About
Union Lodge Barbados
Union Lodge No. 7551 E.C. was consecrated in 1958 with the determination to provide for its members a fellowship among Freemasons in Barbados without discrimination on the grounds of complexion, race, or class. Secondly, to focus on providing excellent ritual work through memorization rather than recitation, in the use of the Emulation Ritual from the United Grand Lodge of England.
We hope to be a positive influence among the Brethren of this Island, to welcome visitors warmly, and to provide relief for the communities of Barbados and the region.
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We stand by the principles of
Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
Meetings:
Fourth Tuesday
Third Tuesday December
Recess July, August
Installation January
W. Bro. Lee Harford Skeete, PDSGW (1958)
Founding Master of Union Lodge No. 7551 E.C.
History
The History of Union Lodge Barbados is best told in the words of those who were there to witness the beginning. In the words our of Past Masters:
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"Any history of Union Lodge No. 7551 E.C. must start with a background of the state of Freemasonry in Barbados and the social habits which had existed in Barbados over the years prior to its formation.
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During the first half of the 20th Century, many of the Caribbean Islands were British, using the term in a broad sense. The administration of these island territories was coordinated under a British system loosely terms "The Colonial Service" under which officer in government were appointed by the Colonial Office in London, and these officers were often transferred to serve from island to island, and elsewhere in the British Colonial system.
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In the field of Education a somewhat similar system obtained whereby educators transferred to serve in key positions in educational establishments in several islands. Barbadian educators were prominent among those who served in the other islands. Lee Skeete, Rawle Jordan and Harley Moseley were the foremost among them.
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When sojourning in the several islands away from their native Barbados, these men became Freemasons and some became Masters of their respective Lodges.
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There were other Caribbean educators and administrators who were Freemasons, and although not being Barbadian by birth, nevertheless were appointed to posts in Barbados, or had retired to live in Barbados. William Lopey and Robert Jack were two of those people. All these people had two things in common, they all made, or were still making, a valuable contribution to the well-being of Caribbean society, and they were English Freemasons.
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When these Freemasons returned to Barbados and investigated (the) status of the Lodges in Barbados under the English Constitution at that time, they found that the membership of those Lodges were all Caucasian.
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The Scottish lodges were also divided along racial and social lines, with only one Scottish lodge admitting Caucasian members. There was harmonious and fraternal intercourse between all the Scottish and English lodges and Brethren in Barbados.
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So when W. Bro. Lee Skeete went to the DGM, R. W. Bro Rev. Arthur Armstrong and asked him to recommend an English Lodge in which he should seek membership, the DGM was placed in the embarrassing position of telling W. Bro. Lee Skeete that he could not do so at that time, and that perhaps he could go the way of W. Bro. Rawle Jordan and join a Scottish Lodge. W. Bro. Skeete thanked the DGM but intimated that he did not wish to change his Masonic allegiance from the English Constitution.
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It was arising from this situation that Union Lodge was formed. Initially it was decided among the founders that the Founding Master would be W. Bro. Robert jack, but because of other commitments which W. Bro. Jack had away from Barbados at the time the Lodge was to be Consecrated, that honour was given to W. Bro. Lee Harford Skeete."
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Excerpts from Reflections of W. Bro. C. B. Lawless, PSGD, PDDGM, PDSGW, PM 7551 EC (1963)
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"It was probably not by accident that the name Union was decided upon. [In 1958] There was reasonably clear evidence that the formal practice of Freemasonry in Barbados as exemplified by the apparent composition of the Lodges under the English Constitution was not universally admired in other territories of the Caribbean nor indeed in Barbados itself. It is possible, and one might even, probably, that to the founder the name "Union" implied a hope that the Lodge would play an important part in bringing about the unification of all Freemasons in an effort to contribute, even in a small measure to the accomplishment of the grand design of universal peace, brotherly love, and harmony among all the races, classes, and creeds of mankind."
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Excerpts from Reflections of W. Bro. H. S. L. Moseley, CHB, PJGD, PDDGM. PDSGW, PM 7551 EC (1968)
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Floreat Union 7551 E.C.
Long may she flourish!
Past Masters
The Past Masters of Union Lodge have each done their part to erect a building of good standing, and for that reason (among others) we remember their contributions with thanks.
