Description: In consequence of the humble petition of Brothers Hale, Hook, Young, Sawyer and Horsey presented to the Most worshipful Grand Master, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, K.G., etc., a Warrant was granted dated June 1876 empowering them to meet at the Crown Hotel, East Grinstead. The Consecration Meeting of Sackville Lodge 1619 took place on the 11th of July 1876 when Right Worshipful Brother Edmund J. Furner, Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Sussex, in the name of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales K.G., etc., dedicated and constituted the Lodge in due form and declared it ''A Regular Lodge for Initiating, Passing and Raising Brethren''. Worshipful Brother John Scott ''assumed the Chair'' and as Provincial Grand Secretary, installed Brother William Hale into the Chair of King Solomon.
Subsequent meetings were held in the Crown Hotel on the first Tuesday of varying months for the next nine years, when suitable accommodation was found at the corner of the High Street and called 'The Masonic Rooms'. The Lodge met regularly here until 1891, when a return to the Crown Hotel was made and meetings held there until 1898.
Wednesday the 6th of June 1898 was quite a red—letter day in the annals of Sackville Lodge and of North Sussex Freemasonry. It was the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the Masonic Temple now standing in St. James’ Road, East Grinstead, an event carried through with befitting and impressive ceremonial and marked, in every respect, by the most complete success. His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Provincial Grand Master of Sussex, was unable to be present, but his Deputy, The Right Honourable Sir W. T. Marriott attended on his behalf and did the work most ably.
On the 6th of September 1898, the Sackville Lodge 1619 held their first meeting in this Temple. It was the start of Freemasonry in East Grinstead having a home of its own. It was only the second such building in the Province of Sussex to be dedicated to Freemasonry, South Saxon in Lewes being the only other. |
