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Records show that Freemasonry in Ormskirk dates back to 1781 with the Lodge of Harmony No. 580 meeting at the Golden Lion Inn. Harmony is one of the three oldest lodges in the county. From this early beginning, the Lodge of Harmony initiated the spread of Freemasonry in the district and in 1853 four members of Harmony Lodge, meeting with five other petitioners from various other lodges, founded the Lodge of Unity No. 613 in Southport, and thus Freemasonry spread to that town.

In 1863 the Lodge of Harmony, spreading outwards, sponsored Hesketh Lodge at Croston which, in turn led to the forming of Freemasonry in Leyland. Further sponsoring by Harmony Lodge took Freemasonry into Skelmersdale with the founding of Stanley of Bickerstaffe Lodge in 1911.

Just as today, in the early days of Freemasonry in Ormskirk brethren came from all walks of life; professional and commercial men, craftsmen from various trades, farm-workers and gentry or eminent county people. Indeed, the owners of the estates surrounding the township of Ormskirk have figured prominently in establishing Freemasonry in the area. For example the Heskeths of Rufford, in particular Sir Thomas George Fermor Hesketh and, similarly, the Right Honourable Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, first Earl of Lathom and their successors, have all continued to exercise their Masonic enthusiasm and leadership, locally and nationally.

From those first meetings held in the Golden Lion Inn, a succession of meeting places were used throughout the years, notably the Ship Inn, the Talbot Inn, the Swan Inn and finally the Wheatsheaf Inn. Town development brought about the closure of the Wheatsheaf and so the present premises in Park Road were purchased, adapted and furnished as our Masonic Hall.

The Ormskirk Group is managed by a Chairman and his Officers. Of the sixteen lodges fourteen meet at the Ormskirk Masonic Hall, two at the Mill Inn, Croston,

Whilst lodges work to raise funds for charities of their choice, support is also given to the fund-raising efforts of the Group Social Committee which is responsible for organising events within the Group, such as the ball, the Group golfing competition, the Group bowling competition and so on, all designed to promote interaction between lodges and lodge members as well as to raise funds for charitable disbursement.

The Group also has a very active Ladies Fellowship Group which, in addition to providing support for all the Group and individual lodge social activities also has as its main objective the friendship and support of widows of former Masons together with wives and partners of Freemasons within the Group. It meets monthly catering for wide-ranging interests and has a full programme of visits and activities. This involvement of the “family” side of Freemasonry also provides an opportunity for further charitable fund-raising under the direct auspices of our ladies.

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