The ASHLAR – Report on The Lodge of St. George’s 150th Anniversary

150th Anniversary of The Lodge of St. George

2017 marks the 150th Anniversary of the consecration of the Lodge of St. George No. 1152, which was consecrated in Singapore on 22nd June 1867 and is the second oldest lodge in the District.

The Lodge has organized a number of special events to mark the occasion. These have included a special meeting of the Lodge held at the Grand Lodge of Western Australia, in Perth (where a number of previously resident members of the Lodge now reside) and a “masonic trip” to the 250th Anniversary meeting of the Lodge’s “mother lodge”, Lodge Cadogan No. 162 in London.

The Lodge formally celebrated its 150th Anniversary at a Regular Meeting of the Lodge which was especially convened on Saturday 24th June 2017 at The Straits Room, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. A record attendance for the Lodge of close to 120 Freemasons attended the event. The guests of honour for the event were:

• [if !supportLists][endif]RW. Bro. Dato’ Jeyaraj Ratnaswamy, Right Worshipful District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago;

• [if !supportLists]VW. Bro. Yushea Hatim Degani, Deputy District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago;

• [if !supportLists][endif]VW. Bro. Paul Reginald Whitmore, representing the RW District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of Hong Kong & The Far East;

• [if !supportLists]RW. Bro. Tom Cummin, RW Provincial Deputy Grand Master of the RW Provincial Grand Lodge of South East Asia of the MW Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ireland;

• [if !supportLists]Bro. Yip Wing Kong, Worshipful Substitute District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East holding of the Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland;

• [if !supportLists]RW. Bro. Stephane Benoist, Deputy District Grand Master of the International District of the Grand Loge Nationale Française;

• [if !supportLists]RW. Bro. Ian Mansfield, Past Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons;

• [if !supportLists]Bro. Thomas James, representing our “mother lodge”, Lodge Cadogan No. 162; and

• [if !supportLists][endif]W.Bro. Nicholas Ho Pang Kean, Worshipful Master of our oldest “daughter lodge”, Read Lodge No. 2337 in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting comprised a ceremony to dedicate a new Lodge Banner, commissioned especially for the Lodge’s 150th Anniversary, which was overseen by the Right Worshipful District Grand Master. This was followed by an oration on the explanation of the banner given by W.Bro. Saptak Santra, an oration of the history of the Lodge given by W.Bros. Christian Charlton, Philip Cunningham and Richard Vargo, the filling and sealing of a time capsule (to be opened in 50 years’ time at the Lodge’s bicentenary) and finally the presentation of a special Collar Ornament for the Worshipful Master to mark the Tercentenary of the Grand Lodge of England, which was invested by the Right Worshipful District Grand Master. The Lodge was the first lodge anywhere in the world to wear the Tercentenary Collar Ornament for the first time. The event also coincided with the release of a commemorative 150th Anniversary Yearbook of which there is only a limited supply of 150 copies.

The meeting was followed by cocktails and a sumptuous banquet, after which festivities continued at the Post Bar of the Fullerton Hotel. Ladies participated in a separate dinner at The Lighthouse Restaurant of The Fullerton Hotel and joined for the cocktail evening and post-dining festivities.