Provincial Grand Lodge of Armagh

Freemasons Hall - Portadown

Thomas Street, Portadown.

In 1868 it was reported that the Brethren of the Masonic Body in Portadown and neighbourhood are about erecting a Masonic Hall on the limited liability principal. A suitable site has been obtained, and the Brethren are taking a large number of shares.

NT. 13 October, 1868. Vol. 12.p. 313.

Laying the Foundation Stone.

The quarterly meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held this afternoon in the Parochial Hall, Portadown, Lord Templetown, P.G.M., presiding. After the lodge had been opened the brethren were marshalled, and proceeded to Thomas Street, where Lord Templetown laid the foundation-stone of the new Hall, which the local brethren were erecting for their accommodation. The new hall will be situated very conveniently near the corner of Thomas Street and Carlton Street. The front entrance will face on a large open area, and the side of the building will be set back from Thomas Street frontage. The walls will be built of brick, with Giffnock stone dressings for string courses, entrance door, and barge and apex terminals; while the proper Masonic emblems will be carved and moulded on the gables at front and sides.
The building of two stories in height, on the ground floor with the dining and reception-rooms, cloak room, and lavatory. A broad stair conveniently leads to the upper floor on which is the lodge-room, an ante-room, and store-room. The lodge-room is 36 feet long by 27 feet wide, and has a lofty panelled ceiling with constructional timbers showing into the room. These timbers as well as the wainscoting and moulded capping will be in pitch pine. Thorburgh ventilation is provided in all the rooms by inlet hopper ventilators and extract shafts well distributed, communicating by channels with the ornamental ventilator on the roof. Wide fireplaces are placed in the principal rooms, the windows will be glazed with obscured cathedral lights. When completed the building will form a model of the arrangements to suit the particular requirements of a building of this class. The contractors are Messrs. Bright Bros., Portadown, who are carrying out the work from the plans and under the superintendence of J.J. Phillips and Son, architects, of Belfast. - Unknown paper and date. - NP Vol. E. F5

On 10th March 1897 a group of Masons bought a plot of land, facing onto Thomas Street and Carleton Street Portadown from David Graham Shillington, for the erection of a Masonic Hall. An agreement was made between the above Land Lord and T.D. Gibson (solicitor) J. Fordyce, G. Dougan, R. McClatchey, W.J. Redmond and W.H. Watson for the lease of the land for 10,000 years subject to £14 per annum.

However, on 30th March 1898, part of the land was sold on to Richard Stanley for the erection of dwellings. An agreement was made between T.D. Gibson (solicitor) J. Fordyce, G. Dougan, R. McClatchey, W.J. Redmond and W.H. Watson of the first part and David Graham Shillington of the second part and Richard Stanley of the third part for the term of 999 years subject to £18 per annum.

Photograph of hall date circa 1898

The photograph above shows the original Masonic Hall, which, was completed in 1898. On the remaining plot of land the dwellings that were built there became known as “Stanley Place” and can be seen beyond the Masonic Hall.

Tower Photograph

The above photograph shows the building after 1920 when it was remodelled to include the tower and stairwell within as the new access to the lodge room.

Photograph - November 2005

In 1985, three of the houses in ”Stanley Place” were purchased from R. Stanley by the House Committee, two of which have been developed into a Social and Recreation club for the use of Masonic brethren and their guests. It was officially opened by the Provincial Grand Master of Armagh - Rt Wor Bro Charles McCollum JP on 19th March 1992.

The third house is presently unoccupied and is in the process of being refurbished.