To quote from its brief 'history', Amity Lodge was formed for a specific purpose 'by a group of Past Masters from various lodges who had come together and decided that they wished to meet as a dining lodge. It was not intended that candidates should be initiated, passed and raised but that the lodge would consist of Past Masters who would be attracted to the lodge by its spirit of friendship and camaraderie. It was intended to hold the occasional lecture but the principal function of the lodge would be to meet, open and close and for the members to repair to the festive board for an evening's entertainment.

Hence, no doubt, the name of the lodge, but within two years it was accepted that 'without initiates and regular floor workings the lodge would die. So the policy changed and the lodge began to draw candidates from a wide variety of disciplines. It has always met at Park Lane and it has had its ups and downs, with a particularly bad period in the middle seventies when consideration was given to surrendering the Charter. However, an influx of new young members saved the situation at that stage.

Meeting place: Freemason's Hall 8 Park Lane, Parktown Johannesburg