There was a general expansion of Freemasonry
throughout the District after the Second World War,
and although a new lodge (Pretoria No 6017) had been
consecrated in 1945, its growth was seen as
justifying the sponsoring of another lodge within
seven years. The consecration of this new lodge,
Arcadia, was to be a unique occasion in South
Africa, for the ceremony was conducted in the
presence of the MW the Grand Master, the Earl of
Scarbrough, with over 1000 brethren filling the
Pretoria City Hall. As W Bro McAdam, Deputy District
Grand Master, said, in a memorable oration:
'The presence of the Head of our Order at the
consecration of a lodge.... in the Transvaal....is
without precedent in our annals. We greatly rejoice
in the unexampled boon we thus enjoy, which will
make this gathering memorable to us for all time.'
The Lodge had 31 founders and its Charter Master was
W Bro Dr F J Hauptfleisch, who was to become an
Assistant District Grand Master in the following
year. W Bro W S McAdam, was also a founder and the
list included 13 Past Masters and 18 Master Masons.
However, only four of the latter were to go forward
to the chair. Early recruits included Bro R G
Hauptfleisch, son of the Charter Master and Master
of the Lodge twice, and Bro P J L Groenewald,
likewise twice through the chair and ultimately the
recipient of Grand honours in 1988.
As with all but one of the 'English' lodges in
Pretoria, Arcadia met at Beatrix Street until the
masonic hall was sold in 1982, and then after almost
two years in temporary premises the Lodge moved to
the new complex at The Willows.
Exsequi Lodge meets at Park
Lane in Johannesburg, South Africa on the fourth Monday of
February (Election Meeting), April (Installation Meeting),
June, August, October and November. Exsequi is a Freemasons
Dining Lodge and masonic guests are most welcome.
Freemasonry a web site for and about Freemasons - South African
Lodges
