Meets at Canterbury Freemason Centre 9 Shirley Road Shirley CHRISTCHURCH
Meets the 2nd Wednesday each month except January
The installation date is 2nd Wednesday, March
Secretary email: conyers1916@gmail.com
Early History
During the late 1870s a group of Christchurch Masons met to create a new lodge under the English Constitution, and on December 15th 1879, Conyers was consecrated in the Sandyford Street Hall Sydenham, which was purchased by the brethren for 400 pounds.
Wor Bro. John Joyce a P. M. of Port Chalmers Lodge 942 was the first Master his occupation being that of solicitor and close friend of Brother William Conyers (after whom this Lodge was named). William was a railway engineer who rose to become commissioner of railways who notably established the first railway line in New Zealand (a wooden claptraption spanning Invercargill to Bluff), the rail line between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, and the commission and completion of the Christchurch to Dunedin Line.
In 1916 this Lodge meet in the new Masonic Temple in Gloucester Street, and in 1977 moved again to the Idris Road Lodge Rooms. After the Canterbury Earthquakes Conyers met in a warehouse heated solely by the brethren's enthusiasm, before gratefully being housed by Cashmere Masonic Hall. In 2013 Conyers moved to the newly established Shirley Lodge rooms, where (pending further seismic activity) we are housed to this day.
Conyers lodge, true to her railroading tradition, is primarily known for two things, hospitality and mobility. As such we encourage and impose upon others the timeless art of visiting, in which lodge members travel across the country and globe to experience the warmth and brotherhood that freemasonry provides in all the forms freemasonry takes.
Conyers Lodge has always been and still is a very strong Lodge with a strong group of younger members, it is interesting to note over its almost 143 years there has always been remarks made about the strength of our Lodge.
Charity work is taken up by the Wor. Master's charity and other charities are supported during each year one of the earliest Masonic charity in this Christchurch area, is the Richard Baldwin Empty stocking fund, our first contributions were made in 1909 for children in strained circumstances or hospital and is still vigorously supported