History

Brief Loyal  Manor History

After  the end of WW2 there were two Lodges residing in the Portland Freemason Hall and their membership had swelled to such levels that some of the brethren approached the Provincial Grand Lodge (the governing body of Dorset Lodges) to enquire after forming a new Lodge.

Thus the Loyal Manor Lodge No. 6445 was born – it being the second daughter Lodge sponsored by Portland Lodge No. 1037.

The Lodge was consecrated on November 12th 1947 by the Provincial Grand Master Right Worshipful Brother The Earl of Shaftsbury. There were 26 Founders and the Founding Master was W. Bro. C. H. Kaile.

The founders had hoped that the Lodge could be called Royal Manor but were not permitted to do so, thus the warrant issued on February 5th 1947 bore the name Loyal Manor.

The Lodge emblem initially was the square and compasses incorporating the “All Seeing Eye” but on the 23rd January 1948 this was changed to a facsimile of Portland as viewed from the causeway linking it to Weymouth. This is included in the Lodge banner which was presented by member Bro. Louis Basso on April 23rd 1954. This original banner now resides in a display cabinet in the Portland Freemason Hall, it having been replaced by a new one at a ceremony on September 27th 2013 attended by the Provincial Grand Master Right Worshipful Brother Richard Merritt, his deputy, his assistant and 14 active Provincial Officers.

To this day the Lodge enjoys a buoyant membership and whilst none of the founding members are still with us, their spirit lives on in the enterprise and camaraderie of this fine Dorset Lodge.