Born in wartime, still meeting in Kings Heath

Frankley Beeches Lodge 5846 is a Craft lodge of Freemasons in Birmingham, in the Province of Worcestershire, under the United Grand Lodge of England. It was consecrated on Thursday 30 April 1942, at 2.30pm, at Ashlar House, Kings Heath Masonic Hall, 221 Alcester Road South, where it still meets. The name comes from Frankley Beeches, a clump of beech trees about 800 feet up near the Rubery–Halesowen road. Visiting and the address are on a separate page, and charity has its own. The lodge is warranted by the United Grand Lodge of England and meets in the Province of Worcestershire.

What Freemasonry is

A tradition of good men, doing good

Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest social and charitable organisations. It brings together men of every background and belief to enjoy friendship, develop themselves and support their communities. It is not a religion, and it is not a substitute for one.

I

Integrity

Being honest, fair and true to our word, in the lodge and outside it.
II

Friendship

Friendships that last a lifetime, across ages, jobs and generations.
III

Respect

Valuing every member, whatever his background or faith.
IV

Service

Giving time and support to one another and to the wider community.

The founding members of Frankley Beeches Lodge, photographed in 1942 — Our founders, 1942. All of them have since died.

The lodge

Men from all walks of life

Members have always come from all walks of life. Over the years the lodge has included a hotel manager, an architect, an optician, a company director and a machine-shop superintendent. Our history calls that a pattern that still applies today.

You will always be guaranteed a warm welcome. We are particularly proud of our reputation for making visiting brethren especially welcome.

A meeting is traditional and orderly, and it is followed by dinner. Much of the friendship is made at that table. We do not describe the meeting itself on this public website. If you are curious, we would rather tell you over a coffee.

Our history

From 1942 towards our centenary

Lodge banner showing the beech clump and St Leonard’s church — The beech clump and St Leonard’s church on our banner. It is a picture of the place, rather than a precise map. The banner was a gift from our first Senior Warden.

1942

Born in wartime

On Thursday 30 April 1942, at 2.30pm, the lodge was consecrated at the Masonic Hall on Alcester Road South. The country was at war. Most of the founders came from Halas Abbey Lodge No. 5407, in Halesowen. Our sponsoring, or Mother, Lodge is the Lodge of St George No. 5691, formed in 1937. The 75th anniversary history confirms that St George, not Halas Abbey, sponsored the petition.
1942

The first meeting

The first regular meeting was on Monday 1 June 1942. War conditions forced some early meetings to be moved. The first charity collection raised £6 7s 6d. That year the lodge also took a £10 share in the company that owned the hall. We have met in the same building ever since.
1942

A name from the hills

The name comes from Frankley Beeches, a clump of beech trees on a hilltop about 800 feet above sea level, near the Rubery–Halesowen road. The trees are linked to the Cadbury family. You can see the clump on our lodge banner.
1943

The two lemons

In April 1943 a brother serving in the Middle East sent home two lemons. Nobody at dinner had seen a lemon since the war began. They were auctioned for £14 14s, about £600 in today’s money, for the Worcestershire Masonic War Relief Fund.
1948

The honours board

In November 1948 a Past Masters’ honours board was presented. It hangs in the reception hall at Kings Heath. The names on it stay in the hall: we do not publish them here.
1992

Golden jubilee

On 5 May 1992 the lodge marked fifty years, with more than a hundred visitors. Two daughter lodges had grown from Frankley Beeches by then.
2017

Seventy-five years young

The seventy-fifth anniversary was marked with a short history, titled “75 years young”. Photographs from the day are in the anniversary gallery.
2042

The centenary

Our centenary falls in 2042. We would like the men who join now to be part of the lodge when it arrives.

The first minute book was lost for years, then found by builders in the hall loft during renovations. It is now kept at Provincial Grand Lodge in Bromsgrove. Later members included men who had served during the war.

A family of lodges

Where we come from, and what grew from us

Our Mother Lodge

The Lodge of St George No. 5691, formed in 1937, is the Mother Lodge. Most founders came from Halas Abbey Lodge No. 5407, but St George sponsored the petition. The 75th history says the old yearly visit is less regular now that the Mother Lodge meets by day. The friendship remains. The full account is on 75 years young.
Daughter lodges

Two lodges were founded from Frankley Beeches: Frankley St George No. 8212, and Trinity, now Trinity Blakesley, No. 8586.
A welcome for others

When Futurity Lodge No. 6455 closed, five of its members joined Frankley Beeches.

1942–2017

75th Anniversary, 1942–2017

The lodge celebrated 75 years in 2017 with brethren and distinguished guests from the Province at Ashlar House, including a donation of £4,000 to the Worcestershire Festival 2022. The written history is 75 years young. These photographs are from that day.