On 15 June 1928, WBro Woodcock, PM Godalming Lodge, No. 3811, Surrey, supported by several other Brethren, presented a Petition for a Warrant to hold a new Lodge to be named “The Saint Mildred’s Lodge”. The Brethren of Caerdydd voted in favour of the Petition, which was forwarded to United Grand Lodge, and the Warrant was duly issued on 8 November 1928. Thus, St. Mildred Lodge No. 5078 became Caerdydd’s first Daughter Lodge.

 The 1930s began with both the Senior and Junior Wardens declaring that they would not be seeking election as Master. Consequently, the Primus Master, WBro Charles Dean, PPGW, agreed to occupy the Chair for the second time.  Then in 1933, he became the first Member of the Lodge to receive United Grand Lodge (UGL) honours in the rank of PAGDC. In presenting him with his regalia on behalf of the Lodge, the Minutes record that the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, WBro Edgar John Rutter, PGD  “… admirably expressed the sentiments of the brethren and the great honour which the Lodge had received through WBro Dean’s well merited conferment”.

 The next Grand Lodge preferment was to be in 1939, when on 17 March the Worshipful Master announced that WBro Sam Thomas had also been honoured with the rank of PAGDC. The Deputy Provincial Grand Master once again had the pleasure of presenting him with his new regalia.

 As in the 1920s in relation to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, so did the 1930s see some munificent charitable donations from the Caerdydd Lodge in support of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys. Early in 1930, the Secretary of the RMIB informed the Lodge that the three sons of one of its late Brethren had been accepted at the school ‘without contested election’. Then, at the Installation Festival on 17 November 1939, it was announced that a letter had been received by WBro Edgar Rutter, from the headmaster of the Masonic Boys’ School regarding one of the sons, expressing ‘in high esteem WAS Thomas, who had attained the position of Head Boy of School.’

 During the early part of the Second World War, the Regular Meetings of the Lodge were held at normal times on Friday evenings, but owing to the effect of frequent enemy Air Raids and the difficulties of travelling at night, due to the “Blackout”, permission was granted to hold Regular Meetings on Saturday afternoons. All Meetings were regularly held and despite the number of members who were away on active service or engaged on work in connection with the War, the attendances at Meetings were maintained at an average high level.

 While no damage to or loss of Lodge Records or property was sustained, one very young Brother, Arthur John Peter Watts, made the Supreme Sacrifice, while serving with the Royal Air Force and Bro Edward Thomas Mitchell sustained a very severe disablement, while serving with the Royal Artillery. While it is not possible to give the complete record of the services rendered to their Country by all the Brethren of the Lodge, it is known that at least 19 served in the Armed Forces; 18 with the Home Guard; 26 were involved with Civil Defence Services and 5 with the National Fire Service. 

Further, the Lodge is proud to record that His Majesty, The King, was graciously pleased to confer the following honours: 

WBro Sir Percy E Thomas, a Knighthood; WBro George A Bainbridge, The Kings Police & Fire Service Medal; 

Bro William Phillips an MBE; Bro Cyril J Salmon an OBE; Bro Islwyn Roberts, The British Empire Medal. 

Also, Bro JC Howley was mentioned in Dispatches, Normandy, 6 June 1945 and Bro JM Ford was awarded the Medaille Populaire Francaise, by the French Government, for services rendered to French Nationals during the War.

Finally, mention must be made of Bro Cyril Salmon, who was Initiated into the Lodge in April 1933, at the age of 21 years. At that time, his profession was listed as Assistant to the Cardiff City Treasurer. During the 1930s he became a career serviceman in HM Forces, and in 1937 the Minutes record that he was ‘warmly welcomed’ to the Lodge following his recent return from service abroad. In February 1944, the Secretary sent him a congratulatory letter on his recent promotion to Group Captain in the RAF and, again in January 1945, when he was appointed OBE in the New Years Honours. He resigned from the Lodge in September 1967. By then he had achieved a distinguished military career attaining the rank of Air Vice-Marshall, as well as being further honoured by the Queen with the award of Companion of the Bath (CB). In January 1968, The Worshipful Master was pleased to inform the Brethren that Bro Salmon had received a knighthood in the New Years Honours.

 In September 1946, WBro Sam Hague presented a Petition for the formation of a new Lodge to be known as ‘Galen Lodge’. The Warrant was issued on 1 October 1946, and in February 1947 the Worshipful Master, WBro HG Yardly, informed the Brethren that he, together with WBro JW Butler (IPM) and Bro H Coles (SW) who had acted as sponsors at the formation of this second ‘Daughter Lodge’, had been elected Honorary Members of Galen Lodge No. 6366. 

