Who are we?
We believe we are one of the most respected Lodges in the Province and will be celebrating our Centenary in 2027. We are a daughter Lodge of the Lodge of Industry No. 48.
We have a wide range of ages and experience in our membership.
We are a very well attended Lodge in the Gateshead Masonic Centre and make our Visiting Brethren most welcome. Every month we have a good attendance of both Members and Visiting Brethren.
We place great emphasis on our ceremonies and value our membership.
What we do
St Mary’s Lodge practice the values and traditions of Freemasonry, but at the same time embrace technology, innovation, support our Province and UGLE.
We work ‘Old Working’ style of ritual. We also support any initiatives requested by our Masonic Authorities and work tirelessly with our membership to introduce the above and maintain our standards.
Why join us?
We are a very innovative Lodge; very aware of the personal morals, responsibilities and principles of Freemasons and how they are integrated within today’s more ‘modern world’. Every month we are well-attended and Brethren are guaranteed to have an enjoyable night with us. We believe in and practice good ritual as we believe this is imperative to our organisation and our future. The atmosphere at our Lodge nights is always positive and Members and Visiting Brethren look forward to a good ceremony and an enjoyable Festive Board which follows where standards are maintained but in a less formal and enjoyable manner.
St Mary’s Lodge are an integral part of masonic life within Gateshead and take our responsibilities for our building, our fellow Lodges, our Province and our area very seriously. We support the PGM in all his initiatives and ideas.
We have a good number of senior Provincial Officers amongst our Membership who oversee the standards that are expected. We also expect those continued high standards from everyone who joins us and offer direct support from our Membership Officer, our Mentor and many other Brethren who are on hand to advise and assist. In recent years, we have been privileged to have quite a few Brethren from Lodges that have closed in our area and building join us. We make great efforts to integrate them into our Lodge and educate them in what is expected.
When we meet
On the First Friday in every month, except July, August and January. Our Installation/Annual Festival is in February.
Fees
Joining fee: £50
Lodge subscriptions: £168
Typical dining fee: £10 for three courses. Brethren are requested to dine with exceptions for dietary or medical needs. Meals need to be pre-ordered in advance of the meeting.
Contact
George Robert Tatters, Secretary or William Baty, Mentor.
Parking:
Ample car parking is available within the grounds of the building with some limited on-street parking if necessary.
Approach:
Gateshead Masonic Hall offers three main entrance points, two of which are easy access. The main gated front entrance via Alexandra Road presents a few well lit steps, accompanied by a handrail.
The two accessible entrances to the building are via the rear car park where the building is on the level. The first of the two wheelchair accessible points is via a set of doors leading from the car park into the main dining hall. The alternative route takes you to the Alexandra Road entrance of the building via well lit, perimeter footpath within the halls grounds. These routes are well lit and secured by CCTV.
Entrance:
Wide double doors.
Emergency:
There are Emergency Exits from all rooms evacuating to level ground outside the building. There is a defibrillator installed and several trained personnel.
Accessibility:
The Masonic Hall in Gateshead is a single storey building making it fully accessible to all and especially those with mobility issues. The building is accessed through wide double-doors at the front and rear. There are ramps leading into the building at both doors and there will always be a welcoming and friendly Gateshead Freemason available to assist if required. All rooms inside the building are on the same single floor and easily accessible without the need for internal ramps or lifts. There is a Hearing Loop within the main Lodge Room
Toilets:
There are separate male and female toilets, both are wheelchair accessible.
Inside:
The building hosts a large 200 capacity dining hall with a professional kitchen and fully functioning bar. The bar offers a selection of alcohol and non-alcohol drinks, including a selection of draught beers, cans and bottles.
A large temple seating 100 and a smaller temple seating 50.
A library / large meeting room, and a smaller meeting room.
The hall has separate Male / Female washroom facilities, each with their own cloakroom.
Stairs/Lifts:
Access via the front entrance presents seven small steps assisted by a handrail. There are no further steps or lifts required within the building as it is built on ground level.
