A SHORT HISTORY OF MERCIA LODGE.
All modern Masonic Lodges are founded by a number of existing Masons who meet and decide to expand the order by forming a new Lodge. These Masons are known as Founders and with the support of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire and the support of our Mother Lodge in our case the Lodge of Unity which also meets in Warwick the lodge was consecrated on Tuesday 16th April 1946.
The founders set out the meeting place and the times and dates of all the meetings after this time and there were some twenty founding brethren in all. Among them were the then Deputy Grand Master of Warwickshire W. Bro Gerald Alderson FRCS and also W. Bro Rev Dr JN Frankland the Master of the Lord Leycester Hospital, an iconic building in Warwick. Dr Frankland was one of the clergy who regularly led services in St Mary’s church. A church which still has a great many connections with Masonry in Warwick and also the province of Warwickshire. The Lodge still meets regularly at Alderson House, Warwick named after W. Bro Gerald Alderson.
The founders were made of brethren who following their return from serving in the war were intent on carrying on their Masonic interests by founding a new lodge. They were local business men,administrators, accountants, shop keepers, all men of integrity. The founding master was W. Bro Joe Walshaw a member of Lodge of Unity. The membership of the lodge continued to expand during the decades following the war as men were returned to civilian life. Some had joined Masonry during their years in the forces. A history of the civic and trading life of Warwick can still be traced through the lodge and its former members.
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A FAMILY
The family nature of Masonry can be traced through Fathers and Sons becoming members during their lives. Mercia Lodge at one time enjoyed three generations of the same family within its membership. There are also Sons in Law and Sons of former members still meeting in the Lodge. This reflects the family friendly nature of the lodge which transmit itself to the brethren who visit our lodge for the first time and also reflect the history of the local area.
The Name Mercia relates to the old Kingdom of Mercia which covered a large are of Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire which dates from the 7th century and the name Mercia is also to be found in Masonic Lodges meeting in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
Some eighteen years ago our lodge celebrated it’s Golden Jubilee and a large celebration was held to honour the Lodge consecration and the past masters. Photographs of the Officers and Members of the lodge on that occasion can be seen in Alderson House today and I am sure will be pointed out to any enquiring or aspiring man who wishes to join our Lodge.
