On New Years Eve 1933, a Steward in the Mundy Grove Lodge invited two fellow Scotsmen to his home in West Hallam, for a New Years celebration drink. Both were Masons, and all three were employees of the then named Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Electric Power Company. After the contents of several bottles had been consumed the idea of forming a new Lodge in the area was discussed.

As a result, in January 1934, the proposal was put forward to a P.M. of Mundy Grove Lodge, who was then the General Manager of the Midland Group of the Electric Power Companies throughout Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

Later, when the horizon was widened beyond llkeston and the Electrical Industry, representatives of Mundy Grove, Fairfield and Harrington Lodges resolved to proceed with the idea of a new lodge. A Foundation Committee was formed in May 1935 to submit proposals to Provincial Grand Lodge for approval. In October Rutland Lodge formally recommended the formation of the new Lodge, and placed their temple at Ilkeston at its disposal.

The name DALE ABBEY was suggested, and immediately approved, because of its religious connections in the area, and because the ruins of the Abbey at Dale were a familiar local landmark. The design of the banner then presented no problem. The Arch of the Eastern window is all that remains of the Abbey today, so it was reproduced on the banner and Past Masters' jewels as the new Lodge's emblem.

The motto needed to have some association with the ancient Abbey, and the one eventually chosen was:

meaning "They find the Holy Cross". This is derived from a window removed from the Abbey at its dissolution, and re-used in the Church of St. Matthew at Morley.

The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master authorised the issue of the Warrant on 4th December 1935 for the proposed Dale Abbey Lodge. At last the Lodge was born.