The St Lawrence Lodge Banner was designed by W.Bro Eddie Clinch, P.A.G.Supt.Wks., P.P.G.W.
(Bucks), however it is not known who made the banner, this information seems to have been lost in
the mist of time. W.Bro Eddie was a member of Norman Arches Lodge which also had as a member,
Bro Gordon Drew, a local baker and the St Lawrence Lodge founding Inner Guard. W.Bro Eddie
Clinch, was a brilliant artist and craftsman who was also the mastermind behind the refurbishment
of the building in Marlow to create the Marlow Masonic Temple.
The founders of the St Lawrence Lodge regularly met in the Bricklayers Arms Pub, in Downley, High
Wycombe to discuss the formation of a new lodge and have a few beers along the way. The original
name proposed for the Lodge was to be the Downley Lodge, but at that time the name was not
considered suitable by United Grand Lodge and the Province. The reason for Downley Lodge not
being appropriate is not now known. It is however thought that as Hughenden Lodge was the
Mother Lodge and Wycombe Lodge our Grandmother Lodge of St Lawrence Lodge, there would
have been too many lodges from the same area, Downley being the next ‘village’ to Hughenden,
both close to the centre of High Wycombe.
A number of the founders also attended St Lawrence Church in West Wycombe, as well as the
Bricklayers Arms, it was decided to adopt the name of the church and build an association with the
church. This association went on for many years with an annual church service being held in August
to commemorate the life of St Lawrence, who was burnt on a Grid Iron as a consequence of his
unshaken commitment to his Christian faith. This annual event ceased a few years ago when there
was a change in clergy at the church. The Church has now closed.
The Banner itself depicts the famous Golden Ball from the tower of St Lawrence Church West
Wycombe as the main centre piece, the names and Offices of all the founders of the Lodge are
around the centre piece. The Golden Ball on the church was built by the infamous Hell Fire Club as a
place where they enjoyed illicit gambling sessions on Sunday mornings with the lookout able to see
any advancing Peelers approaching across the Wye Valley, when the gamblers joined the
congregation in the church below.
After several sessions in the Bricklayers arms the Lodge was consecrated on the 28 th February 1975
at the Marlow Masonic Centre by RW.Bro Sir Ralph Verney, Provincial Grand Master, with VWBro
Lord Burnham as Deputy Grand Master, VWBro Lawrence Verney, Assistant Grand Master and
W.Bro Eric Deung as Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies. (Lord Burnham and Eric Deung both
going on to be Provincial Grand Masters). The Consecration banquet was held at the Complete
Angler, Marlow.
The Founding Master of St Lawrence Lodge was WBro Don McAlpine, who as a Scot introduced
Burns Night meetings to St Lawrence. These were always very well attended with over a hundred in
the Temple and dining at Marlow. St Lawrence Buns night meetings were renown throughout The
Province these meetings were unique in Buckinghamshire. W.Bro Don McAlpine also introduced
‘rusty nails’ a lethal mixture of Brandy and Drambuie. Burns meetings now being common place
throughout the Province has diminished the importance of this meeting to St Lawrence, you could
however argue that our founding Master introduced Robbie Burns to the Province of
Buckinghamshire.
The Founding Secretary was W.Bro Frank Shackell, who a year later became Provincial Grand
Secretary. In 2008 W.Bro Frank Shackell was presented with a certificate to mark an incredible

seventy years in Freemasonry. RW. Bro Ray Reed then Provincial Grand Master attended with
VW.Bro Nelson Hall, Deputy Provincial Grand Master and W.Bro Peter Harborne, Assistant Provincial
Grand Master. There was also present three other Past Provincial Grand Secretaries together with
the then current Provincial Grand Secretary, five Provincial Grand Secretaries in all.
The first Joining member of St Lawrence was Bro Don Varney who was bitterly disappointed not to
have been a founding member. Bro Don was a tremendous supporter of the Lodge and all its
members, he always had time for the Junior Brethren. Bro Don presented the four silver goblets
used by Masters, Wardens and the IPM today. He presented the goblets the year he was Master of
the Lodge as he did not have a Ladies Night. Bro Don had a very distinguished Masonic career ending
up as VW, Bro Don Varney, Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
The first Initiate of St Lawrence was Bro Peter Goodwin, who having worked through the Offices of
the Lodge. Following his year as Master, W.Bro Peter had a long career as the Lodge Organist of St
Lawrence although in latter years when arthritis set it occasionally became right notes but not
necessarily in the right order, a great character missed within the Lodge.