Freemasonry arrived early in Cumberland, the first Lodge being established in 1740 in Whitehaven, then a prosperous port, second in importance only to London, importing tobacco from Virginia and exporting coal and iron from nearby mines. The first, and several other Lodges did not survive but Sun, Square and Compasses Lodge, No. 119 constituted in 1768 did and is now well into its third century. Other successful Lodges followed their example in Workington together with several Lodges in Carlisle before the year 1800. In Westmorland, Union Lodge, No. 129 was constituted in Kendal in 1764 and remained the only Lodge in that County until another was formed in the County town of Appleby in 1860. This being the year that the two Counties combined to form the Masonic Province of Cumberland and Westmorland. When the present Province was formed in 1860, there were ten Craft Lodges operating and three Royal Arch Chapters. By 1900, the totals had grown to 22 and 10 respectively, while over one hundred years later in 2002, there are 80 Craft Lodges and 25 Royal Arch Chapters. The most recent Lodge being Constituted on Thursday the 25th of August 2005 in Keswick and called the Meridian Lodge No. 9803. Most Masonic Orders are represented in the Province as follows:
25 Royal Arch Chapter Lodges
28 Mark Lodges
15 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges
5 Allied Degree Councils
3 Royal and Select Masters Councils
10 Ancient and Accepted Rite (Rose Croix) Chapters
4 Knights Templar Preceptories
1 Knight Templar Priest Tabernacle
1 Royal Order of Scotland Provincial Grand Lodge
5 Red Cross of Constantine Conclaves
1 Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia College
1 Secret Monitor Conclave
Two histories of Freemasonry in the Province have been published. William Farquharson Lamonby, a journalist, sportsman and enthusiastic Mason who enjoyed a very colourful life. Born in London in 1835, his Cumberland family moved back to Cockermouth where he joined the newly formed Skiddaw Lodge, No. 1002 in 1865. He was appointed a Provincial Grand Steward in 1875 and his history was published four years later, his duties as a journalist giving him the opportunity to travel widely and frequently around the Province. Soon after the book was published, he left for Australia, where he took up a post with the Melbourne Argus in Victoria. He was engaged in numerous Masonic activities and appointed a District Senior Grand Warden. After his return to London in 1891, the Grand Master of Victoria subsequently honoured him with the honorary title of Deputy Grand Master. Back in Britain, he continued his Masonic activities until his death in 1926 at the age of 87 years. Lamonby’s book Craft Masonry in Cumberland and Westmorland from 1740 to 1879 was reprinted in 1992 but like the original it is now out of print. Over a century later, The New History of Freemasonry in Cumberland and Westmorland was published in 1994 recounting the history of all Masonic Orders operating within the Province.
