Brewer defines 'Bohemian' as 'a term applied to artists, writers and others of unconventional, loose or irregular habits'. The brethren who petitioned for Bohemian Lodge may have been unconventional, in that they were largely drawn from the entertainment profession, and - because of the calls of that profession - of irregular habits. But loose they were not, or they would not have been so anxious to have a lodge which they could regularly attend. So the first 'daylight' lodge in the Transvaal was duly consecrated in 1922 and met in the afternoon of the second Tuesday of the month. The Lodge was very active, with weekly meetings for instruction and sometimes two ceremonies at a meeting. A remarkable feature was the number of visitors, often greatly outnumbering the members and including many theatrical and musical personalities from overseas, such as members of the D'Oyly Carte Company in 1933 and of Jack Payne's band in 1936. Particularly close contacts were maintained, through correspondence and exchange of notices, with 'theatrical' lodges in England, especially the Chelsea No 3098 and Proscenium No 3435 Lodges in London.

With the passing of time the lodge became less specialised in membership, but continued to serve the particular purpose of a 'daylight' lodge until 1962, when it changed the date and time of its meetings to the first Wednesday evening of the month. This was a natural but sad consequence of the falling off of the theatrical connection, partly as a result of the 'depression years', followed by the Second World War.

The Lodge's one and only Grand Officer was Jerry Idelson, who was initiated in 1928 and went through the chair four years later. Although small in stature, Bro. Idelson - one of Johannesburg's leading violinists - was to prove a tower of strength in the lodge and in its Royal Arch Chapter, for many years.

Meeting place: Freemasons' Hall 8 Park Lane, Parktown Johannesburg