History: Menturia Lodge.

defunct Lodges of Lane End , and was dated 1822 , and the Compasses used belonged to the other Lane End Lodge .

From the draft minute book of Sfc . Martin s from 1807 to 1810 the lines of working were different from the practice now prevailing , for afc that time every degree was regarded as complete in itself ; if the Lodgy met for

business only in the second degree , ifc was opened and closed in that degree only , audit was not an uncommon thing for the Lodge to be opened in the first degree after having been opened and closed in the second or the third .

Early after ifcs formation , St . Martin ' s celebrated by a banquet the festival of St . John fche Baptist , the titular Saint of fche Burslem Parish Church , but as denoting the catholicity which then as now prevailed in the Craft , after the banquet the Brethren voted one guinea to the

Wesleyan Sunday School . The Bible purchased for St . Martin ' s cost £ 3 6 s 6 d . In 1809 the festival expenses were 14 s 7 d per head for twenty Brethren . Having referred to some punch bowls and a jug in the Mayer

Museum at Liverpool containing Masouic designs and the name Etruscan Lodge and impressed wifch the name of Wedgwood as the maker , he said only two Lodges survived in the Potteries in 1833 . Bro . W . Barker ,

dating from " Shelfcon , near Newcastle , " December 1833 , wrote to Bro . F . G . Goodwin , of Rugeley , for guidance in the effort fco form a Lodge . After a long correspondence , and on the 17 th of

October 1834—just sixty years ago—the Secretary of Grand Lodge wrote to Bro . Barker saying , " by this day ' s coach I have forwarded the Warrant for the Lodge at Hanley . " Bro . R . Stevenson was invited to become the first Master and to name the Lodge what he thought

appropriate . No doubt Bro . Stevenson named the Lodge

Menturia , but whence the name was evolved was a mystery . There was no reference in the minutes as to the naming of the Lodge . In his ( Bro . Greatbach's )

opinion , it was a compound word empirically arrived at , the last portion having reference to Efcruria , probably meaning in succession fco or arising out of the Lodge at Etruria .

The new Lodge was numbered 606 , and 60 years ago , when the members first met , there were two candidates proposed for Initiation and one as a joining member . The minute book for the first year did not contain the

name of the W . M ., the minutes being signed " Pro . R .

Stevenson , " who , however , was installed as W . M . for a second time , and in January 1836 , he was formally thanked for the way in which he had conducted the business of the Lodge from the commencement . At that time the subscription was ls a month , raised to ls 6 d a month in 1837 , and dropped again to ls a month in

1840 . It appeared from fche minutes that on 13 th May

1835 , the Lodge met at six o ' clock , and as there was no business of importance it was closed at 10 o ' clock , when the Brethren partook of refreshments . What occupied the four hours history deposeth not . In the early days of St . Martin ' s and of Menturia ,

candidates were Initiated from widely distant places , and sometimes from places where Masonic Lodges then existed . At that time the minutes always closed with the quaint formula — " The Brethren then parted in peace and harmony , after partaking of refreshments , as

becomes the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons . " It might be assumed that the admirable point was parting "in peace and harmony , " but refreshments were partaken of then as now . Now for a record in Freemasonry . On the 13 th of December 1837 ,

Brother-George Baker , Wine and Spirit Merchant , Hanley and Burslem , was installed W . M . of 606 . The Lodge met at 11 o ' clock in the forenoon , and was closed at 2 * 30 , when the Brethren sat down to dinner . Toasts and songs followed , and at 11 o ' clock ( after a good , steady twelve

hours' sitting ) the Brethren " departed in peace and harmony . " If they did not feel peaceful towards each other , and inclined to harmony after about eight hours ' conviviality there must have been something wrong with the works .

After referring to various proposals , ceremonies , and visits to the Lodge , he pointed out that difficulties had been experienced as to accommodation for the Lodge , so that they had to move seven times in twenty-eight years .

