Corby Masons
During the early 1970s, Freemasons in Corby had been going through a very difficult and trying time in as much as they were endeavouring to build their own premises in Corby. Due to the lack of funds, this was proving to be very difficult, which left Thistle & Rose L 6644 standing on its own.
Despite this, there were masons in Corby and the surrounding area who considered that another Lodge could and would be justified in Desborough, a town six miles from Corby, where a number of Corby masons were resident. After due process a new Lodge was formed, taking its name from the church of St.Giles, Desborough, St. Giles, Edinburgh, and St. Giles, London. The formation of the Lodge of St.Giles gave a boost to the financial standing of the building fund thus enabling the work to continue on the building of the Masonic complex at Rockingham Road, Corby.
On the 30th October 1976, R.W. Bro R.A.Palmer, Provincial Grand Master assisted by the officers of Provincial Grand Lodge consecrated the Lodge of St. Giles at the Kettering Masonic Hall, after which W.Bro J.A. McKean was installed as the first Master and W.Bro A.Sneddon as Immediate Past Master. The first regular meeting of the Lodge had taken place on 5th October in the Lithuanian Church Hall , Stuart Road , Corby, which was to become the lodges meeting place for the next 2 years.
On Tuesday , 5th September 1978, the Lodge held its installation in the partially completed complex on Rockingham Road, Corby and will continue to do so , until such time as the Lodge can afford its own premises in Desborough.
The Lodge of St. Giles has continued from its consecration to go from strength to strength. Included in its list of honorary members is the M.W. Bro the Rt.Hon The Earl of Elgin and KIncardine, PGM of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and many other distinguished masons from the Masonic Province of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire.
Based on an article contributed by W. Bro A.G. Armstrong PPrSGW and published in “The History of the Province of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Volume 2” published in 1997.