A Brief History of the Bedford And District P.G.L.

The Bedford and District Province once covered the majority of Bedfordshire, but between 1922 and 1931 the Luton, St Albans & District PGL was formed. Back in 1922 PGL met in the Cross Keys in Bedford and at the time it was a very young Province, having had it's Warrant issued on 13th May 1921. The first PG Secretary was Bro. Francis Toombs R.O.H.

The following list of Lodges comes from a 1922 directory.

Lodge No. Name Meeting Location Opened Closed
1022 Duke of Bedford Nags Head Dunstable ? ?
1601 St Leonards The Rose Bedford 12th Jan 1912 1  
1684 Victory Cross Keys Bedford ? ?
1758 Lord Ampthill Griffin Luton ? ?
2425 Brinsley Sheridan 2 Griffin Luton

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3216 Ouse Valley Royal Oak St Neots  ? ? 
3414 King William IV King William IV Kempston 22nd Dec 1920 1  18th April 2002
3607  Astra Bird In Hand Henlow ? ?
3775  Ivel Valley White Horse Biggleswade ? ? 
3835  Sir Edward Leshe Red Lion Sandy ? ?
3805 Good Samaritan Plough Inn Luton ? ?

Note 1:

 Date of issue of Dispensation

Note 2:

Now forms part of Luton & District P.G.L.

9 years later in the 1931 directory, there have been a few changes, part of the Bedford & District Province has left, and from this directory formed the Luton, St Albans & district PGL. The four lodges from Luton and Dunstable are the first four listed in the Luton, St Albans & District PGL. The 5th lodge to appear in the new Province is No 4307, the Harmony Lodge. The PG Secretary is still Bro Bro. Francis Toombs R.O.H.

Lodge No Name Meeting Location Opened Closed
1601 St Leonards The Rose Bedford 12th Jan 1912  
2684 Victory Cross Keys Bedford    
3414 King William IV The Wellington Kempston 22nd Dec 1920 18th April 2002
3607 Astra Bird In Hand Henlow    
3775 Ivel Valley Crown Hotel Biggleswade    
4045 Mary Lascelles Green Man Hotel Shefford    
4067 Pride of Bedford Clarance Hotel Bedford    
4396 Sir Harry Jolley Clarance Hotel Bedford    
5399 Chequers Black Lion Hotel Stotfold    
5860 St George's Crown Hotel Arlesly 12th Feb 1926  
5863 Yelverstone Wheatsheaf Flitwick    
6325 Guise Lodge Anchor Inn Aspley Guise    
6274 Duchess of Bedford Fox and Duck Wootton    
6571 Duke of Bedford Rose and Crown Marston    
6790 Gostwick Crown Hotel Willington    

Now, 32 years later, according to the 1955 directory, the Province had strengthen, even though by this time the Luton & District Province had been formed, and the Bedford P.G.L. had lost Lodges to the new Province. The 1955 directory lists the P.G. Secretary of the time to be  Bro. C W Page R.O.H.

Lodge No. Lodge Name Meeting Place Location Open Closed
  PGL The Clarence Bedford    
  Kts Chapter Fleur-De-Lys Bedford    
1601 St Leonards Fleur-De-Lys Bedford 15th Jan 1912 1  
3414 King William IV King William IV Kempston 22nd Dec 1920 1  18th April 2002
3607 Astra Crown Inn Henlow ? ?
5399 Chequers Queens Street Stotfold ? ?
5821 St Georges White Horse Arlesly 12th Feb 1926 1  
6274 Duchess of Bedford Cock Inn Wooton ? ?
6571 Duke of Bedford Rose & Crown Marston ? ?
7390 Coronation The Clarence Bedford 24th Feb 1937  
7436 Ivel Valley The Crown Biggleswade ? ?
7571 Venture Crown Inn Henlow 15th June 1942
7575 Royal Bedford The Queen Bedford ? ?
7870 Hardwicke Black Swan Shefford ? ?
8078 William Webb Lamb Inn Arlesly ? ?
8264 Rose of England White Horse Biggleswade ? ?
8401 Aspley Guise Bell Hotel Aspley Guise ? ?
8439 Harmony Rose & Crown Potton ? ?
8530 Bram RAF Insitute Brampton ? ?
8642 Clifford Carpenters Arms Cranfield 15th Jan 1954