One might wonder how Putney Bridge might have an association with Middlesex. Most will be aware that the Oxford- Cambridge Boat Race on the Thames starts at Putney Bridge and that there is a Middlesex side and a Surrey side of the river. Putney Bridge Lodge No 6686 met on the Surrey side of the bridge at the Constitutional Club on the Lower Richmond Road. The Lodge was Consecrated on the 13th September 1948 by the Assistant Grand Master, The RW. Bro. Brigadier W.H.V. Darrell, C.B., C.M.G., D.S, along with his team of Grand Officers. The Lodge met regularly at the Putney location until 1981 when a new meeting place was found at the Star & Garter pub on the Brentford side of Kew Bridge. Putney Bridge Lodge is the 5 times great granddaughter Lodge of the Royal Oak Lodge of Perseverance No 7 which still meets. Most Lodges in the family tree still meet, but in London. Sadly, Putney Lodge which had moved to Middlesex in 1991 was erased in 2022. Four of the remaining members opted to join Putney Bridge Lodge.
In the interim Putney Bridge Lodge began its peregrinations across West London with sojourns at Kew Bridge as mentioned above, the Park Royal Hotel in Perivale, the West London Masonic Centre, West Ealing and finally coming home to Cole Court in Twickenham. It was appropriate that the Lodge then became a Middlesex Provincial Lodge in 2003. It had previously been a Lodge associated with London but with the formation of the new Metropolitan Grand Lodge in 2003, and with many of the members living south of the A40, it made sense to belong to the Province of Middlesex.
75 Years Later
Time flies and the Lodge celebrated its 75th Anniversary on Saturday 16th September at Cole Court. It was quite an event with W. Bro Paul Sully PAGSwdB APGM attending along with his escorting DC and 4 Stewards. Also attending was W. Bro Peter Gledhill PGStdB who presented to the Lodge from the MMC 3 cheques of £250 each to Teddies for Loving Care, the Middlesex Association for the Blind and the Shooting Star Hospices Charity. The Lodge also gave generous amounts to other Charities: £375 to the National Trust to plant 75 trees and £550 to the Sergeant Cancer Appeal a charity which gives support for young people with cancer.
W. Bro Peter Gledhill PGStdB (R) from the MMC handing a cheque to W Bro Alan Winter PGStdB (L) the Charity Steward of Putney Bridge Lodge.
W. Bro Paul Sully also presented a 50 year Certificate to W. Bro Peter Scotchford PPrJGW. This was augmented by the presentation from the Lodge to Peter of a decanter and two glasses.
A Reminiscence
W. Bro Peter gave a condensed history of the Lodge recalling its several moves around West London which finally ended with taking root in Middlesex. Other anecdotes recalled the towpath by the Thames at Putney where if members were unaware of expected high tides, they might find their cars flooded after the Lodge meeting. Poignantly he mentioned the names of Brethren who had been part of the life of the Lodge including Brother Bill Brown, a gravedigger and Bill Nicholls who at one time worked for a bakery and would attend Festive board armed with a bag full of bread rolls and distribute them throughout the meal. Other names were mentioned in sadness of those Brethren who had gone to the Grand Lodge above. Two members of the former Putney Lodge were also present at the meeting.
75 years is a great achievement and for W. Bro Peter to have been a part of that history is also to be commended. The Labours of the Lodge completed the members and guests totalling 47 sat down to dine and enjoyed an excellent repast.
