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The Lodge Origins
The Burstow Lodge No 4376 was consecrated on the 5th May 1922. To provide a perspective of the times, other major events of that year, include the death of local Old Alleynians hero and Freemason Sir Ernest Shackleton, the completion of the Partition of Ireland and the relegation of Manchester United to the then Second Division of the Football League, following the transfer of ‘Welsh Wizard’ Billy Meredith to rivals Manchester City. The first regular Lodge meeting on the 18th June 1922 was held at ‘The Chequers Hotel’ in Horley, only a stones throw from Burstow which is tucked between Horely and East Grinstead under the Gatwick flight path. The July, August, September, October and December meetings then alternated between The Wilton Arms Hotel, in Thornton Heath, The Chequers Hotel and The Greyhound Hotel in Croydon, which then became our Masonic home for regular meetings from early 1923. With membership numbers continuing to grow, 1948 saw the consecration of the Burstow Link Lodge No 6601 and followed by the Wellesley Lodge No 7981 in 1964. Our first regular meeting at Oakfield Road was held on April Fools day in April 1977. We celebrated our 80th Anniversary at the Installation meeting on Wednesday 1st May 2002 and it was at this meeting that we also dedicated of our new Banner.
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