The first masonic year: W. Bro. Shankerlal Fulchand Sutaria

The first masonic year in 1935, after a very impressive installation ceremony on November 15,1935 attended by Rt.W. the District Grand Master and his deputation, Lodge Reginald Spence No.5144 EC. was ruled by:

W.Master. W. Bro. Shankerlal Fulchand Sutaria

I.P.M. W. Bro. J.P.C.Shroff

S.W. Bro. Abdulla Momahed Jaffer Mowla

Chaplin. Bro. Subramanyam Krishna Iyer

Treasurer. W. Bro. Abdulla Casum Nanji

Secretary. Bro.Hormasji Sorabji Chinai

D of C.  Bro. Robert Hugh Middleton

S.D.       Bro. Rustomji Ardeshir Wadia

J.D.        Bro. Savakshaw Pirozshaw Shroff

Almoner.          Bro. John Leo Mulvaney

Organist. Bro. Themurasp Framjee Dharwar

I.G. Bro. Dr. Burjor Edulji Daruvalla

Steward. Bro. Hatimbhoy Essufally Shums

Bro. Savakahaw Pirozshaw Shroff was manager to Courtoulds (India) Ltd. and he resided at Parsi Colony, Dadar. He was initiated into freemasonry on November 22,1909, passed to the degree of fellowcraft freemason on March 28,1910 and raised to the degree of master mason on June 26,1910. He was J.D. of Lodge Reginald Spence No.5514 EC for the year. He was also a member of Lodge Tarius (Calcutta) No.4814 EC and Lodge Cyrus No.1359 EC. He resigned from the lodge on April 29,1936.

Bro. Hormusji Sorabji Chinai was the superintendent, share department, B.E.S. & T. Co. Ltd. and lived in Colaba, Bombay. He was initiated on November 4,1922 and the details of his passing and raising are not available. He was a member of Lodge Bhore Ghaut No.3465 EC and Lodge Deolali No.3710 EC. He officiated as the Secretary for the year and also the next year. He was called to the Grand Lodge Above on May 27,1937.

WBro Dr Mohanlal V Modi

W. Bro. Dr. Mohanlal Vanichand Modi was born in Porbunder on December 14,1903. A lot of detail is available about him as he was the father of late RW Bro Atul Modi who has compiled the data for this website. After schooling in Porbunder he was given a scholarship to continue further studies in Bombay by the then Jam Sahib of Jamnagar. Qualifying with flying colours from Elphinstone College, he joined Grant Medical College.

Here again he was a brilliant student and secured four gold medals in the final examinations, standing first in the University of Bombay. Pleased with his progress, he obtained further scholarship to go abroad for the F.R.C.S. examination which he passed at the first attempt. To specialize in Urology, he went to Vienna and Zurich to obtain further training, when most surgeons of the day were general surgeons.

Returning to India he was amongst the few Indian surgeons who had the F.R.C.S. qualification. His residence and consulting practice was at Sethna Building, 55 Queens Road, Bombay 2. He was honorary surgeon at the Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital and slowly rose to the position of superintendent of the same hospital. This post he held till he retired. He was also an honorary surgeon to the Sir Hurkisondas Nurrotumdas Hospital where he gave services for 42 years.

Mohanlal, as he was fondly called, embraced freemasonry on February 15,1935 about four weeks before my birth. He was passed to the degree of fellowcraft freemason on April 29,1935 and raised to the sublime degree of master mason on June 11,1935. His first office was that of I.G. of the lodge and he soon had a succession of offices as S.D; Chaplin; J.W; S.W. and was installed in the Chair of King Solomon on November 23,1940. The following year he was the IPM and then Steward of the lodge for next six years.

He was a popular and well liked freemason. Even today some of the elderly brethren remember him and recount various anecdotes with accuracy. He was a diabetic and would take an insulin injection about half an hour before the banquet. In spite of being a diabetic he would enjoy food and drink just like a normal person. Our lodge would go to picnics overnight very often and it fell to his lot to make the necessary arrangements.

Due to pressure of professional commitments he resigned from the lodge on April 4,1950. In spite of the fact he had resigned, he was always invited to the installation meetings and W.Bro.Dr. Kazerani invited him to initiate his son RW Bro Atul Modi. However he declined as he was no more an active member. Another lodge for which he had a tremendous liking was Lodge Islam No.587 SC and was always invited by W.Bro. Anandrai Maneklal Mehta.

W.Bro.Dr. Mohanlal Modi had several ranks conferred upon him by the District Grand Master.

He retired from active practice when his son returned from the United Kingdom after qualifying as an orthopaedic surgeon. His retired life was totally devoted his two grandchildren, both girls.

On August 21,1976, on his grand daughter's ninth birthday, he was called to the Grand Lodge Above following a fatal car accident whilst crossing the road at Marine Drive.

He was one of the most senior and prominent surgeons and that most surgeons of yesteryears  are his students in one way or another.

W. Bro. Dr. Burjor Edulji Daruwala. Lodge Reginald Spence No.5514 EC was known as a doctors lodge as several of its brethren were doctors. W.Bro.Dr. Daruwala was born on May 19,1901. He lived at The Tower, opposite Colaba Post Office, Bombay 5.

He was initiated on March 15,1935 and passed to the degree of fellowcraft freemason on May 17,1935. and was raised to the degree of master mason on July 19,1935. He held several offices in Lodge Reginald Spence 5514 EC. The first office was Almoner and this was followed by J.D; S.D; Secretary; Chaplin; J.W and S.W. He was installed in the Eastern Chair on November 21,1944. The following year he was IPM. He resigned on September 26,1963. He was called to the Grand Lodge Above on December 28,1987.

During the year several brethren were initiated, but did not take up active offices.

Bro. NADIR DORABJI DRIVER was a joining member and became a brother amongst us on April 17,1936. Born on December 21,1899 he was sales manager Raptakoss Brett & Co., and resided at 26, Alexandra Terrace, Byculla, Bombay. He was Asst. Secretary and assumed his office on November 17,1936. He resigned on December 1,1941.

Bro. ROSHAN GULAMALI SHERMOHAMED was an inter science student when he joined our lodge at the age of 21 years on April 17,1936. He was passed to the degree of fellowcraft freemason on May 15,1936 and raised to the degree of master mason on July 17,1936. Nothing more is available from the records except that he resigned on January 21,1941.

Bro. ABDULRAZAK OOSMAN ADENWALA was a joining member of Lodge Reginald Spence No.5514 EC. He was born on March 12,1910 and was a landlord residing at 4, Club Back Road, Byculla, Bombay. He joined our lodge on September 18,1936. He was also a member of Lodge Cyrus No.1359 EC. He resigned from our lodge on December 27,1937.

Bro. SUFRA DAMJI KARA was born on April 15,1897. He was the managing director of Nyauza Garrage, Kampala, British East Africa. He resided at 15, Kothari Building, Sandhurst Road. Chowpatty, Bombay. He was initiated on September 18,1936, passed on October 30,1936 and raised on November 24,1936. He was excluded on February 17,1938.