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When the foundation stone for the new Masonic Hall in
Park Terrace, Sunderland was laid with full Masonic honours
in 1869, the Freemasons present on that day could never
have envisaged that history would repeat itself some 137
years later, and that their building would be re-erected
as a tribute to the design and to the lasting qualities of the
Masonic movement.
After eight years of partnership, research and co-operation
between the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham and
Beamish Museum, the re-erected Masonic Hall opened its
doors once again, this time not limited to Freemasons, but to
provide an insight into Freemasonry for the 350,000 visitors
who flock to Beamish every year.
The official opening of the Hall took place in April with
all the splendour of a Masonic procession of 300 Masons in
full regalia, led by a marching band down the 1913 cobbled
street decked out with flags and lined with Masons, their
families and many visitors to the Museum.
At the rear of the procession followed a carriage drawn
by four magnificent horses, driven by the Lord Lieutenant
of Durham, Sir Paul Nicholson, which drew murmurs of
admiration from the 2,000 assembled Masons and invited
guests gathered in the street.
Left
Crowds gather outside the Masonic hall,
moved brick-by-brick from Sunderland to
the reconstructed 1913 street at Beamish
Right
Tom Coulson, Provincial Museum
Chairman talking with HRH the Duke
of Kent while Mrs Dorothy Hall, wife of
the Provincial Secretary, who presented
the Masonic Hall key to the Grand
Master, the PGM and his Assistant,
Eric Heaviside look on
 
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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