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Eccles
& District Group of
Lodges & Chapters
FREEMASONRY
IN ECCLES AND DISTRICT
The Eccles and District Group of Lodges meet in two Masonic Halls; at Eccles
and Swinton. Both districts are in the Metropolitan Borough of Salford. The
eastern boundary immediately abuts the city of Salford which is in the neighbouring
Masonic Province of East Lancashire and many lodges show the influence of
the happy mixing of traditions from both that Province and our own. The name
of one of the lodges meeting at Swinton Masonic Hall, Border Lodge, indicates
the close affinity of the Group to our neighbouring Province.
Eccles Masonic Hall in Half Edge Lane, which was originally a private house
built in 1846 called Elm Bank, and was used as a convalescent home during
World War One, was purchased in 1921 by seven Eccles lodges. It was adapted
for use as a Masonic Hall. In 1953 a ballroom was added and in 1979 a new
kitchen and dining room were constructed. It is now the home of fourteen lodges.
In 1964 a piece of land in Hospital Road, Swinton, was purchased and Swinton
Masonic Hall, named Charles Riley House, was built as a permanent home for
the Swinton Masons. It was further extended in 1986 by the addition of a first
floor containing a complete set of rooms for Masonic purposes as well as a
ballroom and lounge on the ground floor for social and charitable functions.
There are now five lodges meeting there.
Eccles Masonic Hall already has the Salford Masonic Fellowship, Eccles Probus
Club and a Line-Dancing Class among its many activities, whilst Swinton Masonic
Hall hosts indoor Bowls, Modern Dancing and, again, Line-Dancing.
As well as supporting Provincial and national Masonic charities, charitable
donations are regularly made to local charities. Recent gifts include contributions
to renovations and repairs at Eccles and Worsley Parish Churches. In addition
there have been donations to the Parkinson’s Disease Society, the
British Diabetic Society, the British Red Cross, the local Army Cadet Force
and a Community Centre.
In 1975, Ecclesholme, a retirement home of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution,
was built on land adjacent to Eccles Masonic Hall and since then there has
been a close association between them both in fund-raising for the Friends
of Ecclesholme and in providing accommodation for the annual Summer and Christmas
Fairs.
The Swinton Masonic Hall Charitable Trust, has given generously to Guide Dogs
for the Blind, MacMillan Cancer Relief, Salford Heart Care, the Rainbow
Family Trust, the Brain, Spinal and Breast Cancer Units at Hope Hospital,
St.Ann’s
Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Disease Society. It is also in close proximity
to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and its members raise money
for this worthy cause.
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