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Early in 1901 a group of Masonic brethren decided that a Lodge was needed by Freemasons who lived in the Kimbolton township and surrounding districts. On the 9th October of that year a meeting of those interested was held in the Kiwitea Council Rooms in Kimbolton. After discussing proposals to form a Lodge, it was decided unanimously that a lodge be formed and called the Kimbolton Lodge. A further meeting with reference to the formation of a Lodge, was held in the Council rooms on Wednesday 30th October 1901 when it was decided that the new Lodge would  meet in the council rooms for a weekly rental of 5/-. The Lodge yearly subscription was set at £3 for the first year (to offset the cost of establishment of the Lodge) and £2 for the following years. The cost of starting the Lodge was £30 and The Feilding Lodge (the mother lodge of the area) helped by donating some of their older regalia and helped with the formalities of establishing the Lodge.  

1902 as a busy year for the lodge and saw the initiation of ten new members. An illustration of just, how busy, is given in the December minutes  "The Lodge was Tyled at 8.00pm and Bro's Red & Beard were passed to the Second Degree. The Lodge was then lowered to the First Degree and Mr. H W F Hansen was initiated into Freemasonry. Following this the nomination for Officers for the following year were proposed". It is not recorded what time the Lodge was closed but they must have been fast at ritual to have gotten through that much work in an evening.

On Thursday May 18 1905 the lodge moved to a building in Grammar Street Kimbolton. The years 1905 to 1912 were golden years for the Lodge in which a large number of candidates were introduced to the beauty of Freemasonry. The year 1908 saw the Lodge initiate 10 candidates. The Lodge became so successful that at the May meeting of 1912 it was decided to build a bigger premises in Kimbolton Road Kimbolton and the first meeting was held in the new premises in March 1913 and is still in use today. 1919 saw a request from brethren of the Lodge who lived in the Apiti area to form a lodge and the Oroua Lodge No 215 was formed.

The Kimbolton Lodge prospered over the years despite the great depression, two influenza epidemics, two world wars, petrol rationing, and regular snow storms and only entered a slow period in the 1970s. The 1970's was a time of Masonic drought for the Lodge as the economic climate of the times hit the farming communities and saw the rural drift of men from the country to the towns.  This rural drift meant that there was not the same number of men offering themselves as candidates for Freemasonry.

The Lodge is very grateful for the support of sister Lodges who helped the Lodge out during this period, by bringing candidates to be Passed and Raised by the Lodge. Lodges; Awatea, Manchester, Feilding and Rutland were very supportive during this time, and many members who went on to higher office looked back with fondness to the night they were Passed or Raised at Kimbolton.

1984 to 1987 saw the Lodge initiate 7 candidates and in 1984 Lodge Oroua No 215 closed and 20 of their members transferred to the Kimbolton Lodge. The period of 1990 to 2007 has been filled by some very colorful characters who have given the Lodge the flavour it now has. The Lodge visits widely around the districts and in return gets a large number of visitors at its meetings.  The Lodge also enjoys an amalgam of occupations & professions and discussions can be heard of cars and trains as well as belly crutching, dagging and wool prices. The Lodge can count among its members a large number of Railwaymen, past & present, which is surprising as the nearest railway line is in Feilding 18 miles away. All go to make up the happy  atmosphere that the Lodge enjoys.

The sepia photographs at the top of the page are of our first four Masters. The coloured photographs are of those members present at our cenntenial meeting, the cenntential Master and his wardens WBros Lockyer, Smith and Nolan and members VWBros Wagener and Johnson who officiated at the cenntenial meeting.