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W Bro Vinnie Cochrane and W Bro Richard Cavanagh LGR

In this edition of the Art of the Craft I visited the prestigious and historic Lodge of Faith No 141 at Southgate Masonic Centre to witness an excellent meeting and view an eclectic mix of Georgian masonic furniture and objects.

My story begins some weeks earlier, when I previously visited Southgate at the invitation of the delightful Clapton Chapter.  At the conclusion of that rather splendid meeting, disrobed and eager to sample the centre’s renowned sausage and mash, in my haste to find the location of the Festive Board, I inadvertently found myself lost among the centre’s seemingly endless labyrinth of corridors: though whilst I might have felt like Theseus trapped in the vast maze of Knossos, I was at least reassured there would be no Minotaur in hot pursuit!  But the question still remained, would I ever escape?  By complete happenstance, when pushing on yet another door in the hope of salvation, I found myself in the centre's largest temple.

I was immediately intrigued by what befell me: a rather charming collection of highly decorative and seemingly aged furniture which adorned this chequered floor chamber of secrets.  As I crossed the room, I noted the Lodge name and number inscribed on the Worshipful Master’s pedestal: “Lodge of Faith 141”.  Bearing in mind the several thousand Lodges that have been consecrated, finding a number as low as 141 meant I was in the presence of a Lodge of some age and prestige. 

At this point, I was interrupted by my dear friend W Bro Edward Compton who, well accustomed to my incapacity to follow a simple route from A to B without taking a grand detour had come to rescue me. It turned out the Ariadne’s thread I required to escape Southgate’s complex network of corridors was, in fact, Edward’s inbuilt sense of direction!

When excitedly sharing my discovery over dinner at the Festive Board, it transpired, somewhat serendipitously, that I was actually sitting next to the current Master of 141 – the congenial Worshipful Brother Jeremy Reese – who, as we quaffed our wine, proceeded to explain the history of the furniture, which was indeed antique as I originally suspected.   

W Bro Reece took another sip from his wine before leaning towards me and drawing me close.  He then imparted two fascinating tales concerning the Lodge’s unusual consecration arising from its undoubtedly unique Warrant of Constitution and, secondly, the Lodge’s possession of a rare, one might even say ‘mythical’, lost tracing board, the existence of which is largely unknown to all but a few Brethren who are lucky enough to attend a meeting of 141.  Sensing my excitement at these revelations, W Bro Reese asked me if I would like to attend the next meeting.   

Within a few days I was in receipt of the Lodge’s Summons and, on the evening of the 20^th  May, I once again returned to the Southgate Centre.  To make sure I didn’t get lost, I brought W Bro Edward with me.  From the consecration date on the Summons, I noted the Lodge was formed in 1774 – over 250 years ago – on 8^th November, which meant it was, astonishingly, two years older than the founding of the United States of America.  Indeed, bringing the story back ‘across the pond’ to our own shores, the Lodge of Faith was consecrated at the midpoint of the Georgian era, during the early years of the reign of King George III.

 One cannot help but be struck by the enormity of the history of this Lodge, which has been witness to and saluted 10 monarchs since its inception.  It makes one ponder what exactly life was like 250 years ago when the Founders of this Lodge set forth on their Masonic journey together.  To set the scene in my mind, I dusted off and consulted my schoolboy encyclopaedia for fascinating facts about 1774: Louis XVI became the King of France (indeed, the final King before the country’s revolution against the monarchy’s rather nice gesture to feed the people cake – the Great French Bake Off being hosted by Madame Guillotine). The English sea captain and explorer James Cook had a particularly busy year at the helm, being first European to discover and name Palmerston Island in the South Pacific Ocean and then New Caledonia in Melanesia. And Cook’s discoveries paled into insignificance compared to the  British scientist Joseph Priestley, who ‘officially’ discovered and named the element ‘Oxygen’, which he found in Wilshire (though he could equally have found it somewhere else – it’s everywhere, Joe). And, pinging back across the pond again, a certain George Washington founded a militia group independent of British control, no doubt cautiously approaching his male friends and whispering ‘I’ve got this secret group I’d like you to join’ (“Is this about your Lodge again, George?” “Nope.  Hold this musket and follow me”). Whilst I couldn’t find any notable births, there’s a reasonable chance Blackadder the Third was born around this period…

So, having set the scene, let us briefly consider some interesting facts about the Lodge of Faith.  Despite its religiously themed name, it is only relatively recently that the Lodge has become a home for Chaplains within the United Grand Lodge of England.  Considering the growth of Special Interest Lodges and Chapters, the Lodge of Faith certainly has the right monicker!  Interestingly, the Lodge also has a very strong, though relatively recent, association with France.  Just after the Millenium, two members of the 141 were regular visitors to Lodges in France and, with friendships established, invited several French Masons to visit and join the Lodge.  These new Brothers (ou Freres s’il vous plait) made further recommendations to their own friends, which has resulted in about 30 per cent of Lodge’s members now being French; though the work of the Lodge remains in English.

