Lodge History
Colonel J. Machen JP
With a history now spanning nearly one-hundred and forty-five (145) years Machen Lodge is one with a long and rich masonic tradition to uphold. As our motto proudly proclaims though:
The Lodge's home has moved several times since its Consecration. Below are listed all the venues we have practised our Freemasonry at over the years since our founding in 1878 ...
"Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth."
Above: The Consecration Programme Cover
Right: The Lodge Warrant
1878 -1898: The Swan Hotel Coleshill
It was Brothers Watson, Simmons and Stacey who attended a meeting of St Alphege Lodge 1431 on the 7th August 1878 to obtain the necessary recommendation and permission to form a new Lodge.
The Lodge was then duly consecrated on Wednesday 27th November 1878 at The Swan Hotel, Coleshill in Warwickshire (a building that still stands). It takes its name from the Very Worshipful Brother Colonel John Machen (1821-1887) the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire at the time, who also performed the ceremony as its presiding officer. Another very distinguished guest in attendance was the then Provincial Grand Master - The Right Honourable and Right Worshipful Brother Lord Leigh (1824-1905).
Worshipful Brother James Mavius (1832 - 1916) a Past Master of Athelstan Lodge 1333 was the first Worshipful Master of our Lodge. The other seven (7) founder members of the Lodge were: Henry Bourne, V.G. Webb, Rev T. Jones, W. Stacey, Charles Simmons, Frank Pogmore and Edwin Watson. Only four of these eight originals would go on to be Worshipful Master of the Lodge. (see: Past Masters).
The Lodge meetings remained at The Swan in Coleshill for twenty years before relocating to the Masonic Temple, Severn Street, Birmingham in 1898. The Lodge Number 1782 tells you that it was the One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Second Lodge to be given its Charter (Warrant) to meet under the auspices and Constitution of the United Grand Lodge of England which includes Wales and the Channel Islands.
1898 - 1927: Athol Masonic Buildings Severn Street Birmingham
Owing to the difficulties of attendance at Lodge and attracting new members it was decided to relocate the Lodge into Birmingham City Centre, at the Athol Masonic Buildings, Severn Street, where we remained for nearly thirty years. During this time membership expanded greatly as the lodge began to prosper. One interesting aside to this was several of Brethren before World War One (WW1) hired themselves their own private train departing from New Street Station to get them back to Coleshill at a respectable hour after meetings.
1927 - 1939: Masonic Temple Broad Street Birmingham
Due to its expansion in numbers and the need for more space, Machen Lodge moved to the Masonic Temple, (no longer standing), in Broad Street in Birmingham in 1927. We remained there until the outbreak of the Second World War, (WW2), when the building was requisitioned for vital war work by the Ministry of Food. In 1928 the Lodge celebrated its fiftieth (50th) year and for sentimental reasons it was decided to hold the celebratory Regular Meeting and Festive Board back at the Swan in Coleshill to mark this important milestone.
Reproduced with kind permission from the Library of Birmingham, ref: WK/E1/63
1939 - 1971: Edgbaston Assembly Rooms Five Ways
At the beginning of World War Two, (WW2) the Lodge moved once more, this time to the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms Five Ways (no longer standing). The Lodge was temporarily suspended during this period but resumed fairly quickly as the Brethren felt the need to hold on to a worthwhile activity other than doing their bit prosecuting the war.
1971 - 2014: Clarendon Suites Stirling Road Edgbaston Birmingham
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire decided in the late 1960s to build a new headquarters in Edgbaston with several lodge rooms to accommodate the many Freemasons meeting in the Province. Thus the Clarendon Suites in Stirling Road (no longer standing) were opened and in 1971 Machen moved in and remained here for over forty years. Owing to growing commercial difficulties in maintaining a viable business however at this location it was decided by the Province to sell these premises and so Machen sadly, along with all the other Lodges meeting at Stirling Road, had once again to relocate.
The Centenary Warrant:
The year 1978 saw Machen celebrate its one-hundredth (100th) year of existence, with the Provincial Grand Master, the Right Worshipful Brother Sir Stanley Harley (1905 -1979) together with a full Provincial team and ninety-three (93) other visitors present to assist us in commemorating this momentous occasion.
A Thousand Merry Meetings
In 1999 the Lodge celebrated its one-thousandth (1000th) meeting in the main Temple at Stirling Rd, attended by the PGM the Very Worshipful Brother - Stanley Alan Lates OSM (1918 - 2009) with his full Provincial Team and nearly one-hundred (100) Brethren total in attendance. As part of the evening's "Masonic Entertainment" several of the Brethren donned in period costume played the roles of some of our founding Brethren as we re-enacted an imagined amusing hurried closing scene of the Lodge as our forebears rushed to catch their steam train back to Coleshill.
2014 - 2023 Severn Street, Birmingham
With the closure of The Clarendon Suites the lodge returned once more to a former home we vacated in 1927, but with a major difference. Regular meetings could no longer take place on our traditional third Thursdays but had to be moved to the third Tuesdays of the month instead. Thus over the past century, we came almost full circle and hoped to forge a new era of Masonic tradition.
From March 2023
Handsworth Masonic Centre, Lozells, Birmingham
Owing to increasing difficulties in maintaining a viable Lodge at Severn Street it was decided that we relocate to the Handsworth Masonic Centre in Lozells, Birmingham, where we hope to grow the Lodge once more and maintain our traditions in a more condusive environment. Once again however we have had to compromise and change the dates of our meetings to the first Wednesday of the month. Our inaugural meeting was held on March 1st, where we hoped once more to live up to our proud motto and ensure that the best is indeed truly yet to come.
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