The new Lodge was consecrated at the Crown Hotel, Marlow, on Wednesday October 11th 1899, by W.Bro. J. E. Bowen, P.A.G.D.C. (Eng.), D.Prov.G.M. (Bucks).
The consecrating officers were all elected Honorary Members of the Lodge. The Anthems, etc., were sung by the Windsor Glee Singers. There were six Consecrating Officers, 25 Founders and 39 Visitors present. Founders Fees amounted to £117.60 and gifts for Furniture and Collars £28.35. The Initiation Fee was fixed at £7.35, the Joining Fee at £2.65 and the Annual Subscription at £1.05.
On Wednesday 13th October 1999, Marlow Lodge celebrated its Centenary. At the meeting a Centenary Thanksgiving Ceremony was conducted by the D.Prov.G.M. Dr. Royston Fender and his Provincial Officers, after which a second ceremony to dedicate a new Lodge Banner was held.
MEETING PLACES
The Lodge met in the Crown Hotel, Marlow, from October 1899 to January 1910. The chief reason for a change being made was that the room was too large and in the winter months too chilly for the number present, the average attendance being less than 20.
The Great Marlow Institute became the place of meeting in February 1910 and was used
until October 1926. This provided a cosier and more intimate meeting place but unfortunately
had no convenient ante-
In 1922 a scheme was produced to purchase the Greyhound Hotel and to form it into a Masonic Club. Owing to the lack of financial support it was impossible to proceed with the scheme.
In October 1926 the Lodge moved to the Chequers Hotel in Marlow where a new dining room had been built with a large room above suitable for meetings.
In February 1934 it was decided that the Lodge should move to other premises. In October 1934 the Lodge met at the Public Hall, Marlow, which had not been used for some time. In November 1934 it was resolved to acquire the Public Hall for £1000 and change the meeting place accordingly. In December 1934 it was resolved to change the name to ‘Marlow Masonic Hall’. Various improvements had to be made, and a Building Fund was created to to cover this work.
But the Lodge was not to have use of its improved home for long. In 1940 the Masonic Hall was requisitioned for use as a Rest Centre in the event of any large evacuation from London being necessary through enemy action. Fortunately it was never necessary for this to happen. The Main hall was later used as a store and the ante rooms were used as a day nursery where mothers engaged in work of national importance could leave their children. The Masonic Hall was restored to the Lodge in April 1946.
During the war, meetings were held at Sir William Borlase School, by kind permission
of the Head Master W.Bro. W.S.Booth, who also stored the Lodge furniture. On account
of the black-
