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The Memory Lodge No 4264 was founded in 1921 to further develop the true principles of Freemasonry in the Deeside area by providing additional accommodation for members and would be members of the Craft. The name "Memory" was chosen to perpetuate the memory of the late Bro Harry Charles Carter, (below) Senior Warden of St Marks Lodge No 2423, who was a rifleman and gave his life during the battle of the Somme in 1916. Accordingly a petition was granted to St Mark's Lodge on the 3rd of June 1921 to form a new lodge in memory of Bro Harry Carter and thus The Memory Lodge was consecrated on 27th August 1921 at Freemasons Hall, Hunter Street, Chester.
After the consecration, the
new lodge began to hold its meetings in Lloyds Bank Chambers, Connah's Quay and at the first meeting held on 21st September 1921, the lodge initiated two candidates Bro Hugh Jones Ferguson and Bro
Albert Reuben Powell. The Festive Board was then held in the drill hall. The lodge continued to grow very quickly with 18 candidates being initiated in 1922 and then 16 in 1923.
By 1926 the lodge was well established and plans were made to provide a permanent home on Deeside. On 1st November 1926 Memory Lodge bought the Farfield Hall Estate, which in those days consisted of the main building, 2 cottages and 13 acres of land. The sum paid was £3,000, and a further £1,163.18.8d was spent extending the main building to include the lodge room and dining hall. Four Founders of the lodge acted as trustees of the hall, these being Samuel Vickers, Benjamin Vickers, Henry Bowker Birch and William Bushell.
The foundation stone for the extension to the main building was laid by Rt .Worshipful Bro. Sir H.L. Watkin Williams Wynn, Baronet, C.B., Provincial Grand Master of the Province of North Wales on 10th December 1926 and by 1927, the work was complete and the new facility was brought into use by Memory and St Mark's Lodges. Even in 1928, it was realised that special events would be needed to raise money for improvements to the building and a successful Garden Party was held in that year, this being the forerunner of the many special events held since then to maintain and improve Farfield Hall for the generations of Freemasons to follow.
Throughout the 1930's, the lodge continued to thrive and at the last meeting before the outbreak of the Second World War, the initiated candidate Bro John Hughes, a grocer's assistant, was the
224th name to appear on the register of members. The demands
of a country at war affected greatly the operation of the lodge and although regular meetings were held in 1940 and 1941, by 1942 and 1943, lodge meetings were suspended in the winter months due
to the blackout, difficulty in travelling and lack of fuel for heating.
By 1944, with the course of the war turning in favour of the allies, meetings took place more regularly and on 7th February 1945,a warrant was issued granting the formation of a daughter lodge to be known as Wepre Lodge No 6055, to meet at Farfield Hall. The new lodge was consecrated on 26th September 1945 by W. Bro Crossley Colley P.G.D., Prov G. Sec.
After the end of the war, with peace returning to the county, Freemasonry on Deeside continued to grow during the late 1940's and 1950's. In 1951, Memory Lodge of Instruction was formed and in 1958, by joint invitation of St Mark's and Memory Lodges, a meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Farfield Hall. On 4th November 1959, a warrant was issued for the formation of another daughter lodge to be known as Kelsterton Lodge No 7681. The new lodge was consecrated on 5th December 1959 by W. Bro Col. J. Ellis Evans O.B.E.,T.D.,D.L.,P.G.D., Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
In the 1980's, with the popularity of Freemasonry on Deeside still increasing, on 10th December 1986 a warrant was issued for the formation of another daughter lodge to be known as The Connah's Quay Lodge No 9219. The new lodge was consecrated on 8th April 1987 in the presence of The Right Honourable The Lord Kenyon, Provincial Grand Master.
