Update from The Connaught Club
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Summertime traditionally sees a lull in Masonic activity for Metropolitan members, but once again the Connaught Club's calendar has kept engagement high throughout the warmer and lighter months, and this year the Club has ventured further afield than usual.
Chief among our summer outings was a trip to The Grange Festival in Hampshire for a performance of Puccini's La Bohème. Set in the grounds of a country house, and with the long-established tradition of a leisurely interval picnic, it made for a wonderful day away from London and proved that the Club's offering extends well beyond the capital. It was also a reminder that Connaught Club events are often open to family and friends, and several members took full advantage of that.
July brought our annual Chairman’s Dinner, which this year took place at the Boulevard Brasserie, where members enjoyed a Steak Frites night. A relaxed and convivial evening in good company, it proved a popular addition to the summer calendar.
Closer to home, our monthly pub drinks, at which all are welcome, decamped from their usual haunt to Clapham Common to make the most of the weather and to offer members a change of scenery. The move was a great success, and something the Committee will look to repeat when the sun next obliges.
The Club's traditional picnic in Lincoln's Inn Fields returned as one of the highlights of the season, with members, partners and children turning out. This year's competitive element came in the form of a tug of war and volleyball, both of which were contested with rather more enthusiasm than technique. As ever, it was a thoroughly relaxed and family-friendly afternoon.
As we approach the new Masonic season, attention now turns to a busy programme of events. Our Secretary's Dinner returns, this year in the form of a curry, a deliberate change of pace from previous years, and one we hope will appeal to members old and new. Alongside it we have a Masonic seminar in the diary, continuing the Club's commitment to the educational side of our offering and to helping younger Freemasons in London get the very most out of their membership.
The centrepiece of the season, however, remains our annual Christmas Dinner, which this year will be held at the National Liberal Club. It is always our flagship event and our best attended, and the surroundings promise to make it a particularly memorable evening. As ever, guests can look forward to an evening of fine food and excellent company, rounded off by the Club's infamous carols and much-anticipated raffle, traditions that invariably bring plenty of good humour and festive cheer. Members are encouraged to book early.
The Committee continues to work to improve the offering to members, and with a programme covering formal dinners, educational seminars, cultural trips, family events, and engagement at MetGL meetings, the year ahead promises to be another excellent one.
All events are listed on our website, and we look forward to welcoming many new members over the coming season. Full details can be found at https://connaughtclub.org
Under 35 and a Freemason in a London Lodge—or living or working in London? Come and join the Connaught Club.
This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 61 – Summer 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.
Read more articles in Arena Issue 61 here.
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