Potchefstroom made masonic history in 1865 by being the home of the first lodge to be formed in the old Transvaal Republic, the Netherlandic 'Flaming Star of Africa. A Scottish lodge came on to the scene in 1889 but the English did not move in until after the South African War, when a strong garrison of British troops was stationed outside the town, and English masons among their number combined with some of the townsmen in petitioning for a new lodge. This was named 'King Edward' as a token of respect for King Edward VII, our Immediate Past Grand Master. The initial prominence of military members soon declined, and with Potchefstroom emerging as an educational centre, there was a useful influx of teachers and lecturers into the Lodge. Then the establishment of a large military camp at Potchefstroom at the outbreak of the First World War led to renewed military membership, and the Lodge flourished albeit that the soldier members naturally 'came and went'. With the advent of the Second World War the process repeated itself and the Lodge emerged from the war strong enough to be able, in 1946, to help revive its sponsoring lodge, Royal Albert No 2315, in Klerksdorp, which had not met for several years.

Over the years the lodge venue has changed several times. Until 1912 it met in a building in Kerk Street (then King Edward Street). Then it built its own hall in St Mary's Lane, borrowing £500 for the purpose. This was only paid off in 1960, making the lodge initially reluctant to support the Jubilee Memorial Fund. However the finances were sorted out and the lodge remained in St Mary's Lane until its property was expropriated by the Town Council in 1989/90.

In the meantime the lodge had had problems. Membership declined and this, coupled with venue problems following the expropriation, led to such a serious fall in attendance as threatened the future of the lodge.

However after using various meeting places, the lodge is now meeting in the St Mary's Memorial Hall in Potchefstroom and may well stay there until it is strong enough in numbers to warrant acquiring new premises, possibly in conjunction with the Scottish lodge. The resources are available but, sadly, there is hostility towards Freemasonry in Potchefstroom, making recruitment difficult.

To mention a few of the lodge's distinguished members, W Bro F G (Sammy) Tyers, headmaster of the Potchefstroom Boys High School, moved on to take charge of Parktown Boys High School in Johannesburg and served as Assistant District Grand Master from 1948 to 1950; W Bro T J Crous was to become Chief Commissioner of Police, with the rank of General; and W Bro Tommy Coulter, Worshipful Master four times and Secretary for some thirty years, was the recipient of Grand Honours in 1987. Of interest, too, is that Bro Dick Hollard Amm, later to become District Grand Master of the Scottish District, was initiated in King Edward Lodge by his father, in 1916.


Meeting place: off St Mary Lane, Potchefstroom