The lodge was formed by a number of distinguished Polish Freemasons who found themselves banished from their homeland due to the Polish Insurrections of 1830 and 1846. They came to England to seek refuge and escape persecution in their mother land. They wanted to continue to practice their Freemasonry and it was decided that a lodge should be formed in England, under the English constitution.
Polish National Lodge was formally consecrated on Thursday 17th June 1847 in the Temple at Freemasons’ Hall Great Queen Street. The original petition was dated 28th August 1846. The Most Worshipful Deputy Grand Master the Rt. Honourable the Earl of Yarborough presided. The founders and first members names can be seen on the reverse of the banner of the lodge; the first officers were as follows:
| Master | Bro. Chevalier Bertold Wiercinski |
| Senior Warden | Bro. L. Jablonski |
| Junior Warden | Bro. C. Szulczewski |
| Treasurer | Bro. V.J. Kuczynski |
| Secretary | Bro. A. Glogowski |
| Director of Ceremonies | Bro. S. Kleczynski |
| Senior Deacon | Bro. N.F. Zaba |
| Junior Deacon | Bro. J. Michalski |
| Inner Guard | Bro. J Stopinski |
| Steward | Bro. J Grabski |
| Steward | Bro. J Lutostanski |
| Outer Guard (Now Tyler) | Bro. Dalton |
Polish National was originally numbered 778 but amended to 534 when Lodges were renumbered in October 1863.
The lodge has met continually since its consecration, this included both world wars. In 1920 the then last Polish member passed away and for many years the lodge had no Polish brethren. However, the lodge retained its traditions. This imbalance has since been addressed and now about a third of the lodge membership claim Polish roots.
Over the years many distinguished brethren have been members including The Earl of Zetland KG a serving Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master the Rt. Hon. The Earl of Yarborough and Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart P.C, M.P. Senior Grand Warden. Even Garibadli the famous Italian patriot and leader was an honorary member. Some of the founder and early members would have been well known in Poland and were internationally famous.
Other interesting historical notes:
On becoming Master Masons, members of the lodge are entitled to wear a member’s jewel at all masonic assemblies, which is the Polish Eagle mounted on a cross and appended to a blue and black ribbon. The ribbons colours are taken from the Polish Military honour the Virtuti Militari. The engraving on all our jewels is retained to commemorate past holders so that they will in some small way remain with us.
The Past Master’s jewel is the Square and the 47th Problem of Euclid affixed to the Polish White Eagle.
Members who distinguish themselves in service to the lodge are also entitled to wear the Commander’s White Eagle which is the Lodge Breast Jewel mounted on a crown appended to a collar. The jewel shown is the worn by the Master of the lodge and passed to his successors on nights of Installation. It is engraved with the names of the Earl of Zetland and the Earl of Yarborough to commemorate their part in the formation of the Lodge
The full set of Master’s jewels include the Hall Stone Jewel and various commemorative and charity jewels. We also proudly wear the Founders Jewel of the Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London.
The Lodge Hall Stone Jewel is normally on a light blue ribbon but at the time of the picture was being replaced. In the third picture we see three jewels: the two jewels on the left and the right were jewels for individuals and belonged to former members of the lodge; the jewel in the middle is a Royal Masonic Hospital Jewel.
