, which came into use in 1909. This project was not carried out without a great deal of difficulty, chiefly financial, each lodge having to find quite large sums of money. Even then the amounts contributed by Adam's and De Shurland Lodges proved to be insufficient, and the United Service Lodge, which appears to have been relatively wealthy agreed to pay the balance to the builders. The record showing this is quite interesting and reads thus, “That the United Service Lodge pays the builders of the Masonic Building the remainder of the money owed. That Adam’s Lodge pay 41/2% interest on their portion of this money owed to the United Service Lodge, and that, if De Shurland could not pay their share then the United Service Lodge be entitled to draw any profits accruing from the Club according to the proportion of the money that had been advanced.” 29

Various money raising efforts were also tried such as whist drives and dances, but it certainly seems as if Sheppey Masons owe a great debt of gratitude to those very good fairy “Godbrothers" of the United Service Lodge whose magic wand was flourished so successfully. As time went on the debt to this munificent lodge was gradually liquidated. In 1910 twelve guineas was paid off, in 1915 twenty five pounds was sent, and in February 1916 the final day of reckoning came with the payment of £104-15-0. In addition to this debt the members of the Lodge themselves lent money to the project, one member, in 1917, applied to the lodge for £100 he had invested to be returned, as he required it for other purposes. This large sum was not immediately available so the member received £50 then, and the remainder was paid at a later date when the lodge could afford it. The remaining debt of £337 to the members, on which 4% interest had been promised, was not repaid until 1919 ten years after the completion of the building.

The work of organising and running of activities in the building was placed in the hands of trustees elected from each lodge and, from various items in the minutes, it certainly seems as if financial worries connected with the venture were constantly recurring, so that several times the trustees had to make appeals to the lodges for further increased financial help, often having to raise the rent of the lodge room. These appeals did not always meet with ready response; sometimes the members of the Lodge refusing additional payments until the trustees had put forward a better case, and once the request for more was met with a demand for outside accountants to examine the financial structure of the Club, to see where improvement in administration could he made. However a compromise was usually reached in all these disagreements and progress was constantly being made in the handling of affairs. 30

Nowadays owing to the increase in membership of the lodges, the growing use of motor-car and other mechanical transport, these premises, which were so adequate in the more leisurely days before the first Great War, are showing signs of having outlived their usefulness, and the day must surely come when new buildings will have to be provided, with ample provision for the caterers. for members and their ladies, and with far better facilities for the parking of vehicles and, so rapid are the changes of the present day, maybe a landing strip for helicopters may be needed!

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