The First 50 Years 1945-1995

 

In 1945, Pontypool was a prominent and thriving town to the eastern rim of the South Wales coalfields.  The new town of Cwmbran had yet to be built, and the town continued to enjoy the trappings of historic heavy industry with several deep mines in its vicinity and busy iron, steel and tinplate works.  Pontypool was an important commercial centre, and it was about to receive a deluge of young men returning home from war, full of hope and with a vision of a new society and order.  There was a great demand for the utopian ideals of Freemasonry.

 

The formation of a new Lodge under Kennard Lodge No. 1258 was first mooted in 1934. Due to the conditions in Europe at that time and the outbreak of the 1939-45 war, the plan was postponed but resumed again in 1944. 

 

Kennard Lodge had a membership of between 180-200 brethren by that time. With a long waiting list of applicants for membership, the prospects of some younger brethren obtaining office in the Lodge was remote. Given these circumstances, it was felt by many members of the Kennard Lodge that another Lodge should be formed and that early steps be taken to proceed with the idea.

 

The Provincial Grand Master, RW.Bro. Lt Col. J.G. Bishop, OBE and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. S.A. Meacock were approached and enthusiastically supported the proposal. A petition was signed and forwarded with support from Provincial Grand Lodge and was subsequently granted by Grand Lodge.

 

Meanwhile, an informal meeting was called by W.Bro. Mansel B. Davies (WM 1931-1932) who invited the brethren of Kennard Lodge, with at least three years’ membership, to become Founder Members at a fee of five guineas (c£5.25). There were 43 applications to become Founder Members of the new Lodge, later consecrated as Trevethin Lodge No. 6008 and named after the pre-medieval local Parish Church of St Cadoc Trevethin.  The founders’ names can be seen on a board above the Junior Warden’s chair in the south of the temple.

 

The Lodge emblem was based on the Lych Gate of Trevethin Church, and the Lodge banner was designed by a local artist, Miss Myfanwy Haycock of Pontnewynydd.  Since wartime rationing was still in force, the lady relatives of the Founder Members provided the materials and skills to make the banner that still hangs in the temple today.

 

At 3pm on Thursday 22nd March 1945, the Consecration was held at Pontypool Masonic Hall, the Consecrating Officer being the Provincial Grand Master, RW.Bro Lt. Col. J.G. Bishop OBE.

 

It is recorded that the highlight of the ceremony was the stirring oration delivered with eloquence and great fervour by Bro. Reverend  W.S. Evans, ProvGChap. His theme was ‘The influence of Freemasonry surrounded by a world of strife and un-charitableness.’ There were 133 brethren present in the temple, with music under the direction of Bro. C.H. Pearce PProvGOrg, FRCO. A choir of 22 Founder Members supported the ceremony.

 

Later that evening, a sumptuous banquet was provided for 120 freemasons.

 

The Installation of W.Bro. Mansel B. Davies (pictured), Provincial Grand Registrar, as the first Worshipful Master of Trevethin Lodge, immediately followed the Consecration. The ceremony was performed by the Deputy Provincial  Grand Master, W.Bro. S.A. Meacock PGDC.  

 

The choice of Bro. Davies as the first Master, was inspired. Initially in the Chair of our Mother Lodge (1931-1932),         Bro. Davies was a prodigious and exalted Mason.  He was an active Provincial Officer (Registrar) and appointed to Grand Lodge in 1948 as Past Grand Standard Bearer, having already attained a Grand Rank in the Mark Degree in 1942, Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, and a similar Grand Rank in the Royal Arch in 1946. Few freemasons achieve this hat-trick. He was to get Trevethin Lodge off to a flying start!

 

The Founders deliberately created variations of the procedures followed by Kennard Lodge.  Dinner jackets were usual for officers, and subtle differences in ritual and Lodge workings were determined, which are treasured and maintained today.

 

As World War II was still being waged, clothes rationing was rigidly enforced. The wearing of white gloves at Masonic meetings was suspended for the duration of hostilities and was not restored until January 1957.  Also, the obtaining of Masonic regalia was out of the question. The officers for the year were invested with collars and gauntlets loaned by Kennard Lodge as severe wartime restrictions made it impossible to obtain new regalia until some years later. When the regalia became available, a chain for the Master’s Collar was purchased and presented to the Lodge by Senior Master, W.Bro. H.J.G. Wall PProvSGW.

 

Trevethin Lodge fees in 1945 were as follows. Joining members paid one guinea plus an annual subscription of five guineas. Initiation fees were 15 guineas.

 

In the first year, Trevethin Lodge initiated 16 candidates into its membership. At first, this was not received well by Provincial Grand Lodge, but the Lodge quickly established a reputation for hospitality and friendship.  However, its by-laws were later amended to read ‘when membership exceeds 100, a maximum of four initiates per year will be accepted’.

 

Membership rapidly exceeded the 100 mark. Members were accepted from a great range of occupations, a factor of great advantage to the Lodge over the ensuing years.  On 11th April 1949, John Howe Davies, a 31-year-old civil servant, was initiated into Trevethin Lodge, 17 years later becoming Worshipful Master (1966-1967). A Justice of the Peace, a Chairman of the Pontypool Bench of Magistrates and later promoted to the rank of Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden, W.Bro. John initiated his son, Richard Geoffrey Davies, into the Lodge on Monday, 9th September 1985. See the later section on notable brethren for more on this.

