Chipstead Lodge No. 5463 - Something worth discovering

Chipstead Lodge owes its existence to twelve members of the Chipstead Golf Club who were all Freemasons and constantly meeting and playing together. The leading spirit was W.Bro. F.J. Clark, who conceived the idea of forming a new lodge. He was supported by Dr. E.R. Kellett, a past captain of the club, who became the founding Worshipful Master.

Eleven of the twelve became founders. The twelfth, being a member of the Scottish Constitution, was not eligible as a founder but became the lodge's first joining member. Two more keen Masons from local lodges heard about the plan and joined as founders - bringing the total to thirteen.

The Warrant was issued on 1st February 1934, and on the 1st of May that year, Chipstead Lodge No. 5463 was consecrated in Room No. 10 of Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, London. The ceremony was performed by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, assisted by the Provincial Grand Officers of Surrey.

Ninety-two brethren attended the consecration banquet at the Connaught Rooms. Shortly afterwards, the lodge received word that H.R.H. The Prince of Wales had graciously consented to become an Honorary Member - the lodge was off to an auspicious start.

Regular meetings began at the Tudor Rooms of the Red Lion Hotel in Coulsdon, and by October 1935 membership had already risen to twenty-one.

On 6th October 1937, the Lodge Banner was consecrated by the Provincial Grand Master himself. It was the evening of the Installation of a new Master - a moment of particular pride for the young lodge.

When war broke out, Grand Lodge issued an edict suspending all Masonic meetings in anticipation of aerial warfare. The suspension was lifted shortly after, and Chipstead was permitted to meet when circumstances allowed - though the lodge lost its October 1939 Installation Meeting.

Meeting dates were moved to Saturdays to navigate the blackout. Despite the difficulties, the Provincial Grand Master himself visited the lodge in October 1942 - making a difficult cross-country journey by public transport in the blackout. His letter expressing pleasure at the progress and work of the lodge is still treasured in the records.

In 1942, the lodge made history when Bro. A.W.J. Cunningham became the first of its own initiates to be installed as Master - a milestone in any lodge's life.

With the cessation of hostilities, the lodge returned to its traditional meeting months. A Royal Arch Chapter was consecrated on 13th April 1945, with the lodge's Secretary becoming its Founding First Principal.

By 1951, the lodge reached its peak membership of 52 brethren. That same year, the lodge was presented with a set of gavels and striking blocks carved from the oak timbers of the City Guildhall - the ancient hall badly damaged during the Fire Blitz of 1940. These gavels are still used by the lodge at the Festive Board today.

The 25th Anniversary was celebrated at the Red Lion, Coulsdon, on 8th May 1959 in the presence of the Provincial Grand Master - the last surviving Consecrating Officer. The minutes of the original Consecration Meeting were read aloud, connecting the brethren to the very founding of the lodge.

It was with considerable regret that in 1971 the lodge had to leave the Red Lion in Coulsdon - its home for nearly four decades - when the brewers terminated all lodge bookings. Meetings moved to the Masonic Hall on Oakfield Road in Croydon, where the lodge would meet for the next sixteen years.

The 50th Anniversary meeting on 4th May 1984 at the Masonic Hall, Croydon, was attended by 74 brethren including 42 visitors. The Warrant of the Lodge was read aloud, and the brethren heard an Oration by the Provincial Grand Chaplain. The history recorded at the time noted: "At the conclusion of 50 years the Lodge finds itself in good heart and spirit."

By then, the last of the thirteen founders - W.Bro. Capt. W.G. Simmonds, aged 97 - had passed to the Grand Lodge Above, on the very day of the Installation Meeting in October 1983.

In December 1986, the brethren voted to relocate to the Nutfield Masonic Centre in Redhill. The first meeting there was held on 25th September 1987, and Chipstead Lodge has met there ever since. What followed was one of the busiest periods in the lodge's history - double ceremonies, multiple degrees, and a steady stream of new members.

Throughout its history, Chipstead Lodge has been marked by a tradition of fathers introducing their sons to Freemasonry. In 1977, W.Bro. Pegrum had the privilege of initiating his son. In 1988, W.Bro. Alan Eagles initiated his son David. In 1989, W.Bro. David Lilley initiated his son Mark. More recently, W.Bros. Doug and Andrew Redhead have continued this tradition - three generations of family bonds strengthened through the lodge.

In February 2002, Chipstead hosted a special meeting with the William Cobbett Demonstration Team, who re-enacted "The Making of a Mason" from approximately 1790. It drew the highest attendance in 25 years - 54 brethren - a reminder of the deep fascination that Masonic history and ritual hold.

The 75th Anniversary meeting was held on 3rd April 2009 at the Nutfield Masonic Centre. That same year, the lodge initiated its 100th member - and 48 brethren had also joined from other lodges over the years. Despite smaller numbers than the peak years, the lodge's spirit remained undimmed: "We all look forward to the next twenty-five years and trust that some of us will be present for the centenary celebrations in 2034!"

Chipstead Lodge has met continuously for over ninety years. It has weathered a world war, moved through four different venues, and initiated well over a hundred men. The gavels from the Blitz still strike the festive board. The ritual is still worked in the Emulation tradition, exactly as the founders intended. And the door is still open - as it has been since thirteen friends from a golf club decided to build something that would outlast them all.