Early Records Of Lodge, No. 35, Cowes, Isle Of Wight.

Early Records of Lodge , No . 35 , Cowes , Isle of Wight .

( LONDON 1733—1756 . )

BWV " ' ABN thc 17 th Febiuary , 1732-3 [ 1733 ] , a Lodge was con-SffiPIra stitutcd at the Theatre Tavern , Mancell Street ,

alS ^ K Goodman s 1-ields , London , the ori ginal minutes of whicii f swisfo . are not extant . I have before me , however , a rare old " vSsH / L vo ** ° f t-10 Records , dating from November 1 , 1736 , •^ arJJ ^ liaving on the front of the cover the following inscription & J && ' * e * ° ** l letters of the period , and another on the back : —

THE GIFT THEATRE OF HHOTHER TAVERN ALEXANDER LODGE BOOK . iioi / ro . v , . 1736 -. 1736 .

On the same cover of parchment , only above the first mentioned , in text are the words : — " LB 36 oohcontaininfltbcXawsanb / lfcinntcs ot tbe Xofcge bc \ b at tbe Sign ot tbe Citg of morwicb , in Mentwoctb Street , Spittlefielfcs . " which doubtless was written about 1752 , on the lodge being removed to that house .

Whether the records were preserved of the meetings from 1733 to 1736 is not clear , bnt the volume begins with what was possibl y the first entry , if any such was made , in the premier minute book . " Oroers / lRllICS , anb © rOinanceS to be observed and kept b y the

Lodgeof 1-ree and Accepted Masons held at the House of Brother Philip Huddy , known b y the name of tbe Theatre Tavern in Mancell Street in Goodman ' s Fields , Constituted on Saturday the fourteenth dav of February , 1732 . The Right Honoble and Rt . Worshipful ! Viscount Montague , © railO / Bba 6 ter , Thomas Batson , Esqr ., D . G . Muster .

James Rooke , " ) aud L > Esqrs ., Grand Wardens . James Smith , ) © fSCOIttt ' lUted from the 24 th June , 1734 . TRcvlVCO on Monday , Novemr . 1 st , 1736 , when tho following orders were made : —"

These By-Laws consist of 15 clauses , and were signed by Richard Johnson , Master , John Allen and William Lane , ir-info )* * * , aw-l William Collier , Clifford Wm . Phillips , Alexander Bolton , Thomas Harrison , Elanes Balgay , William Goudge , John Carter , Philli p Huddy , and Benjamin Glanvill .

There were other members , however , as John Stevens is mentioned as the S . W . on the Sth of tlie same month , but according to thc minute of December 13 , 1736 , he was then only an apprentice , and so also were five others who signed the Regulations .

"The following Brethren this ni ght passed Fellow Craft and Master and paid each five shillings into the hands of the Master ( viz . ) , Messrs . John Stevens , Thomas Harrison , Elanes Balgay , William Goudge , John Cartel * , and Alex . Bolton . "

Then , as now , apprentices might be members and so continue for years ; thc old system being tbat the " youngest apprentice" had a voice in the management of the Lodge , membership not being restricted to Master Masons as under many Grand Lodges at the present time . England still follows the ancient plan .

The By-Laws provided for—I . Meetings to be held " every second and fourth Monday . " 2 . Exclusion to follow on the misconduct of any member or visitor . 3 . " Free and Accepted Masons" to be made if " well known to one member or more to be a person of virtuous principles and integrity and not a Bond-man ; but such as b y their

own consent are desireous to become Brethren it being contrary to out established Constitutions to persuade or engage any person thereto . " -1 . Propositions to be made at one regular lodge , ballot taken at fhe following meeting and election take place if less than five ( figure altered ) negatives appear . 5 . Fee of Two Guineas and one

shilling for " making . " "lively Brother who shall pass thc Degree of Fellow Graft * and Master shall pay the further sum of Five shillings . " Joining members to pay half a guinea . 6 . Subscription of 12 s . every half year . 1 . Master and AVardens to be chosen every half year , prior to Christmas

and Midsummer , but the AVardens to be selected by thc R . AV . M . 8 . Ofliccrs and Masters to " consnh the good and benefit of the Lodge . " 9 . Presents to be duly enteied in the lodge book . 10 . Other orders , rules , Ac , to be made , if agreed to by a majority of the members . 11 . Fee for initiation to be paid on pioposition , bnt

returned if ballot is not . favourable . 12 . Discussion to be in dne order . 13 . " Playhouse Tickets not to be disposed of in Lodge . " 14 . Lodge to be closed at or before Ten ; and 15 . Rules may be perused , and must " be read to every new Brother or member to the end that thev mav be acquainted therewith . "

Eleven brethren were present on Nov . 8 th aud " paid into the hands of the said Master Four shillings towards the necessary expenecs of their said Lodge . " Four visitors attended , one from a

Early Records Of Lodge, No. 35, Cowes, Isle Of Wight.

