Inhabitants' Lodge 153
In 1717 four London Lodges took the unprecedented step to form a Grand Lodge and thereby uniting masonry under one sole authoritative body. Freemasonry arrived in Gibraltar some ten years later when a number of military Brethren congregated to form the first Masonic Lodge in the Garrison.
The Inhabitants Lodge No. 285 was the first civilian Lodge in Gibraltar to cater for the British mercantile fraternity who settled on the Rock. In 1774 the St. John's Lodge, which had taken over the duties of Provincial Grand Lodge in the absence of a Grand Master, constituted the Hiram's Lodge under local Warrant. This Lodge was comprised almost entirely of Jewish Brethren who were no doubt wholeheartedly sponsored by members of the Inhabitants Lodge No. 285 with whom the established entrepot trade with the Barbary Coast almost exclusively depended.
By 1901 Inhabitants' Lodge had 208 members, of whom 120 were resident or stationed in Gibraltar. The Lodge had been revived in 1858 after a period of dormancy with the help of a young officer in the 31st Foot, who had until that time expressed little interest in masonry. Robert Freke Gould later became famous for his Masonic literature including his 'Concise History of Freemasonry': a publication in seven volumes. When Inhabitants’ Lodge decided to form a new Lodge to relieve the workload of its officers and afford further opportunities of advancement for its members, it was resolved to honour Robert Freke Gould, with the new Lodge bearing his name and subsequently numbered 2874.
Inhabitants Today
In 2001, the Robert Freke Gould Lodge No. 2784 celebrated its centenary and has maintained its close links with its 'mother' Lodge, for each year at the Installation meeting the Master and Wardens of the Inhabitants' Lodge are invited to sit close to their respective counterparts at the ceremony and later at the Festive Board.
Today, Inhabitants’ Lodge No.153 remains to comprise of a predominantly local membership, including RW Bro Alfred Henry Ryan, who was District Grand Master from September 2007 to November 2021.
