IUOM New England District Grand Lodge #1
The Mechanics Life
Friendship, Brotherly Love and Truth
One must come to Mechanism with a serious desire and conviction to serve our fellow man; To share every aspect of our corporal lives with each other and, with the firm belief in and a commitment to the principle of...
The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.
Mechanism is practiced all over the world in the hearts of men and women.
Independent United Order of Mechanics, F.S.,W.H. Inc.
It all started in 1757 in Lancashire, England
“The Order” was established in Lancashire, England in 1757 and received its authority by Act of the British Parliament. Branches were established in South Africa, followed by other branches in Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, Panama, Canada, Barbados, Grenada, Suriname, Dutch West Indies, Belize, Spanish Honduras, and Guatemala.
In the year 1910, the Order was established in the United States of America was Incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. The headquarters of the Independent United Order of Mechanics, Friendly Society, Western Hemisphere, Incorporated was transferred to New York in 1941, where it is presently maintained.
The Independent United Order of Mechanic, Friendly Society, Western Hemisphere, Inc. Is a well ordered, properly regulated and astutely governed society of Lodges formed for the mutual upliftment of its members.
The Mechanics Lodge is a group of men and women who have voluntarily formed themselves into a family; exemplifying all the high ideals and expectations of a well regulated, closely-knit organization.
Our MOTTO
We are Obliged by our basic tenets to attend to the welfare of our members and their families.
We are Involved in various community projects, mainly in Healthcare and Education.
Our membership is Encouraged to be active participants in the community in which they live.
The IUOM New England District Grand Lodge #1
Utopia Lodge No. 5, Inc., was the first unit of the Independent United Order of Mechanics, W.H., formed in the state of Connecticut in 1967 due to the instrumentality of the late Most Worshipful Grand Master, Rt. Hon. Clement Glasgow, the late Bro. Allan Reid, VPDGM, members of the Ben Hur District Grand Lodge and locally by Venerable Past Grand Master Hon. David S. Carter. The order began to grow with the addition of the Queen of Sheba Chapter, No 3 in the late 1960s, followed by the additions of the House of Solomon Lodge No. 11 in 1981, the Daughters of the House of Solomon No. 11 and subsequently the Rose of Sharon Chapter No. 1 in 1986.
The Fraternity expanded during the ensuing years; as a result, the Utopia Grand Christian Encampment was formed in 1970 and the Connecticut District Past Illustrative Matron’s Conclave in the 1980s. During the late 1960s through 1986, the following brothers represented the units in Hartford at Ben Hur District Grand Lodge in Brooklyn, New York; the late Hon. Lowell ‘Slim’ Sutherland, Hon. David S. Carter, VPDGM, Hon. Michael Reid, Hon. Dudley B. Duncan, VPDGM, Hon. Lester G White, VPDGM, Hon. Easton L Fuller, and the Hon. Noel G. Solomon. In October 1984 the Hon. Charles Alexander Forrest, was the first delegate from Connecticut to be elected to the Ben Hur District Grand Lodge. He was elected as District Grand Assistant Secretary.
After nineteen years of superintendence by the Ben Hur District, a committee consisting of the aforementioned District Offices, except Bro. Michael Reid the late Bro. Sutherland petitioned the Ben Hur District Grand Lodge in 1986 with respect to the formation of a District Grand Lodge in Hartford. After diligent negotiations, the Connecticut District Grand Lodge No. 1 was inaugurated and the respective Grand Lodge Officers installed on Saturday, October 4th, 1986. Venerable Past Grand Master, Hon. Dudley B. Duncan, H.P., P.E.G.C., was installed as the first District Grand Master and subsequently served two terms. Venerable Past Grand Master, Hon. Davis S. Carter., H.P., P.E.G.C., served one term until 1985.
In 1993, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Order, Rt. Hon. Winston Anthony Jones and the Executive Committee of the Grand Council created an extraordinary precedence in the strengthening of the Order in the New England States by virtue of announcing the amalgamation of the Connecticut District Grand Lodge; adding three units operating under the jurisdiction of Brooklyn District Grand Lodge in Boston and two units from the Composite District Grand Lodge in Springfield, Massachusetts to the Connecticut District. After one full year of the amalgamation process, a District Convention was held on December 10th, 1994 and the new officers were elected from all represented regions.
The Hon. Charles Alexander Forest was elected to serve as the first District Grand Master of the amalgamated and reorganized Grand Lodge; now called New England District Grand Lodge, No. 1 consisting of it various units and headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.