Brief Aberystwyth Lodge history
At a meeting held at the Belle Vue Hotel, Aberystwyth, on 21 July 1865, it was unanimously agreed that a Masonic Lodge be established in the town.
A Warrant of Constitution was granted to the Lodge on 19 September 1865, and on 30 November in the same year, the Aberystwyth Masonic Lodge No. 1072 was consecrated and opened.
In December 1890, the Lodge moved to the Masonic Hall in Market Street.
Notable members of the Lodge include:
- The civil engineer Sir James Weeks Szlumper (1834-1976)
- The musician Joseph Parry (1841-1903)
- The musician David John De Lloyd (1883-1948)
- Two Librarians of the National Library of Wales, Sir John Ballinger (1860-1933) and Sir William Llewelyn Davies (1887-1952)
Brief Origins of Freemasonary
No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons' guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity's rituals come from this era.
The oldest document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem, printed about 1390, which was a copy of an earlier work.
In 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England, and records from that point on are more complete.
Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy.
Charity and Freemasonry
The values of Freemasonry are based on integrity, kindness, honesty and fairness. Freemasons are taught to practise charity and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole – both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Masonic charity is exercised at every level: individual Lodges make gifts and give aid to their own communities and every Province also gives large sums of money to regional causes. Nationally, our efforts are channelled through the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
