Freemasons' Tavern
TheFreemasons' Tavernwas established in 1775 at 61–65Great Queen Streetin theWest EndofLondon.It served as a meeting place for a variety of notable organisations from the 18th century until it was demolished in 1909 to make way for theConnaught Rooms.
History
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In 1769, thePremier Grand Lodge of Englanddecided to build a Central Hall. A building was purchased in Great Queen Street in 1775 andThomas Sandbywas tasked with building a hall in the garden. The original house became the tavern with a second house providing office space for theFreemasons.In 1813 the Premier Grand Lodge and rivalAncient Grand Lodge of Englandmerged to form theUnited Grand Lodge of England.
The hall was not only used for Masonic purposes, but also became an important venue in London for a variety of meetings and concerts.[1]Organisations using the hall included:
- Political Economy Club
- African Institution
- British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society,[1]for theWorld Anti-Slavery Conventionin 1840[2]
- British and Foreign Bible Society[1]
- Fund for the Relief of the Suffering Clergy of France in the British Dominions[3]
- Highland and Island Emigration Society[4]
- The Football Association(FA) held its first meeting here on 26 October 1863
- Geological Society of Londonwas founded here in 1807[5][6]
Connaught Rooms
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In 1909 the Grand Lodge demolished most of the Freemasons' Tavern and replaced it over succeeding decades with a new building designed by H. V. Ashley and Winton Newman, who also designed the adjoiningFreemasons' Hall.The new building, costing £30,000, was named theConnaught Roomsafter the Lodge's Grand Master,Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.[5]
After a further renovation by Friendly Hotels (later theReal Hotel Company) in the 1980s it reopened as theNew Connaught Rooms,a hotel andconference centre.Theart decoGrand Hall can seat 800 conference delegates.[7]When the Real Hotel Company collapsed in 2009,[8]Principal Hayley Groupbought the venue,[7]renamed it theGrand Connaught Rooms,[7][9]and in 2016 placed it in itsDe Verebrand.[10]In 2010 it becameGrade II* listed.[6]
References
[edit]- ^abc"Freemasons' Hall, London: A History".History of Freemasonry.Library and Museum Charitable Trust of the United Grand Lodge of England. Archived fromthe originalon 19 July 2016.Retrieved19 July2016.
- ^"The Anti-Slavery Society Convention, 1840".National Portrait Gallery, London.Retrieved20 December2020.
- ^Margery Weiner, The French Exiles 1789-1815 (John Murray, 1960), p. 56-7.
- ^Balfour, R.A.C. (1990–92). "The Highland and Island Emigration Society, 1852–1858".Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness.LVII:440.
- ^abMoody, Richard T. J. (2009)."Dining with the Founding Fathers: a personal view".In Lewis, Cherry; Knell, Simon J. (eds.).The Making of the Geological Society of London.Special Publications. Vol. 317. Geological Society of London. pp. 439–448.doi:10.1144/SP317.24.ISBN978-1-86239-277-9.S2CID128713727.Retrieved7 July2020.
- ^abHistoric England."Grand Connaught Rooms, Camden (1393970)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved7 July2020.
- ^abcMcGhee, Christy (26 October 2009)."Grand Connaught Rooms' relaunch party".Conference & Incentive Travel.Retrieved7 July2020.
- ^Thorley, Chantelle (23 January 2009)."New Connaught Rooms latest crunch casualty".Campaign.Retrieved7 July2020.
- ^Edwards, Peter (25 June 2009). "Principal Hayley aims to check in with deals for more quality hotels".The Yorkshire Post.Leeds.
They will spend a further £7m on refurbishing the New Connaught, which will be renamed The Grand Connaught Rooms, as they seek to attract more high-end customers to stay overnight at both properties and use their conference facilities.
- ^"De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms".De Vere. 16 May 2016.Retrieved7 July2020.