The Lodge Today
Beaureper Lodge is the oldest lodge in Belper and was formed in 1859 at the New Inn which was between Belper Market Place and St Peters Church. The Lodge met at several locations within Belper up until 1947 when Beaureper Lodge moved to the current Belper Masonic Hall.
Our lodge is a dynamic and diverse community, where members from a wide range of ages and professions come together to build strong bonds of brotherhood and serve their local community.
From accountants and architects, emergency services and engineers, to sailors, soldiers and showmen, our members come from all walks of life. This diverse mix of ages and professions creates a welcoming environment where all members are respected and valued for their unique contributions. Our members range in age from mid 30s to 90s, bringing a wealth of experience and perspectives to our lodge.
One of the joys of being a member of our lodge is the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and develop enjoyable friendships. Our members regularly visit other lodges, including those located abroad in Gibraltar and Ireland, and have developed strong relationships with our daughter lodge, Lodge of St John No. 8070, and granddaughter lodge, Bradelei Lodge No. 9205.
We are committed to making a positive impact on our community through charitable work. We raise are currently raising funds for the Derbyshire Charity Festival 2025. The Festival celebrates one of the cornerstones of Freemasonry, charity, and the objective is to raise £1.5 million in aid of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The lodge also supports local charities, such as the Hope for Belper food bank. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our lodge stepped up to the challenge by working to track down PPE for those in need, and supplying IT equipment to the Ada Belfield Centre in Belper.
We believe that the values of Freemasonry, including integrity, friendship, respect and charity, are more important now than ever before. Our members strive to live up to these values each and every day, both within our lodge and in our interactions with the wider community.
As a member of our lodge, you will have the opportunity to develop strong bonds of brotherhood and friendship, as well as make a positive impact on the world around you. Our lodge is committed to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all members, regardless of age, profession, or background.
Whether you are new to Freemasonry or have been a member for years, we invite you to join us in our mission to make a positive impact on the world around us. Together, we can build a better future for our community and for future generations to come.
Please do get in touch with us by using the contact form!
History of Beaureper Lodge No. 787
Masonry started in Belper on Tuesday 7th June, 1859 with the consecration of Beaureper Lodge number 1089 in the New Inn (see photo) – now part of Colledges premises between Belper Market Place and St Peters Church.
The second meeting was held at the Assembly Rooms in Derby on Wednesday 15th June 1859, at which the Marquis of Hartington was in attendance. The Marquis of Hartington was Beaureper Lodge’s first Worshipful Master as well as being the Provincial Grand Master from 1858. He held leading positions in three political parties (the Liberal Party, the Liberal Unionist Party, and the Conservative Party), serving in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Marquis was invited three times to form a government by Queen Victoria but declined on each occasion; his political career is one of the longest in modern times, with more than 24 years of service in government. Margot Asquith (wife of Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith) said the Duke of Devonshire “was a man whose like we shall never see again; he stood by himself and could have come from no country in the world but England. He had the figure and appearance of an artisan, with the brevity of a peasant, the courtesy of a king and the noisy sense of humour of a Falstaff. He gave a great, wheezy guffaw at all the right things and was possessed of endless wisdom. He was perfectly disengaged from himself, fearlessly truthful and without pettiness of any kind”.
Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire
The first Worshipful Master of Beaureper Lodge No. 787
(Image Source)
On the 4th July 1863, Grand Lodge renumbered the lodges and Beaureper became number 787 which it still is today. The first years of the lodge were successful and the number of members increased rapidly. Newspapers at the time reported that the title of the lodge was “a very happy one”, with the name “Beaureper” (the ancient name of the town of Belper) meaning “great retreat”.
In the early 1880s, the lodge held its meetings in the Public Hall in Belper and its banquets were generally held at the Lion Hotel. The Public Hall was built in 1882 for a cost of £3500, and was used as a court, theatre, and meeting hall. In 1919 the hall first opened its doors as a cinema with rear projection. It would later become the Ritz Cinema in Belper. At its 24th anniversary, the lodge held a large meeting at the Public Hall with a very large number of visiting brethren present. There were reported to be more than 20 past masters in attendance. The lodge room was adorned with “choice exotics kindly lent from the Bridge-hill conservatories”. The banquet was held in the Lion Hotel with the food supplied by Mr and Mrs Bennett.
