Hazara Lodge has an illustrious history as a former old military lodge that was founded during the era of the British Raj, circa 1920 in Abbottabad. It was founded in the Hazara district – after the annexation of the Punjab provinces. As the British Empire fell, and as Indian independence grew, the Hazara Lodge relocated and transferred back to England. After returning home in 1947, the first meeting of the Hazara Lodge was held in London.
The 1920s to the 1940s proved to be a changing era for our Lodge – a full summary of which can be found here. The Lodge was also home to a great number of military heroes like Captain D.W. Belcher who was awarded the Victoria Cross and also Brother Frederick Smyth who was awarded The Grand Master’s Order of Service to Masonry. The Lodge brought together a multitude of different people who helped the Lodge to prosper.
However, as decline settled in for Freemasonry across the UK during the late Twentieth Century, Hazara Lodge was only saved in 2013. This was only made possible by the diligent and hard-work of members who wanted to open a Cigar Lodge.
The United Grand Lodge of England would not allow the formation of a new lodge but instructed the members that they could take over a lodge that was about to hand in its warrant. UGLE pointed those Cigar aficionado Freemasons in the direction of Hazara Lodge. The Lodge and the Cigar-loving members quickly snapped at the collaboration and it was deal – The Hazara (Cigar) Lodge was formed.
The decline of the former Hazara Lodge had set in by the time new the Cigar lodge was formed. Membership was declining rapidly, and a new recruitment drive was necessary to help drive Hazara (Cigar) Lodge towards a successful 21st Century experience.
This expansion also required a change of venue – from the Civil Service Club in London to The Grange White Hall Hotel on Montague Street in 2018. As the lodge attracted more and more visitors and members the new premises were suitably expansive for the continuing growth of the Lodge.
What makes Hazara so popular? Well the love of cigars for one but also the lodge is made up of a great group of members and visitors – from young to old and from all walks of life – who come together freely to embrace the values of Freemasonry and brotherly love whilst also singularly enjoying the enjoyment that a great cigar brings. The Lodge has also embraced technology with even a WhatsApp group that helps to connect members with directions/times for next meetings and the odd cheeky holiday snap from members on holiday enjoying a great cigar in warmer climes.