Lodge History

1909 – Consecration

In 1909 twenty six former pupils- Old Wellingtonians who were also Freemasons forwarded a petition to the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) that they be granted a Warrant for a new lodge, to be called the “Heroum Filii Lodge” The petition was sponsored by the Household Brigade Lodge No. 2614. UGLE having granted the petition, the Lodge numbered 3404 in the Register of the Grand Lodge of England, was consecrated at Freemasons’ Hall, London on Friday 26th November 1909 in the presence of a very distinguished company. The Consecrating Officer was the MWBro The Pro Grand Master, the Rt.Hon.The Lord Ampthill, GCSI etc., assisted by the Rt.W.Bros., the Rt.Hon.Lord Athlumney, PGW, as Senior Warden and the Rt.Hon. Viscount Doneraile, PGW as Junior Warden. At the Consecration W.Bro. Col.R.W. Dalgety was installed as Deputy Worshipful Master since the Grand Master, the MWBro HRH The Duke of Connaught & Strathearn KG had graciously accepted the office of Worshipful Master.

At the next meeting of the lodge in January 1910, Field Marshal Lord Roberts KG, VC, was elected as an honorary member, as were the Worshipful Masters, Wardens & Secretaries of the Old Westminster Lodge, Charterhouse, “Deo Dante Dedi” and the old Cheltonian Lodge. A month later the lodge was invited to send a representative to the Public School Committee ( now Public Schools Lodges’ Council, or PSLC) and the Lodge has remained a member to this day.

HH Prince Maurice of Battenburg, aged just 20, was initiated by special dispensation in 1912 but sadly he was to die of wounds received in action early in the First World War 27th October 1914. A year previously on 27th June 1913 members decided to drop the original Latin name for the Lodge – “Heroum Filii” Sons of Heroes – in favour of its current name the “Old Wellingtonian Lodge”. Frustratingly the minutes of that meeting do not record a reason for this important decision. However this name change is recorded in the Old Wellingtonian magazine of that year.  The reason provided was that other masons did not know who ”Heroum Filii” were.  Our name was changed to “Old Wellingtonian “Lodge” so that other PSLC members could identify us as Old Wellingtonians.  Chaterhouse had a name change from “Deo Dante Dedi” for similar reasons.

As the end of “the war to end all wars” was approaching in 1917, the Worshipful Master of the Lodge who was of course the Grand Master of the movement, honoured the Lodge with his presence in June of that year. He was presented with a Past Master’s jewel in gold. Responding, and in a powerful speech, he referred to the patriotism of the Brethren of all Public Schools Lodges many of whom had fallen in battle.

The annual Public School Lodges’ Festival was held at Wellington College in 1922 when 165 notable Brethren met and dined together under the Presidency of the Rt.W.Bro. The Earl of Derby KG., etc the Provincial Grand Master for Lancashire

As the 2nd World War began in 1939 the first and original Worshipful Master of the OW Lodge, HRH the Duke of Connaught & Strathern as Grand Master, proving that the practice of freemasonry creates longevity, he was to die 3 years later at the grand old age of 92. During those early years of the war, meetings were suspended. They were then restored in 1942. Brethren returning from abroad on leave from the Front were not slow to spend part of their time in “Blighty” celebrating their much-loved craft of Freemasonry.

1959 saw the jubilee year celebrated at Wellington College. Rt.Hon. Lord Rathcreedan, PGM for Oxfordshire was installed as Worshipful Master by the Grand Secretary R.W. Sir James Stubbs when representative of no less than 26 public schools lodges attended.

In 1992 the Lodge was honoured to be asked to mount the Public Schools 59th Festival. The Grand Master and President of Wellington College, HRH the Duke of Kent attended. He was presented with a copy of a painting of his family of some three generations past that had hung in the Old Hall of Wellington College for something approaching 100 years.

The President of Wellington College, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC and Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England has graciously accepted honorary membership of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge No. 3404.

2009 – HRH Duke of Kent KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC, Grand Master – Honorary Worshipful Master
The President of Wellington College, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC and Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England has graciously accepted the position of Permanent Worshipful Master of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge No.3404. As Grand Lodge required him to be physically installed he was proclaimed as Honorary Worshipful Master in the meantime.

In 1909 the great, great uncle of the present Grand Master, HRH the Duke of Connaught KG etc, became the Worshipful Master of the Heroum Filii Lodge at its consecration, later to be renamed the Old Wellingtonian Lodge. He remained in that office until his death in 1942 – arguably the longest period a Worshipful Master has ever stayed in an office in any lodge.

A century later,  as the OW Lodge celebrates it centenary year, the Master and Brethren of the Lodge are indeed privileged to be honoured by the present Grand Master, who is perhaps better known to us as the President of Wellington College, becoming Honorary Worshipful Master of the Lodge.

In recent years the Lodge has increased its membership and is in good heart as we look forward to our centenary celebrations in 2009 and through 2010.