The early years of the 20th Century
The South African war does not appear to have seriously affected the Lodge, which subscribed generously to the connected relief funds.
Loyal though we were, we were not always pleased with the actions of Grand Lodge or its Board of General Purposes. In 1902, we passed a resolution expressing our disapproval of Grand Lodge's appointing the son of a committee member—a very newly-made Mason!—as assistant secretary of our Girl's School.
A few years later, we made a vigorous protest against the Board of General Purposes' order that prohibited music in our Lodges. These were the days of Worshipful Brothers Barclay and Kennett, and we were a very musical Lodge. Incidentally, the Province specially appointed Brother Barclay as Provincial Grand Organist in 1901, prior to the Provincial Masonic Church service, which the brethren held in St. Mary's, Dover, where Brother Barclay served as organist. Also in 1901, we found it necessary to increase our annual subscription to 24/- (twenty-four shillings, which is £1.20p today), and two years later, the Lodge raised the initiation fee to £7.
In 1903, Grand Lodge forbade the publication of Masonic meetings in the press. Hitherto, our local papers had given full reports of Installations, etc.—they even published the banquet menus!
Our charitable contributions were not restricted to ten-yearly efforts. In 1905, we enrolled 10 Life Subscribers to the RMBI, 11 to the Girls' School, and 1 to the Boys' School, making modest but frequent contributions. In the same year, we sent £7.10.0. to the Mayor's Hospital Fund.
The Corinthian Glee Singers had already established a reputation. Worshipful Brother Kennett kindly supplied 50 books of words, which enabled the brethren to join in. The frowns of Grand Lodge did not extend to the after-proceedings. The Lodge made these frowns the subject of a strongly worded protest to the Right Worshipful The Provincial Grand Master. Our well-beloved Brother Kennett died shortly after this, and the Lodge held a special meeting on 31st January 1908 to pay tribute to his memory.
The early years of the 20th Century saw peaceful progress in the Lodge; long meetings were customary—6.30 to 9.30 quite often. The year 1908 saw the initiation of Mr. Fred Whitehouse, followed by other schoolmasters. In 1913, Worshipful Brother Smeeth felt obliged to relinquish the Secretaryship, which he had held for 37 years, during 25 of which he had served as Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction. Another stalwart, Worshipful Brother David Wilson, who had been our Treasurer for 14 years, succeeded him. The Lodge made suitable presents to Worshipful Brother Smeeth. Our Lodge has been fortunate in its Secretaries and Treasurers.