1958 - W. Bro, L. H. Skeete, PDSGW
1959 - W. Bro. R. S. Jordan, OBSE., PDSGW
1960 - W. Bro. Major A. S. Warren, PDSGW
1961 - W. Bro. Capt. E. A. Chase, PDSGW
1962 - W. Bro. W. M. Lopey, M.B.E., PGStB
1963 - W. Bro. C. B. Lawless, PGSD, PDDGM, PDSGW
1964 - W. Bro. H. G. Bayne, PDSGW, DGO
1965 - W. Bro. Lt. Col. O. F. C. Walcott, OBE, PDGPurs
1966 - W. Bro. Sir N. D. Osbourne, K.A., OBE, PDSGW
1967 - W. Bro. S. V. Ashby, C.B.E
1968 - W. Bro. H. S. L. Moseley, PDJD, PDDGM, PDSGW
1969 - W. Bro. T. N. H. Wells, PAGDC, PDSGW
1970 - W. Bro. A. E. Sealy, PDSGW
1971 - W. Bro. K. G. Alleyne, PDGStdB
1972 - W. Bro. K. N. Spencer, PDSGW
1973 - W. Bro. J. M. McCarty, PDGOrg
1974 - W. Bro. R. M. Nicholson, PDSGW
1975 - W. Bro. L. E. St. Hill CJM, PDSGW
1976 - W. Bro. C. R. C. Springer, OBE, JP, PDSGW
1977 - W. Bro. B. F. Griffith, PAGDC, PDSGW, PDGTreas
1978 - W. Bro. Very Revd H. E. Crichlow, GCM, PDSGW
1979 - W. Bro. V. A. L. Sargeant, PSDGW
1980 - W. Bro. B. A. Callender, JP, PAGDC, PDSGW
1981 - W. Bro. A. L. Brathwaite, PDSGW
1982 - W. Bro. G. McD. Medford
1983 - W. Bro. C. E. Layne, PDSGW
1984 - W. Bro. E. McM. H. Brathwaite, PDGSwdB
1985 - W. Bro. R. A. Baynes, PDSGW
1986 - W. Bro. M. L. Barrow, PDSGW
1987 - W. Bro. H. A. Murrell, PDGStdB
1988 - W. Bro. F. Brewster, CBE, PADGM, PGSD
1989 - W. Bro. Hon. Justice E. DaC. Chase, PDSGW
1990 - W. Bro. D. E. Reece, PDGStdB, DGOrg
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1991 - W. Bro. DeL. O. Weekes, PDSGW
1992 - W. Bro. G. M. Griffith, PDSGW
1993 - W. Bro. E. G. Taitt
1994 - W. Bro. R. J. Hinds, PDSGW
1995 - W. Bro. A. B. Archer
1996 - W. Bro. Dr. B. McD. Brathwaite, PDSGD
1997 - W. Bro. S. W. E. G. Maynard, PDGStdb
1998 - W. Bro. J. A. Jones, PDGPurs
1999 - W. Bro. G. K. P. Marshall, PDSGW, DGOrg
2000 - W. Bro. E. H. King, JP, PAGDC, DDGDC
2001 - W. Bro. Dr. Kwasi Ametewee, PDGStdB
2002 - W. Bro. L. DeV. Maynard, PDGStwd
2003 - W. Bro. A. H. Nurse, PDGStwd, PDJGW
2004 - W. Bro. L. O'C. St.C. Gill, PDJGD
2005 - W. Bro. K. J. Haywood, PDJGW
2006 - W. Bro. J. H. H. King, PDGSupt.Wks
2007 - W. Bro. B. A. Clarke, PDGStdB, DGJD
2008 - W. Bro. C. E. Layne, PDSGD
2009 - W. Bro. C. O. Hunte
2010 - W. Bro. N. A. Greenidge, PDGStwd
2011 - W. Bro. Peter Chase
2012 - W. Bro. Dr. Leo F.S. Brewster, PDGStwd
2013 - W. Bro. Richard A.K. Inniss, PDSGD
2014 - W. Bro. Bryan A. O. John
2015 - W. Bro. Elson A. Gaskin JP, PDGStwd
2016 - W. Bro. Wendell R. Walker
2017 - W. Bro. Wendell R. Walker
2018 - W. Bro. Guy Griffith, PDSGW
2019 - W. Bro. Arley L. Thorpe JP DGStdB
2020 - W. Bro. Ryan O. Best
2021 - W. Bro. Ryan O. Best
2022 - W. Bro. Callam Bernard
2023 - W. Bro Matthew Clarke
2024 - W. Bro Renato B. S. Sealy
Contact Us
If you are visiting us from overseas, we would love to have you!
Please contact your District Grand Lodge for a Letter of Reference and the Secretary of Union Lodge at the above.