On Tuesday, 6th July 1999, Michael J. Heeley PAGDC presented the
history of Dore Masonic Hall to a Masonic audience, here summarised:
DORE MASONIC HALL HISTORY
In the Beginning
Early Lodges
Consecration
Further Development
Expansion
Recent Years
In May 1848, the Sheffield and Rotherham Licensed Victuallers’ Association
built an asylum for Poor and Distressed Members at Grimesthorpe in the east end
of Sheffield in green field and woodlands. The building was opened for residents
a year later, prior to the arrival of the heavy steel industry, which spoilt the
tranquillity of the district.
By 1811, new premises were sought in a rural area of Derbyshire, and the Dore
Masonic Hall (D.M.H.) site was subsequently found, and the four and a half acre
site including a pair of large semi-detached houses was purchased for £6,000.
The Rt. Hon. Lord Edward Cavendish laid the foundation stone in June 1877 for a
building designed by J.B. Mitchell. The cost, which included twelve cottages and
a reading room/library in the centre, was £5,700.
The local M.P. opened the completed building in July 1879, with great pomp
and ceremony, followed by a banquet held in a large marquee at the rear of the
premises. Many distinguished guests attended, and the special occasion merited
four columns in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph newspaper on the following
morning.
The original building was surrounded by a large garden, with a bowling green
and seats for the residents’ enjoyment. In front of the building today is a
large gothic-style monument to commemorate Alderman Thomas Wiley, who donated
the first 50 guineas for the original Grimesthorpe building. This monument was
brought to Dore from Grimesthorpe, and after re-modelling, the top was
re-erected in the garden where it now stands.
In 1887, there were only three local lodges in the north and north-east of
Derbyshire, namely Scarsdale (681) at Chesterfield,
High Peak (1952) at Chapel-en-le-Frith, and Dorothy
Vernon (2129) at Bakewell. Therefore few local Derbyshire Freemasons were
able to visit lodges in their own province without great difficulty. On the
other hand, because of the easy access to Sheffield by train from Dore and
Totley railway station, local members frequently attended the Masonic Hall in
Surrey Street, Sheffield - in the province of Yorkshire. Because of this fact,
various eminent Freemasons living on the Dore area, considered the feasibility
of forming a local lodge within the province of Derbyshire.
On January 1890, at the instigation of Wor. Bro. William Boden P.P.J.G.W. in
Derbyshire, and a P.M. of Royal Sussex Lodge (353)
from Burton-on-Trent, a brewery manager in Sheffield, who lived in Dore Road, a
meeting of interested Freemasons was held in the billiard room of No.2. Dore
Road (which still stands) to discuss the project.
After several meetings and a great deal of activity, the warrant of Chantry
Lodge (2355) was granted in March 1890 - named after the celebrated
artist and sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey R.A.F.R.S., who was born locally in
1781.
The Consecration meeting took place in the present lodge room at 3 00 p.m. on
30 July 1890, attended by 71 Freemasons, who afterwards travelled by train from
Dore station to Sheffield, where a special banquet was held at the Sheffield
Masonic Hall in Surrey Street at a cost of 6/- each person.
The Masonic premises had to be rented from the Licensed Victuallers’
Association, comprising the main meeting hall (the reading room/library)
together with one cottage at a total cost of £ 43 per annum. All the Masonic
furniture was donated by the founder members, as can be seen to-day in a lot of
instances. Wor. Bro. W. Boden became the first W.M. of the lodge.
In August 1909, Hope Valley Lodge (3397) was
formed and began meeting at a hotel at Bamford, whilst in April 1911, Chantrey
Chapter came into existence.
From 1915 to 1919, the L.C. premises were taken over and used as a military
hospital, and a commemorative plaque still exists over the front entrance to
record this event. Meanwhile, Chantrey Lodge found
temporary premises in nearby Millhouses Lane. During this difficult period a
second daughter lodge, Beauchief Abbey Lodge (3793)
was formed in 1917.
After the war, Chantrey and Beauchief
Abbey Lodges moved back to Dore, and a third daughter lodge, King
Egbert Lodge (4288) was consecrated in May 1921.
In order to improve the facilities for all the lodges now meeting at Dore,
the D.M.H. Building Committee was formed in January 1926. This committee
negotiated the renting of a further cottage adjoining the existing Masonic rooms
for a new total cost of £115 per annum, whilst the necessary improvement costs
to the facilities of £1,848 were shares with the L.C.A. Benevolent Fund.
In July 1927, a fourth daughter lodge, Ryecroft Lodge
(4971) was formed.
In 1932, the resplendent pipe organ (now unfortunately defunct but still in
position) was bought from a private house in Buxton after the owner’s death.