The decade concluded with yet another preferment in Grand Lodge for one of the Lodge’s Brethren. This time the honour was bestowed on WBro Robert T McGregor who was appointed PGStB for the many services he had rendered to Freemasonry. Bro McGregor was installed as the sixth Master of the Lodge on 21 November 1924 and during his year in office he initiated sixteen candidates into the Lodge. On his vacating the Chair of King Solomon, and as a memento of their initiation, the same Brethren presented him with a silver plated pillar lamp in the Corinthian style with each of their names inscribed over the four facets at the base of the pillar. Some 42 years later, and by which time he had celebrated 50 years in Freemasonry, Bro McGregor presented the lamp to the Cardiff Masonic Hall Company where, to this day, it adorns the Secretary’s Desk in the Duke of Connaught Temple. 

By 1951, the Lodge had celebrated 31 years of very active Masonry and this, undoubtedly, had taken its toll on the Gauntlets, Collars of Office and Jewels of the Master, Wardens and Officers. Consequently, it was resolved at a meeting of the Finance and Standing (F&S) Committee that the Master “be authorized to proceed with the necessary arrangements for the renewals.”  It is also interesting to note that the total cost of refurbishment / renewal amounted to £85-13-9, which was to be written off over a period of 10 years.

 In those days, the Office of Tyler was a paid post and in 1951 his remuneration was: 10/- for a Single Ceremony Regular Lodge; 15/6 for a Double Ceremony Regular Lodge; and 5/6 for the Lodge of Instruction. His duties obviously included looking after the Lodge regalia etc, for at another meeting of the F&S Committee it was stated: “that the Tyler’s Sword presented by Bro A.J.Lennox is the exclusive property of the Caerdydd Lodge, under the custody of the Tyler, and is not to be loaned to anyone without his authority.”

 As in any Lodge, Brethren come and go; however, there are also those who remain for the rest of their lives making a valuable contribution to the running of the Lodge. Among those was Bro Leslie Whitehead. Bro Whitehead was Initiated in 1953, became Master in 1969, and throughout the 80s and part of the 90s served as Treasurer. Indeed, he was held in such high esteem that WBro WH Batstone, BEM, congratulated him in open Lodge for all his hard work as Treasurer and stated that he formed the backbone of the Lodge both in and out of meetings. In October 1996 he was elected to serve as Master once again but, unfortunately, health reasons forced him to stand down and another Election had to be held at the November meeting. Sadly, WBro Whitehead died a month before achieving his 50 years in Freemasonry but, happily, the memory of him remains with those who were fortunate to know him and who still fondly refer him today.

 The Lodge minutes for the period November 1958 to November 1960 appear to be missing. Fortunately, however, the minutes of the Finance & Standing meetings for the same period are intact. These indicate that in April 1960, the Lodge was again honoured with the preferment in Grand Lodge of WBro Trevor B.Phillips to the rank of Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.

 Attendances at Installation Festivals in the 1960s were still excellent. This is borne out by an amusing anecdote which WBro Theodore Evans still relates today, viz., that having become a Master Mason a Brother is entitled to sit anywhere in the Lodge with the exception of the Officers’ Chairs or the dais. However, at the Installation in November 1961, so full was the Templethat when the Brethren were instructed to be seated there was one Master Mason who found himself with nowhere to sit! Fortunately for him the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, RtWBro Edgar Rutter, PGW, OSM, was the Presiding Officer and the rules were relaxed with the Brother finding himself sitting in close proximity to the DPGM on the dais!

 The minutes of the Lodge meeting held on 16 March 1962 also record an occurrence where the Lodge was visited by Deputy Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Edgar Rutter together with the Provincial Senior and Junior Grand Wardens. No special reason is given for the visit, but the minutes state that he and his Wardens occupied the Master’s and Wardens’ Chairs respectively. RWBro Rutter then countersigned the minutes and presided over the first part of the proceedings in which Bro Alan H.Williams of the Old Goreans Lodge, No. 7193 became a Joining Member of the Caerdydd Lodge. At the time of writing this History (2009) it is pleasing to note that Bro Williams is still an active member of the Lodge, having served as an auditor for many years.

