Doric Lodge No. 886 GC was founded in 1962 and consecrated on the 9th February 1963. The Consecration took place in the temple belonging to the local German Lodge “Zum Goldenen Rade 219 GC” who meet at the Lortzinghaus, An der Katherinkirche 3, 49074 Osnabrück.

The Lodge was founded because Osnabrück is a large Garrison town and those members of the Craft travelled to Münster to practice their masonry. A meeting was held after publication in Garrison routine orders in June 1962 and thanks to Bro.’s Ted Stewart and Doug Finlayson who found a room for them, many masons turned up and great interest was shown. Bro. Ted Ellames who was QM of 12 Bde and his 2 I/C Lou Williams kept the interest going. Whilst not all of those who attended the inaugural meeting became founders, those who did performed a wonderful job.

There were many initial problems to overcome. To hold lodges of instruction meetings were held in attics, in quarters, in messes, in offices, and then Bro Lou Williams, who in the meantime had founded a car club, found premises in Woolwich barracks which were also ideal for L of I’s. Thus Masonry and a car club were born. Due to a slight misunderstanding with the local lodge it was a few months before Doric was finally accepted. The suggested name for the Lodge had been “Prince Rupert Lodge” as he was a prince born in Osnabrück and related to the British Royal family. However our German Brethren laughed because the said Prince Rupert was known to be an idiot by the German people, so second thoughts were recorded and hence the name “Doric” was conceived.

The name Doric came about because this was the second Lodge, using the same Temple and the second one in Osnabrück, and had to be the second choice, which of course is Doric and as the Doric column means strength and British Freemasonry in Germany was only just beginning, it was right and proper that it should gain strength through Doric. The emblem of the Lodge is the Osnabrück wheel crested in the centre with a Doric column.

Doric’s first Worshipful Master was W.Bro. Ted Stewart and what a Master ! He was already established in Masonry in Germany and with his founding team of seven members from Zum Goldenen Rade and fourteen original British Brethren they set about forming Doric Lodge.

The Founders were :

RWBro B Albers                              WBro Schocher                  WBro A C Steele

WBro T A Ellames                            WBro E F Stewart              Bro B Jackson         

Bro K Langenberger                         Bro G Rother                      Bro J Warren           

Bro C Blackburn                               Bro H Kirchner                   Bro H Otto  

Bro C Blakey                                    Bro E C Breen                    Bro V Lake  

Bro E Pryer                                       Bro A J Richards                Bro J S Stalker         

Bro D Unger                                     Bro S J Warrilow                Bro L Williams

Doric 886 GC was consecrated on Saturday the 9th February 1963. The first initiate on the 21st February 1963 was Bro Richard Ridings (1KSLI), the first passing on the 12th August 1963 was Bro A Jenkins and the first raising on the 16th September 1963 was Bro Richard Ridings.

Times were very hard at the outset. many of the Founders had to travel from places like Münster, Soest, Dortmund, Bielefeld and the surrounding areas. This was not easy especially in the harsh winters. Also in those days Regiments and individuals were only posted to the area for two and a half years. This meant a large turnover of officers in the Lodge and of course many potential Brethren to the Lodge were posted before being able to join. So with losing Lodge Officers and candidates times were very trying resulting in small attendance’s at Lodge meetings. We even had to ask visiting Brethren to take up an office for the evening to allow the degree to be worked. In 1970 we had no one for Master and things looked pretty glum, but as our name suggests “strength” a visiting Past Master was only too pleased to take the chair and we have never looked back since. VW.Bro Henry De Costa † PSGW(GLL) saved the day !

After struggling for some eight years things started to look good. In 1975 the Master, WBro G B Hunt PGDC was installed as the first Master who had in fact been initiated into Doric Lodge in 1969. The next two Masters in 1976 & 1977 were also initiates of Doric as have been many subsequent Worshipful Brethren.

The Lodge is well and truly settled in the Lortzinghaus Masonic Temple with our sister lodge Zum Goldenen Rade to whom we owe so much for their help in the early days. In 1980 one of our German Founders became the Worshipful Master, WBro Klaus Langenberger PGStwd(GLL). By 1980 Doric also had a Mark Master Masons lodge No. 1542, followed in 1984 by Doric 1542 Royal Ark Mariner. We have been made a Patron of Honour of the Grand Lodge Charity Appeal Fund.

Doric has hosted the Provincial Grand Land Lodge on 9th November 1974, the Land Grand Lodge as it later became known and in 1981 it was to host our own Grand Lodge of British Freemasons within the United Grand Lodge of Germany. Since 1992 this pleasure has been aspired to Bad Iburg with Doric being intensely involved in the organisation. VWBro Alan Wainwright PJGW was for many years the Co-ordinator with WBro Bob Garrett PJGD GReg deputising.

We have had numerous Past Masters honoured by Grand Lodge, particularly RWBro Ken Adrian, GA OSM, PDGM having been for many years the President of the Board of General Purposes & Benevolence, VWBro George Black, OSM, PSGW as everybody’s mentor prior to his return to Inverness and VWBro Willie Watson †, PJGW always showing sterling service .

Links have been set up across the border with a regular visit to the Fest St Jan at Fideus Mutea No. 33 NC in the Dutch town of Zwolle every June. Infrequent visits have also been undertaken to our twin town of Derby. The Derby town Mayor, WBro Les Shipley, was here in 1990 as WM of United Service Lodge of Derbyshire 3993 EC and a souvenir book on the Masonic history of Osnabrück was printed to honour the occasion. The following year Neville Barker-Cryer was here as Secretary of Quartor Corinati 2076 EC to take photos and make a report on a very famous European Masonic Temple

We have a membership around the 140 mark with some 40 members resident in Germany. The remainder are spread all over the globe from the four home countries in the UK to Australia, the furthest probably WBro Taff Rainey in New Zealand, Berlin, Canada, USA, Middle East and Africa, so one can ascertain that Doric is quite universal. Doric is well known for its hospitality, never surpassed by other Lodges, especially at the Installation meetings

In strength Doric has established itself to have the stability for the busy time ahead and long may it continue.