History of Suffolk Freemasonry

The exact date of the first Masonic meeting in Suffolk is unclear, but what is known is that in 1771 the Suffolk Lodges were brought under the jurisdiction of a Provincial Grand Master, primarily to facilitate communication with the Grand Lodge in London. Following the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813, the fourteen Suffolk Lodges were governed by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk.

During the ensuing years the Province appears to have been run on an ad-hoc basis until 1838, when some semblance of order was established.

The number of Lodges grew steadily and by 1885 numbered twenty-one. Following the First World War, the number of Freemasons rose dramatically, with many Lodges having over one hundred members and long waiting lists, the belief being that the men discharged from the services sought the company of like-minded men. To accommodate this demand additional Lodges were formed, a practice which continues to the present day with the sixty-eighth lodge, The Sportsman’s Lodge of Suffolk, being Consecrated in 2016.

There are some 3000 members in Suffolk who meet, usually at Masonic Centres, in twenty towns across the County. Most of the meetings are held in the evening, but six lodges meet in the daytime to accommodate the requirements of all members.