In early days the Lodges in Calcutta met at the Old Court House to the east of the Writers' Buildings. Elsewhere we have given the Rev. Long's historical account of this building. As Busteed observes, 'Pending the erection of a new Court house on the Esplanade where its successor stands now, the sittings of the Supreme Court were at first held in the Old Mayor's Court on the site of the present St. Andrew's church. This was a somewhat spacious building, but consisting only of a ground floor and one story, a long room in latter was used for conducting of trials, and also for the purposes usually served by the public assembly rooms. This structure was pulled down in 1792.' (The Echoes from Old Calcutta, 1908 Edn., 78). Cotton say s, 'Some five or six years before that event, however, the Craft removed to a building* in Lall Bazar, just opposite the Police Office of today (1905), and adjoining the once-famous Harmonic Tavern. In 1840 this house was given up, and for the next sixty-four dears the premises at present No. 55 in Bentinck Street were utilized as a Freemasons' Hall. The transfer to Park Street was not effected without a wrench, for the Old "Jadoo Ghur" in Cossaitollab had not lived its life in vain, and its Lodge-room and Banqueting Hall were eloquent of bygone days. But the change of habitation had become inevitable, and there can be no question that it has been altogether for the better.' He also observes,' Since the year 1904 the head quarters of Freemasonry in Bengal have been installed at 54 Park Street.' (op cit., 915). But the Gazette of July 1824 reported that different Lodges of Calcutta assembled 'at the Grand Lodge No. 38 Park Street'. The Bengali Samachar Darpan records the same fact. Such evidence shows that the Provincial Grand Lodge was located at Park Street as early as 1824. We have elsewhere set out the Rev. Long's account of the Park Street area of Old Calcutta.

(* Note: The reference here is to 'the new rooms built over the premises of Messrs Burrell and Gould, in the Loll Bazar.' (HOFIB. 49) According to a letter of 1788, these Brethren 'have a very large house of one story, on which they have built a large hall and four rooms for the accommodation of the Provincial Grand Lodge and other Lodges, perfectly suited to the purpose, which with other conveniences they have let to us on a lease of five years, on very moderate terms (ibid., 67).

In 1792 a Masonic Lottery was arranged in the New Court House, as we have already noticed.

From time to time members of the Lodges assembled at Brother Moore's Rooms (1812, 1813), 'whence they moved in grand procession to the Old Church.' In the evening dinner was given at Brother Moore's rooms. These Assembly Rooms were situated at Dacre's Lane near the Dalhousie Square, not far away from the Church. On special occasions the members of the Lodges assembled at the Town Hall, the Exchange, churches, the Town Major's House and the Government House. Taverns were often the venue for the Lodge meetings (The Second Lodge of Bengal in Olden Times, 29).

Lodge Anchor and Hope (formerly 'No. 371 under the Grand Lodge of England' and 'No. 413 under the Athol Grand Lodge') met at Howrah. It is possibly for this reason that we do not find its name in the list of Lodges participating in the public functions in Old Calcutta. In 1871 this Lodge was removed from Howrah to 55, Bentinck Street (By-laws, 24-5).

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