Craft Freemasonry
Province of Jersey
JERSEY MASONIC TEMPLE
During the second world war, the island was occupied by German forces, and the Masonic Temple was
ransacked by them in the search for anti-Jewish material. Please refer to the "Sacking of the Temple"
(using the link above) which has been taken from the book "The Story of Jersey Freemasonry"
by Colin R.Goss and which shows what damage was caused.
The Masonic Temple in Stopford Road, St.Helier, is one of the most attractive buildings of its type and
compares very favourably with other similar buildings throughout the United Kingdom. It is constructed
of brick and cement with granite facings in pure Corinthian style, classical in appearance and
beautiful as regards detail. The principal facade on the North side of the building facing Stopford
Road has a most imposing porch of four columns rising 26 feet high. There are two flights of steps
leading to the main doors on the first floor. The basement is decorated entirely with rusticated quoins
above which runs a row of columns with Corinthian capitals. Immediately above these columns is a bold
and chastely designed cornice surmounting this again with a parapet. Between each of the four columns
is a large semicircular French window. The basement floor contains a dining room 50 feet by 28 feet,
which can seat 105 people, a committee and Grand Officers' robing room, kitchen and auxiliary rooms. In
addition to the principal external staircase, access to the main floor is by means of a noble flight of
stairs, the candidate's room being on the first landing. On the left of the principal entrance is the
common or assembly room, whilst on the right is the ante room leading to the Temple itself. The common
room is fitted with cupboards and drawers, in which Lodge warrants, furnishings, regalia and personal
regalia are stored.
Carpeted throughout, the Temple measures 47 feet by 27 feet and 30 feet clear in height. The ceiling of
this magnificent hall is semi-circular or concave, beautifully moulded in panels surrounded by a
Corinthian cornice, supported by Corinthian columns mounted on pedestals. To enter the room, one has to
ascend three steps. There are four splendid portraits by Bro John St.Helier Lander, of the Provincial
Grand Masters Col.E.C.Malet de Carteret and C.E.Malet de Carteret, and Deputy Provincial Grand Masters
Dr.J.Le Cronier and C.H.Wilson. Lately portraits of more recent Provincial Grand Masters: A David J
Rosser, David Binnington, George Bennett Wakeham, Henry Heys Duckworth, Bertrand Lampard Clift and Elie
Philip Marett have been added. Around the walls of the Temple are the Masters' boards of nine of the
Lodges, with the boards of the two newest Lodges being in the ante room. Beneath the painting of Dr Le
Cronier is the board listing the Provincial Grand Masters. Beneath that of Col.E.C.Malet de Carteret is
the board detailing the Deputy Provincial Grand Masters. Banners of the various Craft Lodges adorn the
walls. The Master sits on a raised dais in the East, following "Antients" practice, and on the floor
some distance in front of him is a pedestal to which he descends when dealing with candidates.
On either side of the Master's chair are the standards of Provincial Grand Lodge, and of the Provincial
Grand Master. In the Northeast and Southeast corners are the banners of Provincial Grand Lodge and
Provincial Grand Chapter. The banners bear the arms of Grand Lodge on which are superimposed the arms
of the Island of Jersey. This apparent spoiling of the arms of Grand Lodge was expressly permitted
after the second World War in recognition of the problems of Freemasons in the island during and after
the war, and in the restoration of the Temple. However when the Grand Secretary Sir James W Stubbs
visited the island in 1971 for the consecration of the Jersey Lodge of Installed Masters No 8383, he
expressed concern at the apparent misuse of the arms of Grand Lodge. Fortunately records were
available to prove to him that this singular permission had indeed been given to the Province of Jersey
and a minute in the Board of General Purposes committee book in 1952 confirms the situation.
The columns at the Northwest and Southwest corners of the chequered carpet, were presented after the
Liberation in 1945 by W.Bro S.L.Amy, Master of Yarborough Lodge in 1931. He had acquired a large four
poster bed prior to the war and decided that the columns of this bed would be very suitable as
furniture in the Temple. Two of these were mounted with spheres on which are delineated maps of the
celestial and terrestrial globes. In the centre of the carpet is placed the mahogany cabinet housing
the tracing boards. This cabinet had been acquired by the Duke of Normandy Lodge in 1855 during the
Mastership of W.Bro T.O.Lyte. It had been thought to have been taken from the Temple during the
Occupation. However W.Bro G.S.Knocker discovered it amongst a collection of rubbish in the building in
December 1945, and he proposed that the Lodge present it to the Province so as to serve all the Lodges.
The tracing boards were presented in February 1946 by W.Bro G.F.Thorpe. They were painted by a local
artist Mr A.G.Wright. In the ante-room, can be seen the Masters' Boards of the two newest Lodges,
together with a showcase of commemorative Masonic items, the War Memorial and the banner of the
Caesarean Mark Lodge No 74.
A further staircase leads from the principal entrance to another storey containing a rehearsal room, 27
feet by 21 feet, originally designed as a Royal Arch Chapter room. Opposite is the Jersey Masonic
Library and Museum in which are displayed hundreds of Masonic books and many items of general, but
principally local, Masonic interest. Amongst the items on show, are samples of the temporary aprons
used by the brethren immediately after the second World War, until new aprons could be obtained. The
Library contains many rare books, including a first edition of Anderson's Book of Constitutions dated
1723.
On the ground floor is the Temple Dining room, which can seat up to 105 for the festive board. Around
the walls are cabinets in which each of the Craft Lodges displays items of particular significance to
that Lodge.