Lodge assembling at the " Bell , Nicholas Lane , " two from another meeting at the " 3 Tuns , Smithfield , " and the third meeting at " Marlborough Hd ., Pettyct . Lane . "

In order to exhibit the systematic manner in which the transactions were duly noted , the minutes of this period being beautifully written , 1 have transcribed a complete record of one of the meetings . "Bt a Xooge held at Brother Huddys on Monday , 13 th Deer . 1736 .

Visiting Brethren . To what Lodge they- belong . / Bosworth . Star , Coleman Street . Bates . St . John ' s . Ellis . Old Antwerp , behind ye Change .

Messrs . - ( Gardner . Ditto . Beckwith . Half moon , Cheapside . Collier . Sun , Fish street hill . \ EHis . Three Tuns , Smithfield .

Bretheren of the Lodge present—Capt . Richard Johnson , Master . Mr . John Allen , AVarden . 'Philip Huddy . John Stevens .

Elanes Balgay . Messrs . - ( Thomas Harrison . AVilliam Goudge . John Carter « fc . Alexr . Bolton .

Brother Head , proposed last Lodge ni ght as within mentioned was Ballotted for , and agree to be admitted a member of this Lodge nom . con ,, and paid balf-a-guinea pursuant to the within order .

Tlie following Bretheren this night passed Fellow Craft and Master , and paid each live shillings into the hands of the Master , ( viz . ) , Messrs . John Stevens , Thomas Harrison , Elanes Balgay , William Goudge , John Carter , and Alexr . Bolton .

Mr . AVilliam Clarke proposed as within mentioned was this night Ballotted for and agreed nem . con . ( on the sd . Ballot ) that he be made a Mason next Lodge night . Brother Bolton proposed Brother Bates to be a member of this

Lodge ( which being seconded ) , and the order relating to the admitting members of this Lodge being read and agreed to by Brother Bates , ordered that lie be Ballotted for the succeeding Lodge nig ht .

Brother Huddy proposed Capt . Benjamin Lyon to be a Mason , which being seconded , and two guineas . and one shilling being deposited in the hands of thc Slaster pursuant to the within order , a difficult y arose when the Capt . would be made a Mason ( hc being to go to sea before a regular Lodge night ) , the succeeding

Lodge night beg . a quarterly communication of the Bretheren whereat the Master and AVardens of all regular Lodges are summoned to attend , It was put to the vote when the said Gent should be made . Resolved item , con . That a Lodge might be held next Monday , and that then the Capt . be Ballotted for , and if agreed to that he be then made a Mason .

Resolved also y t . the within named , Mr . William Clarke , ballotted for last lodge night and agreed to be then also made a Mason . "

The meeting was held in due course , when "the present Master put in nomination Clifford William Phillipps , Esqr ., and Mr . John Stevens , for one of them to succeed him as Master of this Lodgo for the succeeding half-year , whereupon a Ballot was had , and thus for

Clifford AVilliam Phillipps , Esq .... 7 Mr . John Stevens 4 Upon whicii the sd . Cliffd . Wm . Phillips , was declared dul y elected Master of this Lodge , " & c . " St a XoDflC held at Brother Huddys on Monday the tenth day

of January 1736 [ i . e ., 1736-7 old style ] . Fifteen members attended and paid twelve shillings each ( excepting Bro . Granvill ) " into the hands of Clifford AVilliam Phillips Esqr ., who was this night Installed Master of this Lodge . Upon which the said Right AVorshipful Master

declared Brother AVilliam Collier and Brother Alexander Bolton , AVardens for the succeeding half-year , and Brother Bates was desired to accept thc office of Secretary to this Lodge , which hc did accord" » B « y- " . ......

On Jan . 22 nd , 1736-7 , "Brother Richard West of AVestminster Hall Lodge in Dunning ' s Alley was unanimously chosen Tylcr of this Lodge ( during the Master ' s pleasure ) wth an allowance of one shilling and sixpence for his attendance . " " Visiting brethren afc the meeting on 28 th Feb ., hailed from " St . John ' s , " " Paris Lodge , " and " Blossom ' s Inn , Laurence Lane . "

Bro . Goudge " made a present to this Lodge of a painted cloth representing the several ! forms of Masons' Lodges , " 14 th March , 1736-7 ; whicii would be still more acceptable to a lodge at the

present time were it possible to be traced . It was resolved at this meeting that the 2 nd Monday "be a private lodge night for the Bretheren of this Lodge to execute their business , and that the fourth Monday in each month be a pnblick Lodge night . "

Bro . Jacob Philip reported ( 28 th March , 1737 ) that " several Brothers had irregularly assembled at the Court House in AVhite Chapel to make Masons , " and so Bro . Huddy , for the Committee appointed to investigate the matter reported at the next meeting , that " upon application to the Grand Secretary that officer informed