On Saturday, May 18, the Cambridgeshire Freemasons' Alma Mater Lodge marked its 150th anniversary with a commemorative dinner held at Freemasons’ Hall on Bateman Street, Cambridge. The event was attended by 75 guests, including Dr. Bharatkumar N. Khetani, the High Sheriff of Cambridge.
Peter Sutton, the treasurer of Alma Mater Lodge, highlighted the significant contributions of John Brownrigg, the key figure behind the lodge's establishment and longevity. Brownrigg's journey began in 1859 when he was admitted to Trinity College as an undergraduate at the age of 18. He later moved to Magdalene College in 1861, where he studied theology, earned a BA in 1864, and was ordained the same year.
Brownrigg's tenure as Master of the Isaac Newton University Lodge (INUL) in 1863 profoundly influenced his vision. He realized that the position of Master at INUL, limited to one undergraduate per year, left many capable undergraduates without the chance to engage deeply with the ceremonies. This observation inspired him to create a lodge accessible to Cambridge students without competing with existing university lodges at Oxford or Cambridge.
In 1874, Brownrigg's vision came to fruition with the founding of Alma Mater Lodge, initially based in Bletchley in the Province of Berks and Bucks. The Railway Hotel in Bletchley served as the lodge's first meeting place. However, in 1883, Brownrigg's appointment to a position in London necessitated a change, and the meetings were subsequently moved to the University Arms Hotel in Cambridge.
Today, Alma Mater Lodge thrives at its current location on Bateman Street, Cambridge. Sutton noted the lodge's continued success, boasting a membership of 75 dedicated Freemasons.
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