It was dismantled, packed, transported, and re-erected on an extended original
library balcony for a total cost of £250.
Following the outbreak of war in September 1939, meetings continued to be
held, but were restricted in winter months to being held on Saturday afternoons,
with proceedings terminated by 8.15 p.m. owing to the blackout regulations.
In March 1949, a fifth daughter lodge, Lodge Saint
Peter (6765) was consecrated.
During the later 1940’s, investigations were made into the possibility of
purchasing the entire property from the L.V.A. and in August 1951, the D.M.H.
Co. Ltd., was incorporated, with Articles of Association being compiled for a
‘Company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital’. The new
Company then became instrumental in purchasing the remaining 1.22 acre site and
buildings from the L.V.A. for the princely sum of £3,500.
During this period, after closing each lodge, the lodge furniture was
dismantled and trestle tables and chairs arranged for the festive board within
the lodge room itself. Meals were prepared in one of the adjoining rooms, and
the stewards assisted in serving both the meal and the drinks - and finally
clearing up afterwards.
In the meantime, King Egbert Lodge produced
it’s first daughter lodge, Bretwalda Lodge (6930)
in March 1950.
By September 1958, the appointed Council of D.M.H., having constantly
considered the development of the site to cater for the greatly increased needs
of the lodges etc. now meeting at Dore, submitted plans for a building
development scheme involving a ‘contemporary’ type of building. After due
consideration of design, stability, and speed of erection, the scheme was
adopted.
The cost of a banquet hall and kitchen etc. (as per our present building) was
£12,600 with additional costs to alter and join up with the old building of £5,000.
All this work was successfully completed by the end of the year. A further
proposal, involved the construction of an additional lodge room etc. adjacent to
the banquet hall, at a cost of £7,100. Unfortunately this scheme was not
accepted by the members at that time, much to our present deep regret.
The company issued Debenture Stock for £30,000 in multiples of £10, to
raise the necessary finance, restricted to D.M.H. members only, with interest
payments of 6% per annum paid every six months. The Debentures were redeemed
by yearly drawings commencing in 1968 with repayments spread over 20 years.
During the following years, a great deal of repair and replacement work
became essential, particularly on the old building, at considerable cost, which
was borne by the members, and, in 1977, the elected development committee was
organising various social events to raise the necessary funds for numerous minor
projects. Part of the extensive site around the rear car park in excess of
requirements was sold and four privately owned bungalows were built without
interference to the members.
In 1982, an elaborate development scheme was devised to extend and improve
the facilities of the banquet hall, bar, and foyer to encourage its use for more
social events, costing in excess of £30,000. After careful consideration by the
D.M.H. members, the scheme was rejected as too expensive for individual
commitments.
By 1985, many improvements were urgently needed, but funds were not readily
available, so consequently certain of the members volunteered to re-decorate the
interior of the building themselves as their personal contribution. In
1986, a new foyer carpet became necessary, and a scheme was devised whereby the
members were asked to contribute by purchasing carpet squares at £5 each. The
scheme proved a great success.
Following this success, in 1987, the D.M.H. Improvement Fund was introduced
where members could purchase £12 p.a. shares involving a monthly draw. Its
success has been fantastic. During its 11 years in existence, the scheme has
raised over £16,000 for improvements, including carpets, chairs, tables,
curtains, chandeliers etc. etc., and returned over £10,000 in prize money - and
continues to flourish as strongly as ever.
Since 1950, a further five new lodges have joined D.M.H., namely Round
Table Lodge (8725), Sure and Steadfast Lodge (9130),
Amadeus Lodge (9539), Dronfield
Lodge (9570), and Meridian (daylight) Lodge
(9629) - together with the return to its roots of Hope
Valley Lodge (3397).
During the 1990’s. D.M.H. has been transformed into an operation of which
the members can be justifiably proud. Currently there are 12 Lodges and 13 Other
Orders meeting at Dore, the largest unit within Derbyshire other than the H.Q.
at Derby, and the building is fully utilised most nights of the week,
supplemented by outside weddings etc. during the weekends.
With so much activity, the financial restraints of earlier years has been
eliminated, and a very healthy building improvement fund has been established
against future essential demands. Recently the large car park has been
re-asphalted at a cost of £16,000, and additional kitchen equipment purchased
for £6,000 in order to modernise and improve the kitchen facilities. The
members have also enjoyed the benefit of extra utilisation and prudent
management control, with D.M.H. annual financial levies on lodges etc. remaining
static for the last seven years.
Freemasonry is still very much alive at Dore after 109 years of tradition
since Chantrey Lodge was first formed in 1890. Long
may it prosper into the new Millennium.
Michael J. Heeley Chairman
P.A.C.D.C.
This page authorised by the
Chairman of the Dore Masonic Hall Committee
