St. John's Masonic Hall & Temple (Freemasons' Hall)
Coat of arms of The St. John's Lodge, No. 434, EC
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General information
Status	Completed
Type	Masonic Hall
Architectural style	Victorian
Location	Lodge No. 434 EC, Opposite YWCA, West Marredpally, Secunderabad, Telangana, India - 500026, Secunderabad, Telangana, India
Coordinates	17°26′41″N78°30′00″E / 17.44480°N 78.50005°E / 17.44480; 78.50005
Owner	St. John's Lodge No. 434 E.C.

St. John's Masonic Hall & Temple also known as The St. John's, is a historic building located in West Marredpally, Secunderabad, Telangana, India, serving as a hub for Masonic activities in the region.

Contents

• History
• Activities
• Gallery
• Notable people
• References

It is the primary meeting place of St. John's Lodge No. 434 EC. It has also been used by Golconda Lodge No. 3249 EC, Universal Peace No.1208 SC and other masonic lodges under the warrant of the Grand Lodge of India

History

St. John's Lodge No. 434 EC was founded on 16 August 1822 ^[1] by British military officers stationed in the Secunderabad Cantonment, a key base for the East India Company. ^[2] The foundation stone of the building was laid on 11 March 1824. The lodge gets its name from St. John's Church, located about a kilometer away.

Formally constituted in 1836 under the English Constitution, the lodge provided a space for officers to practice Freemasonry, fostering brotherhood and philanthropy. Its establishment reflects the cultural influence of the British military and its enduring legacy in Secunderabad. ^[2]

There was a story that it had originally been a church. Later, when the current St. John's Church was built about a quarter mile away, the old building was given to the Freemasons by the contractor. ^[2]

Six chairs now used by the Past Masters originally came from the Brighton Royal Pavilion and were sent to the British Residency at Chudderghat in the early 19th century. Though there's no official record, six were likely gifted to the Lodge. Richly gilt but lacking in taste and comfort, the chairs hold more historical value than practical use. ^[2]

On September 7, 1850, a proposal was made to nominate two prominent Muslim noblemen—the newly appointed Minister of Hyderabad and his nephew, Salar Jung I, but it failed due to a royal order restricting the Minister’s movement. Since Lodge meetings were held in Secunderabad, outside Hyderabad city, the Minister could not attend without special permission.

Activities

Many prominent members of the region, both British and Indian alike, have been part of the lodge, many of whose ancestors as far from the British Isles still continue to visit the lodge. ^[3]

Most members of the St. John's Lodge have also been members of the Secunderabad Club. It is primary meeting place of freemasonry in Secunderabad alongside Goshamahal Baradari.

Gallery

• 
  Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III andSir Akbar Hydari seen outside the St. John's.
• 
  The St. John's photographed by Lala Deen Dayal, c. 1890s
• 
  Members of the Lodge, Asian Art Museum collection.

Notable people

Many notable people have been members of the lodge.

Lodge St. JohnNo.434 E.C.

• Lieutenant-Colonel James Oliphant, (WM 1834, 1835), Director and Chairman of the Honourable East India Company, and Equerry to the Maharajah Duleep Singh of the Punjab
• Major-General Otway Francis Smithers (WM 1866) ^[4]
• Cyril Walter Lloyd Jones CIE (Treasurer 1920s)
• Surgeon-Major Edward Lawrie
• WH Wilkinson, Secretary for Education and the first Director of Public Instruction, Hyderabad State. ^[5]

Golconda Lodge No. 3249E.C.

• Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III, KCIE
• Sir Akbar Hydari, Kt., PC
• Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Gilbert ‘Reggie’ Lees OBE, depicted in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Father of Australian writer Richard Flanagan ^[6]

Lodge Ekram 756 S.C.

• Brigadier-General Sir Terence Humphrey Keyes, KCIE, CSI, CMG, FRGS, FZS (WM 1931)

Mayo No. 1406 E.C.

• Arthur Henderson VC, MC ^[7]
• Captain William Smith MINCHIN MC ^[8]
• J.D.B. Gribble, (WM 1898), known for his book "A History of the Deccan" ^[9]
• H.C. Tripp, (WM 1916), Second Magistrate for the British administered areas in the Hyderabad State.
• Charles Blackburn Dunlop, Chief engineer of the Nizam’s Guaranteed State Railway. ^[10]

Lodge Deccan No. 1444 E.C.

• Nawab Syed Hussain Bilgrami, Imad-ul-Mulk Bahadur CSI, Member of the Viceroy's Legislative Council.
• Syed Ali Bilgrami, Indian scholar and linguist.
• Colonel Marshall, Private secretary and confidential adviser to the Nizam. ^[11]

Others

• Colonel Greenlaw, District Grand Master for British Burma. ^[12]
• C. C. Little, District Grand Master for British Burma.

References