The Merchant Navy
Lodge No.781

Founding of the Merchant Navy Lodge No. 1083
(On the 11th June 1863, the Lodge Number was altered to 781)

In the Year 1858, at the Installation Meeting of the Lodge of Sincerity No. 203 (now No. 174), it occurred to Bro. G Manton of the of the Yarborough Lodge No. 812 (now No. 554) and Bro. G.W. Thomas of Lodge of Sincerity that a Lodge of Freemasons in the immediate locality of the West India Docks in East End of London would not only be desirable to brethren resident in the neighbourhood but a great boon to their seafaring Brethren whose ships were lying or discharging in those Docks.

With the co-operation of the Secretary of the Lodge of Sincerity and a number of brethren of Yarborough Lodge and Lodge No.29 (now 27), a meeting was held at Jamaica Tavern , West India Docks, on the 29th January, 1859, to consider the proposal to form a new Lodge. A Chairman was elected and a week later, a further meeting was held, to which other brethren had been invited, when it was unanimously agreed that a Petition be submitted to Grand Lodge praying that the M.W. Grand Master, the Earl of Zetland, would be pleased to grant a Warrant for the constitution of the a new Lodge to be named The Merchant Navy Lodge, Bros. G. Manton and G.W. Thomas and others signed the Petition.

The Lodge sponsoring the Petition was Eastern Star Lodge No. 112 (now No. 95).

At a meeting held on 5th March, 1859, the Master Designate, announced to the Brethren assembled, that the Warrant for the constitution of the Merchant Navy Lodge had been Granted