About the lodge
Our History and Purpose.
Thames Mariner No.8628 Lodge was founded in 1975 by brethren who wanted a lodge rooted in the river, local fellowship, and the life of Marlow. More than fifty years on, it remains a place where tradition, friendship, charity, and a warm welcome all matter.
History
Since its foundation in 1975, Thames Mariner No.8628 Lodge has been shaped by the members who built it, sustained it, and carried it forward. Along the way it established its Lodge of Instruction, adopted the compass emblem that still appears on its banner, celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1999, and marked fifty years of lodge life in 2025.
Read the lodge timeline
1975-1985
The lodge was founded in 1975 under its inaugural Worshipful Master, Don Wright. In its first decade it found its feet, formed the Lodge of Instruction, welcomed new members, and built many of the traditions that still shape lodge life today. In 1981 Peter Powles designed the compass logo that remains part of the lodge's identity.
1986-1995
During the second decade the lodge grew in confidence and membership. Brethren who had joined in the early years moved into senior offices and the chair, giving the lodge both continuity and a strong sense of shared purpose.
1996-2005
The third decade carried the lodge into a more modern era without losing its character. The Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 1999, and the years that followed brought more initiations, returning Masters, and memorable events, including a demonstration of an eighteenth-century initiation ceremony in 2005.
2006-2015
This period was marked by steady growth, charitable giving, and the contribution of long-standing members who continued to shape the lodge's culture. It also brought moments of loss, met in the spirit of support and brotherhood.
2016-2025
The fifth decade showed the lodge's resilience through a period of major change, including the disruption of the pandemic. Even so, Thames Mariner No.8628 continued to welcome candidates, support charitable work, and mark important ceremonial occasions, culminating in its fiftieth anniversary in 2025.
Purpose
Thames Mariner No.8628 Lodge exists to promote friendship, integrity, personal development, and charitable service within a welcoming Masonic setting. The lodge aims to preserve high standards of ritual, encourage active participation from members, support good causes in the local community and wider province, and offer visitors and prospective members a genuine sense of fellowship.
Read more about our purpose
Vision
Thames Mariner No.8628 aims to be a leading choice for Masonic membership in Marlow and the surrounding area. That ambition rests on strong ritual, active membership, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere for brethren, visitors, and candidates.
Values
Friendship, contribution to family and society, and enjoyment of Freemasonry sit at the heart of the lodge. Those aims are guided by values that matter in practice: integrity, kindness, honesty, fairness, and tolerance.
Lodge Life
Membership is intended to bring together people from all walks of life as equals. Regular meetings, charitable collections, shared meals, and the Lodge of Instruction all contribute to a setting in which members can develop, support one another, and take an active role in the work of the lodge.
Standards
The lodge takes real pride in doing things well. A lot of that comes from the Lodge of Instruction and from experienced brethren who give their time, share what they know, and help newer members grow in confidence.
A lodge shaped by continuity
The story of Thames Mariner No.8628 has always been carried by its members: founders who established it, officers who sustained it, and newer brethren who continue its work. That mix of tradition, charity, and companionship remains at the heart of the lodge today.