History of Portland Lodge

In the middle of the nineteenth century the only freemason’s Lodges meeting in the potteries town and Newcastle-under-Lyme were St. Martins at Burslem, Menturia at Hanley, Sutherland at Burslem, Sutherland Lodge of Unity at Newcastle and Etruscan at Longton.

Travelling in those days was not easy and it is not difficult to imagine that this may have influenced seven members of the Etruscan Lodge who resided in Stoke-upon-Trent to form a new Lodge which could meet nearer home.

Thus on the 7th of September 1854 the Portland Lodge held its first meeting at the new Town Hall, Stoke-upon-Trent. There is no mention of any reason for the selection of the name but it is obviously derived from the famous Portland Vase. The number allotted to the lodge was 920. Copies of the Petition and Warrant are entered in the first minutes which also state that it was decided to meet on the first Thursday in every month.

The Lodge had not been consecrated but it was uncommon in those days for Lodges to meet ad function for some time before this took place.

The first Master was Richard Stone, and he informed the brethren at this first meeting that the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire, W.Bro. T. Ward had called upon him and in the most cordial and fraternal manner had expressed his warmest hopes for the success and prosperity of the Portland Lodge.