Fenwick Lodge

The Lodge has been warranted since 14th February 1872, founded by members of St. John’s Lodge No.80 and the now-defunct Williamson Lodge No.949. The name of the Lodge was taken from W Bro Henry Fenwick, who was Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Durham between 1850 and 1867. He was also Member of Parliament for Sunderland, and the emblem of the Lodge is based upon his coat of arms. W Bro Fenwick owned land around Crowtree Road and there was for some time a Fenwick Street running through this area.

Fenwick Lodge No.1389 is a Lodge of Freemasons meeting at Wearside Masonic Temple. The Lodge meets on the third Friday of the month between October and May, meetings commence at 6:45pm followed by the festive board in which we socialise and dine. The Installation meeting is in November. We also visit other lodges and have visitors from other lodges visit us. Visitors are always made welcome and have an enjoyable evening, many who return to our meetings time and time again.

The Lodge has always had a diverse membership - not unusual in a busy port town. Indeed, one of the founders, a Bro P Hvistendahl, was from Sweden. Local MPs Samuel Storey and Sir Edward Temperley Gourley, who were also founders of the Sunderland Echo, were members of the Lodge, as was Summers Hunter CBE, managing director of the North East Maritime Engineering Company, who was responsible for many innovations in naval engineering. Fenwick Lodge brethren celebrated its 150 years anniversary in 2022, with a special meeting held at the Masonic Temple at Beamish Museum on Friday 22nd September, a first of its kind to be held at this location. Regular Fenwick meetings are followed by the festive board, in which brethren dine and are often entertained by vocalists, one of the few lodges in the Provence who have maintained this tradition.