Brunel Lodge, No
7356
Date of Warrant 28th July
1954
Consecrated 21st October
1954
Meets on the third Thursday in each month (except
April, June, July, August and December). Installation at November
meeting.
Lodge
Secretary The Secretary, Freemasons' Hall, 31 Park Street, Bristol, BS1
5NH
BRUNEL LODGE No.7356
Why a New Lodge?
In 1953, when in many Bristol Lodges the
progress to the Chair seemed to many younger masons a very long process,
Worshipful Brother Cecil Waddington had the belief that a Lodge of Engineers
would add a new dimension and extra lustre to the Bristol Masonic scene and he
pursued this objective with great vigour.
Petition
Every projected Lodge needs the sanction of the
Provincial Grand Master, whose duty it becomes to confirm the worthiness of the
supplicants and see that all loose ends are securely tied before the petition
goes to Grand Lodge. In 1953, the Provincial Grand Master was Right Worshipful
Brother George Tryon, a kindly and considerate man, who seldom failed to listen
to reasoned arguments, and so he was approached. A setback occurred, however,
with an objection to the idea of lodge solely for engineers'. Whatever the
reasons advanced or implied, it became obvious that a compromise was indicated
and so it was agreed that the aim of the founders was to build up a lodge
catering mainly, but not exclusively, for Brethren of the engineering and
allied professions.
The Name
 A further setback was the name - Brunel. As Brunel was not a
Freemason, the Provincial Grand Master was averse to his name being given to a
lodge and he indicated a marked preference for the older practise of naming
Lodges after Masonic virtues, etc. However after much negotiation, approval was
given for the name 'Brunel" with the Clifton Suspension Bridge as the
Lodge symbol.
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The preliminaries over, Peace Lodge No 3992 undertook to sponsor the
new venture and on 21st October 1954, Brunel Lodge was consecrated as No.7356
with Worshipful Brother Cecil Waddington as the first Worshipful Master.
When considering the design for the banner the Founders decided on
one that incorporated elements from the many suggestions.