The origins of The Hallamshire lodge
Sadly, the origins of our Lodge are probably as un-masonic as it is possible to be. The
following is reproduced from the original minute book.
“Of the six Craft Lodges which are now held In Sheffield, three Wentworth, Ivanhoe and The
Hallamshire, have been formed out of Britannia Lodge. But there is a difference in the cause
of their formation between Wentworth and Ivanhoe on the one hand and The Hallamshire on
the other.
“Wentworth was founded in 1868 by members of the Britannia who found it hopeless to get
Office in so numerous a Lodge, and the same cause led to the formation of the Ivanhoe in
1878. On both occasions the new Lodge was founded with the hearty good wishes of the
Mother Lodge.
“In the case of The Hallamshire this was unfortunately not exactly the same and as it may be
a matter of interest to Sheffield Masons in the future to know the details, the present short
history has been committed to writing.
“After a period of some 10 or 12 years of unexampled propriety, we came to 1886-7 when
Bro. J. Hunt was in the chair of the Britannia Lodge. In the month of Oct 1887, a Bro.
proposed, as a candidate for Initiation, his son and in the following month the candidate was
balloted for and rejected. Previous notice of objection had been given to the WM but as the
Candidates father was on the continent, it was not considered possible to withdraw the name
or to postpone the ballot. The objectors had however intimated to the W.M. that their
objection was not to the candidate, but to the Candidates father, and this becoming known to
the Lodge, as well as the fact that the candidate was a man of irreproachable character,
created a wide-spread feeling of dissatisfaction.
The Lodge Name
It is worth noting that the official name of our lodge is The Hallamshire Lodge (no 2268). Please note the “The” at the beginning.
“An informal meeting of the Lodge was held and a resolution of sympathy with the Candidate’s father was unanimously passed. As the bye-laws of the Lodge prohibited the reproposal of a rejected Candidate for 12 months an attempt was made to rescind that particular by-law and so enable the Candidate to be put up a second time without delay. On the discussion of the motion an indication was given by the objectors that if the proposal of the candidate could be postponed for six months, the difficulty might be got over. But at the end of that period, it was apparent that there existed some unmasonic feeling and that it would be useless to go to the ballot a second time.
“Certain members of the Lodge, many of whom did not even know the Candidate, feeling the injustices of the case, resolved to form themselves into a new Lodge, and a meeting was accordingly convened on the 17th May 1888. Of 42 brethren, eight being from Sister Lodges who resolved to petition The Grand Lodge for a Warrant.”
It should be noted that the lodge was originally a Steelworkers and Professional Businessman’s Lodge and adopted a number of cost saving measures. For example, the WM, SW and JW do not wear cuffs.
It was predominantly a Steel man’s Lodge with many prominent Sheffield Steel men becoming members. The membership remained very much Engineering and business based. It was thrown into turmoil, however, in 1963 when Harold Brook joined the Lodge. Harold had been a professional footballer with Sheffield United and Leeds United from 1948 to 58 when he retired and became a Newsagent. “A footballer in our Lodge!” How times have changed.
The Lodge Crest​
As at the top of this document, our Crest is the Sheffield City Shield (minus the 2 workers
either side). It then has a nested Square, Plumb Rule and Heavy Setting Maul on the Left and Compasses and Level on the Right.
The Lodge Banner
The nested Square, Plumb Rule and Heavy Setting Maul on the Left and Compasses and Level on the Right at the top of the Banner. The name Hallamshire Lodge and 2268 on a ribbon below these and a rampant hind with scroll. The Sheffield Crest (including the 2 workers but without the helmet and verdigris) and topped with a crown in the centre of the banner. The Lodge motto below – “Deo Adjuvante Labor Proficit” “God helps work progress”, the founded date 3rd October 1888 and finally a Pentagram (or 5-pointed star).