Harte Lodge was founded in 1920, with the lodge warrant being awarded 13th December and consecrated on 8 February 1921

There were 13 founder members of Harte Lodge.

Frederick Henry Bennett,
Thomas James Johnson,
William Wallace,
Ernest Bloom,
Robert Hunter Davison,
Christopher Danby,
Tom Johnson Carter,
Emmanuel Moody,
John William Simpson,
William Swinburne Gales,
Robert Brown Carter,
Ernest Myton Tweddle
Robert William Henderson.

Frederick Henry Bennett was the first WM and was a GL Officer - PAGStd.Br.

5 of the founders were from Connaught Lodge No. 2891, with 2 each from St. Helen's, Lodge No. 531 Stranton Lodge No. 1882 and Clarence Lodge No.2462 one from Agricola and one unspecified.

An Address by Worhipful Brother Edward A Barlow

This address was given by W. Bro. Edward A. Barlow, PAGDC., PPGW. Past Master. on the Golden Jubilee 1921 – 1971 Harte Lodge No. 4217 Monday 19th April 1971.

Worshipful Master, The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Officers and Brethren. The consecration of the Harte Lodge was not many months after the termination of the Great War. I understand that there was a great upsurge in freemasonry generally and although candidates were accepted it often took many months before they went through the first degree and longer still to complete the three degrees.

Senior masons in the town appreciated this, met and a new lodge was born. Shortly after the consecration, petitions were lodged and what was known as the Harte series begin with the
Harte Craft,
Harte Mark,
Harte Chapter,
Harte Rose Croix
Order of the Secret Monitor
Harte Conclave Royal and Select Masters.

I am not a member of all these degrees but I understand they are all thriving and healthy. The Harte Founders made certain regulations quite apart from the Lodge Bye-Laws and those which come to my memory were ‘No Emergencies’ (except one which i shall refer to) ‘One Candidate’ was to be taken at each meeting and that it had to be a ‘Guest Lodge’. You have just heard in the Minutes the names of our Founders and many of you present tonight will not know who they were. I was privileged to know them all. They were thirteen in number. Two were local masons with Mother Lodges outside the town and the other eleven were from the Connaught Lodge, Clarence Lodge, Stranton Lodge and St. Helens Lodge.

I would consider all these brothers were dedicated Freemasons. With two or three of the senior ones Freemasonry was almost an obsession. They were generous founders for you have already heard that they presented the Rt. W. Provincial Grand Master Lord Ravensworth with the silver Consecration Vessels beautifully engraved with his Crest, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham Coat of Arms and the Harte symbol. Previously the Province had to borrow vessels for these ceremonies. They are on view tonight and I hope the brethren will view them and appreciate their beauty.

When the lodge was consecrated and the Master W. Bro. F. H. Bennett, PAG.Std.Br. Installed, he appointed and invested his Officers and with the exception of the Master and the two Wardens Chairs which I believe were given to the temple by the Stranton Lodge, all the other Chairs, eleven in ALL from the I.P.M., Chaplain, down to the two Stewards were given by the Officers appointed to that chair. You will observe that on the front of the lacks of each chair a silver plate with the Harte and the donor’s name.

The Lodge Banner was a gift from our first candidate W. Bro. Hans B. Olsen P.P.G.W. and in September of the same year an Emergency meeting was called at 11 a.m. when the Provincial Grand Master unfurled it and desired that it should be displayed at the next Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting, which incidentally, was in the afternoon, at the Town Hall, West Hartlepool. The Lodges of the Hartlepool’s would be hosts for the annual meeting that year. (I should add that that is the only time Harte Lodge has had an Emergency Meeting.)

W. bro. Sydney Hogg P.P.G.W., another founder gave a beautifully engraved Sword for the Tyler and also a Ships Bell, suitably mounted which is placed before the W.M. at each Lodge Festive Board. I would remind you that at that time we had some twenty Ship-Owners in the Hartlepool’s and Freemasonry and the Shipping Industry was very close. This is not unique to the Harte Lodge but it is nice to think that our absent brethren are remembered when the bell is sounded at 10 p.m.

Now, this has nothing to do with the Harte Lodge and I only mention it because it was our first Master W. Bro. F.H. Bennett who gave these magnificent Masonic Pillars to the Temple. I think it was a gift when the Masonic building was completed. Shortly after the Lodge was consecrated the Grand Master made an appeal to all Lodges ‘The Million Building Fund’. This was to build a new Temple in London to commemorate the safe return of the many freemasons who served in the forces and as a memorial to those who gave the supreme sacrifice. The lodge donated the necessary amount for we became a ‘Hall Stone Lodge’ and our Worshipful Master wears the Collarette with the jewel at every Masonic function.

Our founders aimed at a high standard in our work. We had to, for the Lodges then and I am glad to say now do work at a high standard both with efficiency and with dignity. For what we have achieved in this direction I would give credit to our first Director of Ceremonies who also was a founder W. Bro. T. Johnson Carter P.P.G.W. I was his assistant for many years. He was an excellent ritualist and nothing short of perfection was good enough. To me he has left his mark right down to the present. I need hardly remind you that one of our D.C’s was W. Bro. S.B. Roberts P.P.G.W., Prov. D.G.D. of C. Is the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham, Deputy Director of Ceremonies. We know that he is filling that important office well.

W.M., if I was asked when I joined masonry about something fifty years hence I would consider that period almost everlasting but looking back over the forty-eight years that I have been a member, the period of time appears so very short that I am prompted to ask myself ‘Is it history’. Before closing W.M. may I take this liberty on your behalf, your officers and members of Harte Lodge of expressing our appreciation and thanks to the brethren who are here tonight as our guests and who represent the senior lodges of this town and whose lodges made it all possible.