Regarding recruitment, I seem to remember that the lodge once awarded a Drama prize to a pupil of the school on a yearly basis, which gave us some visibility in the school. I don't think this is still happening though.
lloydpickering wrote:My mother lodge is a school lodge too (Old Dunelmian 8100). We only accept members who have a connection to the school. This normally means a past pupil, teacher or parent, but can be extended to other family members of the former.
Our membership was once limited to pupils, staff and former staff and pupils. After a year without candidates ten or so years ago, membership was extended to relatives thereof. We recently decided to allow candidates who are unrelated to the school to join the lodge under special circumstances but I think it has only happened once.
lloydpickering wrote:My understanding is that although a lot of schools are old, lodges being associated with them are fairly new. For example, my school celebrates it's 600th anniversary this year (and is almost certainly older if the links to the original cathedral school can be found), but our lodge will be celebrating 50 years in 2016.
Yes, it seems to be a late 19th / early 20th century concept. My lodge was founded in 1928 although the school goes back to 948AD. We seem to be the oldest school lodge in the Beds / Herts area, Old Westminters' Lodge most likely being the oldest under UGLE, with a Consecration date of 1877.