About us

The Lodge was consecrated on Wednesday 27th November 1878 at The Swan Hotel, Coleshill in Warwickshire (a building that still stands). It takes its name from the Very Worshipful Brother Colonel John Machen (1821-1887) the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire at the time, who also performed the ceremony as its presiding officer. The Lodge meetings remained at The Swan in Coleshill for twenty years before relocating to the Masonic Temple, Severn Street, Birmingham in 1898. We moved again in 1927 to the Masonic Temple, (no longer standing), in Broad Street in Birmingham in 1927. We remained there until the outbreak of the Second World War, (WW2), when the building was requisitioned for vital war work by the Ministry of Food. In 1928 the Lodge celebrated its fiftieth (50th) year and for sentimental reasons it was decided to hold the celebratory Regular Meeting and Festive Board back at the Swan in Coleshill to mark this important milestone. At the beginning of World War Two in 1939 the Lodge moved once more, this time to the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms Five Ways (no longer standing). The Lodge was temporarily suspended during this period but resumed fairly quickly as the Brethren felt the need to hold on to a worthwhile activity other than doing their bit prosecuting the war. We remained there until 1971 when Machen moved to the new purpose built HQ of Warwickshire Freemasonry at the Clarendon Suites, Stirling Rd, Edgbaston, where we remained for nearly forty (40) years, until its closure. With the closure of The Clarendon Suites the lodge returned once more to a former home we vacated in 1927, but with a major difference. Regular meetings could no longer take place on our traditional third Thursdays but had to be moved to the third Tuesdays of the month instead. Thus over the past century, we came almost full circle and hoped to forge a new era of Masonic tradition, which however proved temporary. Owing to increasing difficulties in maintaining a viable Lodge at Severn Street it was decided that we relocate to the Handsworth Masonic Centre in Lozells, Birmingham, where we hope to grow the Lodge once more and maintain our traditions in a more condusive environment. Once again however we have had to compromise and change the dates of our meetings to the first Wednesday of the month. Our inaugural meeting here was held on March 1st 2023, where we hoped once more to live up to our proud motto and ensure that the best is indeed truly yet to come. We will be celebrating our 150th year in 2028.