INVENTIONS LODGENo. 3776
The Origin of our Lodge
The profession of Patent Agency can trace its origins to the 18th century, but it was not until the late 19th century that it organised itself into a professional body. In 1891 it was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria, becoming The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, later renamed The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys. The profession in those early days was small – it still is one of the smaller professions – but a number of practitioners were Freemasons and decided – it is suggested over “tea and coffee” following meetings of their Institute - that a lodge should be formed which was dedicated to those involved in the profession.
Thus it was in June 1916 that an Emergency Meeting of Wickham Lodge No. 1924 was held to consider a Petition for a new Lodge to be named “Inventions”. The signatories to the Petition were: W.Bros. James Grieve Lorrain, Reginald Haddan, Reginald William James, Frederick William Le Tall, Henry Birkbeck, Archibald Sharp, and Bros. William John Tennant, John Ebenezer Bousfield, Harold Wade, Albert Edward Melhuish and Percy Haddan. The Petition was approved and a Warrant from The Grand Lodge dated June 20th 1916 was issued under No. 3776. The Lodge was to meet on the second Monday in October, November, February and May at the Holborn Restaurant in London. W.Bro. J.G.Lorrain was nominated to be the first Master, Bro. W.J.Tennant the first Senior Warden, and Bro. J.E.Bousfield the first Junior Warden.
There could have been no other name for the Lodge than “Inventions”, given the common interest of the Founders, and the Badge of the Lodge is derived from the Great Seal of King James I during whose reign the Statute of Monopolies, which constituted the basis of British Patent Law, was passed in 1624. The Great Seal was affixed to all Patents of Invention prior to 1850. Permission was sought and granted for the Seal to be copied and used by the Lodge.
Present Day
We now meet on the third Monday in January and March and the fourth Monday in September and November, at Mark Masons Hall, St. James's. Suitably qualified visitors are always welcome to attend our Meetings.
If you would like any further information concerning our Lodge, or Freemasonry in general, please contact our Secretary at "secretary@inventionslodge.org.uk"
