THE SURREY MASONIC HALL

THE SURREY MASONIC HALL, CAMBERWELL NEW ROAD, CAMBERWELL

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THE SURREY MASONIC HALL STOOD ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CAMBERWELL NEW ROAD, NOT FAR UP THE ROAD FROM THE NEW GRAND CINAMTOGRAPH THEATRE. SEE LOCATION HERE, OLD PHOTO HERE, AND A POSTER HERE. APART FROM BEING A MASONIC LODGE IT WAS ALSO THE HOME OF THE SOUTH LONDON INSTITUTE OF MUSIC, AND OFTEN USED TO SHOW THE GENERAL PUBLIC PLACES AND EVENTS FROM FAR AWAY. IN 1881 THERE WAS AN ART EXHIBITION THERE DEPICTING A VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING SUCH PLACES AS CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA. PERSIA, EGYPT, AND AUSTRALIA.

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A COMPANY WAS SET UP TO BUILD THE SURREY MASONIC HALL IN 1872, WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE FREEMASON'S MAGAZINE OF NOVEMBER THAT YEAR, AND THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID BY COLONEL BURDETT ON THE 20TH OF MAY 1874. THE HALL WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY BR JOHN OLIVER AND COMPLETED ON WEDNESDAY THE 19TH OF APRIL 1876.

THE OPENING OF THE SURREY MASONIC HALL WAS REPORTED IN THE ERA ON THE 23RD OF APRIL 1876, WHO SAID: 'IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE RAPID STRIDES WHICH THE ANCIENT ORDER OF FREEMASONRY HAS TAKEN SINCE THE PRINCE OF WALES WAS ENROLLED AND SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME GRAND MASTER OF ENGLISH FREEMASONRY, A NEW HOME HAS BEEN FOUND NECESSARY, FOR THE MEMBERS OF IT LIVING IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF LONDON. THE HALL IN THE CAMBERWELL HAS BEEN THE ENTIRE WORK OF MEMBERS OF THE CRAFT. BR E. CLARK AND BR JOHN OLIVER, THE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER, HAVING BOTH OBTAINED HIGH HONOURS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LODGES, AND ALL THE SHARE-HOLDERS WHO FOUND THE MONEY ARE ALSO NECESSARILY MEMBERS OF THE ORDER.

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THE FIRST STONE OF THE BUILDING WAS LAID BY COLONEL BURDETT, PROVINCIAL GRAND PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER, WHO WAS SURROUNDED BY SOME OF THE MOST EMINENT MEMBERS OF THE CRAFT ON THE 20TH OF MAY, 1874, AND A PORTION OF THE BUILDING WAS CONSECRATED TO MASONRY BY LORD SKELMERSDALE ON THE 14TH OF JULY, 1875, AND TWO OR THREE LODGES HAVE MET IN THE HALL FOR A FEW MONTHS PAST, BUT IT WAS ONLY ON WEDNESDAY THAT THE MAIN PORTION OF THE EDIFICE WAS COMPLETED. THE BUILDING COMPRISES A SPLENDID HALL, 95FT. LONG, 40FT. WIDE, AND 35FT HIGH, IN WHICH GATHERINGS OF THE CRAFT CAN TAKE PLACE, AND WHEN NOT SO ENGAGED CAN BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE COMPLETION OF THIS BUILDING WITH ONE OF THOSE GREAT OBJECTS, THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF FREEMASONRY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A CHARITABLE PURPOSE, AND ACCORDINGLY A GRAND OPENING BALL WAS ARRANGED, THE PROCEEDS TO HE DEVOTED TO THE BENEFIT OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS, AND A BODY OF SOMETHING LIKE 150 STEWARDS, BELONGING TO DIFFERENT LODGES, CAME FORWARD TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THE OCCASION A SUCCESS. BR L. LARLHAM, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE SURREY HALL COMPANY, OBTAINED A DISPENSATION FROM THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER TO ALLOW THE MEMBERS OF THE ORDER TO APPEAR IN THEIR MASONIC CLOTHING, WITH ALL THE ORNAMENTS AND JEWELS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE LODGES, A PRIVILEGE BUT RARELY GRANTED ON SUCH OCCASIONS.

THE EVENT CAME OFF LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND WAS ONE OF THE MOST SPLENDID GATHERINGS EVER WITNESSED IN FREEMASONRY. MR. DAN GODFREY'S QUADRILLE BAND WAS IN ATTENDANCE, AND WAS DIRECTED BY MR GODFREY, WHO IS HIMSELF A MEMBER OF THE CRAFT. BR JOHN JARVIS WAS A MOST EFFICIENT MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES. EVERYTHING WENT OFF IN THE MOST SATISFACTORY MANNER, AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE EXCELLENT CHARITY REFERRED TO WILL DERIVE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT FROM THE OPENING OF THE SURREY MASONIC HALL.'

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THE ABOVE TEXT IN QUOTES WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE ERA ON THE 23RD OF APRIL 1876.