A short history of Friendship~Williams Lodge #400

 

		In 1813 Friendship Lodge was founded as Friendship Lodge #136 near Abington Village. Concurrent with the anti-Masonic agitation of the 1830's the Lodge suffered heavy losses in membership and by 1837 decided to dissolve. A resurgence of interest in having a Lodge in the area spurred several active Masons to revive Freemasonry in Jenkintown. In 1867 Friendship Lodge #400 was constituted ( the #136 having been retired was not available). In 1873 Friendship moved from temporary meeting places to its home on Old York rd. In 1910-12 under the leadership PM John Wanamaker the Lodge underwent extensive renovations. In December, 1995 Henry W. Williams joined Friendship Lodge and we are now known as Friendship~Williams. A tribute to the Joined Lodges is the strong support by the joined membership in our meetings. Currently their are About 600 members (with a one time high of over 1400 in the 1960's ). Friendship's Temple serves as host to two other Blue Lodges, Chapter, Council, Commandery, York Rite College and Knight Masons as well as, DeMolay and Rainbow, needless to say it's a busy building.

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