THE DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BOMBAY & N.INDIA

Freemasonry is supposed to have come to Bombay in 1758, when a Lodge No.234, whose name is not known, was supposed to have been consecrated. A few years later, in 1764, a Provincial Grand Lodge was formed, with Bro James Todd being appointed the first Provincial Grand Master by Earl Ferrers, the Grand Master.

Little is known of the progress of the Provincial Grand Lodge till the early 1800's, when Lodge Benevolent was formed in Poona in 1822. Lodge Benevolent recommended the formation of another Lodge in Poona, Lodge Orion in the West. This Lodge was consecrated under a Warrant issued by the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Coast of Coramandel. However, Grand Lodge declared this Warrant to have been issued illegally, and a fresh Warrant was issued in 1833 - 10 years after the Lodge was consecrated.

Many other Lodges were also consecrated during this period, but most did not survive long. In fact, in the first half of the 19th Century, Freemasonry in Western India under English Constitution did not thrive at all.

In 1848, Lodge St. George was consecrated, whilst Lodge Concord, also in Bombay, and Lodge Union, in Karachi, were both consecrated in 1858. And when Lodge Orion-in-the-West, which had gone into abeyance, revived itself, there were four Lodges working. Lodge St. George now petitioned the Grand Lodge that it was the prayer of all members that a Provincial Grand Master be appointed. Thus W.Bro George Taylor, the WM of Lodge St. George, was installed as the first true Provincial Grand Master of Bombay on July 16th, 1861. To all intents and purposes, this was also the beginning of the Provincial Grand Lodge itself, as no other Provincial Grand Master had been installed since the appointment of Bro Todd almost a hundred years previously.

Over the next 100 years many Lodges were consecrated. Some closed down soon, and others went into abeyance, then revived themselves. But many others thrived, and today there are 12 Lodges which are over 100 years old, with Lodge St. George No. 594 being the oldest, having been in existence for 152 years.

In 1961 the District Grand Lodge of Bombay, as it was now called, celebrated its Centenary. Masons from all over the District congregated in Bombay to attend the the Festival Communication held in November, a meeting presided over the District Grand Master, R.W.Bro Bhogilal Shah.

1961 also saw the Consecration of the Grand Lodge of India, an offspring of the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland. These three Grand Lodges, now refered to as the "Parent" Grand Lodges, each signed a Concordat with the Grand Lodge of India, which among other important issues, also confered certain rights on members of the "parent" Grand Lodges. Lodges of the three Constitutions were also given the option of either joining the new Grand Lodge, or remaining in their respective Constitutions. In Bombay District, 28 of the 51 Lodges prefered to remain under the English Constitution.

In November 1986, the 125th year of the District was celebrated, in the presence of M.W. the Pro Grand Master, M.W.Bro Lord Cornwallis. At this Communication, the District Grand Master, R.W. Bro A.E.G.Gilbert, announced the formation of a major charity, the Bombay District E.C. Grand Charity. The stated objectives of this Charity was to give assistance to both Masons as well as non-Masons.

In 1989, the District of Bombay was redefined, with the addition of the 5 Lodges under the District of N.India, and the District was now called the District Grand Lodge of Bombay and N.India.

1992 saw a major upheaval in Freenasonry in India, when the Grand Lodge of India deliberately violated the Concordat it had signed with the "parent" Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland in 1961. Despite several requests to go back to the original terms of the Concordat, the Grand Lodge of India refused. The parent Grand Lodges therefore had no option but to derecognise the Grand Lodge of India.

During the past 140 years of the existence of the District Grand Lodge, many great luminaries have ruled over the District. Like H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, who was appointed District Grand Master in 1887, holding that post till his elevation as M.W. the Grand Master in 1901. In 1895, the Duke returned to England, though he continued to be the District Grand Master. And for the first time in the District, a Pro District Grand Master, H.E. Lord Sandhurst, the Governor of Bombay, was appointed and installed to this new office. Interestingly, H.R.H. the Duke was at the same time also Provincial Grand Master of Sussex. In fact, Henry Stafford, Lord Northcote, who took over from H.R.H. the Duke as District Grand Master in 1901, was at the same time already Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire, and ruled over both Districts till 1903.

Two other District Grand Masters have also been installed as Grand Masters. Sir Roger Lumley, who was District Grand Master in 1940, was, as the Earl of Scarborough, installed as M.W. the Grand Master in 1951, while R.W.Bro Bhogilal Shah, District Grand Master in 1961, was installed as M.W. the Grand Master of India in 1962.

The present District Grand Master, R.W.Bro A.E.G.Gilbert, is now in his 16th year, having been installed in 1984.

There are now 28 Lodges in the District, most thriving. Charity continues to play an important part in the life of the District. The two Funds established in the late 1800's, the District Fund of Benevolence, established in 1879, and the Bombay Masonic Association, established in 1880, both continuing to carry out the objects for which they were established, with the Bombay District E.C. Grand Charity of 1986 lending them splendid support.