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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name = St. John's Masonic Hall & Temple
<br />(Freemasons' Hall)
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = te
| former_names =
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| image = SJL434 Trans.png
| image_alt =
| image_size =
| image_caption = Coat of arms of The St. John's Lodge, No. 434, EC
| address = Lodge No. 434 EC, Opposite YWCA, West Marredpally, Secunderabad, Telangana, India - 500026
| location_city = [[Secunderabad]], [[Telangana]]
| location_country = India
| coordinates = {{coord|17.44480|78.50005|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| altitude =
| status = complete
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| owner = St. John's Lodge No. 434 E.C.
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| building_type = [[Masonic Hall]]
| architectural_style = [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]]
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| mapframe-zoom = 17
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-point = on
| mapframe-switcher = zooms
| mapframe-marker = museum
| mapframe-marker-color = #2828c8
| mapframe-width = 300px
| mapframe-height = 240
}}
'''St. John's Masonic Hall & Temple''' also known as '''The St. John's''', is a historic building located in [[Marredpally|West Marredpally]], [[Secunderabad]], [[Telangana]], [[India]], serving as a hub for Masonic activities in the region.

It is the primary meeting place of '''St. John's Lodge No. 434''' [[United Grand Lodge of England|EC]]. It has also been used by '''Golconda Lodge No. 3249''' [[United Grand Lodge of England|EC]], '''Universal Peace No.1208''' [[Grand Lodge of Scotland|SC]] and other masonic lodges under the warrant of the [[Grand Lodge of India]]

== History ==
St. John's Lodge No. 434 EC was founded on 16 August 1822 <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.librarything.com/work/15565833/t/Ars-Quatuor-Coronatorum-Being-the-Transactions-of-the-Lodge-Quatuor-Coronati-No-2076-Vol-59 |title=Ars Quatuor Coronatorum : Being the Transactions of the Lodge Quatuor Coronati, No. 2076. Vol. 59}}</ref> by [[British Armed Forces|British military]] officers stationed in the [[Secunderabad Cantonment Board|Secunderabad Cantonment]], a key base for the East India Company.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Gribble |first=J. D. B. (James Dunning Baker) |url=https://archive.org/details/historyoffreemas00grib/page/n7/mode/2up |title=History of Freemasonry in Hyderabad (Deccan) |date=1910 |publisher=Madras : Higginbothan |others=University of California Libraries}}</ref> The foundation stone of the building was laid on 11 March 1824. The lodge gets its name from [[St. John's Church, Secunderabad|St. John's Church]], located about a kilometer away.

Formally constituted in 1836 under the [[United Grand Lodge of England|English Constitution]], the lodge provided a space for officers to practice Freemasonry, fostering brotherhood and philanthropy. Its establishment reflects the cultural influence of the British military and its enduring legacy in Secunderabad. <ref name=":0" />

There was a story that it had originally been a church. Later, when the current [[St. John's Church, Secunderabad|St. John's Church]] was built about a quarter mile away, the old building was given to the Freemasons by the contractor.<ref name=":0" />

Six chairs now used by the Past Masters originally came from the [[Royal Pavilion|Brighton Royal Pavilion]] and were sent to the [[British Residency, Hyderabad|British Residency]] at [[Chaderghat|Chudderghat]] in the early 19th century. Though there's no official record, six were likely gifted to the Lodge. Richly gilt but lacking in taste and comfort, the chairs hold more historical value than practical use. <ref name=":0" />

On September 7, 1850, a proposal was made to nominate two prominent Muslim noblemen—the newly appointed Minister of Hyderabad and his nephew, [[Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I|Salar Jung I]], but it failed due to a royal order restricting the Minister’s movement. Since Lodge meetings were held in Secunderabad, outside Hyderabad city, the Minister could not attend without special permission.

