Hertford Lodge normally meets on the 2nd Friday in the month it was consecrated on Tuesday 29th January 1907 at an especially convened meeting of the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire, it was named in honour of Hugh de Gray Conway Seymour, 6th Marquis of Hertford and Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire (1905 - 1912) who performed the ceremony. The Ceremony took place at the New Town Hall Sutton Coldfield. The first Master of the Lodge, Worshipful Brother Charles Hercules Reynolds (PM 1246) was installed directly following the consecration of the Lodge. There followed a festive board at the Masonic Hall Sutton Coldfield where 116 brethren sat down to dine. The Marquis of Hertford had a military background having served as a Captain in the Grenadier Guards. He was Comptroller of the Household 1879-80, a Privy Councillor and Aide de Camp to both King Edward VII and George V.Local affairs were also of interest to the Provincial Grand Master. He was Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum for Warwickshire, President of the Territorial Forces Association, a Vice Chairman of the County Council and a Trustee and Governor of Rugby School. In Parliament he served as Member for Antrim 1869-1874 and Member South Warwickshire 1874-1880.His Masonic career began in 1879 when he was initiated in the United Grand Lodge No 1629. He was Master of Appollo Lodge No 301 in 1882 and 1894. Provincial Junior Grand Warden 1883, Senior Grand Warden 1885, Provincial Grand Master of Antrim and a Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. In the Mark Degree he was Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire 1886-1912. He was appointed Deputy Grand Master and became Provincial Grand Master in 1890. In the Ancient and Accepted Rite he became a Member of the 33rd Degree in 1902. There follows a short explanation of the Hertford Coat of Arms, taken from the agenda of the Dedication of the new Hertford Banner. Must be read in conjunction with sight of the image of one of the founders jewels near the front of this documentARMS Quarterly, 1st and 4th OR, on a PILE, gu (GULES), between six Fleur-de-lis, az(AZURE); three lions(leopards)passant – quadrant, in PALE OR; 2nd and 3rd gu, two wings conjoined in LURE OR.CREST out of a ducal coronet, OR, a phoenix in flames, ppr (proper)SUPPORTERS two blackamoors, wreathed about the temples, OR and SA (SABLE), habited in short golden garments and in BUSKINS, gold, adorned about their waists with green and red feathers, holding in his exterior hand a shield, az(AZURE), garnished OR, the DEXTER charged with a sun in splendour, gold; the SINSTER with a crescent, arg (ARGENT).MOTTO “FIDE ET MORT” The Most Honourable The 8th Marquis of Hertford informs us that the wings shown on the Arms are carved over the doorway into Penhow Castle Gwent which is recorded as the earliest known of the Seymour family in this country in1128. Before that they were known as St Maur* and lived in France.In the 17th Century his Seymour ancestors inherited a Conway property (Ragley Hall Estate) and changed his name to Seymour Conway, added the Seymour wings which had earlier been quartered with the leopards of England and lilies of France by command of King Henry VIII. He believes that the Conway ancestor fought against the Moors in Spain in the 12th, 13th centuries and therefore adopted what he called a “Moors Head” as his crest. The British artists of the time, like some Shakespearean actors more recently, failed to notice the difference between the brown Arabsand the Black Negroes, so the Moor’s head is always painted black.The name St Maur derives from a “Holy Moor” of the seventeenth century who claimed to be descended from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba! This is a delightful story and happy Masonic coincidence and perhaps explains the 6th Marquises ability as Provincial Grand Master. Hertford was descended from Warden Lodge No 794 and there are still ties today. The family tree below shows the heritage of the Lodge as known you will note that there is a tentative link with Yenton Lodge but it is believed that at the last minute Hertford stood down as sponsor of Yenton for some reason.Hertford Lodge Family TreeSt Pauls Lodge 43 (1732)First Lodge of Light 468 (1840)Warden Lodge 794 (1859)HERTFORD LODGE 3208 (1906) This link with Yenton is quite a fragile one as Hertford initially wished to sponsor Yenton. But for some reason it is believed it never happened.Yenton