St. Ursula’s Lodge No. 8952 EC was consecrated on 18th August 1980 by UGLE, sponsored by Harmonic No. 356 (who provided the first Master in the person of W. Bro John. D. M. Woods), after an absence of any lodge working in the British Virgin Island for over 170 years. It took about three years to consecrate St. Ursula’s Lodge after an inaugural committee was established.

At the time of its consecration, St. Ursula’s Lodge, along with Harmonic No. 356 and St. George’s Lodge No. 3421 in Dominica, were the only English lodges in the Eastern Caribbean not under a District or Inspectorate (they were both unattached and directly under the supervision and control of UGLE). But in the year 1989 -1990 St. Ursula’s Lodge No. 8952 EC and Harmonic Lodge No. 356 were brought under the District as part of this Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean where it has remained an active and valued contributing member ever since.

Long may it continue as such.

The Legend of St. Ursula

Her legend, is that she was a British princess who, at the request of her father King Dionotus of Dumnonia in south-west Britain, set sail to join her future husband, the pagan governor Conan Meriadoc of Armorica, along with 11,000 virginal handmaidens.

After a miraculous storm brought them over the sea in a single day to a Gaulish port, Ursula declared that before her marriage she would undertake a pilgrimage.

She headed for Rome with her followers and persuaded the pope, Cyriacus, and Sulpicius, bishop of Ravenna, to join them.

After setting out for Cologne, which was being besieged by Huns, all the virgins were beheaded in a massacre.