A Rather Special Event
- Mark Gibbs
- Oct 22
- 2 min read
Now here is something rather special: Permanent Way Lodge no. 9951 is organising a meeting at the Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street in London to mark Railway200, a nationwide celebration of the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which was created by Freemasons Robert and George Stephenson. It was the first railway to offer timetabled goods and passenger services, exclusively using steam engines and it led to the world-wide railway networks we know today.
The Great Eastern Hotel was built in 1880 by the Great Eastern Railway and, given that most of their directors were Freemasons, two splendid temples were included. One has now disappeared, but the larger one, is an exceptional room with splendid embellishments including an Italian marble squared pavement. Famously, the room was ‘lost’ during British Railways’ ownership, the entrance closed off. It was ‘rediscovered’ when the hotel was taken over and lavishly refurbished by Terence Conran in about 1990. It is now part of the Hyatt group.
The meeting takes place on Monday 8th December at 3pm. It will be followed by dinner in the hotel, and this will be a White Table event so partners, friends and non-Masons will be welcome. While the meeting is taking place, renowned local Royal photographer Jack Boskett will entertain non-Masonic guests with his acclaimed ‘Railways to Royalty’ show.
Outside the hotel it is planned to have a former Great Eastern Railway steam locomotive, possibly in steam. It is a small shunting locomotive built in 1876 and will be brought in by Permanent Way Lodge WM W. Bro. Andrew Goodman’s Railway Support Services.
The event will support Great Ormond Street Hospital and Lifelites.
Cost will be £150 including dinner for Masons,£100 for non-Masons. For a copy of the Summons and full information about what promises to be an outstanding event. please fill out the form at the following page
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