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.