Our Proud Heritage

History of Marmion Lodge No 1060 - Tamworth’s oldest Masonic lodge

How it all began

Marmion Lodge is Tamworth’s oldest surviving lodge and is one of the oldest in Staffordshire. In early 1865 seven Tamworth Freemasons named William Hutton, Thomas W Coldicott, Edwin Hooper, George T Green, William J Walters, Thomas Sneyd and John Fairfield petitioned the United Grand Lodge of England to form a Lodge in Tamworth. The petition was duly granted on the 13th April 1865 by the Grand Master, Thomas Dundas, Earl of Zetland.

There followed a preliminary meeting on 27th May 1865 at the White Horse Hotel to organise the formation and opening of the Lodge. Subsequently, Marmion Lodge no 1060 was duly consecrated at 12 noon on Tuesday, 13th June 1865, with the proceedings once again taking place at the White Horse Hotel.

13th June 1865 – A new Lodge is born

The Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire, William Kenwright Harvey, presided at the ceremony of consecration and, with the assistance of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, John Burton, the Provincial Grand Senior Warden, G Baker and the Provincial Grand Junior Warden, H Segrave, installed William Hutton as the first Worshipful Master.

The new Worshipful Master then invested the following as officers of the Lodge:

· Senior Warden: Thomas W Coldicott, Junior Warden: Edwin Hooper, Treasurer: J Thompson, Secretary: George T Green

The following men, introduced by the Provincial Grand Master, were then initiated as members of the newly formed Lodge:

· William Bindley , Thomas Dumolo, Samuel Hanson, Charles Clarson, Robert Bindley.

The Lodge meeting was duly closed and the entire Lodge went in procession, headed by the band of the Tamworth Corps of the Rifle Volunteers, to Tamworth Town Hall for a banquet.