During the 1980s, the Province of Buckinghamshire had for some time been fortunate with having a very strong membership especially in the South, Lodges such as Hall Barn No. 8480, Seer Green No.9055 and Penn and Tylers Green Lodge No. 5876 being good examples
Many of the members, especially new members were required to wait some time before being able to progress to their first office within the Lodge. It was at length decided that a committee be formed to determine whether the Province would support a new Lodge and if a continuous supply of Initiates and new members was a realistic proposition.
Many existing Bucks Masons and those well known to the Province were advised of the possibility of a new Lodge being formed and within a short space of time a nucleus of 15 Petitioners was created. At the first Petitioners meeting, held on Saturday 5th October 1985 the by-laws were agreed. A Chairman was elected, W. Bro. H.H. Deacon and W. Bro. D. Ogborn became the Secretary.
The name of the Lodge was discussed and all agreed it should be called The Frederick Lawson Lodge in honour of the late R.W. Bro. Major General the Rt. Hon. Lord Burnham, a Past Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Buckinghamshire and father of the then Provincial Grand Master of the Province. Emulation Ritual was to be used. It was also agreed that W. Bro. Henry Hazard (Harry) Deacon, D.F.C. be the founding Master, W. Bro. Horatio Nelson Hall be the Senior Warden and W. Bro. Jack Cohen be the Junior Warden.
The other Officers were as follows:
- Acting I.P.M. W. Bro. Colin James.
- Chaplain. W. Bro. Ted Taylor.
- Secretary. W. Bro. David Ogborn.
- D.C. W. Bro. Doug Bygrave.
- S.D. Bro. David Milne.
- J.D. Bro. Tom Jones.
- Charity Steward. W. Bro. John Zammit
- Almoner. W. Bro. Colin James.
- A.D.C. Bro. Doug Wiggins.
- Asst. Sec. Bro. John Peasgood.
- I.G. Bro. Dave Thomson.
- Steward. Bro. Bill Ridden.
The Lodge was to be sponsored by Hall Barn No. 8480.
The Annual subscription was set at £30.00 exclusive of the dining fee.
The Founders fee was £275.00 (Exclusive of first Annual Subscription)
and this was to cover the costs of the Centre, G.L. Warrant, Collars,
Working Tools and the Consecration cost.
The L.o.I. was set to meet at 19:30 on the 2nd and 4th Fridays in each month from September to June inclusive with every brother contributing 0.50p towards the cost of hiring the room.
By February 1986 arrangements were well under way with a timetable for rehearsals being set by the Province. Two applications for membership had already been received:
- Bro. Frank Carrie from Hall Barn Lodge No. 8480
- Bro. William (Bill) Shakespeare, a F.C.F.M. of the Kelvin Lodge, No. 3736 who was be raised in April 1986.
At the last Petitioners meeting before the Consecration, Mr. W. A. Jones was interviewed by the committee and was unanimously approved to be our First Candidate. The lodge was consecrated on Saturday 8th March 1986.
The Chairman, W. Bro. H.H. Deacon, presented the Lodge with a V.S.L.
A sketch of a proposed Coat of Arms had been submitted with approval already received from U.G.L.E. and by Lord Burnham.
Grand Lodge had advised that the Lodge number will be 9185.
