The origins of Delapre
Delapre (or De La Pré) was the third freemasons’ Lodge to be founded in Northampton – our first meeting was held on 26th July 1881. The history of the Lodge is full of the names of individuals who have left their mark on the town and whose names are well-known to this day, being on several Northampton streets and buildings. All the same two thirds of our founding members were humble ‘clerks in holy orders’.
A new masonic lodge requires a sponsor, or mother lodge, ours was Eleanor Cross Lodge 1764. It is thought that this link and the proximity of Delapre Abbey to the Eleanor Cross are the origins of the lodge name. In an odd, but incidental, quirk the last private owner of the abbey, John Augustus Shiel Bouverie, was Worshipful Master of the lodge in 1884.
All regularly constituted masonic lodges have a number, which is its registration number with The United Grand Lodge of England. Essentially the lower the number, the older the lodge. There was some swapping of numbers historically but it’s a fair guide. Our lodge number is 1911 – the oldest lodge in Northampton is Pomfret Lodge 360, founded in 1819.
Delapre Lodge was consecrated at a special meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge held at the The Masonic Hall, Abington Street, on Tuesday July 26th 1881 at 3.00 pm. There were over fifty brethren present and a Consecration & Installation Banquet was then held at the town’s Angel Hotel. It may surprise many today, given the modern expectation of secrecy, but The Northampton Mercury of July 30th 1881 gave a long account of the Consecration and of the banquet, “…where the tables presented a tasteful and novel appearance. In the centre were several choice plants and the dessert with a border of moss and flowers on each side. A buttonhole bouquet was in front of each cover”.
Not all coverage was friendly, in particular the newspaper openly doubted the necessity of another Lodge in the town. Happily, things have progressed on many fronts and there are now 26 Craft lodges in Northampton and it is the centre of a vibrant masonic province of 97 lodges.
Today we are a happy and truly diverse mix, proud of our history but not ‘hung up’ on it.
If you are interested in freemasonry
Freemasonry is a wonderful fraternity with a history going back at least several hundred years. Our governing body is the United Grand Lodge of England, which was founded in 1717.
The Craft, as it is also known, is founded on the three great principles of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Much of commentary about it has tended to focus on the many historically important people who have been members but, if you are interested in becoming a Freemason, you may find that it is more straightforward than you imagined.
The basic requirements are that you must have a belief in a Supreme Being, be “a mature man of 21 years and over” (though there are circumstances where this can be 18 or over) and be of good character.
The website of the United Grand lodge of England has a very good section with background information and suggested reading. Click here to go to the United Grand Lodge website.
Click the button below to contact Delapre Lodge directly, you do not have to wait to be invited!