Lodge 3484 (1910)Vesey Lodge 4473 (1922)Goldeslie Lodge 6174 (1945)Maney Lodge 7630 (1959)Lodge of Felicity 4166 (1920)Lodge of Perseverance 4622 (1923)Lodge of Barnabas 5050 (1928)St Peters Lodge 7334 (1954)Lodge of Perception 8492 (1973Thornhill Lodge 7137 (1952)Lodge of Stability 8667 (1975)Warden and Hertford Lodges are the major shareholder in the Masonic Hall Company which purchased the Old Town Hall / Municipal Offices in 1903 for the princely sum of £4000.00. This build in in Mill Street was Clasified as a Class II listed building in 19.During the first half century the membership averaged 50 plus and comprised mainly of professionals or men of independent means, the majority living within the Sutton Borough. At the end of 50 years the membership was still in the region of 50. The next 50 years were affected due to many Social changes after the War being introduced giving much more freedom for pleasure which started the gradual decline in membership down to 25. Hertford Lodge has always been proud of not only its Masonic work in the Lodge Rooms and in the community but it has always boasted a social programme which encouraged members friends and families to participate in some of their fund raising events. These Lodge Social functions continued to increase, and at times are well supported by other localLodges There were a number of Members of the Lodge who were prominent in Sutton Coldfield and during this period at least 6 members of the Lodge were Mayor of Sutton ColdfieldOther notable members in their respective years as Master are remembered for the following: 1930 W. Bro A E Terry Master - Noted for The Arthur Terry School1946 W. Bro JS Wilson--Father of our present Worshipful Master1947 W.Bro E F Miles -- Blender for Tea which is still available world wide1953 W.Bro J W O Harrison — Our oldest member now in his 64th Year of Service (Initiated 9th April 1943)1957 Bro I T Salt —Named Block at Good Hope Hospital for his services1960 W.Bro JR Preston — For services in Sutton Coldfield and a Medical Centre1969 W.Bro R Dickins — Chief Brewer Ansells Brewery1975 W.Bro W T Elwell --Analytical chemist regarding Moon rock samples & LecturesFollowing a tragic split in the Lodge the future now is looks rosy for Hertford with several new members joining over the past few years. it is expected that the Hertford Lodge will still continue to change in line with technological and social improvements but go on in strength into its next 100 yearsConsecrated at the Town Hall Sutton Coldfield on Tuesday January 29th 1907 by the Most Hon and Right Worshipful Bro The Marquis of Hertford Prov Grand Master CB PG ADC, Assisted by W Bro George Beech JP Past Grand Deacon England Deputy Prov Grand MasterAt 2.30 pm the brethren assembled at the new Town Hall entering the Lodge room at 2.45 pm.Present wereThe Most Hon and Right Worshipful Bro The Marquis of Hertford Prov Grand Master CB PG ADCW Bro George Beech JP Past Grand Deacon England Deputy Prov Grand MasterW Bro Thomas BallingtonProv GSWW Bro E A Wilson Prov GJWW Bro Rev J D McCreadyProv GCW Bro F ApplewhaiteProv CW Bro F G Swindon PDGSBProv GDCW Bro W H BowaterProv GSDW Bro J Eason ShoreProv GDW Bro J E Morehouse Prov GS of WW Bro E Burn CallanderProv GDCW Bro G F Kendall Prov DDCW Bro J W AlcockProv GADCW Bro H MayersProv GSBW Bro J Edwards WilcockProv GSBW Bro R A Ernest PayneProv G OrgW Bro J W HoltProv A SecW Bro C S Williams Prov G PursW Bro L B Tunchman Prov G Assis PursW Bro W ButlerProv G StewardW Bro A RodwayProv G StewardW Bro J HarrisProv G StewardW Bro D BotwrightProv G Ass TylerW Bro’s J K Bournes, E A Eades, Dr R H Spencer, Col:Jacchens Walker, G Shread, H Halmshaw P P G WardensThe following grand officers were also present:-W Bro’s Lord Ernst Seymour PGD, H Payton G S D, J F Pepper PGDDC, Chas Lee PAGDC, R Clay Lodlow PAGDC, FGSwinden PDGSB, A E Fridlander PGStB and other brethren of 400 in all.The following were the Founders present :-W Bro’s Goe Beech, Charles Lee, Chas H Reynolds,(WM Designate), J E Moorhouse, J W Alcock, J E Willcox, Felix Jones PPGD, Tho’s Turner PPGD, R Fenwick PPGD, W G Smith PPGADC, JJ Gittings PPGADC, John Hill PPGASec, JW Mattews PPGASec, A L Crockford, J E Prichard, WAH Clarry, Cha’s J Morris, EA Coverdale.Bro’s FN Horton, RE Parsons, J Appleby, JW Hinks, SJ Dixon, W Salt, AJ Pattison, VW Heeley, HV Barker, J Henry miles, WH Myers, AW Hoadly, PE Mosedale, Ernest E Lonnen, Harry H Reynolds, RH Griffiths, J Bamford, Henry Pratt, V Delevecque, JV Deville.38 in all.