SEVENTY YEARS' SERVICE

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1947, Page 4

SEVENTY YEARS' SERVICE

RARE TERM OF MEMBERSHIP IN LODGE The Loyal Victoria Diamond Jubilee Lodge, M.U.I.O.O.F., Levin, on Monday night held a complimentary social to Past Grand Brother G. Astridge, of Levin, the occasion being the completion by him of 70 years of Oddfellowship. Such long service . as a rarity in New Zealand, having only once been exceeded. Present at the function was the Wellington District Grand Master R. Wickens and district officers, Bro. S. Eades and Sister J. Sta'ndon, the Past Grand Master of the Wanganui District, Bro. G. H. Morgan, and Bro. J. W. Mudford. On behalf of the Royal Britannia Lodge, Wellington, of which Bro. Astridge is a member, Bro. Wickens conveyed to Bro. Astridge fraternal greetings, and spoke of the fine work done by him during his long service. In this he was supported by Bros. C. H. Morgan, I.P.G.M., and G. D. Harris, I.P.G.M., and other members. In reply, Bro. Astridge, who is in his 88th year, related the history of the Lodge in Levin, since its foundation. He had joined the Royal Britannia Lodge, Wellington, 70 years ago and had arrived in Levin on December 3, 1891. The Loyal Victoria Diamond Lodge, M.U.I.O.O.F., of Levin, was 'formed in 1897. Past- Grand Bro. G. Astridge, who arrived in Levin ,on December 3, 1891, being then already a member of the Loyal Britannia Lodge, Wellington, attended .a church parade called in 1897 by i the Foresters' Court, which invited members of other friendly societies !to join in. With Bro. G. Wood, of jthe Loyal Manawatu Lodge, they represented the Manchester Unity. ! A few weeks after this parade a , meeting was called for the pur.poses of forming an Oddfellows' j Lodge in Levin, the .meeting being |held in the side room of the Levin 'Hotel. After two or three meetings had been held, it was decided j to form a lodge to be called the j Loyal Victoria Diamond Lodge, as it ; was the year of the Diamond j Jubilee of the reign of the late l Queen Victoria. An application was made to the Wellington disj trict for permission to open a lodge ; in Levin, which was subsequently : granted on August 16, 1897. The ! lodge was duly formed and opened by the officers of the Wellington 'district, then comprising Bros. G. j Marton, C. Johnson and C. Ludwig, jthe financial secretary being Bro. 1 J. Kershaw. The lodge was opened i in the Towri Hall, then situated 1 near the Levin Hotel in Oxford | Street. The opening membership I was 14. The first officer^ of the ! lodge were: Noble Grand: Bro. G. I Astridge; Vice-Grand: Bro. H. Leebody; financial secretary: Bro. T. : Sidey. j At the time Bro. Sidey was "Mine Host" of the Levin Hotel, land carried on the position of 'secretary temporarily until Bro. W. 'Kerr was appointed. He held office Ifor nine months, resigning when j he left the district. Bro. G. Astiridge was then appointed secretary jon October 17, 1898. He held office I for 27 years. The Lodge met' in the Town Hall, the schoolroom- and the Temperance Hall then on the corner of Salisbury Street and Queen Street West, until it purchased from the Manawatu Railway Company the section where the present Lodge stands. The price paid was £45. Here the members erected their Lodge room and have continued to hold their meetings there since.