The Hall Stone Jewel was conferred on The Lodge of St. George No. 1152 by the Grand Master in 1928. The Lodge of St. George is the only Hall Stone Lodge in Singapore and one of only five Hall Stone Lodges in the District of the Eastern Archipelago.
This is the history of the Hall Stone Jewel.
At a special meeting of Grand Lodge in June of 1919, the Grand Master, HRH the Duke of Connaught, expressed his desire that a memorial be established in recognition of those brethren who had made the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the first Great War. That very same month had also seen the formalization of the permanent end of hostilities as embodied in the Treaty of Versailles.
It was determined that the memorial should take the form of a central home for Freemasonry in London. The Masonic Million Memorial Fund was established in September 1919 to raise funds for this endeavour, with brethren from both the United Kingdom and its overseas Districts encouraged to contribute to the £1m needed to finance the work.
It was further decided that individuals and Lodges that had contributed to the Memorial Fund would be recognized and awarded a commemorative jewel. The design of this jewel was decided by an open competition with a £75 prize for the winner. At the Grand Lodge meeting in June 1921 it was announced that the design selected was that submitted by Cyril Saunders Spackman.
To qualify, a Lodge had to contribute an average of ten guineas (about £380 at today’s value) per member and such Lodges were to be known as Hall Stone Lodges (thus giving the jewel its name). A total of 1,321 Lodges qualified as Hall Stone Lodges and their names and numbers are inscribed on commemorative marble panels in the main ceremonial entrance of Freemasons' Hall in London.
The Hall Stone Jewels were produced in three sizes.
The smallest was a breast jewel suspended on a dark blue ribbon. 10 guineas (about £380 today) or more purchased a silver one, 100 guineas (about £3,800 today) or more purchased a gold one. A combined total of 53,244 such medals were issued to individuals.
The jewels awarded to Lodges were of gilt finished silver appended to a light blue collaret and are worn by Masters of Lodges that contributed an average of 10 guineas per member. Such Lodges are known as “Hall Stone Lodges” and of 1,321 that originally qualified, 88 were overseas. These Lodges have their names and numbers inscribed on the marble wall panels in the Vestibule at Freemasons’ Hall.
The largest Hall Stone Jewel is eighteen carat gold and coloured enamels. Only 3 were ever awarded. Two Districts, Japan (now defunct) and Burma (in abeyance), and one Province, Buckinghamshire, qualified by contributing an average of 500 guineas (about £19,000 today) per lodge. In further recognition of their achievement, rooms 11, 12 & 17 in Freemasons’ Hall were named after them.
The Hall Stone Jewel is rich in symbolism and the design was described at the time as follows:
“The jewel is in the form of a cross, symbolising Sacrifice, with a perfect square at the four ends, on the left and right squares being the dates 1914-1918, the years in which the supreme sacrifice was made. Between these is a winged figure of Peace presenting the representation of a Temple with special Masonic allusion in the Pillars, Porch and Steps. The medal is suspended by the Square and Compasses, attached to a ribband, the whole thus symbolising the Craft’s gift of a Temple in memory of those brethren who gave all for King and Country, Peace and Victory, Liberty and Brotherhood.”
When the Master of the Lodge wears the Hall Stone Jewel, it provides ample proof that the Lodge has adhered to its fraternal obligations. The Hall Stone Jewel is also a reminder and exhortation to all brethren to place service before self. This Jewel is considered part of the attire of the Master and it is our solemn duty to remember and acknowledge this loss and debt when, each year, we transfer the Hall-Stone Collar and Jewel to the new Master at each Installation, in a line of continuity never to be broken, until time with us shall be no more.
The Lodge of St. George No. 1152 E.C., Singapore was warranted on 22 January 1867 and consecrated on 22 June 1867 by R.W. Bro. W.H.M. Read, the first District Grand Master. He installed as Founder Master of St. George, W. Bro. Felix Henry Gottlieb.
