About
Tynwald Lodge History
Tynwald Lodge has been in existence since the 11th July 1918. It had eleven Foundation Members. At that time the Lodge was Consecrated under the Scottish Constitution and a Warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of Scotland No 1177. With the Union of the Queensland lodges in 1921 Tynwald received it’s present roll number, 262, UGLQ, but retained its connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
A cursory investigation finds only one other Tynwald Lodge, which meets in the Masonic Hall in Douglas the capital of the Isle of Mann. The Isle of Mann is a small island in the Irish Sea half way between England and Northern Ireland. Among many other things it is noted for the annual T.T. (Tourist Trophy) motor cycle races which were commenced in 1908 and are attended by visitors from all over the world to this day.
The island has a long and violent history having been settled at different times by the Norse (Vikings) of Scandinavia, the Scots, the Irish and the English (to this day referred to as the Home Countries) but through it all the Manx (people of the Isle of Mann) retained their independence and formed their own parliament which they called the ‘Tynwald’ derived from an old Norse word meaning – ‘the meeting place of the assembly’. With a history in excess of a thousand years it is claimed that no other parliament in the world has such a long, unbroken record. It remains to this day the ruling legislature of the island.
An outdoor sitting of parliament is held once a year to celebrate the establishment of the Tynwald during Viking settlement which began in the eighth century,
Quote – “Our little nation is the only Norse nation now on earth that can shake hands with the days of the Sagas and the Sea Kings”.
