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Article TO THE EDITOR. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
of the declining sun , I turned over the pages of my Masonic Calendar , that I might leave to its indications the solution of the question , whether my abode for the nig ht should be Shields or Newcastle . There will be a long evening before me , thought I , and if a Masonic Meeting should be held in either town there ought I to be also . Under the head of " Northumberland , " in the Table of Country Lodges , I found
" Newcastle-upon-Tyne , 24 , 586 , " ancl tracing the numbers in the numerical "List of Lodges , " I found " 24 , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , L . Fi-eemason ' s Hall , Three Tun ' s Yard Newcastle , 1 st and 3 d Monday , " ancl " 586 , Northern Counties Lodge , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , 1 st and 3 d Wednesday . " " How fortunate , " said I , " this is the first Monday , ( Sept . 4 th , ; and I shall be enabled to pay my respects to the oldest Lodge in these townson the very day of my arrival . "
, Full of this pleasing anticipation , I was eager to get on shore at Newcastle , and with a satisfied and confident air desired the porter who shouldered my portmanteau to lead the way to the Three Tuns' Yard , concluding that 1 could not do better than domicile myself at the Three Tuns , and thus have only to pass from my dressing room to the Lodge , or from refreshment to labour , without difficulty or delay . Winding the steep ascent of one of Newcastle ' s many sinous and hilly streets
up , I asked my conductor " how far it was to Freemason ' s Hall at the Three Tuns , " "Aye , " said the industrious native , with a look in whicli cunning ancl ignorance were strangely blended , " Aye , I donna ken whare the Mason ' s Hail is , but there ' s three Three Tuns , an' I ' m ganging first to the first ane . " It was'in vain I taxed his memory ; he " kenned nought about the Freemasons , but he kenned a' the Three
Tuns weel . " To recount all the perplexity into which I was thrown by the mess of error contained in my extracts from the Freemason ' s Calendar would be to tax your mirth too largely at my cost , and at the cost , too , of your readers ; for two pages of the Quarterly would scarcel y suffice for its detail . But you may readily conceive the larger portion , when I tell you , that the meeting for the first Monday was that of No . 586 , ancl not of No . 24 , and that there is no Freemason ' s Hall in
either of tlie Three Tuns , or their yards ; but that a quiet and retired passage in the Great Market , called Bell ' s Yard , contains a very appropriate dwelling-house devoted to Masonic purposes ; a knowledge which I eventually attained , after an hour ' s search , and the incurring of a treble fee to the porter . A thorough ablution , a complete change of clothing , ancl a hearty although hasty meal accomplished , and , having arrived at Newcastle at six , half-past eight found me seated beside the
P . M . in the Northern Lodge 586 , within the walls of the long-sought Freemason ' s Hall . In the absence of the W . M ., the chair was very ably filled by 'William Loraine , Esq ., and although the assemblage was slight , I had no reason to regret the trouble I had surmounted ; for I was received with Masonic friendship and sincerity , and entertained with true hospitality . From the acting W . M . I learned that a Provincial Grand Lodge would
, be holden at the Turk's Head Hotel , Newcastle , on the folloiving Monday , at which would take place the installation of the Earl of Durham , as alread y Past Deputy Grand Master of England , and P . G . M ., for Durham , —as Provincial Grand Master for Northumberland ; a meeting which I cheerfully promised to attend . Mad I derivetl no other gratification from my visit to the Northern Counties Lodge , I was an infinite gainer in the acquaintance it promoted for me with Mr . Loraine
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
of the declining sun , I turned over the pages of my Masonic Calendar , that I might leave to its indications the solution of the question , whether my abode for the nig ht should be Shields or Newcastle . There will be a long evening before me , thought I , and if a Masonic Meeting should be held in either town there ought I to be also . Under the head of " Northumberland , " in the Table of Country Lodges , I found
" Newcastle-upon-Tyne , 24 , 586 , " ancl tracing the numbers in the numerical "List of Lodges , " I found " 24 , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , L . Fi-eemason ' s Hall , Three Tun ' s Yard Newcastle , 1 st and 3 d Monday , " ancl " 586 , Northern Counties Lodge , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , 1 st and 3 d Wednesday . " " How fortunate , " said I , " this is the first Monday , ( Sept . 4 th , ; and I shall be enabled to pay my respects to the oldest Lodge in these townson the very day of my arrival . "
, Full of this pleasing anticipation , I was eager to get on shore at Newcastle , and with a satisfied and confident air desired the porter who shouldered my portmanteau to lead the way to the Three Tuns' Yard , concluding that 1 could not do better than domicile myself at the Three Tuns , and thus have only to pass from my dressing room to the Lodge , or from refreshment to labour , without difficulty or delay . Winding the steep ascent of one of Newcastle ' s many sinous and hilly streets
up , I asked my conductor " how far it was to Freemason ' s Hall at the Three Tuns , " "Aye , " said the industrious native , with a look in whicli cunning ancl ignorance were strangely blended , " Aye , I donna ken whare the Mason ' s Hail is , but there ' s three Three Tuns , an' I ' m ganging first to the first ane . " It was'in vain I taxed his memory ; he " kenned nought about the Freemasons , but he kenned a' the Three
Tuns weel . " To recount all the perplexity into which I was thrown by the mess of error contained in my extracts from the Freemason ' s Calendar would be to tax your mirth too largely at my cost , and at the cost , too , of your readers ; for two pages of the Quarterly would scarcel y suffice for its detail . But you may readily conceive the larger portion , when I tell you , that the meeting for the first Monday was that of No . 586 , ancl not of No . 24 , and that there is no Freemason ' s Hall in
either of tlie Three Tuns , or their yards ; but that a quiet and retired passage in the Great Market , called Bell ' s Yard , contains a very appropriate dwelling-house devoted to Masonic purposes ; a knowledge which I eventually attained , after an hour ' s search , and the incurring of a treble fee to the porter . A thorough ablution , a complete change of clothing , ancl a hearty although hasty meal accomplished , and , having arrived at Newcastle at six , half-past eight found me seated beside the
P . M . in the Northern Lodge 586 , within the walls of the long-sought Freemason ' s Hall . In the absence of the W . M ., the chair was very ably filled by 'William Loraine , Esq ., and although the assemblage was slight , I had no reason to regret the trouble I had surmounted ; for I was received with Masonic friendship and sincerity , and entertained with true hospitality . From the acting W . M . I learned that a Provincial Grand Lodge would
, be holden at the Turk's Head Hotel , Newcastle , on the folloiving Monday , at which would take place the installation of the Earl of Durham , as alread y Past Deputy Grand Master of England , and P . G . M ., for Durham , —as Provincial Grand Master for Northumberland ; a meeting which I cheerfully promised to attend . Mad I derivetl no other gratification from my visit to the Northern Counties Lodge , I was an infinite gainer in the acquaintance it promoted for me with Mr . Loraine