THE ORIGINS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE LIE WITH ANOTHER LODGE, THE ST GEORGES EAST MILITIA LODGE NUMBER 442   (LATER 356 THEN 460) WHICH WAS CONSTITUTED ON 2 ND. APRIL 1782 AT NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE BY A WARRANT FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND (MODERNS) AND WAS MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE EAST YORKSHIRE MILITIA (BEVERLEY BUFFS)   TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY 1783 THE MILITIA MARCHED TO KINGSTON UPON HULL WHERE IT WAS DISEMBODIED, WITH THE REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS MOVING TO BEVERLEY.

THE LODGE ALSO MOVED AND BEGAN TO MEET AT AN INN, THE GOLDEN BALL IN TOLL GAVEL BEVERLEY (NEAR TO THE SITE OF WOOLWORTHS)DOING SO UNTIL 1792 WHEN IT MOVED TO THE BLACK BULL IN LAIRGATE   

IN 1793 THE MILITIA AND THE LODGE MOVED TO BECCLES IN SUFFOLK,

THE LODGE FINALLY CEASED TO EXIST ON THE RD. JUNE 1829

AS A RESULT OF THE INTEREST THAT HAD BEEN STIMULATED IN BEVERLEY, ANOTHER LODGE WAS FORMED, ON FRIDAY 8TH MARCH 1793 THE CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE 525 WAS HELD AT THE GOLDEN BALL BY SPECIAL DISPENSATION, MEETING THEN AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS UNTIL THE CONSECRATION MEETING ON MONDAY 17 TH. JUNE 1793 WHEN WILLIAM ACKLAM TOOK THE CHAIR

AS TIME WENT BY CHANGES OCCURED IN BOTH THE NUMBERING OF THE LODGE AND ITS MEETING PLACE.   ON 1ST. NOVEMBER 1793 THE LODGE MOVED TO THE TIGER INN, NORTH BAR WITHIN, ON 8 TH. NOVEMBER 1814 THE LODGE WAS NUMBERED   554 (AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE UNION OF THE ANTIENTS AND MODERNS), ON 6TH. JANUARY 1832 IT WAS RENUMBERED 371. ON THE 30TH OF OCTOBER 1848 DURING A PERIOD OF FALLING MEMBERSHIP THE LODGE MET AT BROTHER TUTINGS HOUSE ON NORTH BAR STREET MOVING IN 1849 TO THE ASSEMBLEY ROOMS NORWOOD (BEHIND THE REGAL, ON 6 TH. AUGUST 1863 THE LODGE WAS NUMBERED TO 294, MOVING ONCE AGAIN ON 21 ST. DECEMBER 1886 TO THE BEVERLEY DISPENSARY IN REGISTER SQUARE, ON 6TH. OCTOBER 1927 THE SCHOOL CLINIC IN LORD ROBERTS ROAD AND THEN ON THE 5TH. JANUARY 1928 TO THE MASONIC HALL, TRINITY LANE , THE CURRENT HOME OF THE LODGE.

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT SOME OF THE ITEMS TO BE SEEN IN THE LODGE DATE FORM THE EARLIEST ORIGINS OF THE LODGE MOST SIGNIFICANTLY THE MASTERS AND WARDENS JEWELS ALONG WITH THOSE OF THE TREASURER, SECRETARY, TYLER AND DEACONS HAVE THE

CEREMONIES BATON WERE GIVEN IN 1928    THE TWO ASHLAR (TAKEN FROM THE QUARRIES OF KING SOLOMONS TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM) WERE PRESENTED IN 1941    THE WORSHIPFUL MASTERS ENGRAVED GAVEL MADE FORM WOOD FROM MOUNT VERNON ESTATE USA WAS GIVEN IN 1947 AND THE INNER GUARDS SWORD IN 1948. THE DEACONS JEWELS MAY BE REGARDED AS AN UNUSUAL FEATURE IN THEMSELVES; IN MOST LODGES THE JEWEL CONSISTS OF A DOVE BUTIN THE CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE (ALONG WITH MINERVA 250 IN HULL AND FIVE LODGES IN THE PROVINCE OF DURHAM) THEY CONSIST OF A SUN AND MOON.

THE WARDENS COLUMNS ARE ANOTHER UNUSUAL FEATURE IN THAT   THEY ARE VERY PLAIN, THEY WERE ALSO PART OF THE FURNITURE OF OUR MOTHER LODGE

THE FLAMING SWORD WHICH IS PLACED TO THE RIGHT OF THE WORSHIPFUL MASTERS CHAIR IS THE ORIGINAL SHAPE OF THE TYLERS SWORD (AS DESCRIBED IN GENESIS III 24 GUARDING THE ENTRANCE TO PARADISE)    IT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE LODGE ON THE 1 ST MAY 1796 AT   A COST OF 4 SHILLINGS (20P !)

THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE LODGE VARIOUS ITEMS WERE COLLECTED, THE WARDENS COLUMNS WERE PRESENTED TO THE LODGE IN 1865, THE TERRESTRIAL AND CELESTRIAL GLOBES DISPLAYED ON THE DAIS IN 1887.

IN 1891 A SEA CAPTAIN WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE WAS DETAINED WITH FREIGHT IN BOSTON MASS   USA, HE VISITED THE LIBERTY LODGE AT BEVERLY MASS. AND FROM THEN SPRANG A FRIENDSHIP THAT HAS BEEN MARKED BY THE EXCHANGE OF MANY GIFTS    ONE SUCH GIFT WAS THE THREE HANDED   “LOVING CUP' PRESENTED BY LIBERTY LODGE IN 1893 ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. THE 'LOVING CUP' IS STILL USED TO TOAST THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER AT THE INSTALLATION MEETING

A SET OF 'FIRING GLASSES' (SOME OF WHICH STILL REMAIN IN THE DISPLAY CABINET) WERE PRESENTED IN 1898.

THE PORTRAITS, SOME PAINTED BY MEMBERS OF THE RENOWNED 'ELWELL' FAMILY, ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WALLS, THE MASONIC BANNER (DESIGNED BYTHOMAS FOLEY) AND THE BUST OF THOMAS FOLEY ALL DATE FROM THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, AS DOES THE REGALIA IN THE DISPLAY CASE   

YOU MAY ALSO SEE A STUFFED BEAVER, A PRESENT FROM THE LIBERTY LODGE, AND A BUST OF EDWARD VII FROM THE RENOWNED ARTIST, BROTHER PERCY BRYANT BAKER .

WITHIN THE TEMPLE ITSELF THE THREE TRACING BOARDS WERE GIFTS FROM THE WILBERFORCE LODGE 1915, ALSO AT THAT TIME THE ANCIENT MASONIC APRON DISPLAYED IN THE CANDIDATES ROOM WAS GIVEN AT THAT TIME THE OTHER GIFTS ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO NAME IN THE SPACE AVAILABLE BUT THIS BRIEF OUTLINE WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT MENTIONING A FEW ITEMS IN 'EVERYDAY' USE

THE COPIES OF THE OPENING AND CLOSING HYMNS AND THE DIRECTOR OF CEREMONIES BATON WERE GIVEN IN 1928    THE TWO ASHLARS (TAKEN FROM THE QUARRIES OF KING SOLOMONS TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM) WERE PRESENTED IN 1941.    THE WORSHIPFUL MASTERS ENGRAVED GAVEL MADE FROM WOOD FROM MOUNT VERNON ESTATE USA WAS GIVEN IN 1947 AND THE INNER GUARDS SWORD IN 1948