The Masonic Organisations Of South Shields
Lodges We Have Lost
When Freemasonry was established in South Shields in the late 18th Century the first Lodge was the St. Bede Lodge 471 founded in 1714 and meeting at The King of Prussia Inn in King Street.
This Lodge had a chequered history, removing to Morpeth in 1789, and was erased in 1815. The first decade of the new century saw a new Lodge consecrated at Ingham Street:- The John Readhead Lodge No. 3217 consecrated on 1st June 1907, the Lodge moved to Whitehead Street immediately after the Consecration and then to Hedworth Hall, before returning to Ingham Street where due to dwindling membership the Lodge closed in March 2013.
A similar fate befell The Wrekendike Lodge No. 6401 which was consecrated at the Hedworth Hall on 5th February 1947 but met at Ingham Street from March 1947 to May 1990 after which it transferred to the Hedworth Hall, but following the closure of the Hedworth Hall in 2007 saw it's transfer to the Ingham Street Hall with it's eventual closure in December 2010.
The Gothic Lodge No. 6749 was consecrated on 27th November 1948 at the Whitehead Street and moved to Hedworth Hall twice and then to Ingham Street in 1996 and for the next 10 years worked there until suffering the same fate of low membership as the other Lodges eventually closing in 2006.
Over the years, dwindling membership became the primary cause of the closure of not just Lodges but also other masonic organisations such as those within Royal Arch Masonry, however structural moves were implemented that would see many Chapters amalgamate with other Chapters, forming 'a new' Chapter and taking the registration number of one of the amalgamating Chapters.
The Mariner Royal Arch Chapter No. 3217 is one 'new' Chapter which was formed by the amalgamation of the Hedworth Royal Arch Chapter No. 2418, Charter dated 1st November 1911, Lord Barnard Royal Arch Chapter No. 2935, Charter dated 5th August 1925, the John Redhead Royal Arch Chapter No. 3217, Charter dated 2nd August 1944 and the Tyne Dock Royal Arch Chapter No. 4218, Charter dated 1st February 1950, The Mariner Chapter still works successfully at our hall.
In 2023 Caer Urfa Royal Arch Chapter No. 4345 handed in its Charter and closed, again the issue of a dwindling membership the primary cause.
Further information on the four masonic organisations can be found via the following links: -
- John Readhead Lodge No. 3217
- Wrekendike Lodge No. 6401
- Gothic Lodge No. 6749
- Caer Urfa Royal Arch Chapter No. 4345
