Meets at the Silverdale Workingmen's Club  High Street Silverdale Newcastle u Lyme

8pm  Every Thursday

This Lodge Being an amalgamation of the following Lodges

Sir William H Johnson Lodge No 2136  Inaugurated November 1919

Col. Ralph Sneyd Lodge No. 8913 Inaugurated 1956 Amalgamated May 1991

New Name Johnson Sneyd Lodge No 2736 May 1991

Shakespeare Lodge No. 3913 Inaugurated 1921 Amalgamated Sep 2005

Forthcoming Events:

Below is a brief history of the Lodges kindly supplied by Bro Bill Pollock ROH

                                                  SIR WILLIAM H. JOHNSON LODGE NO. 2736

The Sir Will H. Johnson Lodge was so named in honour of a former Provincial Grand Primo of the N. Staffs Governing Authority as it was then, ,serving in 1902. He was a Grocer in Shelton and one of the first Directors of the Company formed to provide a headquarters for the Province as outline above.

Incidentally his Provincial Grand Primo Jewel is now the Badge of Office for the current holder of that office. He eventually served as an Officer of Grand Lodge in 1919 as Grand Alderman of Juniper [Eng} and from my researches appears to have died in the 1920's. Most of his Jewels have survived and are on display in the Lodge room. The Lodge was in residence at the Bear Hotel Enderley St Newcastle for many years.  The Lodge provided a couple of Provincial Grand Primo's Bro Fred Hall, P.G.P. 1936 Bro. Eric Wilson P.G.P.1956 both of whom also served as P.G.Sec for a number of years.

                                            COLONEL RALPH SNEYD LODGE NO.8973

The Colonel Ralph Sneyd Lodge was so-named to remember the swash-buckling cavalier of the Stuart period born about 1612 who fought for King Charles and garrisoned Keele Hall in the Civil War. He was taken prisoner by the Parliamentarians at the fall of Stafford in 1644 and died in the Isle of Man in 1651. His local opponents were Thomas Harrison, John Bradshaw and Edward Mainwaring of Whitmore Hall. The Lodge No. 8973 had a number of Meeting places in its 35 year existence and a fluctuating membership. Some of its former homes were The Sneyd Arms [ the first ], the Royal Oak, The Roebuck, the East End Club, the Miner's Club, Park Site Club. Silverdale Sports & Social Club [ex-Conservative Club], The Vine and Silverdale Workingmen's Club. Bro.Colin Allbutt RO.H. became P.G.P.IN 1984

 JOHNSON -SNEYD LODGE NO. 2736 amalgamation of May 1991

The forgoing two Lodges amalgamated in 1991 when both were struggling for active memberships In 2004 the Silverdale Workingmen's Club which had been the home of the Johnson- Sneyd Lodge for a number of years was destroyed in a disastrous fire and the lodge lost its regalia and archives. Although insurance cover enabled the lodge to obtain replacement equipment the archives were lost for ever. Plans were made for rebuilding the club, meanwhile the Lodge looked round for new premises, and then held their meetings for several months at the home of one of the members Bro. Tony Mason RO.H. It was during this period that the Shakespeare Lodge sought amalgamation.

Eventually new accommodation was found at the former Conservative Club, now Silverdale Sports & Social Club where we were tolerated rather than welcomed and we stayed a few months before relocating to The Vine in the High St where the Host was a lapsed member of the Order, but readily resumed his allegiance in the Lodge. Meanwhile the S.W.C. was rebuilt and we were asked whether the Lodge would like to move back. When the Host at the Vine decided to relinquish his tenancy and re-Locate to Northampton the opportunity to return to the new club was taken.

                                                     SHAKESPEARE LODGE NO. 3913

The Shakespeare Lodge had its origin in 1921 and has retained its early history in several leather-bound volumes of Minutes. The original venue was the Roebuck in Leek Rd. Stoke, near Stoke Railway Station, they moved on to the King's Arms in Hill St Stoke, from where they were ejected !!

They were then offered a Lodge Room at the then new Red Lion Hartshill in 1931 and remained there over 70 years until falling numbers forced amalgamation in 2005. The earliest City Host at this venue was Bro.Stephen Cooper Booth RO.H. and he was succeeded about 1950 by his nephew Bro. Wilfred Mulcock, then in the 1970's Bro Bernard Smallwood who was followed by Bro John Cotton. Then followed in fairly quick succession Bro. David Pollock, then Bro Trevor Longshaw, then Bro Bill Mottershaw All these were tenants, but the Brewery company then took on managers, none of whom became members of the Order, and membership dwindled. Over the years the Lodge room was reduced in size to a provide additional domestic accommodation [additional female toilets were put in when the GENTS-ONLY bar was axed] then a computer room intruded, linked to the cash-tills.  The late 1940's saw a trio of members fulfilling high office   Bro. Fred Myatt RO.H. P.G.P. 1949,  Bro. Ernest Hamnett RO.H. P.G.P. 1950.  Bro. Len Poole RO.H. P.G.P. 1951. The next high-flyer was Bro. Arthur Weaver RO.H. P.G.P. 1972. Affiliated Members who also held a P.G.P. collar were Fred Hall, Don Ashworth, John J. Lambe and David Bacon The Lodge had one of the oldest members in the Province in Bro. Arthur Baggley RO.H. and an Honorary Member who died 6 weeks short of his Century in 2008.