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g WWrWMM . ^ ^ WM , MJWWAAlil ^ ^ fi SARURDAY , 9 TH MAY 1891 .

Lodge Histories.

LODGE HISTORIES .

——• u . — ANCIENT FREEMASONRY AT SOUTHAMPTON . ri'IHE Royal Gloucester Chapter of Royal Arch Freoma-_ L SODS , meeting at the Masonio Hall , Southampton , has a minute-book that has quite a history of ita own . It was commenced in October 1783 , and comprises the link that was for some time missing by which the Companions wero able to claim and obtain from Grand Chapter the Centenary

warrant which now hangs in the Hall . The book was lost for several years , but was discovered by Bro . Le Fenvre , who restored it to the Chapter , of which he was made an honorary member in recognition of his kindness . It was shown at the Masonic Exhibitions at Shanklin and

Plymouth , and excited considerable attention from brethren interested in Masonic lore , particularly Bro . Hnghan , wellknown as a writer on Masonio subjects . There is much in the book that is alike amusing to present day Masons , and nofc withont interest to general readers , to whom , without

disclosing any of " the secrets of the prison house , " we propose giving an outline of its contents . The first entry is on the cover leaf , and enjoins " Every Boyal Mason resident in Southampton to attend the Chapter " —it was of course the only one then existing in

the town— " which , is held on the first Wednesday in every month under the penalty of six pence , those attending likewise to pay the same sum . " This is dated " December ye 1 , 1784 ) . " The curious feature of this entry is thafc the

Companions in attendance were penalised in tho same amount as thoso who were absent . The minntes proper , however , commence , as already stated , in October 1783 , on the 7 th day of which is the following :

Brother Archibald Macdonald , of Lodge No . 74 under tho Irish Registry , having thia evening ( assisted by Br . Macklin , Eev . Jones , and Br . Graves , Arch-Masons ) at the Request of the Brethren of this Lodge , held a Chapter for the purpose of raising several Brothers

to this Sublime Degree , in order to their holding a Chapter in Southampton , the following Brothers were accordingly raised , vizt . — Br . Antram , Br . Cox . Br . Blaokman , Br . Wylda , Br . Flindoll , and Br . Bndd .

The title-page refers to the Lodge as the Ancient Lodge , No . 174 . Oil 25 th June 1784 , the Chapter seems to have met for the first time in the " new Lodge-room . " On the 3 rd November is a memorandum , of which it would be interesting to have an explanation , as follows :

New Lodge commenced , see Payne , December I , 1784 . The Chapter in its early days met regularly , but business was occasionally interfered with from curious reasons .

Thus , on January 5 th , we find thafc "Br . Budd , being out of the town with the keys , no Chapter was hold . " Bro . Budd was fined , very properly , two shillings . Here is an entry that will astonish latter-day Masons :

Sunday , ye 19 day of Nor . 1786 , E . A . C . fixed and held by agreement , on the third Sunday of each future month . On Sunday the 24 fch Juno 1787 , a Past Master waa proposed and exalted the same night , and later on we find there was " no Chapter held , Brother Macklin being ill . " Macklin

Bro . was Z . of the Chapter . The Sunday meetings were continued till the end of 1789 , and on lhmsday , 7 th January 1790 , it was agreed to hold the Chapter on the first Thursday in fche month in future . On * d October 1792 , ifc was decided "that visitors pay Gd each ht 5 th

mg . " On December no Chapter was held , the Master nofc being well , " and the same reason prevented a meeting m the following month . On 20 th March l / 9 d three brethren were proposed as members , and "No objections being raised they were unanimously approved of

Lodge Histories.

In June a brother " paid 10 a 6 d , included iu the 19 s 6 d paid at the King ' s Head night before . " In April next year no cash was " received this night , it being late . " In June tho Chapter was not summoned , "the Master being in London . " In January 1795 four brothers were exalted

" to the sublime degree of excellent super-e-xcellent Eoyal Arch Masons . On 6 th May 1795 no meeting was held , " it being Fair Day . " Above Bar Fair is here referred to . Grand Chapter does not seem to have had the terrors it now has to R . A . Masons who do not comply wifch law and

regulation . We find Companions were admitted in 1796 without previous proposition , and in April 1797 , it was " unanimously agreed that Bro . Edwards is suspended this Lodge during pleasure , " and the following copy of the letter sent to him appears in the minntes : —

To Brother Edwards . Sir , —By the unanimous consent of sixteen members of the Boyal Arch Chapter met thia night you are suspended during the Lodge ' s pleasure for Bisgracefull Misdemeanours last Lodge night , unbecoming

a man , more particularly a Brother , by orderof the Brethren present , for whom I am Your hble . servant , P . KINB . Lodge Boom , 6 April , 1797 .

