Lodge of Union No 444
Meetings are held at the Masonic Rooms, Starcross on the Fourth Tuesday in the months of April, May, June, July, September and October. Installation - The Regular Lodge Meeting in May
Date of Warrant - 23rd June 1837
Centenary Warrant - 26th September 1937
The Lodge was consecrated at Chudleigh as No 650 on the 25th September 1837
Number of Members - 30
Lodge of Union met at the Clifford Arms Hotel, Chudleigh from 1837 to 1849, when it moved to the Courtenay Arms Hotel, Starcross in order to make use of the better travel facilities following the opening of the railway between Exeter and Newton Abbot.
Its original number of 650 was changed to 444 in 1863. It is assumed that the name of the lodge recognises the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1813. Lord Viscount Ebrington, Prov G M and other Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge attended the Consecration. A banquet followed and Provincial Grand Lodge and the Lodge of Union gave a ball for the inhabitants of Chudleigh at which ninety-three persons were present. The first Master was the Reverend William Carwithen, Dep Prov G P, of Bovey Tracey..
The lodge was formed principally to allow members of St George's Lodge, Exeter, No 112, to continue their Masonry in country surroundings during the summer months, and to practice the new Emulation Working, which had been adopted by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement at Grand Lodge in 1823. St George's is the mother lodge, and Lopes Lodge No 5526 is the daughter lodge. By tradition, the three lodges do not exchange greetings at lodge meetings.
It should be noted that membership of the Lodge of Union is limited to 30 members, and that there is only sufficient seating for that number both in the Lodge room, and afterwards at the Festive Board.
Guests may only attend by the prior invitation of a member, and then only after having checked with the Master and Secretary as to the availibility of seats.