Celebrating
250 Years!
In 1776, Thomas Dunckerley became the First Provincial Grand Master for Essex. At that time there were four Lodges administered directly by the Grand Secretary in London. One of those Lodges, Angel Lodge No. 51 (originally numbered 64) is still in existence today.
2026 will mark the 250th Anniversary of the appointment of the First Provincial Grand Master of Essex. The 20th Provincial Grand Master, Paul Tarrant, welcomes this as an opportunity for members to celebrate our history and traditions and to explain what these have meant to the people of Essex.
One of the major events will happen on Saturday 20th June 2026 at four centres in the Province:
Howard Hall, Braintree
Saxon Hall, Southend
St Giles, Colchester
The Square, Upminster
These venues will be linked through the internet and there will be dinner and dance events at each. To enable everybody to have the same experience the cost for the events - the menu and entertainment - will be the same at each venue. If the demand to attend is more than anticipated there will be other venues added in.
It is also planned to have a Province wide open-day in the Autumn of 2026. All centres will be open to welcome in masons and non-masons. The date will be communicated later.
To bring the history of the Province alive to a modern audience showcasing all that is good in Essex Freemasonry to both members and the public, a commemorative book is being produced which will be available in 2026.
To bring the history of the Province alive to a modern audience showcasing all that is good in Essex Freemasonry to both members and the public, a commemorative book is being produced which will be available in 2026.
To continue to make an impact in the community and to make a lasting legacy we will be supporting four good causes with substantial donations of around £100,000 each. The good causes are:
- Headway (Colchester) – Head and Brain Trauma unit building extension
- Essex First Responders (Chelmsford) – Cars and bike support
- Friends of Essex and East London Homeless (Grays) – Transport support
- Essex Wildlife Trust/Forest Initiative – Support of new site for environmental protection
- PLUS Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) - 2026 is their 25th Anniversary and there will be a donation of £25,000.
The funding for these projects will come from three sources:
- Essex Provincial Charity Fund
- Merchandise – There will be a new craft tie, cufflinks and other merchandise to buy
- Lodges – each Lodge will be asked to donate at least ‘£250 for 250’
The Relief Chest to receive this is ‘ESSEX 250’
It is likely that there will be other Provincial events announced, plus individual Lodges will likely run events to raise money for the projects, so watch out for announcements.1776
Freemasons’ Hall, London, dedicated by Lord Petre. Thomas Dunckerley became the First Provincial Grand Master for Essex.
1776
1843
Foundation Stone of the Colchester Town Hall laid with full Masonic ceremonial by the Master of the Angel Lodge No. 51, W Bro. John Pattison.
1910
Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge held on board the R.M.S. Orvieto, at Tilbury Dock. A notable event in the history of Freemasonry in Essex.
1910
2026
Essex Provincial Grand Lodge celebrate 250 years.
Our 250 Year History
Spanning two and half centuries the history of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex includes many fascinating and notable facts from its First Provincial Grand Master in 1776 to the current day.
A lifetime of Masonic friendships has been kindled throughout this period following the four guiding principles of Freemasonry - Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Service.