 1962 is also significant insomuch that on 18 April a 28 year old Detective Constable by the name of Peter Frost was proposed for membership of the Lodge. Bro Frost was Initiated on 21 September 1962 and became Worshipful Master in 1974 and again, 25 years later, in 1999 taking the Lodge into the new Millenium. In 1993, whilst still the Acting Provincial Junior Grand Warden, Bro Frost was appointed to the active rank of Assistant Grand Sword Bearer in United Grand Lodge. 1993 saw him appointed as Assistant Provincial Grand Master and he was subsequently promoted Past Senior Grand Deacon in 1995. On 16 September 1999, the new Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Hywel Davies duly appointed and invested WBro Frost as Deputy Provincial Grand Master.  The following April he was promoted Past Grand Sword Bearer in United Grand Lodge making him a Very Worshipful Brother. Bro Frost continued in this role until June 2007, when at the Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting he received sustained applause marking the end of 15 years continuous service to the Province. As a tribute to his devotion to Freemasonry, and especially the Caerdydd Lodge, the Brethren elected him to Honorary Membership on 18 November 2005. 

The 60s were undoubtedly eventful times as regards Masonic Veterans, for WBros G.A.Bainbridge, R.T.McGregor , T.B.Phillips and Sir Percy Thomas each completed 50 years in the Craft. Additionally, Bro N.D.Warr had the distinction of celebrating his 60th anniversary in Freemasonry on 15 October 1965.

1965 also saw the Initiation into the Lodge of Sir Richard Leslie Boyce, Bt. Bro Sir Richard had succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father who had been a past Lord Mayor of London. Sadly, in 1968, Bro Sir Richard, who had not been a well person, passed to the Grand Lodge Above at the age of 39 years.

In 1967, WBro Lt Col Arthur J.Lennox was awarded the OBE in the New Year’s Honours. Bro Lennox, whose occupation is listed in the Members’ Register as a ‘Master Fruit Salesman’, was Initiated into the Lodge in 1943 at the age of 40. The minutes of the meeting held in October 1956 indicate that he was promoted to Deputy Commandant of the Glamorgan Army Cadet Force. In 1958 Bro Lennox became Master of the Lodge. Obviously, he was a very active Mason for the Lodge Minutes of 1968 refer to the fact that the Worshipful Master congratulated him on his recent nomination to the Office of Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Mark Masons. In September 1974 he was again congratulated on his appointment as Inspector General (Designate) of the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine. His Masonic career did not end there, for in March 1977 he was appointed as Great Sword Bearer in the Knights Templar Great Priory, and in 1978 he was invested as Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Wales Mark Masons. Finally, in May 1983, the Brethren of Caerdydd elected him to Honorary Membership of the Lodge in recognition of the services he had rendered.

 It is interesting to note that at one F&S Committee Meeting in 1990, the subject of the location of all Past Masters’ Jewels was raised. WBro Gordon Stow informed the Committee that he’d seen W.Bro Lennox’s Past Master’s Jewel on display in a cabinet at the Masonic Temple in Pontyclun, together with all his other jewels relating to the degrees of Mark Master Mason and Royal Ark Mariner.  After an approach to the Management Committee at Pontyclun, the jewel was removed and presented back to Caerdydd Lodge on condition that it be replaced with a jewel connected with the Mark Degree. It so happened that at that time Bro Stow was Senior Warden of the Province’s Mark Masons, and in his possession was a Past Senior Wardens’ jewel which had originally belonged to WBro Lennox and on which were inscribed the names of the Past Provincial Senior Wardens in the Mark Degree since he held that position. Fortunately, or unfortunately as one may view the situation, there was no more space to include Bro Gordon’s name. Consequently, he would have to have a new jewel! Therefore, the Caerdydd Lodge and the Management Committee were satisfied with this proposed exchange and, consequently, the Past Master’s Jewel was returned to the Caerdydd Lodge.

 The 1970s also saw two Brethren of the Lodge receive Honours of a different nature – the one in Grand Lodge and the other in the Civil List. WBro Percy V.Thomas was appointed to the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer, and WBro Harold Batstone received the BEM.

It is true to say that since its inception, the Lodge has been synonymous with the names of some of the most prominent Freemasons in the Province of South Wales and, indeed, in the Craft as a whole and other Degrees. However, what is not widely known is the fact that a Brother of the Caerdydd Lodge rose to the rank of Right Worshipful Brother by virtue of him becoming ‘Land Grand Master of the British Freemasons in Germany’.  The Brother concerned was Bro Major WDJ Heath-Smith who was initiated into the Caerdydd Lodge in 1956. Bro Heath-Smith, also a career serviceman, served with the BAOR in Germanyafter World War II. There are a few references to him throughout the minutes in the 70s, but the final reference to him appeared in the Minutes dated 19 December 1986, when WBro Leslie Whitehead informed the Brethren of the Lodge that the Quarterly Communication from UGL stated: “…  that amongst the Distinguished Brethren there were three members of the Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany”. One of those mentioned was none other than WBro Major W.D.J. Heath-Smith, Past Grand Master of the British Freemasons in Germany. The communication also quoted the fact that he was wearing the badge of his UGL rank of Past Senior Grand Deacon. 

