page_title: Freemasons' Tavern
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Freemasons' Tavern / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Meeting in the hall of the Freemason's Tavern, London with sign language for deaf and dumb people, published in the Illustrated London News. The hall was designed by en:Thomas Sandby
context_page_description: The Freemasons' Tavern was established in 1775 at 61-65 Great Queen Street in the West End of London. It served as a meeting place for a variety of notable organisations from the eighteenth century until it was demolished in 1909 to make way for the Connaught Rooms.
context_section_description: In 1769, the Premier Grand Lodge of England decided to build a Central Hall. A building was purchased in Great Queen Street in 1775 and Thomas Sandby was tasked with building a hall in the garden. The original house became the tavern with a second house providing office space for the Freemasons. In 1813 the Premier Grand Lodge and rival Ancient Grand Lodge of England merged to form the United Grand Lodge of England.
  The hall was not only used for Masonic purposes, but also became an important venue in London for a variety of meetings and concerts. Organisations using the hall included:
  Political Economy Club
  African Institution
  Anti-Slavery Society
  British and Foreign Bible Society
  Highland and Island Emigration Society
  The Football Association (FA) held its first meeting here on 26 October 1863
caption: Meeting in the Hall of the Freemason's Tavern, London with sign language for deaf and mute people, published in the Illustrated London News, 23 January 1875
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