About Us

Our History

Welling Lodge No. 5976 was founded on 30th November 1944 at Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street, London. We are proud to be over 75 years old and still going strong today. The ceremony in November 1944 was solemnified by the Rt. Worshipful The Grand Master The Rt. Honourable the Lord Cornwallis, M.C., PGW and he was assisted by many notable Freemasons who are listed in the first minute book of the Lodge which is in the custody of the Lodge Secretary.

Our first regular meeting took place on Thursday 5th April 1945 at the Blackhorse Public House in Sidcup High Street at 4pm precisely, with 15 officers in attendance, along with other members and 33 guests.

On 6th November 1952, an emergency meeting was held, and it was resolved that the lodge would hold five meetings per year, scheduled on the first Thursday in March, May, July, September, and November. The November meeting is traditionally when a new master is installed to govern the lodge for the following year.

Our Lodge still meets in Sidcup today.

The Lodge was originally linked to the proprietors of the shops and businesses in Welling but today we are drawn from all walks of life and professions.

Our current meeting place is the Shirley Woolmer Masonic Centre, located in Church Road, Sidcup. Additionally, we hold a weekly informal meeting at the United Servicemen’s Club, also in Sidcup, Kent.

We host several social events that are open to our families and friends, including a Christmas Party and an annual Ladies Festival, the venue for which is selected by the Master. We also organize various fundraising and fun events, such as a cycle ride from Sidcup to Whitstable, as well as historical and sightseeing tours led by a Blue Badge guide. Notable tours have included visits to the Tower of London, a Jack the Ripper tour, and the Menin Gate in Belgium.

Our Members

The Lodge has strong family ties throughout its history and even today there are many Fathers and Sons throughout the lodge.

We come from all walks of life, professions and locations, you will always find a friend at Welling.

We have 30 members ranging from late 30’s to earley 80’s

Our Activities

We are a friendly and socially active lodge holding regular events throughout the year. Our Christmas party and our Annual Ladies Festival are always the highlight of our social calendar but we also spare time for an annual bike ride to Whitstable or a theme or quiz night.

We have a number of keen cyclist in the lodge and others with a healthy rivalry between football clubs.

We meet most Thursdays for a Lodge of Instruction, primarily to practice our ritual. Its really just an opportunity to catch up ad have a drink and enjoy each others company.

Our Experience

I was initiated into freemasonry in 2007 as a Lewis which means the son of a Freemason.  My father had been a Freemason for some time and I initially joined as an opportunity to spend time with my father having just left home. An opportunity to have a night out with him a few times a year there were also a number of family friends in the Lodge who I already knew. However, I soon discovered there was so much more to Freemasonry that I never expected or anticipated.

The three degrees in Craft Freemasonry tell an allegorical story which can have meaning to your daily life. Everyone takes from Freemasonry different things. It’s a highly personal experience which is counterintuitive for something so convivial and friendship based. But I have found through my journey in freemasonry, taking part, it’s helped me in my professional life too. Having the opportunity to speak in public amongst friends made it easier when I had to in my 9-5 job.

As I progressed, I have had the opportunity to meet with people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. You will never know who you meet or sit next to but you all meet with a shared experience and commonality.

Bro J.M

. . . .

My Father was a member of the Welling lodge and seeing how much this changed him such really wonderful ways, my brothers, David, Peter and I joined the lodge.

Up until our Father joined the lodge he didn’t have many interests apart from work, home and gardening.  His membership of the lodge opened a whole new world for him and gave him great enjoyment, and completely changed him.   Apart from the fraternal side of Masonry, he greatly enjoyed the social side, much to our mothers delight, we had never seen our Father dance, and didn’t even know he could, until we all started attending the social events with Mum and Dad.  We started to meet such wonderful people at these social events and it was this that piqued our interest, and ultimately the three Drew boys joined Welling Lodge 5976.  I was initiated on 2^nd July 1981 and joining the lodge was one of the great decisions of my life.  At the time of joining, Freemasonry wasn’t really secret but more of a closed society whereby members never really talked openly about it but alluded to it with nods, winks and innuendos, for instance it was only after joining that I found out that Mum and Dad’s neighbour and several more up the road were Freemasons. 

With my brothers and me working together, we introduced friends, work colleagues and customers to freemasonry, some of whom are still members of Welling Lodge.  I became a member of Welling Chapter on 5^th June 1986 and shortly after that I joined The West Kent Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter 8569.  I am still a member of all of these and attend as and when I can, with the exception of the Grand Stewards Chapter as they often meet on a Saturday, which gives me problems to attend with family commitments. 

I advanced to the degree of Mark Master Mason and Royal Ark Mariner in Westwood Lodge 1354 on 23^rd June 2005.  My hearing was by now greatly deteriorating and I just couldn’t follow the workings.  I moved to Broad Oak Rye in2012 and resigned from Westwood several years later.

Once in Rye I joined Wellington Lodge 341 and Thornton Lodge 5556, I have been through the chair in Wellington and I am the dining steward for both these lodges.  I am a permanent guest and the dining steward of Wellington Chapter 341.  I have recently been elected to assistant Charity Steward to Wellington Lodge with a view to taking over the lead role at a later date.

Bro A.D