St Laurence Lodge is a freemasons’ lodge in the Masonic Province of Essex and is warranted under the United Grand Lodge of England. It was founded in 1935 and has always met in the town of Upminster, Essex in the London Borough of Havering on the East side of London.
We are a progressive and active lodge with a full programme of events for the coming year and beyond. Our meetings for 2012 currently include ceremonies for the initiation of four new candidates and also the progression of a number of brethren, some of whom will have the benefit of continuing their masonic advancement in specially arranged ceremonies at a number of other lodges associated with St Laurence.
New members
We welcome new members who should be decent and trustworthy men, of at least 21 years of age, who are willing to get involved and who are able to afford the dues and charitable donations. Freemasons must also have a belief in a ‘Supreme Being’.
To learn who can become a freemason, how to become a freemason and how to join us at St Laurence, please see the Join Us page or use the contact form to email the Secretary of the Lodge. We, as is typical of most freemasons, always like talking about freemasonry and our lodge so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We do realise how daunting it may feel to contact someone you don’t know but be assured that you will always receive a warm welcome at St Laurence.
Explore our site and if you would like to find out more about freemasons and our lodge, how to become a freemason and how to join us, then please do make contact.
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The magazine, Freemasonry Today, is an official publication from the United Grand Lodge of England, packed with information, articles and stories. It is available online without charge and is well worth looking at if you are interested in freemasonry.
Another excellent magazine which is also now available online is the Essex Mason.
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The Future of Freemasonry
Many of you will have heard of the recently released independent report on the future of Freemasonry, produced by the respected Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford. As Nigel Brown, the Grand Secretary has commented, “the report suggests that, contrary to much misleading commentary, Freemasonry does in fact demonstrate genuine openess and transparency. It concludes that Freemasonry is arguably more relevant today than ever before. In particular, the report highlights that Freemasonry acts as a ‘constant’ and provides members with a unique combination of friendship, belonging and structure, all of which can sometimes be absent in today’s fragmented society. The report covers a fascinating range of topics including a section that highlights the importance Freemasonry places on the role of the family and the care of the less fortunate in society. It goes on to say that Freemasonry instills in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: it seeks to reinforce thoughtfulness for others, kindness to the community, honesty in business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things.”
The full report can be read at the bottom of this page (Adobe Flash Player required).
Our membership
As a Lodge, we are old enough to have traditions which we enjoy and young enough not to be swamped by them. The Lodge’s founders were a ‘mixed bunch’ but of course that is not unusual in a freemasons’ lodge. Some worked in the City, some were local tradesmen (a jeweller, a newsagent.) One was the Rector of St Laurence Church in Upminster while one was a publican, also in Upminster, Essex.
The membership of the Lodge is a similar mix today. Our ages range from about 22 to 86 and we have brethren in the building trades but also a printer, people in insurance and property, an accountant, a baker, an author, a trainer, a commercial diver, people in computing and office equipment, a book binder, retired folk and so on. Some are company directors and others would say that they were ‘working men’. Our members generally live in and around South East Essex– in Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster (within the Borough of Havering), Brentwood, Grays, Southend, Chelmsford, Billericay, Witham and Basildon. Some live as far as Clacton and even Suffolk.
Equality
Whatever we are, we are all equal as Brothers. External rank and fortune is not in the least important to a freemason or freemasonry and neither are religious choices, colour, creed or sexual preference. All suitable men can be assured of a warm and friendly welcome at St Laurence Lodge.
When and where
We meet formally four times a year on a Saturday at the Upminster Masonic Hall, in Deyncourt Gardens, Upminster, Essex, which is conveniently accessed by road and rail. The meeting usually starts around 3:00pm and the following festive board finishes at about 9:30pm. There is plenty of parking at the Masonic Hall should you wish to drive there or Upminster Station is only a 10 minute walk. Many other lodges also meet at this masonic hall, including our family lodges comprising Ingrebourne Lodge, Abbots Hall Lodge, Engayne Lodge and Upminster Hall Lodge; and also Sibelius Lodge No 9448.
Our Lodge of Instruction (which runs weekly from September to May) is currently held on Tuesday evenings from about 7:30pm to 9:30pm in Hornchurch.
