2017: Our 150th Anniversary
The Lodge of St. George is an ancient and honourable institution. In 2017 we celebrated an important milestone in our history – the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the Lodge of St. George, which was consecrated on 22nd June 1867.
Our 150th Anniversary coincided with two other important Masonic milestones. The first was the 300th anniversary of our governing body, the United Grand Lodge of England. The second was the 250th anniversary of the Lodge that “sponsored” our creation – Lodge Cadogan No.162 E.C. in London, whom we refer to as our “Mother Lodge” (see: www.cadoganlodge.org.uk )
For a new Lodge to be established, an existing operating Lodge of Freemasons must petition for, or rather sponsor, its establishment. We are one of only two Lodges in our “District” (broadly comprising Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand) that were sponsored by a Lodge from England, the source form where Freemasonry has spread throughout the world. We, in turn, have contributed to the spread of Freemasonry throughout the region by sponsoring Lodges of our own. Our “daughter” lodges are:
- Read Lodge No. 2337 E.C. in Kuala Lumpur (named after RW Bro. William Henry McLeod Read (the first District Grand Master and a member of The Lodge of St. George), the lodge was established in 1889 to serve the growing community of British Officers of the Selangor State Government, miners, planters and merchants in Kuala Lumpur).
- Lodge St. Michael No. 2933 E.C. in Singapore (established in 1902 as a research lodge originally for Installed Masters only).
- Lodge Elliot No. 3557 E.C. in Malacca, consecrated in 1912.
- Johore Royal Lodge No. 3946 E.C. in Johor Bahru, consecrated in 1919.
- Lodge Kinabalu No. 7047 E.C. in Kota Kinabalu, consecrated in 1951.
- Oldham Lodge No. 9961 in Singapore, the first “Old Schoolboys’” Lodge in the region, for Freemasons who are connected with the Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore. This lodge was consecrated on 24th February 2018 during the Lodge’s 150th Anniversary Masonic Year.
The Lodge formally celebrated its 150th Anniversary at a Regular Meeting of the Lodge which was especially convened on Saturday 24th June 2017 at The Straits Room, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. A record attendance for the Lodge of close to 120 Freemasons attended the event. The event was presided over by R.W. Bro. Dato’ Jeyaraj Ratnaswamy, Right Worshipful District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago who was accompanied by V.W. Bro. Yushea Hatim Degani, Deputy District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago as well as representatives of istrict Grand Lodge of Hong Kong & The Far East, he Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Lodge of South East Asia of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ireland, the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East holding of the Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, he International District of the Grand Loge Nationale Française and the Grand Lodge of Western Australia of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons.
The meeting comprised a ceremony to dedicate a new Lodge Banner, commissioned especially for our 150th Anniversary, which was overseen by the Right Worshipful District Grand Master. This was followed by an explanation of the banner given by W.Bro. Saptak Santra, an oration of the history of the Lodge given by W.Bros. Christian Charlton, Philip Cunningham and Richard Vargo, the filling and sealing of a time capsule (to be opened in 50 years’ time at the Lodge’s bicentenary) and finally the presentation of a special Collar Ornament for the Worshipful Master to mark the Tercentenary of the Grand Lodge of England, which was invested by the Right Worshipful District Grand Master. The event also coincided with the release of a commemorative 150th Anniversary Yearbook of which there is only a limited supply of 150 copies.
The meeting was followed by cocktails and a sumptuous banquet, after which festivities continued at the Post Bar of the Fullerton Hotel. Ladies participated in a separate dinner at The Lighthouse Restaurant of The Fullerton Hotel and joined for the cocktail evening and post-dining festivities.