On 4 th September 1797 ia the following : — " The K . H . W . D . afc the A . H . on accompfc . of 24 Dutch * mea . of-war Wing taken by the English fleet . " Bro . Le Feuvre believes A . H . means the Audit House , where the Town Council , whioh was practically a Masonic body , met for business and—dined . From this

period for many years the Chapter seems to have gone smoothly and uneventfully along , meeting regularly and exalting many Companions . There is a sly sort of memo , on tho 6 th March 1811 , of the Secretary having lent tbe K . T . 9 s 8 £ d . In 1813 no meeting w"as held , or the book contains no record of it , between May and October , nor between

then and March of next year ; it met then in July , and next in December , after which the Chapter met ofteuer , though at irregular intervals . On the 28 th the Chapter admitted nine brethren " who had been previously recommended by the Officers of the Royal Gloucester Lodge , " and on tho 6 th March a similar coureTe wfts

adopted , the record Stating the Chapter " received the usual recommendation " from the Lodge . In 1823 the " Grand Officers " were installed on Sunday the 16 th March ; and six brethren of the Gloucester Lodge were exalted , one being Mr . Joseph Lobb .

On 15 th April 1824 the Companions agreed to celebrate the birthday of the Grand Patron of the Order by dining together on the 23 rd . Stewards were appointed , the price of tickets to subscribers being 7 s 6 d , and to non-subscribers 10 s 6 d . In November of the tame year it appears to have been necessary to raise funds "for the

support of the E . A . Companion Priohard ( sic ) kindly offered the loan of £ 100 , when the following Companions volunteered to guarantee the payment of the money to Companion Pritchard and signed a P . noto as a security for the same , eaoh being responsible for £ 10 until the Chapter is enabled to repay tho money . " The

names of the guarantors are given , among them being Mr . Joseph Lobb , Mr . W . S . Le Fenvre , Mr . Robert Guy ( who we believe kept fche Dolphin Hotel ) , and Mr . Edward Rudd . There were 47 members of the Chapter at this period , among them being Mr . Samuel Le Feuvre , Mr . William Lomer jun ., Mr . John Witt , Mr . Peter Diokson

Mr . Richard Blancbard , Mr . James Whitchurch , Mr . Charles Maul , Mr . F . B . Bamford , and others whose names are yet remembered . Iu August 1825 , there is a memorandum that visiting Companions were to pay 5 s for supper , and members of the Chapter 2 s , the latter being fined a shilling for non-attendance . Mr . A . R . Dottin , of Bugle

Hall , who was elected one of the Parliamentary representatives of the town in 1826 , and again in 1830 , 1835 , and 1837 , was admitted a member of the Chapter . In January 1826 it was resolved that no Companion supply or order furniture for the Chapter " unless a previous order has been given in open Chapter and entered on fche

minute book , ' and that the Chapter would not be accountable for or pay auy such debt . " It is refreshing fco read after this thafc the Chapter closed " harmoniously" at nine o ' clock . At this date the Chapter appears to have been in low water financially , as the balance in hand waa one penny . There is no record between

January and October of this year , and there is no doubt the Chapter did not meet in the interval . The Companions , however , had nofc lost heart , for they met on the 10 th October and " were ordered from labour to refreshment during pleasure . " The next meeting was on the 10 th March 1827 , when Sir John P . Millbanke , Bart ., then a

member of the Royal Gloucester Lodge , waa proposed as a candidate for exaltation . Sir John was elected on the 6 th August following and admitted afc a special Chapter , held at eleven a . m ., two days afterwards , at which also the Principals were installed . The £ 100 loan above referred to was now " regularly called for payment , " and

ifc was resolved thafc every Companion be called on to pay up his arrears for the purpose of liquidating this and other debts . George Lockyer , whom old Hampshire Masons will well reinemlior , the Tyler of the Royal Gloucester Lodge , was exalted in the Chapter on the 6 th day of August 1827 , and mado a "*** * servitor . " On the 21 st March 1828 , fche guarantors for payment of Pritchard ' s loan wero

called oa by the Chapter to honour their engagement by paying the money , " fcbis Chapter holding themselves responsible for tha repayment of the said advances to tha respective Companions . " The dobt was paid on April 1 st . Bro . Charles Ewens Deacon , for many years Town Clerk of Southampton , and the predecessor of the present bolder of that ollice , was proposed ua a member on tho 21 st March 18-8 , bub be doe