THE ORIGINS, HISTORY & CUSTOMS OF

SPERO LODGE No.6825

A Notice of Motion was placed on the Summons of WARNER Lodge No.2256 on10th February 1948 in the name of W/Bro L.S. ERRIDGE P.P.G.D., that Warner Lodge sponsor the formation of a new Lodge. The then Most Worshipful, the Grand Master, approved the petition in the name of the 14 founders and granted permission for the Lodge to be consecrated. On the 20th April 1949 the Right Worshipful, Provincial Grand Master, Brigadier-General K. KINCAID-SMITH C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., together with a team of Provincial Grand Lodge Officers, consecrated Spero Lodge at the Masonic Hall, Chingford.

Sir Thomas Courtenay Theydon WARNER was a founding member and first Senior Warden of Warner Lodge. His son, Sir Edward Courtenay WARNER, gave his approval for the family motto 'SPERO' and Crest to be used by the Lodge. A literal translation from the Latin, 'Spero' means 'I Hope'. An examination of the Warner and Spero Crests shows similarity of design. The Warner Centenary Book records an address given by a Past Master of Warner Lodge, W/Bro Dr. Joseph BRIDGES, PPGReg., M.A., B.Sc., Ph.D Ll.D of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law, in which he gives an explanation of the lodge crest.

Strong family ties had also been established, fathers and sons, and a number of blood brother relationships existed. The 25th Anniversary meeting on the 17th April 1974 culminated in the presentation to the Lodge by Brothers William S. WOOD, and Dennis R. WOOD of a Banner. The presentation was accompanied by a Dedication Ceremony conducted by W/Bro P. WATTS, Provincial Grand Chaplain. At the end of Masonic business the Lodge was closed, when the brethren retired to the dining room where they joined their Ladies for a buffet dance.

In 1974 W/Bro Dennis R. WOOD was invested as Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary. In 1983 he was appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Secretary, in which office he served until his retirement in 1994. Subsequently he accepted the active appointment in 1998 of Essex Provincial Junior Grand Warden.

The First Master, "Father", and Founding Member, W/Bro Leonard Stanley ERRIDGE, died on 21st December 1976. Chingford Masonic Hall has been the home of Spero Lodge since it's consecration. On 11th October 1930 W/Bro Leonard had attended the ceremony of laying of the foundation stone which was conducted by the Provincial Grand Master, RW/Bro Brigadier General R. Beale COLVIN, C. B. Lord Lieut. for the County.

The last surviving Founder Member, W/Bro G. C. MUNT, PPGW, the fifth Master of the Lodge, passed to the 'Grand Lodge Above' on 17th April 1988. He had also served as Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction from 1963 to 1970 and those who knew him will remember that he was a first class ritualist with an excellent and commanding delivery. Although, as a token of the Lodges' "esteem ,affection, and high regard" W/Bro MUNT was elected an Honorary Member of the Lodge on 9th January 1974 he continued to play an active role in the workings of the Lodge attending the meetings often taking part in the proceedings and attending committee meetings to offer wise, fatherly, counsel.

The first Initiate of the Lodge, W/Bro T.C. ROBINS, was elected an Honorary Member on the 12th March 1975. His two sons W/Bro D.T. ROBINS and W/Bro J.F. ROBINS were Initiated into Spero Lodge on 9th January 1952 and January 1958 respectively.

In March 1976 the then Lodge Organist, W/Bro F.T.W. CORNISH, was invested as Provincial Deputy Grand Organist. He had been Initiated in Spero Lodge on 14th November 1956, served as Master in 1967 and was Lodge Organist from 1969 to 1982.

In 1979, in furtherance of it's charitable aims, the Lodge qualified as a Patron of The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys. In 1982 W/Bro D.T. ROBINS was appointed to Past Grand Standard Bearer.

Our "Mother Lodge" Warner Lodge is proud of its connections with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force established during the Great War and a model of a Maori War Canoe with which they were presented. This can be seen on the display cabinet behind the Senior Warden's chair in the Temple.

In 1973 a New Zealand lady, having heard of the Warner Lodge War Canoe, presented Spero Lodge, through its Master, with a Maori good luck charm and fertility figure. After each Lodge meeting this unique ornament is placed on the table in front of the Master at the Festive Board.

On Wednesday 13th January 1982 W/Bro Joe PINGRAM presented the Lodge with a smaller model of a Maori War Canoe. He had purchased it at the request of his brother W/Bro John T. PINGRAM some years before on visit to New Zealand and before W/Bro John had died on the 2nd of December 1981 he had expressed the wish that the canoe be given to the Lodge. His Brother, Joe, made the presentation as a fitting memorial to his late Blood Brother. The model canoe is also placed on the dining table in front of the Master at every Festive Board.

The year 2000 saw the completion of Festival 2000, an ambitious Province-wide effort to raise money for masonic and non-masonic charities. Spero Lodge were one of the Lodges that were awarded an Essex Festival 2000 Gold Award in recognition of the £19,000 we raised towards an amazing total of £7.2m raised by the Province.

At the regular meeting in April 2004 Spero Lodge hosted the third annual Cluster Meeting of all the Lodges meeting at Chingford. VW/Bro Brian PROCTER, DepProvGM, and W/Bro William GUNARY, APGM, were in attendance as were 85 ?? brethren and guests. At the meeting the Deputy Provincial Grand Master and our longest serving member, W/Bro Eric SPARROW, unveiled a new Spero Past Masters Board in the main temple.