Founding Members

We have started to research and prepare short biographies of each of the founding members of Lodge Temperance 2557. The first is Bro. Lewis Forsyth Allan – our first Junior Warden, Freemason, volunteer in the militia, Major with the Royal Garrison Artillery, service in the Boer War and WW1, politician, barrister-in-law and Mayor of Johannesburg.

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Member,Lodge

Bro John Walker Gibson P.M., Percy Lodge No.1427
Bro John Armstrong, Lodge of Industry No. 48
Bro Lewis Forsyth-Allan, Tyne Lodge No. 991
Bro Robert English Womphrey,Tyne Lodge No. 991
Bro Guy Hayler, Unattached
Bro William Bell, Tyne Lodge No. 991
Bro Hugh Morton, Newcastle on Tyne Lodge No. 24
Bro Robert Henderson, St. Bede Lodge No.1119
Bro Andrew Christopher Messer, Tyne Lodge No. 991
Bro Samuel Ferguson Davison, St Nicholas Lodge No.1676
Bro Morris Marks, Tyne Lodge No. 991
Bro Charles Hamilton Pemberton, Percy Lodge No.1427
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W.Bro. John W. Gibson a past master of The Percy Lodge No.1427 was the first Master, Bro. John Armstrong the Senior Warden and Bro. Lewis Forsyth-Allan, Junior Warden.

To minimise costs and to ensure the lodge started without debt, several brethren promised to donate the following items of furniture;

Bro. Gibson a Box of Working Tools.

Bro. Armstrong a Third Degree Sheet.

Bro. Forsyth-Allan a Bible and cushion.

Bro. Womphrey a square and compass to be placed on the bible.

Bro. Marks a pair of Wardens columns.

Bro. Messer gavels and maul.

Bro. Davidson a box to keep lodge property in.

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday, 30^th October 1895, in the Grand Assembly Rooms, Barras Bridge, Newcastle, presided over by the Right Hon. Sir Matthew white Ridley, Bart., M.P., Provincial Grand Master.

The Freemason’s Chronicle of 2^nd November 1895 reported that:-

there was a very large attendance of Brethren from various parts of the county, so large, in fact, that the gallery at the end of the hall was utilised for the accommodation of members of the Craft.

The whole of the Lodges were exceedingly well represented, and probably one great cause of attraction was the desire to welcome the Provincial Grand Master on the high distinction conferred upon him in the councils of the nation, and the other, the fact of the consecration of three new Lodges; the belief being expressed that never before were so many Lodges made at the annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge.

The new Lodges consecrated were the Temperance, Delaval and Holmes. The order of ceremony was compiled and arranged by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro. Ald. R. H. Holmes, and was of a very impressive character. The Provincial Grand Master installed Bro. John Walker Gibson as Worshipful Master of Temperance, Bro. George Wilson of Delaval and Bro. S. Hudson of Holmes Lodge.