Sandye History

The Formulation of a masonic Lodge in Sandy was first Discussed in the 1930s, but nothing was resolved at the time. Perhaps it was the onset of the depression, and subsequent lack of finance which was the cause? but we shall never know, since no written records exist of these early discussions.

During the post-war years, Masonry started to flourish again in the area which resulted in the formulation of Ivel Lodge, No. 6946, which was consecrated on 12th October 1949. In the 1960s the district started to expand with new factories and housing being built and occupied. Local Masonry kept pace with this expansion and Robert Bloomfield Lodge. No. 8328 was founded and consecrated on 5th September 1970. As the district continued to grow Masonic Brethren arrived from other parts of the country and joined local lodges. In 1974, with the support of St. Andrews Lodge, No. 803, a small number of Brethren under the leadership of W, Bro. Handford. W. Bro. Newman and W. Bro Stokes as Secretary talked about forming a new Lodge. These Brethrenmanaged to bring together a total of twenty-eight Masons who were willing, and able, to found a new Lodge.
With the help of Province, and the hard work and dedication of these founders, Sandye Lodge was eventually consecrated in the Robert Peel School Hall in Sandy, Bedfordshire, on the 13th May 1978,
The Consecrating Officer was Rt. W. Bro. Sir Gilbert Inglefield, PGM and the Installing Master was W. Bro. Cyril Robinson, Dep. PGM, assisted by the following Brethren:

W, Bro, FC. Levitt - Senior Harden W. Bro. AB. Land - Junior Harden W, Bro, Rev, L,G. Sturman - Chaplin W, Bro, R.J, Crewdson - Secretary W. Bro. C.G.S Longley - Director of Ceremonies Bro, H.W, Pridmore - Organist W. Bro. P. Crawley - Inner Guard W, Bro.R.J.Sercombe- Tiler
On completion of the consecration ccremony, W. Bro. Cyril Robinson, Dep. PGM installed W. Bro. R W.I Newman as the first Master of Sandye Lodge, No. 8820

W. Bro. R. W. Newman invested and installed his officers, as follows:
W. Bro. W.B. Handford - I.P.M Bro. C.S. Massey - Senior Warden Bro. A. Sherwood-King - Junior Warden W. Bro. H.F. Bull Chaplain W.Bro.D.A.Seamer - Treasurer W. Bro. J.W.E. Stokes - Secretary W. Bro. J.H. Ream - Director of Ceremonies Bro. R.L. Woolven - Senior Deacon Bro. W.E. Rook - Junior Deacon W. Bro A. Compton - Charity Steward W. Bro C.J. Smith - Almoner W. Bro. J. Hewitt - Asst. Director of Ceremonies Bro. F. J. Rowley - Organist Bro. A.G, Cromack - Asst. Secretary Bro. A. Brown - Inner Guard Bro. R.T. Barker - Steward Bro. J. Fowler - Steward Bro.T.H.Irvin - Steward Bro. C. Rogers - Steward Bro. R. L. Smith - Steward Bro. P. J. York - Steward Bro. H. W. Wing - Tyler
The Officers purchased their own Collars and Jewels and presented them to Sandye Lodge as part of the lodge equipment
The following Brethren were also founder members of Sandye Lodge - No. 8820:
W. Bro.I.Beed W.Bro. G. Robson Bro. G. J. Amsden Bro. R. Brooks Bro. A. Hall
Following the consecration, the menu at the festive board consisted of:
Rolls - French Bread - Butter Prawn Cocktail- Lemon Wedge - Brown Bread - Butter Cream of Asparagus Soup Hot Roast Turkey & Home Baked Ham Chipolata Sausage & Parsley Stuffing Buttered Carrots & Garden Peas Fresh Cream Raspberry Trifle - Vanilla Ice Cream Cheese - Biscuits - Coffee Wines were provided at the table. Additional wines, together with minerals and liqueurs were purchased from the bar.

rne sanaye Loage Banner and Badge.
he Sandye Lodge banner was conseerated by the Prov, Grand Master Rt. W. Bro. Cyril Robinson, DL and the Deputy Prov. Grand Master, W Bro. Rev. L.G. Sturman, on 21st September 1978. This was also the first regular meeting of Sandye Lodge - No. 8820, and an initiation ceremony was conducted.
The lodge badge and banner were both designed by W. Bro. Ken Amos, a member of St. Andrews Lodge No 803, who were sponsors of Sandye Lodge
The lodge badge may be explained briefly, thus:
• The sheaf of wheat near to water represents the town of Sandy, being principally an agricultural area situated on the River Ivel, • The Laurel leaves represent the town's link with Roman times, • The pair of doves signifies the fact that nothing of a violent or hostile nature is known to have happened in the area and shows that successive inhabitants are of a friendly and peace loving character,

• The whole, surmounted by the Square and Compasses, thus embracing all things and all mankind, • The spelling of Sandye dates to the original spelling ofthe town's name, and before the arrival of the railway, when the station's name plate was spelt Sandy` and without being suffixed by the letter 'e'
The Founder Members.
andye Lodge was founded by a number of S brethren who had moved into the district. assisted by some local Masons, a total of twenty-eight founders.
The aim of the founders was to make Sandye Lodge the friendliest and most welcoming lodge in the Province of Bedfordshire. Our Tyler, W. Bro. Haig Wing, held this office for twenty-five years and assisted in endorsing Sandye Lodge as the friendliest and most welcoming lodge in the Province of Bedfordshire by attempting to greet every brother who attended our meetings with an ever-present smile and a firm handshake.

The first initiate of the Sandye Lodge was Bro. M.L,L McCutcheon, who became Worshipful Master in 1989
In 1983 Bro. Alec Brown became Worshipful Master To mark the occasion, his Mother Lodge, St. Thomas No. 201, of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, presented Sandye Lodge with a box set of Working Tools and Gavels for the use of the Master and his Wardens. The presentation was made to the lodge by W. Bro. Brown's father and brother.
In 1984, Bro. Tom Irvin was installed as Worshipful Master and as a memento presented Sandye Lodge with three wine goblets for the Master and his Wardens to use at the Festive Board. W. Bro. Walter Rook made a box to hold the goblets and affixed an engraved brass plate as a permanent record.
In July 1988 visits were made to Prudhoe Castle Lodge, No 7065, in the Province of Northumberland, to demonstrate ceremonies of the Emulation working, as used by Sandye Lodge, These visits included an overnight stay with Brethren of Prudhoe Castle Lodge who, in turn, visited Sandye Lodge to demonstrate the Past Northumberland Master's ceremonies.
W, Bro. Jim Hewitt purchased a set of goblets as a gift to Prudhoe Castle Lodge but, unfortunately, passed to the Grand Lodge above before they could be presented His widow, Mrs Mary Hewitt, insisted the goblets should be given to Prudhoe Castle Lodge and were duly presented to the Worshipful Master by W. Bro. R. L. (Bob) Woolven on behalf of W. Bro. J. and Mrs M. Hewitt. On one of the visits to Sandye Lodge, W. Bro. W. Walker, of Prudhoe Castle Lodge, presented a Crystal Wine Decanter to Sandye Lodge, which is still used on special occasions.
In 1980, Mrs Pat Sherwood-King assembled a group of ladies to arrange a family Christmas party. This proved so successful that it continued for many years. These functions were not held to raise money, but invariably did make a small profit. The ladies decided to present a pair of embroidered bags for the Alms collection and also arranged, and paid for, certain refurbishments to the ladies cloakroom in St. Andrews Rooms, Biggleswade.