Freemasonry first came to Gibraltar in 1727 under the auspices of the Governor Bro. The Earl of Portmore when he returned to his post at Gibraltar bringing reinforcements at the time of the 13th Siege, and has been present continuously since that time.

Irish Freemasonry however did not come to Gibraltar until 21st November, 1742, when the 39th Regt. of Foot (later Dorchester Regt.) recently arrived in the Garrison applied for and obtained a Warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland. This Lodge was then known as the Gibraltar Lodge and was issued with the number 128 I.C. This Lodge survived travelling with the Regiment until 17th July, 1886, and after many ups and downs the Warrant was finally surrendered.

The Grand Lodge of Ireland had issued over two hundred travelling Warrants, much more than the English and Scottish Constitutions, and it is not surprising that at one time there were no less than fourteen Military Lodges with travelling Warrants, nine of which had been issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland. There was great Masonic activity and many Lodges under the Irish Constitution passed through Gibraltar during the next eighty years.

The number 325 was first issued by Grand Lodge to a Lodge in County Waterford, to Lodge Cappoquin on the 3rd May 1759. This Lodge was later removed to Mallow, County Cork on the 3rd February 1803 and was finally cancelled on the 7th July 1825. Calpe Lodge was originally known as Gibraltar Lodge No.325 I.C., from 1844 as Rock Lodge, and since 1863 as Calpe Lodge No.325 I.C. being the first stationary Irish Lodge in Gibraltar until the Second Lodge, (Irish Masters Lodge No. 915 I.C.) was formed on 17th March 1992. This Irish Masters Lodge was, in fact, constituted by a team from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Down, acting on behalf of Grand Lodge.

The Warrant of Lodge No.325 was issued on the 7th September 1826 under the sponsorship of Lodge No.68 I.C. in the 2nd Company 7th Battalion of the Royal Artillery (who transmitted the £7.7s.9d. for the Warrant); of Lodge No.42 I.C. in 42nd (Black Watch) Regt; and of Lodge No. 130 I.C. in the 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regt. The petitioners for the Warrant had specifically asked for a number with a five in it as they possessed a set of regalia engraved with that number. This regalia may well have belonged to the Lodge in the 2nd Company 4th Battalion Royal Artillery which had obtained a local Warrant No.5 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Andalusia some time after its arrival in 1803 and which had left Gibraltar in 1821.

The reason for applying for the new Warrant was the imminent departure of Lodges Nos. 68 and 130 from Gibraltar and the need to provide a Masonic home for the Brethren left behind. It appears to have been a period when there was a lot of movement of troops and Lodges were coming and going with their respective regiments continually. The Royal Artillery Lodge No.148 E.C. changed its travelling Warrant for a stationary one and thus established what is today the Lodge of St. John No.115 E.C. and in the same year Calpean Lodge No.556 E.C. (now Royal Lodge of Friendship No. 278 E.C.) obtained a Warrant of confirmation while the Ordnance Lodge No.715 E.C. had just handed in its warrant.

In order to put the date of our Lodge's beginning into perspective, let us look at some of the things that were happening at about the same time. King George IV was on the throne, the first ever steam vessel had come into port in 1823, legislation had just been brought in to abolish slave-trading, a pirate had just been hanged in public, at Bayside, the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Holy Trinity had been laid two years before, the Gibraltar Police Force was established in 1830, and the first Charter of Justice with Civil Judges was promulgated in the same year.

The first recorded minutes dated 12th March 1827, mention the fact that this meeting was also held at Freemason's Tavern. No business was offered on this occasion as was customary during the early days of Lodge meetings. Wor. Bro. D. Durham presided over this meeting. Very few degrees were worked during the early days of the Lodge's existence. The Lodge opened mainly for the reason of collection of dues.

During this early period of the Lodge the Initiation Fee was $8 (Eight Spanish Dollars). At the time the Spanish currency was legal tender in Gibraltar. The Dollar was a silver dollar and consisted of a 5 peseta coin. The Affiliation fee was $2 and the rent being paid at the time for the Freemason's Tavern was $17. However, it is not known if this was an annual rent but it seems very likely. The Tyler was being paid 6 Reals (1.5 Pesetas). The Dollar mentioned was sometimes referred to as the Hard Dollar being of silver, and sometimes also called the Spanish Dollar.