About Our Lodge

The East Kent Combined Services Lodge, is a Military and Emergency Services-themed lodge, specifically, providing unique benefits to our members, by combining the values of Freemasonry with the camaraderie and mess deck banter of service-oriented professions.

Based at the Masonic Centre in Ashford, Kent, we meet on a Saturday Afternoon, in February,
Starting at 15:00, it gives us the opportunity to enjoy a full meeting, without having to travel home too late at night. (Although that is your choice!)

The lodge was the brain child of our first Worshipful Master, WBro Steve Simmons. Many Province’s had signed up to support the Armed Forces Covenant, and also wishing to form a Combined Services Lodge here in East Kent. (Many Province’s throughout the England, have a combined services lodge).

It was after attending the Consecration of the Combined Services Lodge no 9999 in Surrey, that the seed was planted. “If Surrey can do it, why can’t we?”

As the name of our lodge suggests, we are made up of members from the Military, or Emergency Services, in other words, “Crown Servants”.

Our Lodge Crest is made up of the following.

The Crown: This is symbolic to the brethren of the Lodge, as it shows the Loyal Allegiance to the Crown and to the Service in which they served.

The Square and Compasses: The Square in masonic teaching, teaches s to regulate our Lives and Actions according to the Masonic Line and Rule. The Compasses remind us to limit our desires in every station in life.

The Invicta Horse: This has been the heraldic symbol since the 8th Centaury and is the banner to which both Men of Kent and Kentish Men have rallied to.

The Checkered Floor: This represents the Light and Darkness, the Joys and Sorrows of our Checkered Existence on this Earth.

The Lodge Motto: Est Vinculum Sicut Alius A BOND LIKE NO OTHER.

To start a lodge, you need “Petitioners”, and at one point we had 55. But due to the Covid Pandemic, priorities at home always take president as in all masonic cases, so the number fell slightly.

Meetings with those who wanted to continue were held, and progress was made to form the new lodge.
See picture.

Volunteers were “selected” to take Offices in the Lodge, and with our application to the Provincial Grand Master of East Kent having been submitted, it was up to the United Grand Lodge of England to approve the formation of the lodge.

Members meet in a local restraurant to discuss the new lodge

THE GREEN LIGHT WAS GIVEN

Very soon it was all becoming very real, The Lodge would be called, The East Kent Combined Services Lodge No 10038 in the register of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Rehearsals were arranged for the big day. A big thank you went to WBro Andy Stevens, and WBro Graham Cuthbert, who would step in for Andy at the Consecration.