Members of the lodge in 1959. Picture taken at the Lodge’s centenary.
The lodge thrived during the remainder of the 19th century, with members of the lodge involved in civic life both locally and nationally. Members of the lodge included local businessmen, tradesmen, and professionals like doctors, dentists, vicars, builders, railway workers, and soldiers. In the early days, members were hosiers, timber merchants, postmasters, warehousemen, police officers, schoolmasters, farmers, ironmongers, bookkeepers, and engineers. In the early 20th century, members’ professions were largely unchanged, including schoolmasters, caretakers, surveyors, engineers, ministers, hosiery managers, chemists, accountants, and bank managers. Today’s members of the lodge represent a wide spectrum of society and professions.
Celebrations and events
Since its beginning, the lodge has held celebratory events. The lodge’s fourth-anniversary celebration was held in 1863 at the New Inn with about 60 brothers in attendance. The lodge was reported to be “one of the first in the province of Derbyshire”. The banquet was held in the courtroom attached to the New Inn. The wines were “of the best vintage, and the dessert was excellent”. The lodge presented a “handsome silver cup” to an early Worshipful Master of the Lodge as a “token of respect and esteem, and in grateful appreciation of his valuable services to the lodge”. The cup weighed 32 ounces and was made by a brother in Birmingham. It was described as “massive”. The cup was “christened” with several bottles of port from the landlord of the New Inn’s “best bin”. There were diverse menus at early meetings including soups, oxtail, vermicelli, fish, salmon, turbot, entrees, stewed kidneys, mushrooms, sweet bread, spinach, veal, beef, capon, lamb, calves head, chickens, ducklings, canary and London puddings, trifle, blancmange, tipsy cake and jellies, cheese and salad for dessert.
The lodge hosted a grand Masonic Ball in 1914, decorating the large and small public halls with art, flowers, and plants. There were 107 guests across 25 tables who played whist and danced. The Worshipful Master’s wife gave away the prizes gowned in rich black mervo silk. The first ladies’ prize was a Crown Derby cup and saucer, the second prize was a silver-mounted fruit dish. The men’s prizes were a massive tankard, and a copper tray. The band of Mr Glossop, from Ambergate, played music and there was dancing. The lodge was reported to be in a ‘very prosperous position’. The lodge held a celebration again the following year for the 56th anniversary. However, this event was smaller because of the war. Instead of the usual banquet, supper was served at the Railway Hotel. In 1931, the lodge held a ladies’ night at the Belper River Gardens Pavilion with more than 250 people in attendance. The Worshipful Master hosted the reception, followed by a whist drive. There was supper, dancing, and a demonstration of ballroom dancing!
Members of the lodge have supported local and national society. For example, a member was involved in the transfer, sale, and future protection of Duffield Castle in the late 19th century. Another brother was involved with the Poorlaw Union, the workhouse (now Babington Hospital), and the setting up of the Field Lane Convent (now private residences). Members have run local schools, been vicars of parishes in the local area, set up new churches and community centres, played music in St Peters church for decades and been nationally recognised organists. One member even designed and manufactured the roof structure of St Pancras Station in London. Members have been researchers and developed new technological and scientific solutions to advance society.
The St Pancras Midland Railway Station. Its iron roof was the largest in the World and was manufactured and erected by the Butterley Company undert the management of Sir John Alleyne, a member of Beaureper Lodge. (Image Source)
The lodge met at a number of different locations in Belper until 1947 when it moved to the Ladies Conservative Club Rooms – now known as Belper Masonic Hall, Campbell Street. The hall was acquired in 1951 but was mainly used as a government building until about 1960. The hall has been expanded over the last 30 years with the addition of a kitchen, ladies toilets and bar extension. The hall recently became ‘Tylers’ and was fully refurbished.
Meetings
Beaureper Lodge No. 787 meets at Belper Masonic Hall usually on the fourth Thursday of each month, with an exception in December due to Christmas. There are usually nine meetings per year, unless additional emergency meetings are called. Lodge summons include a link to booking in as a visitor to the Lodge. You can also contact us through the contact form.
The Worshipful Master, Officers, and Brethren of the Lodge look forward to giving you a warm welcome.