How did they do that?
Furnish the Masonic Hall
The Masonic Hall at Beamish originally stood in Park Terrace, Sunderland, and was almost at the point of demolition when the frontage was rescued and brought to the Museum. Once the building had been constructed in The Town, the mammoth task of decoration and furnishing the interior began.
Research revealed a description of the interior of the Hall, written by a gentleman who relied upon collective memory of the building in the 1930s, when the Freemasons moved out. The only photograph of the interior which could be unearthed was found in the programme for the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of the Palatine Lodge, produced in 1907. This image, taken between 1900 and 1907 in black and white, shows the inside of the Lodge Room and was used as the basis for the Beamish recreation.
In 1884 the Lodge Room of the United Grand Lodge in London was redecorated. Possible colour schemes that were presented to the committee have survived in the form of water colour sketches which were invaluable to Beamish in the task ahead.
Members of the Province of Durham Freemasons proved to be a wonderful source of information and artefacts. The vast amount of wall space in the double cube lodge room (fifty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, with a ceiling height of twenty-five feet) has been filled with appropriate paintings, many on loan from the Provincial Museum.
The Library and Museum of Freemasonry in London has been particularly supportive of the project. Their staff were extremely helpful in providing insight into the way in which an Edwardian Masonic Hall was decorated, furnished and used. The Museum loaned Beamish artefacts and paintings to help to tell the story of Freemasonry.
Providence had a hand in the acquisition of some of the larger items of furniture and artefacts. A Freemason in Manchester telephoned Beamish; he knew of a Masonic Lodge which was closing and wondered if Beamish might be interested in some of the contents. Beamish leapt at the opportunity and, on what proved to be the hottest day of the year, staff set off in a large van for the South Manchester Freemasons Hall. The trip was fruitful and staff and van re-crossed the Pennines full of splendid items of Masonic furniture – exactly what was needed.
Genuine items of Lodge furniture from the early 20th century were vital to the project. Present day Lodges use their chairs, pedestals and similar items on a very regular basis and few have any spare items that are suitable for an Edwardian Hall. Donations and support of the kind which Beamish received made the Masonic Hall such an outstanding addition to the Museum.