History

HISTORY

As the Second World War approached in 1939 plans were made to evacuate most of the headquarters departments of the Admiralty to a safe place in the provinces and Bath was chosen as their base. Technical staff were moved from London and the Royal Dockyards at Portsmouth, Devonport, Chatham, Sheerness and Rosyth to form a whole new community in the city.

Many of these were already Freemasons and within a month Bro the Reverend W Hopkins, vicar of St Lukes church in Wellsway, invited Admiralty Masons to an informal meeting in the St Lukes church hall to,

a) Welcome the evacuees and,

b) Discuss how best to continue their Masonic activities whilst living in Bath.

Shortly afterwards an approach was made to the Provincial Grand Master with a view to forming an Admiralty Lodge, but this suggestion did not meet with favour as all evacuated staff were promised to return to their homes after what was expected to be a short conflict had ended and the Lodge would inevitably lapse. They continued to meet in the Beau Nash House next to the Theatre Royal as a 'Lodge of Instruction' and fourteen different Lodges were represented by the membership.

At a meeting on 22nd May 1940 it was agreed to regularise the meetings under the sponsorship of the Royal Albert Edward Lodge No. 906 for 'Officials of His Majesty's Services temporarily resident in the City' to be known as RAE Lodge of Instruction, Admiralty Section'. and from November 12th meetings could be held in the Masonic Hall, Old Orchard Street, Bath. Early in 1947 it was announced that the Admiralty would be staying in Bath and progress was made to forming St Lukes Lodge named in recognition of St Lukes church hall having been the original meeting place. St Luke also being the Patron Saint of Sailors.

On 8th November 1947 St Lukes Lodge was consecrated.

In October 1948 the title of the Lodge of Instruction changed to St Lukes, this ended the fruitful period under the banner of Royal Albert Edward Lodge No. 906. A total of 220 Brethren attended the event which had to be held at the Pump Rooms as the Masonic Hall could not accommodate such numbers. The banquet was at Fortt's dining rooms at a cost of One Guinea per head.

Like most Masonic activity the Lodge experienced plentiful and lean times over the next 75 years with membership peaking at over 100 Brethren in the early 1970's. Unfortunately this level of membership proved unsustainable despite St Lukes diversifying from its initial Admiralty based origins to encompass a variety of employment backgrounds of mixed age groups who continued to support the unquestionable principles of Masonry in a friendly, convivial and social atmosphere.

St Lukes entered into gradual decline from the late 1990's with the membership continuing to fall and eventually reaching the stage where the painful decision was taken by the remaining Brethren in early 2021 to close the Lodge due to lack of numbers. This closure was proceeded with and concluded in good order with the Final Meeting held at Bath Masonic Hall on 22 April 2022.