The Itawa Lodge

1951……….2001

50 years

Extract from 50 Year Souvenir booklet

It was in 1931 that the first thoughts were mooted of forming an English Lodge in Ndola to partner the existing Scottish Lodge – David Ogilvie.  But the country then known as Northern Rhodesia was experiencing a very lean period and the brethren could not see a permanent future for another Lodge in Ndola and the serious recession which swept the country in the early thirties, forced the idea to be shelved.

In 1939 the second world war broke out and all thoughts of another Lodge were dispelled until Peace came in 1945.  A few years later certain English brethren got together and decided that the time was now ripe to go ahead with the formation of an English Lodge in Ndola.  Under the sponsorship of Mufulira Lodge a petition was submitted to Grand Lodge and on 2^nd June 1951, The Itawa Lodge No. 7072 was consecrated by Sir Ellis Robins the District Grand Master of Rhodesia, within whose District the Lodge was then situated.

Thirty-five Founders subscribed to the petition, one of whom was the legendary Chirapula Stephenson who played such a prominent role in the history of this country.  The last of those thirty-five Founders, who remained in Ndola, was Wor Bro H.K.Smallwood who maintained his connection with the Lodge up to the time of his death in 1998.

During its fifty years of life, the Itawa Lodge has initiated two hundred and fourteen gentlemen into the Craft and has accepted one hundred and seventy eight joining members.  Consequently, in all, the names of four hundred and twenty seven brethren have appeared on the roll of the Lodge, all of who receive mention in this souvenir booklet.  From the thirty five Founder members, six continued into the Chair of the Lodge, one for two separate years.

Of the initiates, twenty eight have reached the Chair, two of whom served for two-year consecutive terms with our present Worshipful Master adding to this total when he is re-installed in the Chair for his second consecutive year.  One initiate has served for two separate years and five others have attained the Chair of other Lodges within the District.  Thus, the twenty eighth initiate to attain the Chair of the Lodge, will be re-installed on 2^nd June 2001.  From amongst the joining members, twelve have been installed into the Chair of the Lodge.

Whilst the Lodge was within the District of Rhodesia, four of its Past Masters received honours and the Lodge “hosted” one meeting of the District under its banner on 28^th April 1956.

Since the creation on 28^th January 1967 of the District Grand Lodge of Zambia, the Lodge has “hosted” fourteen District meetings, including the Installation of Rt Wor Bro B.B.Heshon as District Grand master in 1988. Twenty nine of the Lodge Past Masters have received honours from this district and six joining Past Masters have also been so honoured whilst serving with the Lodge.  On 28^th April 1976 the Lodge learnt with great joy of the appointment of its first Grand Lodge officer in the person of Wor Bro J.H.Rigg, a joining Past Master from the District Grand Lodge of Gibralter, whose sterling work, not only within the Lodge and District, but also in the other degrees earned him this well deserved honour.

In 1980, Wor Bro H.K.Smallwood added lustre to our records when he was appointed Past Assistant Grand Registrar by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master.  Wor Bro  H.L.I.Evans, a joining member of Itawa, whose mother Lodge is Observer Lodge No 6015, joined the illustrious ranks of Grand Officers with his appointment as Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.  In 1988 another of the Lodge’s past masters, Rt Wor Bro B.B.Heshon was appointed District Grand Master of Zambia, a well deserved honour.  1993 saw Wor Bro M.G.Purslow appointed Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, subsequent to his appointment as Assistant District Grand Master in 1992.  Wor Bro Purslow retired from the District Office in 1998 and was appointed Past Junior Grand Deacon the following year.  In 2000, the District Grand Master re-appointed Wor Bro Purslow to the office of Assistant District Grand Master.  In 1994, Wor Bro Thakkar, then a member of Itawa Lodge (since resigned), and a Past Master of our daughter lodge Mwana Lodge, was appointed Past Grand Standard Bearer.  Finally, Wor Bro C.S.F.Westlake joined the ranks of our Grand Lodge Officers when he was appointed Past Grand Standard Bearer in 1998.

There have been four Father and Son combinations within the Itawa Lodge, firstly Bro K.Barlow, a joining member, who was present to see his son initiated; both have now left the country; secondly Wor Bro F.R.Cooke, a joining Bro who attained the Chair in 1968, had the pleasure of initiating his son, Michael, in 1970 and in 1975 was permitted the honour of installing him into the Chair – both have since left Zambia; Bro M.Fatin, an initiate of the Lodge, was present to see his son initiated – both these brethren have since left Zambia; finally Wor Bro M.G.Purslow, MBE, was able to initiate his son, David, into the Lodge.

From its inception the Itawa Lodge has practised the Nigerian Ritual and although this particular ritual is no longer in print, and the Lodge has been forced to adopt Emulation Working (from which the Nigerian was formulated) it still retains those Nigerian characteristics.  Installations follow what has become known as the “Robbins’ Ritual” a mixture of the old Nigerian Ritual and the “Revised Ritual”.  This ritual is unique to the District Grand Lodge of Zambia.

From its Consecration the Lodge has at every meeting (except Installations) had an item of “Masonic Instruction” on its agenda, and this has been faithfully performed; amongst the presentation of this particular item have been – prepared addresses – reading of published lectures – recited portions of other rituals and workings – demonstration workings and official slides of Masonic interest.

Due to the varied religious creeds of its initiates and members over the years, the Lodge now proudly exhibits four Volumes of Sacred Law on its pedestal namely the Holy Bible – The Koran – The Gita – The Guru Granth Sahib.

The Lodge has been pleased over the years to make worthy donations to all the recognised Masonic Charities and has been a Vice-President of the Institute for Boys and a Grand Patron of the Hospital.    With the many changes that have taken place in the organisation of Masonic Charities, the Lodge has of recent times directed its support to the Masonic Charity Fund of Zambia and Educational Trust Fund of Zambia.  Without doubt the brethren of the Lodge, have over the years, endeavoured to fulfil their obligation in this respect.

On 15^th June 1968 The Itawa R.A. Chapter was consecrated thus enabling the brethren to proceed to the completion of their third degree within the embracing arm of the Lodge.  On 25^th October 1975, the Itawa Mark Lodge was formed, thus providing the brethren with a further facet of our Great Order.

In the past, the Itawa Lodge has been blessed with an abundance of prospective candidates and double ceremonies have been worked in all three degrees in an endeavour to reduce the waiting list.  Today the number of candidates has fallen and has averaged only two a year over the past ten years as compared with an average of almost five per year in the first decade of the Lodge’s existence.  In 1975 brethren of the Lodge overwhelmingly supported a motion that the Itawa Lodge sponsor a daughter lodge in Ndola, and despite doubts in some quarters concerning the future of Masonry in this country, the Founders Committee decided to proceed and Mwana Lodge No 8706 was consecrated on 29^th May 1976, sponsored by the Itawa Lodge.  The Charter Master was Wor Bro H.K.Smallwood, a Founder and Past Master of Itawa who had returned to active service to take this office.  Thus, as Itawa celebrates its Golden Anniversary, our daughter, Mwana, joins us in celebration of its twenty fifth birthday – its Silver Anniversary.

The Itawa Lodge today steps forward into its second half century of its life, proud of its past but even more determined to make it a better future, ever mindful of those thirty-five Founders whose courage, determination, foresight and dedication created for us the Lodge we have today, and handed to us that birthright we are obligated to hand on, pure and unsullied, to those who shall succeed us.

So Mote It Be.

2^nd June 2001