In October 1983, the first instance of a Grand Lodge Officer being mandated to the Lodge, under Rule 124 of the Book of Constitutions, occurred with the appointment of WBro R.C.Hilton, PAGDC. He was followed by WBro Leslie H.S. Jeans, PJGD, in February 1985, who remained in that capacity until WBro Peter Frost attained Grand Rank in 1993. In October 2003, because of his commitments as Deputy Provincial Grand Master, VWBro Frost appointed WBro Vivian A.Telling, PAGDC, to serve as Mandated Officer to the Lodge in order to assist the Lodge during his absences. Bro. Telling became a Joining Member of the Lodge in October 2007, and has served as Secretary since April 2008. 

In April 1986, the Lodge’s Chaplain, WBro Frank Garwood, celebrated his 50th anniversary in Freemasonry. Bro Garwood is pictured below in his Provincial Regalia and also in his Royal Naval Air Service uniform of World War I. 

Installation Ceremonies are supposed to be happy occasions. Unfortunately, there are always exceptions to the rule and such was the case at the Festive Board following the Installation of WBro Gordon Stow in 1989.  The toast to the Master was given by WBro Lyn T.Williams, the Past Master who had Initiated, Passed and Raised WBro Stow. At the completion of the toast, the Master’s Song was rendered by Bro John Davies of Port Talbot and at its conclusion it was discovered that WBro Williams had collapsed and appeared to have suffered a Heart Attack. A member of the Lodge, Bro Roger Conner, together with a Visiting Brother, WBro Doctor Arthur Jones from Port Talbot, and a doctor from an adjacent Dining Room rendered heart massage and mouth to mouth resuscitation for approximately forty five minutes before the Ambulance Service eventually arrived. The Festive Board was abandoned and WBro Lyn Williams was conveyed to Cardiff Royal Infirmary where he was pronounced Dead on Arrival.  And so the decade concluded on a sad note.

 The early 1990’s again saw another Brother of the Lodge celebrate 50 years in Freemasonry. This time the distinction fell to Bro T.G.Forse.

An Informal Meeting of the Lodge Committee held on 9 September 1994, was informed “… that in view of the amount of work involved and the time available it would not at the present time be possible to write a History of the Lodge covering the 75 years. WBro L.E.Whitehead informed the meeting that he had extracted from the Lodge’s first Minute Book details of meetings held by the Bute Lodge in connection with the proposal to form a New Lodge. An outline of these minutes was read to the meeting and it was agreed that these minutes together with a list of Founder Members be incorporated with the printing of this year’s Installation Menu Card.”  And so, on 18 November 1994, the Installation of Bro Richard J.Street as Worshipful Master marked the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the Caerdydd Lodge.

 1996 also proved to be an eventful year for the Lodge, with the Worshipful Master, WBro D.S.Borthwick, Initiating his three sons, by Dispensation, at the Lodge Meeting held on 15 March 1996. He subsequently Passed and Raised his three sons, again by Dispensation, during the year.

 With one exception in1967, it has always been a fact that the Caerdydd Lodge has been a great supporter of Masonic Charities. It is, therefore, of no surprise that the Charity Steward, WBro C.J.Clifford, was able to inform the Brethren that the Lodge had achieved the Gold Medal Target for the 1999 Festival. On behalf of the Lodge, WBro Clifford received the Gold Medallion at a presentation ceremony held at the Hendre Lodge in January 1999.

 The October 2003 Meeting yet again marked the celebration of a Masonic Veteran in the Lodge, and on behalf of the Brethren, the Worshipful Master congratulated WBro Robert Meyrick on this remarkable achievement.

 As I conclude this brief narrative of the Lodge’s history from November 1919 to January 2010, it is hoped that the Brethren who read it will reflect on the glorious past of the Caerdydd Lodge and also pay tribute to the dedication of the handful of Past Masters who have in recent years continued to keep the Lodge alive.  Let us hope that as with any dying ember there will be a spark that rekindles the flame of life in this wonderful Lodge, and that its Centenary will be celebrated in 2019.

 This history of the Caerdydd Lodge has been compiled by WBro VA Telling, PAGDC, with grateful thanks to WBro ALF Townsend, PPrSGDfor his assistance with the research