 

Recent Years 1995-2015

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50th Anniversary

In 1995, Trevethin Lodge celebrated its 50th Anniversary with W.Bro. William E. Penn, PProvGSuptWks presiding as Worshipful Master for the year.  The celebration dinner was held at Pontypool Masonic Hall on 10th April 1995 with the Provincial Grand Master, RW.Bro. Donald C. Powell and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. A. John Day present. They were supported by numerous Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge officers.  In total, 64 brethren dined that evening for £11 per head. Souvenir glass tankards were commissioned to mark the event.  Other expenses for the event were - Catering £670.50, Souvenir Menus £130, Photographs £187 and Table Wine £90.

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W.Bro. Maendy Lewis PProvGReg, aged 92 and the only surviving Founder Member, was invited to open the Lodge that evening, but illness prevented his attendance.

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2015 – date

In September 2015, Trevethin Lodge membership was 43 brethren, but the lodge had ambitious growth plans. However, in 2020, the world was shaken by Covid19, a pandemic that brought Freemasonry across the country to a halt, with lodge meetings suspended for all but essential business. Faced with the most significant global pandemic in living memory, Freemasons came together and donated time and funds to help those in need. Brethren at Trevethin Lodge were no different. Donations were used to help communities in critical areas, including food banks, support for carers, personal protective equipment, and supplies for hospitals and hospices.

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Unfortunately, freemasonry lost many brethren during the pandemic, with many other families affected by the loss of loved ones. In January 2022, masonic business fully resumed in Trevethin Lodge. Due to the pandemic and the cessation of lodge business, on Monday 14th March 2022.

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Notable Brethren

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Richard Geoffrey Davies

Richard Geoffrey Davies was initiated into Trevethin Lodge on Monday 9th September 1985. On Monday 11th March 1996, 30 years after his father, Bro. Richard, a solicitor by profession, was installed into the chair of King Solomon by W.Bro. John. This was to signal the start of a very distinguished career in Freemasonry.  W.Bro. Richard became Master again in 2000/01 and 2001/02. 

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At the same time, W.Bro. Richard concentrated his professional skills on creating the Monmouthshire Masonic Trust Fund (1997), a wholly non-masonic local charity again in 2004, with the Provincial Grand Charity. Provincial honours followed, and in 2005, he was appointed to Grand Lodge with the rank of Past Assistant Grand Registrar.

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In 2013, RW.Bro. Malcolm C.G. Lane JP, Provincial Grand Master, appointed and invested W.Bro. Richard as the Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Monmouthshire. In 2014, he was promoted to the Grand Rank of Past Grand Sword Bearer with the appendant title of Very Worshipful Brother attached to it.

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On 24th October 2016, VW.Bro Richard became Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Monmouthshire while holding the rank of Most Excellent Grand Superintendent for the Holy Royal Arch. The last time this happened was 75 years before.

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Other Brethren

A notable member was Bro. Daniel Granville West, a local solicitor who became a Member of Parliament for Pontypool. He later became a Life Peer and took the title of Baron Granville-West of Pontypool.

 

Another character was W. Bro. Archie Filer, PProvJGW, a broadcaster and singer on BBC Radio.   W.Bro. Archie was also responsible for creating the original Senior Warden/Master-elect scrolls, used throughout the Province and inscribed with the signatures of the Wardens. They are presented to the Master-elect at each election night.

 

W.Bro. Reverend Doctor Canon Arthur Edwards, PAGChap,  an author and historian, was initiated into Trevethin Lodge on 10th October 1983. He was Vicar of St Hilda's Church, Pontypool and was later installed as Worshipful Master on 11th March 1991.  W.Bro. Arthur, having given much of his time and learning to the advancement of Freemasonry in Monmouthshire during the intervening years, received Provincial honours culminating in being invested into Grand Lodge in 2013 with the active rank of Assistant Grand Chaplain.

 

Many other great characters and eminent members are worthy of mention.  W.Bro. Spencer Brimble was an outstanding Director of Ceremonies and  Bro. Tom Cowell, for so many years a very efficient Lodge Secretary.  The Templar Brothers: W.Bro. Joe, a school teacher, went through the Kennard Chair in 1957, W.Bro Fred, another teacher, went through the Chair in 1952, followed by their brother Edmund in 1962.  All non-conformist ministers, they were formidable masons.  The Griffin Brothers: W.Bro. Ralph (1972/73) and W.Bro. Clive (1983/84) were both prodigious ritualists and Bro. Clive an exceptional Director of Ceremonies. W.Bro. Roy Price (1984-85) was the Preceptor of the Lodge for many years, and W.Bro. Alan Hodge the first Past Master to return to the Chair (1993 and 1997), although others were to follow.

 

Finally, Bro. Terry Price a much respected local church organist who has contributed music to so many Lodges and Chapters across the Province for such a long time. A modest, self-effacing freemason, Bro. Terry not only contributed music to local Freemasonry, but he has also brought excellent administrative skills for the benefit of both the Lodge and Pontypool Masonic Hall. Province recognised this dedication with an award of Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works, the highest Provincial rank of any Master Mason.