History 1930 to 1980
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At the outbreak of War in September 1939, Grand Lodge decided no further Lodge meetings should take place until further notice. Grenville decided to ignore this and carried on as normal. In November Bro. L. N. Cole was installed as Master. Shortly afterwards he became a serving officer with the Royal Air Force and it was difficult for him to attend every meeting.
The 1940's again saw the Lodge passing and raising Brethren who were unable to attend their Mother Lodge, sometimes due to a Lodge being closed down for the duration.
The wearing of white gloves was suspended to save clothing coupons. The agenda was reduced to half size to save paper. Bro. Mairs, Senior Warden, who worked in Slough, declined Mastership for four years to save petrol.
The "tradition" in Grenville, of opening and closing in the three degrees at every meeting started at this time.
The minutes record that grateful thanks were sent to the Provincial Grand Secretary and Masons of Victoria, Australia for several food parcels some of the Brethren had received during hostilities.
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In 1946 W. Bro. Bunker took part in a third degree ceremony for the fiftieth time.
In 1948 the first Past Masters' Meeting on record took place. This Past Masters' Meeting was repeated in 1954 and has remained a feature of Grenville every year since.
In March 1952, our second Grand Officer was appointed when W. Bro. E. A. G. Bishop was made Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies of the United Grand Lodge of England.
In 1953 payment by Grand Lodge of 1,500 guineas to the Lord Mayor of London's fund to help victims of the East Coast Floods is recorded in the minutes. Although it is known donations had previously been made to non Masonic charities this is the first one on our records.
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In 1956 the Lodge finances came under some scrutiny, in particular with regard to the loss on dinners. There was an overdraft at the Bank and two years Electricity and Gas Bills owing to our landlords. It was observed that the Lodge was not paying its way, and the annual subscription was raised to three guineas.
There is a reference in the minutes to the post card system of ordering dinners being a complete failure. One month there were twenty-five dinners ordered but fifty brethren stayed to dine. The Secretary offered a prize to the member who guessed correctly the number of diners at the next meeting. In consequence W. Bros E. Savage and C. I. Taylor with Mrs. Savage, Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Camm undertook to provide good hot meals for 5/6d. This arrangement continued for three years when the accounts were handed over in proper order and a caterer was re-employed to supply meals at 7 shillings.
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Our records show that in January 1958, the minutes of a meeting held fifty years before were read.
In 1961, Bro. E. S. Dewing made a statement concerning the Royal Masonic Boys' School at Bushey. An earlier decision to close the school and move to Ascot was abandoned in favour of a modernisation programme at Bushey. He spoke of the happy atmosphere at the school and their examination successes. The Brethren voted to support this decision and the school continued until 1975.
In 1965 the Lodge opted to use the permitted alternative form of Penalties in the obligations for a minimum of five years. This option was exercised until 1986 when the Lodge Officers had to learn the new “symbolic” working by which the traditional penalties were removed from the Obligations but retained elsewhere in the ceremonies.
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In January 1966, the Lodge agreed to donate £1. 0s. 0d. per member to the Grand Master's Fund to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of Grand Lodge. This fund is used for non-Masonic charities and endows research units under the auspices of the Royal College of Surgeons which are reported on in the Lodge every year. A commemorative jewel to mark this event now adorns the Master's collar.
Among the initiations in November 1968, was Brother G. Stanton, the Master of Grenville in our centenary year. In October 1969, the first Special Dispensation for many years was granted to enable W. Bro. G. O. Bell, Master of the Lodge No. 7701 to be installed as Master of Grenville during the same period. In 1972, the Lodge of Instruction held its first Festival of Masonic Work which was well received by the Brethren.
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In May 1978, W. Bro. G. O. Bell seconded the proposition of W. Bro. B. Tustian that Grenville should sponsor a daughter Lodge. The proposition was carried and the Verney Lodge No. 8849 was consecrated in Yeomanry Hall on 16th January, 1979. Among the founder members were seven members of Grenville. W. Bro. Sir Ralph Verney, Bt. was the first Master and W. Bro. B. Tustian the first Secretary.