The Lodge of Faith are a hospitable and courteous group.  One is immediately struck by the warm and friendly atmosphere: you are instantly among friends.  I noted from the Summons the Lodge’s wider contribution to Freemasonry, which over the years has been considerable: a Patron of the Royal Masonic Institutes for Girls and Boys, as well the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution; a Founding Lodge of the Freemasons Hospital and Nursing Home and a Grand Patron Lodge of the Royal Masonic Hospital; as well as a Patron of the New Masonic Samaritan Fund.  It is also a member of the Association of Athol Lodges (more on that later).   

I was privileged to visit No 141 on this day, packed as the agenda was with an eclectic mix of varying aspects of Freemasonry on show.  The main event was the Passing of Bro Jean-Francois Klein, who had been initiated earlier this year.  In addition to this, there was a eulogy for a dearly departed Brother, a ballot for 5 new joining members and a visitation from a Metropolitan Grand Inspector. 

The meeting itself was an utter delight. The Lodge was opened in due form and in an excellent manner, the officers working like clockwork with ritual and floorwork precision.  This was followed a beautifully worded and heartfelt eulogy for W Bro Brian Dunn SLGR, clearly loved and missed by his fellow Brethren, and delivered perfectly by Brian’s son, W Bro David Dunn. 

With a loud knock on the door, we then welcomed the Grand Inspector’s Escort Officer, who superbly marshalled members of the Lodge to escort Grand Inspector W Bro David Siebler PJGD into the Temple.  Warmly welcomed by the Lodge, W Bro Siebler was offered the gavel as is his right but politely declined as custom allows, before telling those present how delighted he was to visit this magnificent, historic Lodge.  The Lodge Secretary, W Bro Matthew Christmas – who is also MetGL’s Grand Secretary – then presented the names of 5 new joining members, which included the Assistant Metropolitan Grand Master, the VW Bro Michael Todd PGSwdB.  Five new joining members in one meeting is a wonderful achievement for any Lodge and serves to demonstrate how widely regarded this Lodge truly is. 

We then turned to the main business of the day, the passing of Bro Jean-Francois Klein. What followed was an excellently executed ceremony: the Lodge of Faith are blessed with a dedicated and hardworking group of Brothers, and it was clear the amount of hard work which went into this flawless performance.  In particular, Bro. Jean-Pierre Paquien did a fantastic job in guiding Bro Klein through the ceremony as Senior Deacon and it was a joy to again witness W Bro Jeremy Reese PGStB as Worshipful Master deliver the Obligation and various explanations thereafter with the poise and grace of a Shakespearean player.    All in all, this was a fantastic meeting, executed perfectly and delivered with humour and grace.  I commend all the officers who took part in the ceremony and the wider meeting for their excellent work!

Now, in addition to being invited to witness this marvellous meeting, I was also here in my guise as roaming Arts correspondent.   I like to think of this column as The South Bank Show of London Freemasonry – I can hear Julian Webber tuning his cello in anticipation.  With that in mind, I now turn to my other purpose for being here: to examine and learn about the history of several pieces of noteworthy centuries old Masonic furniture. 
 

Anyone who visits 141 cannot escape the splendid Georgian furniture. Over the centuries, Masonic centres have often replaced their furniture of Master’s and Wardens’ chairs, pedestals and columns, gavels and other tools due to inevitable wear and tear.  Yet, here, we find a Lodge which still uses the furniture it had in the early days of its long and illustrious history, most of it over 245 years old.  That is incredibly rare; and it is also a treat to view, first-hand.  At the end of the temple, in the North, we find the Worshipful Master's throne, a majestic mahogany chair on top of which sits a golden globe, accompanied by three beautifully crafted gold figurines depicting the female personifications of Faith, Hope, and Charity. In front sits the Master's pedestal, enshrined with the words 'Lodge of Faith.'   Similarly, there are two handcrafted chairs and pedestals in the East and South for each of the Wardens, again equally splendid and majestic in design.  Each pedestal is complete with the original Georgian columns.  Truly, a beautiful collection of hand-crafted Georgian furniture.

My favourite discovery, of which 141 is rightfully proud, is an intriguing  wooden box, though on further inspection more akin to a genius machine from antiquity: though constructed during the Georgian era, such is its complexity and ingenuity of moving parts, I can equally imagine it’s design set out on centuries-old parchment belonging to the great Da Vinci himself!

Impossible to ignore, its mere presence in an otherwise unchanged Lodge room draws you to it. 

