About Us

Founded in December 1787, the Gillingham Lodge of Benevolance No 184 stands as one of the enduring lodges within Freemasonry in the UK.

According to the historical register, the lodge received its warrant on 13th of December 1787. From its earliest days, it has embodied the craft's twin ideals of fraternity and benevolence.

Th lodge is recognised as an ''Atholl' lodge, one of the distinguished group of lodges under the Ancient Grand Lodge of England , which were affixed to the roll of the Duke of Atholl in 1813. The association links Gillingham 184 to an important structural chapter in English Freemasonry: the period when two rival Grand Lodges the ''Ancients" and the "Moderns" unified, bringing together diverse ritual traditions and regional practices.

Purpose and Values:

In line with its name "Lodge of Benevolance", Gillingham 184 anchors itself in the ethos of service; to its members, to their families and to the communities in which they live in. The word Benevolance reflects the commitment to charitable work, assistance to brethren in times of hardship and civic engagement. The lodges longevity offers testimony to its adaptability and rebalance through social eras, from Georgian Britain, through to Victorian times into modernity.