Lodge History
If you are reading this, you are like me probably a member of the 'Noel Money community' either as a member of the Lodge or perhaps his family. Probably also you are perhaps intrigued as I was, by the name of our Lodge and what Noel Money has meant to many generations since the lodge was formed in 1894 – now over 111 years ago and spanning three centuries.
Much has happened since then including three great wars, the Boer War, the 1914-18 War and the Second World War – during which along with countless others, members of this lodge fought and in some cases died for their Country and for the freedoms and way of life we each enjoy today.
This story is dedicated to them and to all the past members of the Noel Money family; we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude, not only for their foresight in creating this lodge but also for their own individual and collective contribution of service to the lodge throughout its long history.
It is recorded that during his Oration at the Centenary meeting in November 1994, W. Bro. The Rev. D.L. Allonby, OBE, Provincial Grand Chaplain reminded us of the words of an old Chinese adage, ’if you’re planning for one year, plant grain; if you’re planning for ten years, plant trees; if you’re planning for 100 years, plant men’.
So perhaps ‘planting men’ is what freemasonry is all about?
We each become masons for many different reasons - the members of Noel Money Lodge are no different from millions of others from Lodges around the world; they have chosen to join this Ancient fraternal organisation, principally because they enjoy it and maybe want to learn more about themselves and perhaps provide an opportunity for them to be better men.
But many fewer organisations can claim the heritage and longevity of this lodge, existing as it has since the time when a distinguished soldier led a group of men as Petitioners, to seek from the United Grand Lodge of England, a Warrant of Constitution to form a new lodge in the
History changes every day which passes – not just things which happened 100 or even 50 years ago; even yesterday is now history. So we are all as much part of the history of this lodge as those who have gone before us. And we are the present-day guardians of this heritage.
As 'author', I take no personal credit for what is written here in this history; its contents have simply been drawn together to form a chronicle of events - such credit rightly belongs to each individual member of the lodge who have been and are today, such an important and integral part of the distinguished history of Noel Money Lodge No. 2521.
I hope that from this, you learn something of the history of our lodge and of the men who have served it throughout the years.
David Holder
Secretary, Noel Money Lodge No. 2521
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