Woven by blood and Brotherhood: Seven decades of Wanstead Park Lodge

Some lodges measure their history in minutes and meetings. Wanstead Park Lodge measures its story in families

Since its consecration in November 1948, Wanstead Park Lodge No. 6718 has been a place where friendships are formed, values are shared and, quietly but powerfully, family ties are strengthened. Across seven decades, the Lodge has become something rarer than a simple gathering of members. It has grown into a living thread that runs through generations, binding fathers and sons, brothers and in-laws, uncles and nephews into a shared journey.

That spirit was on full display at the Lodge’s first meeting of 2026 at the Upminster Masonic Centre. The evening carried all the dignity expected of a long-established lodge, but it also carried something more intimate. In the presence of Assistant Provincial Grand Master (APGM), Richard Jordan, a new generation was stepping forward, watched proudly by those who had gone before. Three generations of one family stood together as a son, Dylan David, was initiated into the same Lodge that had already shaped his father and grandfather: Robert and Victor. It was a moment that felt less like a ceremony and more like the turning of a page.

Moments like this are not unusual at Wanstead Park. From its earliest days, families have been at the heart of its life. One of the Lodge’s founders was soon joined by his son, each contributing in their own way to its early character. Brothers followed brothers through the door, sometimes within a year or two, sometimes decades apart, drawn by stories shared around family tables rather than formal invitations.

No family better illustrates this tradition than the Burns family, whose name appears again and again across the Lodge’s history. What began in the early 1950s with one brother soon became a remarkable chain of initiations that spanned siblings, sons and sons-in-law. By the mid-1970s, two members of the next generation were initiated together, continuing a family presence that now stretches back more than seventy years. Today the long-serving member of that family, Danny Burns, was honoured for half a century of service, who being seated in front of the Master’s pedestal with Richard Jordan discussed in a ‘This is your Life’ style exchange, the 50 years to the day of his being initiated on 3rd January 1976. It felt like a celebration not just of one man, but of a family story interwoven with the Lodge itself.

And the Burns family is far from alone; the role of kinship groups includes the Clough, Silk, Beach, Curno, and Shannon families. Over the years, uncles have watched nephews follow in their footsteps. Twin brothers have taken different offices but shared the same commitment. Fathers have seen sons grow into leaders within the Lodge, while brothers-in-law and nephews have found a second home among familiar faces. In more recent years, younger members have joined with a sense of pride, knowing they are becoming part of something their family already values deeply.

What makes these stories so compelling is not simply the number of related members, but what those relationships say about the Lodge itself. Families return, generation after generation, because the Lodge offers something worth passing on. It offers friendship that lasts, support that extends beyond meetings, and a sense of belonging that feels both timeless and relevant.

As Wanstead Park Lodge approaches its centenary, its strength lies not only in its proud past but in its living future. New members arrive carrying the weight of family history, while seasoned members see their legacy continue in familiar faces. The result is a Lodge that feels rooted and dynamic at the same time, grounded in tradition yet constantly renewed.

In an age when long-term commitments can feel rare, Wanstead Park Lodge stands as a quiet reminder of what endures. When values are shared at home as well as in the Lodge, when stories are told across generations, and when family pride walks hand in hand with fraternity, something special happens.

For nearly eighty years, Wanstead Park Lodge has proved that its strongest bonds are not only those formed between members, but those that run through families and long may those bonds continue to grow.

Photos:

Top: Officers and Members of Wanstead Lodge – sitting L-R: Danny Burns, Richard Jordan - APGM, Steve Hunt - Worshipful Master, Dylan David, Robert David, Victor David

Left: Richard presenting Danny with his 50-year certificate

Right: Steve, Victor, Dylan, Robert, Richard