In December 1842 , the Brethren , having a correct idea

History: Menturia Lodge.

of the dignity of the Craft , resolved that an offer be made to the proper authorities to lay the foundation of fche new Town Hall , then about to be erected , with Masonic honours , evidently thinking that a Masonic ceremony would shed lustre on the proceedings . In 1843 , Prov .

Graud Lodge did not appear fco have been so vigorous as the Brethren of Menturia desired , and they appointed a Committee , who presented a respectful memorial to the Grand Master , stating cae circumstances under which they were labouring and petitioned for the removal of the Prov . Grand Master Col . Anson .

On 6 th of December 1843 , three Brethren were nominated for W . M . and four for Treasurer . One of the rejected ones for fche office of W . M . was fche same evening elected Tyler .

At thafc time there were nineteen members of the Lodge . In 1846 the subscription was raised from 12 s to 20 s a year . In 1846 seven Brethren were proposed for W . M ., with the result , as before , that one of them was subsequently elected Tyler .

After quoting various items from the minutes showing the customs prevailing at this period , he said in September 1848 , the Brethren " went to refreshment " to . iiscuss the slender condition of the Lodge , and to devise means for its resuscitation by applying to old

membars to join and " add to its number and respectability . " This seemed to be the beginning of the paralysis which held the Lodge in subsequent years . In June 1853 , seven Brethren addressed a communication to the Hon . George Anson the Prov . Grand Master , fco seek advice so

as to extricate the Lodge from its difficulties . No Lodge had been held since 19 th December 1849 . It was suggested that the appointment , as Master of the Menturia , of Bro . W . K . Harvey would be the means of making the Lodge flourish . The turning point in the career of the Menturia was

reached on the 20 th July 1853 , when Bro . W . K .

Harvey was placed iu the chair . The Lodge was reinvigorated , but received a slight check in its prosperity in 1855 and 1856 , owing partly to the lack of proper

accommodation . Bro . Greatbach supplied particulars as to the connection of eminent Masons with the Lodge . The Lodge number was changed on the 1 st of July 1863 , to 418 .

When in the year 1870-1 it was decided to form a Provincial Charitable Association for Staffordshire , Menturia had a Brother ( T . Taylor ) who laboured diligently in the formation of that Association . During

the twenty-four years of its existence that Association had sent over £ 10 , 000 to London , besides spending over £ 1 , 000 in educating children in the Province . Towards the first item Menturia had contributed over £ 1 , 000 , and

towards the second over £ 250 .

Bro Greatbach supplied interesting facts in relation to the Lodge , from the minute books , including the meeting for the first time in the Masonic Hall on the 19 fch January 1880 ; the celebration of the jubilee of the Lodge in 1884 ( when there were eighty members freed

from pecuniary difficulties ) , the celebration of the silver wedding in Masonry of the late Bro . Hales , the establishment of a Masonic club , the visit of Provincial Grand

Lodge to Hanley , the garden party given by Brother Bromley P . P . G . S . W ., at the Mount , and the presentation by Bros . Taylor and Tunnicliff of the handsome table containing the names of the Past Masters—all in the same year . — " Staffordshire Advertiser . "

History: Mundy Grove Lodge, No. 506.

HISTORY : MUNDY GROVE LODGE , No . 506 .

WE recently reported the celebration of the Jubilee of this Lodge , on which occasion Bro . Farnsworth , one of the oldest members , read a brief history of the Lodge . Brother Farnsworth is thus reported in the " Alfreton Journal : "

My Brethren have done me the honour to invite me to give a short account of the rise and progress of the

Mundy Grove Lodge during the fifty years proceeding

the event we are now celebrating . Prior to I 8 i 4 , there was a Lodge of Ancient Druids held at the Boat Inn , Shipley , and upon its extinction it appears that some of the members of this body became the early members of

the Mundy Grove Lodge . Some years before the formation of the Mundy Grove Lodge there was a Masonic