Integrity, Respect, Friendship and Charity - the four guiding principles at the heart of Freemasonry, and values we hold dear at Palatine Lodge.

We are the oldest and most historic Lodge meeting in Wearside Masonic Temple having been consecrated on the 14th January 1757.

We are proud Sunderland Freemasons, having always met in the city. Firstly, in some of the many taverns within the old town, then in Park Terrace from 1870 (the Temple that now resides at Beamish), transferring to our current home in 1933, when Wearside Masonic Temple was opened.

We have a long and rich history, and hope to have a long and rich future. Do feel free to browse the About Palatine section for details of our past, or contact us for any other enquiry.


News and Updates

15 May 2023

May Update

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
A visitor from overseas

We've had a very busy year so far. January's First Degree was accompanied by another First Degree in February, a Second Degree in March, a double Second Degree in April and another double Second Degree in May.  We're taking a break from ritual in June - you'll see why next month - and will be busy once more after our recess.

13 Jan 2023

A First for the First

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
The WM, Steve, the Candidate, Ian, and the SD, Ray.
The Festive Board

We started our year with yet another First Degree last night. We welcomed Bro Ian to the Lodge and to Freemasonry in general. He's pictured in the Lodge room with our WM, left, and SD, right, who were his Seconder and Proposer respectively, and have known him a combined total of over 70 years (yes, we hear you ask, why did they all wait so long!?)

As it was our Installation meeting last month, this was the first time the officers have performed their duties in their new offices. A few nerves on display but our longstanding reputation of great ritual continues.

22 Dec 2022

James Edward Harker

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
James Edward Harker

James [Jim] Edward Harker was born in Middlesbrough on 29th August 1933 into a long line of Fairground Folk [and other Jim Harkers!]:

After leaving his National Service in the RAF in November 1954, during which he worked on Spitfires as a Senior Air craftsman, Jim returned to his life in ‘Civvy’ Street and worked both at the family fairground attractions as well as pursuing a career in the automotive parts supply business.

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13 Dec 2022

Installation - December 2022

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
The new Worshipful Master

Masonically, 2022 has now come to a close for us and, as December is our Installation meeting, it also means passing from one Worshipful Master to the next.  WBro Paul Staines, albeit assisted / hampered by COVID, has become the first Worshipful Master since WBro Robert Hutton (1812-1815) to serve three consecutive years in the Master's Chair.  He has served the Office, and this Lodge, well, during his years.

21 Aug 2022
Prof. Denovan Wilson

One of our own, Prof. Denny Wilson, who had already achieved so much in Freemasonry - Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham, and at time of writing, current Provincial Grand Master of Durham for the Mark Degree, and Past Master of this Lodge, has now been appointed Assistant Grand Master of the Grand Mark Lodge of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas.

A very proud moment for this Lodge, and we wish Denny every success in his new role.

 

10 Jun 2022

Continuing to Make History

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
The Lodge Warrant

As we head into our summer recess we decided to go out with a bang, performing the first double-initiation undertaken by the Lodge in over twenty years, and certainly the first ever undertaken by the current Officers of the Lodge.  Given we only had one Lodge of Instruction to rehearse the double, all of those that took part can be immensely proud of the ritual on display, once again upholding the high standards we place upon ourselves.

21 Mar 2022

Open Day

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
The Lodge Room

We held an Open Day at Wearside Masonic Temple on Saturday, 19th March.
Appreciating not everyone would be able to attend, a fly-by tour video was recorded.

We'll be holding another Open Day on Saturday, 21st May, and all are welcome.

 

12 Mar 2022

A Night of Firsts

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
Mick, Anth, Paul (WM) and Jon.

We had another great meeting on Thursday, 10th March.  For the third month running we performed a First Degree ceremony and welcomed a new member to our Lodge.  Pictured with the Worshipful Master, we have Mick (February), Anth (March), Paul (the Worshipful Master), and Jon (January).  

The enthusiasm shown by all three is really promising, and we look forward to many years of friendship to come.  

We're fortunate to still have a number of potential candidates and we're now scratching our heads to create a plan to get them in; some have been waiting a while.

 

23 Feb 2022

A Great Start

Submitted by Wayne Rumley

We have very much picked up where we left off pre-pandemic, and have been fortunate to welcome two new members to the Lodge via Initiations at our January and February meetings.  We have a third Initiation to look forward to at our March meeting and we then switch our attention to Raising some of our current Fellow Craft members.

We still have quite the list of potential members that have been patiently waiting, and we thank them for that.  A plan is in the making as to how we might get them in to the Lodge without asking them to wait too much longer.

14 Dec 2021

A Continuation

Submitted by Wayne Rumley
WBro Paul Staines

December is always our Installation Meeting, and was once more on this occasion.  However, this year was different in that our current Worshipful Master, WBro Paul Staines, has remained in place for a third year (two being the usual limit these days).

The past two years have been stilted, for obvious reasons, and so all involved with the Lodge felt it correct that we should ask Paul to continue, which he was glad to do.

I am minded of what I wrote back in December 2019 when he was first installed.

8 Aug 2021

Samuel Peter Austin

Submitted by Steve Thompson

Austin
Samuel Peter Austin, Junior (1842 -1925)

One of the River Wear’s most famous shipbuilders, Samuel Peter Austin, was initiated into Palatine Lodge, No 97, on March 27th, 1868. He played an active role in the Lodge, becoming Worshipful Master in 1873, Treasurer in 1875 and received the honour of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden (PProvJGW).

Austin
The entry for Samuel Peter Austin in Palatine’s Membership Record

 

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