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Far left:
Annnual Return 1815
Left:
Lord Moira, Pro Grand Master, who
consecrated the Catholic Church
on Mauritius en route to India
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Freemasons on the island were members of three irregular
Lodges formed as far back as 1754 as confirmed by the
Apostolic Prefect Teste in a letter to the Archbishop of Paris.
Possibly, for this reason, the name La Triple Espérance was
chosen, and the emblem of three anchors adopted. The
Lodge used the Ancient, Free and Accepted Scottish ritual.
Freemasonry was closely connected with major events of
island life. Masonic halls were venues for social events, and even
helped Mauritius indirectly to gain a place in philately history.
Invitations to an event were sent with misprinted stamps, thus
creating one of the world’s rarest and most valuable issues.
Of several GODF Lodges, three outlived the remainder.
La Triple Espérance still exists. La Paix – which had Sir
Robert Farquhar, first British governor as Senior Warden
for a while – lasted almost a century, of which my own greatgrandfather
was its treasurer in the middle of the 19th century,
and La Bienfaisance, which ceased activities, and which came
to light again in the same year under the banner of La Grand
Loge de France.
When the GODF modified its Constitution (which
removed the necessity of members to have a belief in God)
in 1877, La Triple Espérance fought hard to keep the old
Masonic tradition. Finally, with the approbation of the
GODF, it did not adopt the modification.
Relationship with the other Constitutions resumed, but
not with the United Grand Lodge of England, which compelled
its members to retire from all French Lodges. In 1876,
members of French Lodges and also Friendship Lodge No.
439 (Scottish Constitution) met to form a new Lodge under
the banner of La Grand Loge de France (GLDF).
Lodge Amitié No. 245 was inaugurated in 1878, working
“au Rite Écossais Ancien Accepté”. It was not until 1935 that,
again, Brethren from Friendship Lodge and Lodge La Triple
Espérance met to constitute Lodge Amitié.
At the time, relationship between the Grand Lodge of
Scotland (GLOS) and GLDF was not good, and it appears
that Brethren from the former Constitution may have
affiliated to Lodges La Triple Espérance and Bienfaisance.
Lodge Le Sphinx No. 715 was constituted in 1952, then
Amitié Nouvelle No. 932 in 1980 and Lodge Paix and
Harmonie No. 1020 in 1987.
Regarding the United Grand Lodge of England, Governor
Farquhar was appointed Provincial Grand Master, and the first
English Lodge – Lodge of Faith and Loyalty No. 676 – was
founded in 1816 and erased in 1830. Then, in 1858, came The
British Lodge No. 736, and ceremonies were held in the temple
of La Triple Espérance (Warrant surrendered 1894).
Mauritius Lodge of Harmony No. 841/1143 appeared in 1860
but disappeared in 1868.
Mauritius Lodge of Harmony was founded by Charter,
under the seal of Grand Lodge, in 1873 by the Grand Master,
HRH The Prince of Wales, but was erased in 1894.
The last English Lodge to be consecrated was Lodge
of Friendship No. 1696 in 1877, and in 2002 celebrated
its 125th anniversary. In 1984 it was brought into the
Transvaal District.
For the Grand Lodge of Scotland, in 1848 the military
Lodge St George came with its regiment, followed by Lodge
King’s Own Fourth Regiment. Military Lodges came to
the colony and left when they were posted elsewhere.
In 1864, Masons from all the various Constitutions petitioned
to the Scottish Grand Lodge, and Lodge Friendship
No. 439 was born on St Andrew’s Day 1866 and still exists.
A close relationship between Lodge Friendship No. 439
(SC) and Lodge of Friendship No. 1696 (EC) existed for
many years. Nine Masters have sat in the chair of both Lodges,
five of whom have ruled the Lodges simultaneously.
continue 
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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