Introduction
Get to know Woking Lodge
Woking’s Masonic Lodge established in 1946 is a thriving ‘Craft Lodge’ which meets in Send, nr Woking and at Godalming Masonic Centre. With its roots linked back to the Woking’s Home Guard in the Second World War, the lodge continues to uphold the principles of Freemasonry with an active membership of over 30 members. Today our members come from Woking and further afield – Freemasonry has no borders these days! And long gone are the myths that you have ‘to know someone’ to join a lodge. Woking welcomes enquiries from anyone who would like to explore becoming a member.
To explain a little more about our meeting locations, Craft Lodges typically have between four and six meetings or ceremonies during the course of a year. These will include an ‘Installation’ where the lodge installs a Master of the Lodge for the year ahead, which is then followed by further meetings which are designed to initiate new members into the lodge. Those meetings are made up of three levels, known as three degrees. A new mason will transition from the first degree (the initiation) through to the third degree when they become a Master Mason. And it these meetings which take place in a Masonic Temple – for us this is at the Godalming Masonic Centre.
At each of the meetings detailed above, they follow a precise pattern which is followed by every Craft Lodge in Freemasonry. Often as referred to as ritual, the ceremonies are a little like a play where various ‘officers’ perform their part to bring it all together. So whether it’s the Installation or one of the three degrees, the words and actions are recognised the world over throughout Masonic lodges. So how do they run so well? Through practice! And for this, Woking practices at the Lancaster Hall in Send – with meetings taking place weekly on a Wednesday evening. These occur during the Masonic season, which for us is from October through to March. These sessions are known as ‘Lodge of Instruction’ and are a further way to socialise and enjoy each other’s company – and practice at the same time. Lodges build up a reputation for the level and quality of ritual that they perform. In Woking’s case, we pride ourselves in high quality ritual – but performed in good spirit and always with a smile!
Our LOI and Lodge Meetings
Woking Lodge’s Masonic season starts at the beginning of every October. Here, our Lodge of Instruction meetings (LOIs) take place every Wednesday, concluding when our season ends towards the end of the following March.
LOIs take place at the Lancaster Hall in Send, nr Woking, Surrey.
Our Lodge meetings take place on the first Friday of November – our Installation, the second Friday in December, and then the third Fridays in January, February and March. This is the same year on year. Lodge meetings take place at the Godalming Masonic Centre, Godalming, Surrey. To learn more about Godalming Masonic Centre, visit their website.
If Freemasons would like to visit either our LOIs or any of our ceremonies, please email us. All guests are most welcome.
For more local news on Woking Lodge, visit our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Woking6264
1946
Woking Lodge Established
30+
Woking Lodge Members
200+
Craft Lodges in Surrey
7000+
Masonic Lodges across the UK
An insight into the masonic journey
The Three Degrees of Freemasonry
The three foundational degrees of Freemasonry. These sequential steps trace a symbolic journey through the stages of human life (youth, manhood, and age) and mirror the training system of medieval stonemasons.
The Three Degrees are the stepping stone into Freemasonry. But once in, there are many more steps one can take. Importantly, a journey into Freemasonry can be as long or as short as you want, with more to explore around every corner.
1
First Degree
Following the Initiation, the person becomes an Entered Apprentice
2.
Second Degree
The journey continues as an Entered Apprentice becomes a Fellow Craft
3.
Third Degree
The third step in Freemasonry which results in becoming a Master Mason
HOW WE FIT INTO THE BIGGER MASONIC STRUCTURE
Woking Lodge is a lodge within the Province of Surrey, and part of the United Grand Lodge of England
Over 200 Craft Lodges in the Province of Surrey
48 Provinces within the Grand Lodge of England (UGLE)
Provinces are mainly based on historic county boundaries
London Lodges managed separately within UGLE – known as Metropolitan Lodges
Overseas Lodges – 32 active districts and four Groups of overseas Lodges
Scotland is overseen by the Grand Lodge of Scotland
Milestones
Discover Our History
1946
Our First Steps
Woking Lodge was consecrated on 22 May 1946 at the Agincourt Masonic Hall in Camberley. That Masonic hall still exists today. At the consecration, guests and members numbered over 130. Eight of Woking’s founders were members of the 11th Battalion Queens Home Guard, along with three Initiates and four Joining Members. Almost all founders were Woking residents. Having been established in Camberley, the lodge was never to meet there again. From then, the lodge met at the Albion Hotel in Woking and four further locations. Today, our Lodge Meetings take place at the Godalming Masonic Centre. Lodge of Instruction meetings (where we practice and rehearse our ceremonies) take place at the Lancaster Hall in Send, nr Woking.
2007
Woking Lodge is joined by members of Old Wokingians Lodge
On 2 May 2007, the Old Wokingians Lodge no. 7449 handed in their warrant to UGLE and joined Woking Lodge. On that day Woking Lodge’s members increased by eight joining members from the Old Wokingians – all former pupils of Woking Grammar School. Today, Woking members continue to enjoy tales of life at the school and is proud to retain its historic links with this landmark educational institution. The school is now home to Woking Police Station.
2019
A record £100k + is raised by Woking
Through a number of initiatives including a Grand Fundraising Ball, the members of Woking raised a staggering total exceeding £100,000 as part of a wider Surrey-led Festival which surpassed £3m. This amount was record-breaking, potentially on a national scale. It firmly places Woking Lodge as one of the largest fundraisers for an individual lodge, winning plaudits from across the country.
2021
We celebrate 75 years as a Masonic Lodge
Members celebrate a truly wonderful 75 years of existence with the publication of a book entitled ‘The History of Woking Lodge, no. 6264 -celebrating 75 years’. Authored by one of Woking’s most eminent Freemasons, the publication captures multiple facts, figures and tales of Woking’s history. A PDF copy is available – please email for a copy.
