Masonic Province of Hertfordshire
Chronicle and Banners
Banners of Craft Lodges in Hertfordshire (Continued)
Banners of Craft Lodges in Hertfordshire (Continued)
Ellenbrook Lodge No: 8155
The lodge was formed by a number of masons from the London area who were mainly connected with the De Havilland Aircraft Co. (later Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace) in Hertfordshire. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland and Grand Lodge disallowed the preferred name of De Havilland Lodge. The founders then followed the Hertfordshire practice of naming the lodge after a river or stream and adopted the present name from the Ellen Brook which in 1939 was diverted into a culvert to extend the airfield for long-range bombers, it emerges again near to the St Albans Road, Hatfield where the district name is Ellenbrook.
At the request of the then RW Provincial Grand Master, Col. Alexander Woods MBE TD, emulation working was adopted. A most distinguished mason in the person of W. Bro T W Norman became the first master and, under the sponsorship of the St. Albans Lodge No. 2786, the Lodge was consecrated at Ashwell House, St. Albans on 16th May 1967.
The first banner was presented by W.Bro LHC Thorpe and W.Bro MB Cook and dedicated 2nd February 1974 by W.Bro Guy Halsey TD JP PJGD, Deputy Provincial Grand Master under the direction of the RW Provincial Grand Master, Col. Alexander Woods. The attendance list records that of the thirty-five Lodge Members present, three brethren were still members at the time. There were also present seventy four visitors.
The second banner was designed by Bro Mark Hoare and dedicated 7th April 2001 by W.Bro John Tapster APGM, having been funded from Lodge of Instruction social events. It is similar to the first with slightly bolder colours and with the addition of the masonic Earthly and Celestial columns. Both banners depict the origins of the Lodge, namely the De Havilland Aircraft Company and the Ellen Brook. The aeroplane shown is the De Havilland Comet one of the first jet engined passenger aircraft, and the building is the hangar where the plane was assembled. The attendance list records that of the thirty lodge members present nineteen are still members, in addition there were also present sixty-five visitors including the Provincial Choir.