History of Sibelius Lodge 9448

The early days of Sibelius Lodge are well recorded in a hand written statement by the first Lodge Secretary W.Bro. E.J.C. (Ted) Preston PPJGD SLGR LGCR. and is given below almost verbatim.

My involvement in the original concept of forming a Provincial Lodge in Essex was quite accidental. I had known Dr Robin Stone since 1984, having both been Perfected in the Hutton Chapter No. 680 (Rose Croix) within a year of each other.

He approached me regarding any experience I may have had on forming a new Lodge and of the procedure towards the consecration ceremony. I told him I had none whatever but that the UGLE Book of Constitutions would give the necessary information to enable would be petitioners to get started. 

Knowing that I had been Secretary of my Lodge (a London Lodge) for several years and that I was also Scribe E of my London Chapter he asked me if I would get things going as he and several acquaintances including two fellow musicians (W.Bro. Keith Bleasdale and W.Bro. Arthur Soothill) most of whom were members of one or more London Lodges and in some cases combined with additional membership of Provincial Lodges, mainly Essex.

When the idea was originally conceived no thought of a title for the Lodge had been considered (1989). After instigating the initial procedure with the Provincial Grand Secretary a preliminary meeting was held and the question of a preferred venue was raised, Upminster Masonic Hall was the most popular choice as it was close to a LTR station easily reached from most places in the London area. I approached the Secretary of the Upminster Mason Hall for dates available for meetings. This being a popular venue the resultant dates were random.

At a subsequent meeting in March 1990 days and dates were chosen and the question of a title for the Lodge was discussed. The Masonic Year Book revealed that virtually every Mason term had already been incorporated in Lodge titles. There was however, no Havering Lodge. It was not considered very inspiring however and Robin Stone then came forward with the idea of Sibelius Lodge. He had, it transpired, sent his own composition including a Masonic symphony to Jean Sibelius and had received a letter in reply. Although the title was considered by some would be petitioners as too specialist and possibly off putting to encourage future membership, the musicians amongst those present held sway and the title Sibelius Lodge was to be submitted with the Petition to Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex.

Over the next few months a Petition form was drawn up, during which time there were various changes, some people dropped out and other took their place, ranks, styles and address changed and eventually the Pro Forma Petition was submitted to Provincial Grand Lodge on the 18th June 1990. Clearance Certificates for all Petitioners of the Lodge were the required which took several more weeks and in September 1990 I was informed that the R W Provincial Grand Master had sanctioned a Form of Petition and approved the title Sibelius Lodge.

During the elapsed time it became necessary for Clearance Certificates to be updated prior to submission of the Petition to UGLE. I was required to submit a letter giving the reasons for the submission of the Petition. The Petition was officially approved by the M W Grand Master in 1991. 

Subsequently a date was sought from Upminster Mason Hall which was the 30th January 1992, this was also approved by the R W Provincial Grand Master of Essex.

Jean Sibelius was a Freemason in a Finnish Lodge and W.Bro. Dr. Robin Stone D.Mus, FLCM, FRSA, LLCM (TD), ACSM. was the first Senior Warden of the Lodge and is a concert pianist composer and examiner who has composed a Mason symphony (in three movements representing the Three Degrees), a Masonic Ladies song and several smaller Mason items.

He had, in 1950, submitted his compositions to Jean Sibelius and had received a letter of encouragement in reply, a copy of which is held by the Lodge, that year.

The Sponsor Lodge was Burntwood Lodge No 8016, of which the Secretary at that time was W.Bro. Les Fleming.

The Founders of the Lodge were:- (ranks listed as at the time of consecration) 

	K.D. Bleasdale PAGDC	Worshipful Master
	R.D.A. Stone	Senior Warden
*	E. C.H. Goodman	Junior Warden
	F.T. Baker	Steward
*	L.G.C. Fleming PPJGD	Steward
*	G.G.J.Goodey LGR	Junior Deacon
	M. Goodey	Senior Deacon
	J.R. Hubbard	Charity Steward
	N. Klos PGStB	Asst. Director of Ceremonies
*	P.G. Lewis LGR	Almoner
*	J.C. Lowrie LGR	Steward
	T.G. Mackenzie	Inner Guard
	D.M. MacIntosh	Treasurer
*	E.J.C. Preston SLGR	Secretary
*	A.G. Soothill LGR	Director of Ceremonies
*	G.B. Spendley PPJGW	Acting IPM
*	R.F. Williams	Chaplain

* = deceased

At the Consecration (or the Birth) of the Lodge one of the above not present was W.Bro. J. R. Hubbard who was attending the birth of his Son.

Past Masters of the Lodge are:-

	K.D. Bleasdale PJGD PGStdB (RA) 1992
r	R.D.A. Stone PPGOrg, LGR, PZ 1993
*	E.C.H. Goodman PPSGD 1994
	M. Goodey LGR, SLGCR 1995
*	G.G.J Goodey PPSGD, SLGR, SLGCR 1996
r	T.G. Mackenzie PPSGD, LGR 1997
	D.R. Attwood PPAGSuptWks 1998
*	L.G.C. Fleming PPJGW, PZ 1999
*	A G. Soothill PGStB, SLGCR 2000
	C.G. Brown PPJGD, SLGR 2001
	R.D.J. Hunter PPJGD 2002
	N.P. Highfield PPGReg 2003
	J.R. Hubbard PPDepGSwdB, AGDC (RA) 2004
	N. Klos PGStB 2005
	K. Malseed 2006
	S. Morris 2007
	M. O'Reilly LGR 2008
	E. Stephens PPSGD, PPGStdB(Yorks, W.R) 2009
	S. Cochrane 2010

* = deceased  r = resigned

Treasurers of the Lodge have been: -
W.Bro. D.M. MacIntosh 1992 - 1994
W.Bro. J.R. Hubbard 1994 - 1999
W.Bro. G.G.J Goodey 1999 - 2006
W.Bro. D.R. Attwood 2006 - 2011
W.Bro. S. Cochrane 2011 - present

Secretaries of the Lodge have been: -
W.Bro. E.J.C. Preston 1992 - 1998
W.Bro. A.J. Brown 1998 - Nov 2000
W.Bro. J.R. Hubbard 2000 - 2002
W.Bro. C.G. Brown 2002 - 2009
W.Bro. S. Morris 2009 - present 

W.Bro. C. Brown and his wife made a banner which was consecrated on the 17th December 1998 with The Rev'd. Henry Heath in attendance who delivered the oration.

For various reasons the Lodge moved to Hutton Masonic Hall on March 1st 1999.

W.Bro. J.R. Hubbard who was the founding Charity Steward in 1992 continued in the post until March 2003, and retook the position in 2006, was largely the reason for the excellent record of the Lodge towards charity having raised more than £45,000 for both Masonic and non-Masonic causes in it's first 18 years (with over £16,000 going to local charities) and gaining the following honours:-

• Essex 2000 Festival Gold Award
• Essex 2011 Festival Grand Patron
• Patron of the Masonic Samaritan Fund
• Patron of the Royal Masonic Trust for Boys and Girls
• Grand Patron of the Freemasons Grand Charity
• and Grand Patron of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.