Royal Forest Lodge 1329

The Royal Forest Lodge takes it name from the forest or chase, previously situated to the South East of the Harrogate (formerly known as “Hare Gate”) area, which in ancient times was exclusively owned by the Kings of England for the breeding and hunting of deer.

The Royal Forest Lodge was founded in 1895 under the control of the Independent Banner. In March 1908 it seceded to the Grand Lodge of England when an application for a G.L.E. Dispensation was issued on the 18th March of that year. On seceding to G.L.E. it was one of founding Lodges of the former Great Yorkshire Province. When the Leeds Provincial Grand Lodge was formulated, the Royal Forrest Lodge became one of the founding Lodges.

In the 1920’s as direct result of the difficulties in travel to and from Leeds, the Lodge was instrumental is the formation of the Harrogate & District Province and is now one of only two surviving Lodges. The Dragon 1602 being the other Lodge.

Arising from the dispute over the legal ownership of the R.A.O.B. Orphanage at Aldridge, members of the Royal Forest Lodge in the persons of Frank Hargreaves and Ab Salad (the later also being a member in Manchester) persuaded the Harrogate P.G.L. to suggest to the Grand Lodge of England that Grove House should be purchased for use as an orphanage, to be wholly owned by Grand Lodge. The estate was duly purchased in 1923 for the sum of Ten Thousand pounds.

In 1933, along with other Lodges of the Province, the Royal Forest Lodge instrumental in the purchase of premises for an R.A.O.B. Club and Institute, where the Lodge held its meetings until 1988 when it became necessary to find new premises, and for a while was meeting at the R.A.F.A. Social Club.  It now holds its meetings at the R.A.O.B. G.L.E. Convalescent Home at Grove House and still meets at 8 p.m.

While under the control of the Grand Lodge of England, the Royal Forest Lodge can lay claim to have had three Grand Primo’s (1936, 2000 and 2009), three Deputy Grand Primo’s (1935, 1999 and 2008), four consecutive Grand Secretaries (J. Wilson, G.J. Smith, J.W. Cooper and W.A.C.J Hartmann) and three minor Grand Lodge Officers (1936, 1977 and 1992) among its membership.

So far as local charitable activities are concerned, the Lodge has for the past ten years provided a number of Food Hampers for aged pensioners in the district who are members or connected with the Lodge or Order. The Lodge has been involved in sponsoring a bed, together with the Burley Lodge 9081 in the Intensive Care Unit at the Harrogate District Hospital in memory of the deceased wife of one of our members and to-date a sum in excess of ten thousand pounds has been donated to that project. In 1998 Her Majesty the Queen when touring the Harrogate District Hospital, surprised the Governors of the Hospital with her knowledge both of the R.A.O.B. and the two Lodges, when she noticed the sponsorship plaques situated above the two beds.

The Royal Forest Lodge has also been involved with other welfare activity in the local community, and is held in high esteem by the Borough of Harrogate.

On the 18th March 2009 the Royal Forest will celebrate its Centenary under the control of the Grand Lodge of England.