Freemasonry - The Ancient Royal Arch Chapter of Strict Benevolence  
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Last Update
6th February 2008

 

 

 

 

WHERE AND WHEN WE MET

The first meeting place for Chapter of Strict Benevolence No 103 was in the
Phoenix Hall, Queen Street, Sunderland on Thursday, 20th July 1797.

Phoenix Hall, Queen Street, Masonic Hall, Sunderland







Fig.1 - Phoenix Hall, Queen Street, Sunderland
Courtesy of Phoenix Hall Management.


As it was when first built in 1785 and said to be the oldest, purpose built Masonic Temple in the world and still working.

Interior of Phoenix Hall, Queen Street, Masonic Hall, Sunderland









 

 

Fig.2 - Lodge Room looking East

When Chapter of Strict Benevolence No 103 was constituted it consisted of members of Phoenix Lodge and Sea Captains Lodge who had been members of the old Royal Arch working under the Craft Warrant of Phoenix Lodge since 1772.

It was agreed that the new Chapter should hold its meetings in Phoenix Hall.

The floor cloth used by Phoenix Lodge for ceremonies of the old Royal Arch working was loaned to Chapter of Strict Benevolence to use in its Royal Arch working.

Whilst we are unaware of how long our Chapter continued to meet in Phoenix Hall we feel that they would have left by 1816.

Certainly Chapter of Strict Benevolence was officially attached to Sea Captains’ Lodge No 153 on 17th November 1821 as decreed under the Union of Grand Chapters in 1821 and it seems likely that the Chapter would meet in Sea Captains’ Lodge room wherever that may have been from time to time.

*****

In the earliest Minute Book we possess the first entry on Page 1 records that a Chapter meeting took place in the Sea Captains Lodge room, Hays’ Golden Lion, Sunderland on 7th January 1830.

We have no record whatsoever of the activities of the Chapter from its inception on 20th July 1797 to the meeting referred to immediately above and as Companion Michael Scarth died in 1805 we are sadly deprived of any knowledge of how he initially conducted the affairs of the Chapter or of any ‘teething’ problems that may have arisen.

On 13th April 1830 the minutes record Palatine, “late Sea Captains” Lodge Room.

The Chapter continued to meet in the Palatine Lodge Room until 29th May 1839

13-YEAR BREAK

The next recorded meeting was held in the Palatine Lodge Room on 6th September 1852.

The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, E Companion John Fawcett acting as First Principal.

(Palatine Lodge met in the Bridge Inn during this period).

Last recorded meeting to be held in the Palatine Lodge Room was dated 20th November 1856 when 4 brethren were exalted.

(Palatine Lodge met in the Bridge Inn during this period).

A summons noting a meeting to be held on 17th November 1864 does not give the venue but does state:-

“Dinner at Comp. Donkin’s Bridge Hotel, at Seven o’clock precisely.”

(Palatine Lodge met in the Bridge Hotel from 1860 to 1870)

In 1870 Palatine Lodge moved to the Masonic Hall, Park Terrace.

It is reasonable to assume that Chapter of Strict Benevolence did likewise.

PARK TERRACE MASONIC HALL

This Temple was built for St John’s Lodge No 80 in 1869 and was the main centre for Freemasonry in Sunderland for many years until overcrowding necessitated the building of the Wearside Masonic Temple in Burdon Road, Sunderland in 1932.

The façade of the Park Terrace Temple built at Beamish Museum with the addition of a replica working temple is the Millennium Project of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham.

BEAMISH 2000

Park Terrace at Beamish - artist's impression

 







Fig.3 - Artist’s impression of the Beamish Temple

Unfortunately, another set of Chapter records, covering this period, were lost and we must assume that this Chapter continued to meet in Park Terrace until c 1932 when our last move was made to our current location at the Wearside Masonic Temple, Burdon Road, Sunderland.


Fig.4 - Wearside Masonic Temple, Burdon Road, Sunderland
December 2004

The Chapter of Strict Benevolence No 97 meets on the third Thursday in the months of:-

  • JANUARY
  • MARCH
  • SEPTEMBER
  • NOVEMBER

The Installation Convocation takes place in JANUARY.

Our meetings normally start at 6.45 pm, and are held in the WEARSIDE MASONIC TEMPLE, BURDON ROAD, SUNDERLAND.

 

IF YOU ARE A ROYAL ARCH MASON, ON HOLIDAY OR VISITING SUNDERLAND AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VISIT TO OUR CHAPTER PLEASE CONTACT US.


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