The petition had twenty signatories, with the
Charter Master Designate, W Bro J Blaker, coming
from a lodge in Pakistan, nine Scottish masons who,
in order to qualify as founders, affiliated with the
sponsored lodge, Civil Service No 3118, and other
brethren from England, Australia and New Zealand.
The Lodge, formed to serve the Turffontein area, was
consecrated at the Plein Street masonic hall but
then held its regular meetings in Turffontein, first
at the Presbyterian Church Hall, then at the
Oddfellows Hall. Later it moved to Rosettenville, La
Rochelle and Kenilworth before settling down at its
present venue, the Southern Masonic Hall in Rewlatch.
In earlier years the Lodge had sought to develop its
own meeting place, the first possibility being to
build on a piece of land donated by one of the
mining houses, the second to participate in what
eventually became the Oddfellows Hall but with the
advent of the First World War, followed by the 1922
strike, building plans were dropped and the Lodge
continued as a tenant at various venues until it
became a full participant in the successful scheme
for the development of the Masonic Hall in Rewlatch.
The Lodge membership has been widely representative
of the civic and business life of Johannesburg, and
has included some wellknown sportsmen one of whom,
the motor cyclist Bro Gus Collaras, unfortunately
was killed at the battle of Sidi Resegh in 1941. The
local amateur dramatic society was well represented,
and they not only provided entertainment at the
festive board but took part in shows held to raise
funds for charitable purposes. This supplemented the
remarkable charitable efforts of the earlier members
who, in the very difficult times after the First
World War and its aftermath, took it upon themselves
to assist brethren who had fallen on bad times,
including the widows of former members.
The Lodge's first Grand officer was W Bro Albert
Liddicoat (WM 1926/7) and two further Grand
appointments have gone to members of the Lodge in
recent years: W Bro Hendrik Gouws in 1986 and W Bro
Leo Werth in 1990. All well deserved, and another
faithful servant of the Lodge was W Bro Norman Jee
(WM 1943/4), well remembered for his unfailing
cheerfulness and his manifest enthusiasm for the
Craft.
Over the years the Lodge has experienced 'ups and
downs', varying from periods when multiple workings
were the order of the day, to others of 'candidate
drought', More recently the Lodge has had a shortage
of candidates but its has strong membership core and
confidence in its future.
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
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