== Activities ==
Many prominent members of the region, both British and Indian alike, have been part of the lodge, many of whose ancestors as far from the [[British Isles]] still continue to visit the lodge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaushik |first=Shrimansi |date=2024-11-08 |title=British woman traces her family history to Secunderabad |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/british-woman-traces-her-family-history-to-secunderabad-1836564 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=www.deccanchronicle.com |language=en}}</ref>

Most members of the St. John's Lodge have also been members of the [[Secunderabad Club]]. It is primary meeting place of freemasonry in [[Secunderabad]] alongside [[Goshamahal Baradari]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="150" heights="150">
File:Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III at St. John's Masonic Temple in Secunderabad.jpg|[[Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III|Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III]] and[[Akbar Hydari|Sir Akbar Hydari]] seen outside the St. John's.
File:Masonic Lodge Picquet Tank Secunderabad.jpg|The St. John's photographed by [[Lala Deen Dayal]], c. 1890s
File:St John's Secunderabad.png|Members of the Lodge, [[Asian Art Museum (San Francisco)|Asian Art Museum]] collection.
</gallery>

== Notable people ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Many notable people have been members of the lodge, some of them include:'''
|'''Lodge St. John''' '''No.''' '''434 E.C.'''
* ''Lt-Col'' [[James Oliphant]]
* [[Cyril Lloyd Jones|Cyril Walter Lloyd Jones]], [[Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]]
* ''Surgeon-Major'' [[Hyderabad Chloroform Commission|Edward Lawrie]]
* Nawab [[Syed Hussain Bilgrami]], [[Companion of the Order of the Star of India|CSI]]
* [[St. Andrew's Church, Bengaluru|Col. Thomas McGoun]]
* [[William Thomas Marshall]], [[Victoria Cross|VC]]
* [[1919 New Year Honours|Francis Douglas Lumley]]
* J.D.B. Gribble, [[Indian Civil Service|ICS]] <ref>{{Cite book |last=J.D.B Gribble |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.12076 |title=A History Of The Deccan |date=1924}}</ref>
* S. H. C. Frankel, Nizam's photographer <ref>{{Cite web |last=Angela |first=Dr Genevive |date=2015-06-04 |title=Living A Life Of Gratitude: Frankel’s studio |url=https://livealifeofgratitude.blogspot.com/2015/06/frankels-studio.html |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Living A Life Of Gratitude}}</ref>
* F M B Rosenthal, NGSR Engineer <ref>{{Cite web |last=Today |first=Telangana |date=2025-03-19 |title=‘108’ year-old staircase remains testament to modern developments at Gandhi Hospital |url=https://telanganatoday.com/108-year-old-staircase-remains-testament-to-modern-developments-at-gandhi-hospital |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Telangana Today |language=en}}</ref>
|'''Golconda Lodge No. 3249''' '''E.C.'''
* Nawab [[Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III|Mir Yousuf Ali Khan]], Salar Jung III, [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]]
* Sir [[Akbar Hydari]], Kt., [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|PC]]
* [[K. P. S. Menon]], [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]] [[Indian Civil Service|ICS]]
* ''Lt-Col'' Richard Gilbert Lees [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], Father of [[Richard Flanagan]] <ref>{{Cite web |title=R G Lees – Old Wellingtonian Lodge no. 3404 – Masonic Lodge |url=https://www.owl3404.org/distinguished-brethren-i-p/r-g-lees/ |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=www.owl3404.org}}</ref>
* [[Major-General]] Sir Digby Inglis Shuttleworth [[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]] [[Order of the Bath|CB]] [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]]
* [[Major general|Major-General]] Alexander Leigh Tarver, [[Order of the British Empire|C.B.]], [[Order of the Indian Empire|C.I.E.]], [[Distinguished Service Order|D.S.O.]]

'''Lodge Ekram 756 S.C.'''

* ''Brig-General'' [[Terence Keyes|Sir Terence Humphrey Keyes]], [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]], [[Companion of the Order of the Star of India|CSI]], [[Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George|CMG]]

'''Mayo No. 1406 E.C'''.

* [[Arthur Henderson (VC)|Arthur Henderson]] [[Victoria Cross|VC]], [[Military Cross|MC]] <ref>{{Cite web |title=Masonic recipients of the Victoria Cross |url=https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/victoria_cross/masonic_recipients.html |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=freemasonry.bcy.ca}}</ref>
* Charles Blackburn Dunlop, Chief engineer of the [[Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway|NGSR]]. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Charles Blackburn Dunlop - Graces Guide |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Charles_Blackburn_Dunlop |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=www.gracesguide.co.uk}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1822 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1822]]
[[Category:Freemasonry in India]]
[[Category:Heritage structures in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Masonic buildings]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hyderabad, India]]

The St. John's (Secunderabad) - Revision history

Muzic SP: stub