It is, in fact, a rather splendid box of tricks, the metaphorical magician’s hat from which a startled white rabbit is pulled to cheers from an enthralled audience.  Within the box are four exquisitely painted and beautifully presented tracing boards.  Crafted by a skilled carpenter, this object comes to life with the aid of various pulleys which, similar to a sash window, select and raise the appropriate tracing board for the degree being worked, each in turn ascending vertically from this box of tricks to be secured by the white-gloved magician’s hands of the Director of Ceremonies and presented to the Lodge.  Continuing the magician’s metaphor, if the presentation of the box is the ‘pledge’ (the presentation or set-up to what is to come) and its machinations when enacted the so-called ‘turn’; then the third part of this magic act – the ‘prestige’– is completed with the great reveal! This is indeed a very unique turn on the universal Lodge function of changing and presenting the Lodge tracing board.

Of course, the more observant among you might have noticed with a quizzical eye that I stated the box is the repository of four tracing boards; but surely there are only three?  The box, my friends, is only half the surprise!  Contained therein, in addition to the boards for the first three degrees, is a fourth, rarely seen, tracing board.  The history of this unique board – indeed, the reason behind its very existence – is actually unknown to the Lodge itself; it’s just always been a part of the Lodge’s collection.  The board depicts the skeletal figure of the Grim Reaper floating in mid-air, his face adorned with the rictus grin so typifying that age; with his scythe aloft, and holding the metaphorical sands of time hourglass. He gazes down upon a collection of objects on the ground: a crown, a broken sword and sceptre, and a snapped metal chain.  I certainly was not expecting that!  Nor was Edward, who reached across and squeezed my hand tightly.  The Grim Reaper – the harvester of souls – is indeed an arresting image.  The Reaper was first depicted as the personification of death in the 14^th century during the Black Death; though the name itself only really came into common parlance during the 19^th century, when the haunting figure also becoming a popular (if feared) literary character as depicted by such writers as Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens (notably the Ghost of Christmas Future).  Here, the tracing board is presented as an additional visual accompaniment to the Lodge’s third degree ceremony, ensuring its regular usage in tandem with the third degree board of which we are all much more familiar. 

Managing to free my hand from Edward’s vice-like grasp, I was presented with the next item in this trove of treasures:  a unique document with a singularly exceptional backstory.  I present to you the Lodge’s Warrant of Constitution.   Remarkably, the Lodge still has its original Warrant, which is almost 251 years old (the Lodge celebrating its 250^th anniversary last November). Well preserved and protected within framed glass, it’s a wondrous thing to view such a piece of Masonic history.  But the story behind this document is even more remarkable.  For the constitutional establishment of the Lodge of Faith 141, as decreed in this exquisitely handwritten document, was seemingly approved and signed by… a ghost.  Once again, Edward’s manly mitt had wrapped itself around mine.  The Lodge of Faith 141 is a member of a group of Lodges referred to Athol Lodges, signifying that the Duke of Athol was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancients when they were formed.  The Lodge’s Warrant, granting them the right to form a Lodge, was signed by the Duke as recorded on the document as the 8^th November 1774.  Nothing unusual there, you might say.  However, the Duke had actually passed away 3 days earlier on 5^th of November.  I took the bait.  “But how is this possible?”  If we disregard the option the Duke popped back from the Gates of St Peter to finish off some administrative duties, the more reasonable assumption is that he post-dated the Warrant as per the intended consecration date, no doubt as a matter of personal convenience, and with no knowledge he would soon ascend to the Grand Lodge Above.  Sighs of relief all round!

And yet, there is more to this story.  If the constitutional signature of a deceased Duke is not odd enough, when the Warrant was created, no name had as yet been chosen for the Lodge; consequently, this is perhaps the only Warrant of Constitution in existence with no name assigned to it.  141 is officially “the Lodge with no name.”  Edward was slowly edging towards the exit: taking one step, another a little longer, another longer still; even in ‘flight’ mode, his floorwork is commendable.    

And there you have it.  A Lodge with no name, seemingly approved by a ghostly Duke, a room full of beautiful antique Georgian furniture, and a magical tracing board box containing a forgotten fourth tracing board.  Rare Masonic treasures, found in suburbia at the end of the Picadilly Line.  Remarkable! 

If you have the opportunity to visit the Lodge of Faith, I implore you to do so.  You’ll find a merry group of hospitable men who will make you most welcome; you’ll also get to sit among rare and beautiful treasures.  On my visit I found myself in an extraordinary setting, surrounded by strange and esoteric things, arcane furniture, and richly allusive Masonic objects. I salute the brilliance of one of our oldest Lodges, whose rich history should make all of us proud.

A vibrant and growing Lodge, and as befits its name, Lodge 141 shows us all that a little Faith does indeed go a long way. 

This article is part of the Arena Magazine Issue 58 – Summer 2025 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 58 here.

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