First took root on Tees-side when a Lodge was
warranted by the Antients Grand Lodge on
2 December 1756 at the Queen’s Head,
High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, moving to the
Black Lion, in 1773 and to their Hall, Masons’ Court,
Stockton-on-Tees, in 1796. The Lodge was named
Lodge of Philanthropy in 1788, changed its number
five times, the last being in 1832 to No. 28, but was
erased on 5 September 1838.
Over the next 100 years other Lodges were founded
in Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, Stokesley with the
Cleveland Lodge No. 795 in 1847,
now 543, and
Guisborough with the
Zetland Lodge No. 820 in 1849,
now 561.
Middlesbroughs rapid growth over a very short
period of time appears to have been through a combination of
many things including the River Tees, ironstone in the nearby
Cleveland Hills, the influence of entrepreneurs
Bolckow and Vaughan and a workforce of industrial
adventurers being readily available for regular,
though hard employment.
Originally there was little regard towards health
or sanitation and pay was extremely poor.
There were scant opportunities for recreation,
cultural development or social niceties, as
drunkenness,
crime and ill health was rife.
Most people, through no fault of their own,
were illiterate and had no time for education
as more important on life’s agenda, was hard work,
money and drink.
It wasn’t until the 14 December 1852 when the
North York Lodge No. 876 (now No. 602), was
lawfully constituted in Middlesbrough, meeting
in an upper room in the Station Hotel,
Cleveland Terrace.
On 17 May 1860 the Foundation stone
for Freemasons Hall Marton Road was laid
by the DepProvGM, George Marwood of
Busby Hall and the first actual masonic
meeting was held there on 17 January 1861.
Other Lodges close to Middlesbrough were
formed, Marwood No. 1244 at Redcar and
Handyside No. 1618 at Saltburn in the years
1869 and 1876 respectively. It wasn't until the
late 1870s when a number of members of
North York Lodge decided to petition
United Grand Lodge for the formation of
another Middlesbrough Lodge.
The North York Lodge thus became the
‘Mother Lodge’ of the Ferrum Lodge No. 1848
which was consecrated on 21 January 1880
at Marton Road.
Other Lodges have been formed over the years;
Orde Powlett Lodge 2391 in 1891
Erimus Lodge 3474 in 1910 (this has recently closed)
Peace Lodge 3936 in 1919
Vulcan Lodge 4510 in 1923
Ronaldshay Lodge in 1931
Acklam Lodge in 1946
Lodge of St. Hilda in 1948
Linthorpe Lodge in 1950
Dundas Lodge in 1964
Ashbrooke Lodge in 1997
The freemasons of Middlesbrough continued
to use the Freemasons Hall in Marton Road
for their meetings until 1975 when it was
demolished to make way for the A66 route through Middlesbrough
A new hall was built in Roman Road and was
dedicated for masonic purposes on the 10th September 1975.