Tennant Lodge
On Thursday, 21st. December,
1882, 22 Brethren from local established lodges, i.e. Glamorgan,
No.36; Bute, No. 960 and Windsor, No. 1754, held a meeting at
the Royal Hotel, Cardiff to consider the formation of a new lodge
in Cardiff.
As a result of their proposals, the Tennant Lodge was consecrated
on 10th. October, 1883 at the Masonic Hall in Working Street,
Cardiff. The Provincial Grand Master of the day, V.W. Bro. Sir
George Elliot, attended but as the Lodge was named after the
then Deputy Provincial Grand Master, W. Bro. Marmaduke Tennant,
the Provincial Grand Master invited him to perform the consecration
ceremony. He was a joining member of the Lodge which bore his
name and was made an Honorary Member at the January 1885 meeting.
He continued to attend very frequently until his death in 1915.
It is interesting to note that at the first Regular meeting of
the Lodge on 8th. November, 1883, the Worshipful Master was presented
with a framed photograph of Hon. Mrs. Aldworth, the only lady
ever to be permitted to enter Ancient Freemasonry.
During those early years, the annual Installation banquet was
held at the Royal Hotel and in September, 1891, the Brethren
sought and received approval to wear Masonic regalia at the banquet.
Due to the deteriorating condition of the Masonic Hall in Working
Street, the Brethren of the Glamorgan, Bute and Tennant Lodges
agreed to purchase, for the sum of £4,500, a Chapel and
school located in Guildford Crescent, Cardiff, as the new Masonic
Hall. This building was opened on the 26th. September, 1895 and
is still utilised to this day for meetings of all Cardiff Lodges.
At the May meeting in 1910, the then Master and two Past Masters
of the Lodge presented the Lodge with a magnificent Worshipful
Master’s collar which has been
worn by the ruling Master ever since.
The centenary meeting was held on 14th. October, 1983, and was
attended by the then Provincial Grand Master, The Rt. Hon The
Lord Swansea, the Deputy and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters,
as well as many other distinguished Brethren.
The Lodge continues to meet at The Masonic Hall, Guildford Crescent,
Cardiff on six occasions each year, i.e. the second Thursday
in October, November (when the new Master is installed), December,
January, March and April.
The Royal Arch Chapter that is associated with the Tennant Lodge is the