Cabot Lodge
Where we meet
The Cabot Lodge is one of 38 Masonic Lodges in the Province of Bristol, within the United Grand Lodge of England. All 38 Lodges meet at Freemasons’ Hall, in Park Street, Bristol. This superb Masonic centre comprises four Masonic Temples, rehearsal and committee rooms, three large dining halls and a comfortable bar.
Our meetings
We meet on the second Friday of the months October to April when we perform the Masonic ceremonies according to the ancient Bristol rituals to initiate and further the progress of new members into Masonry, and in January each year we ceremonially install a new Master of the Lodge.
Our meetings start at 18:30 and usually finish around 20:30. Each of our ceremonies is followed by a dinner for those attending, where we relax and get to know each other and our guests.
Our history
Cabot Lodge was founded in 1918 and consecrated on 30th November, just 19 days after the end of the First World War. There were 31 Founding Members, mainly from the Beaufort Lodge. The first Master of the Lodge was Worshipful Brother Walter Powell. He also served the Lodge as Treasurer from 1921-1923 and died in 1933. There is a suggestion that he was related to one of our Provincial Grand Masters but this is unproven.
The Lodge was named after John Cabot (Giovanni Cabotti) a famous, Italian, nautical explorer who sailed from Bristol, funded by Bristol merchants, for the New World on 2nd May 1497, sighting Cape Bonavista on the Newfoundland Coast 34 days later. There are many memorials to Cabot in Bristol, the Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill and a replica of his ship the “Matthew" in the docks, amongst others.
The Canada Lodge in London donated the first banner for the Consecration Ceremony. Our Lodge was instrumental in founding the Bristol Lodge, London in 1933. We still have strong connections with both of these Lodges and make regular Fraternal Visits.
The Bristol Masonic Hall was destroyed by enemy action during an air raid on the night of Sunday 24th November 1941, when most of our early records were lost. After that meetings took place at the Masonic Hall Downend for some years. We returned to Freemasons Hall, Park Street after it was rebuilt and reopened in 1957. It is believed that the original raison d'etre of the Lodge was for members of the engineering profession.
Our members
Membership of the Lodge currently stands at 54 men drawn from various walks of life. We are lawyers and accountants, property developers and builders, financial advisers and administrators, manufacturers and surveyors, doctors and IT specialists, as well as other occupations. Our age range extends from the early thirties to the late eighties, some having been members for 40 or more years.
Friendship
Like all Masons we believe that an important part of being a Mason is to visit other Lodges, to witness their ceremonies, often quite different from ours, and to welcome Masons from other Lodges, which includes those in the UK and abroad which are recognised by The United Grand Lodge of England.
Masons wishing to visit Cabot Lodge should contact the Lodge Secretary who will make all the necessary arrangements.
Charity
From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been concerned with the care of orphans, the sick and the aged. This work continues today.
Masonic charity is exercised at every level: individual Lodges make gifts and give aid to their own communities and every Province also gives large sums of money to regional causes. Nationally, our efforts are channelled through four main charity organisations
- The Grand Charity
- Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys
- Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution
- Masonic Samaritan Fund
It is not onerous duty however, indeed we are reminded to not give of our money or time to the injury of our families, and it is up to each member how much he wishes to contribute.
In the last couple of years the Cabot Lodge has supported the following charities
- St Peter's Hospice
- The Jessie May Trust
- Cystic Fibrosis Trust
- Milestones Trust
- Precious Drops Campaign
Membership
Cabot Lodge will gladly extend a welcoming hand to any man over 21 years of age who enquires of us what Masonry embraces and the impact it could have on him. We hope that through this initial contact, we will eventually welcome some who currently have no idea, or only a limited view of what being a Mason means and who will, in due course, express a wish to become a candidate for membership of The Cabot Lodge. You can find out more about becoming a Mason and Freemasonry in general.
Freemasonry
Becoming a member of the Cabot Lodge
Cabot Lodge welcomes applications from any man over 21 who can fulfil the qualifications for membership. Please read through the sections below and if you remain interesed contact the Cabot Lodge secretary for further details.
Qualifications for membership
The essential qualification for admission into and continuing membership is a belief in a Supreme Being. Membership is open to men of any race or religion who can fulfil this essential qualification. To be made a Freemason and admitted to Cabot Lodge requires an application to be submitted; the process of admittance involves a personal interview and due enquiry into a man's character.
Before initiation into the Cabot Lodge the candidate must declare that he has no mercenary or other unworthy motives for offering himself as a candidate, that he already has a good opinion of Freemasonry and has a sincere desire to become, through his membership, more useful to society.
What is Freemasonry
Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies. Our members are taught its precepts (moral lessons and self-knowledge) by a series of ritual dramas - a progression of allegorical two-part plays which are learnt by heart, follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons’ customs and tools as allegorical guides.
Freemasonry instills in its members a moral and ethical approach to life: it seeks to reinforce thoughtfulness for others, kindness in the community, honesty in business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches and practices concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need.
If you would like to know more about Freemasonry please visit Provincial Grand Lodge of Bristol or United Grand Lodge of England.
Freemasonry and Religion
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. Its essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. We do not allow religion or politics to be discussed at our meetings.
Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas, which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides.
Calendar
Our meetings are on the second Friday of the months October to April Check back often as agendas are subject to change | ||
2020 | ||
January 10, 2020 | - | Installation |
February 14, 2020 | - | 1st degree (initiation) |
March 13, 2020 | - | *ABANDONED* following UGLE advice regarding the current coronavirus risk profile. Schedule to be revised at a later date. |
April 17, 2020 | - | NOT HELD due to COVID-19 situation |
October 9, 2020 | - | TBC |
November 13, 2020 | - | TBC |
December 11, 2020 | - | TBC |
Lodge Officers' Rehearsals are on the first Friday of the months October to April | ||
2020 | ||
January 3, 2020 | - | Board of Installed Masters and Officers' Dinner |
February 7, 2020 | - | 1st degree |
March 6, 2020 | - | 2nd degree |
April 3, 2020 | - | NOT HELD due to COVID-19 situation |
October 2, 2020 | - | TBC |
November 6, 2020 | - | TBC |
December 4, 2020 | - | TBC |
Lodges of Instruction 2020: Tuesday following the second Friday (except where noted) of the months October to April | ||
2020 | ||
Tues January 14, 2020 | - | 1st degree |
Wed February 19, 2020 | - | 1st degree (officers jumping up); note; Wednesday |
Tues March 17, 2020 | - | *CANCELED* following UGLE advice regarding the current coronavirus risk profile. Schedule to be revised at a later date. |
Tues April 21, 2020 | - | NOT HELD due to COVID-19 situation |
Tues October 13, 2020 | - | TBC |
Tues November 17, 2020 | - | TBC |
Tues December 15, 2020 | - | TBC |
Social Events | ||
TBD 2020 | - | Cabot Cup Golf Competition at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club |
October 20, 2020 | - | Canada Lodge Installation (unconfirmed) |