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

him that no application had been made for a Constitution , " agreeing that the conduct " of tho said jieople " was u * regular , so it was decided to make a complaint at the next Q . C . These " irregular" meetings were of frequent occurence , and

were in all probabilit y due to the number of brethren then existing , who had been initiated under lodges assembling prior to the inauguration of the premier Grand Lodge , and who thus met b y their " time immemorial rights , " just as did the live or six Lodges that constituted that Body iu 1717 .

A " St . John ' s" would thus mean a Mason who belonged to no lodge at the time , or possibly never had joined ono under the new

regime . On Monday , 12 th Dec , 1737 , it was agreed that next Friday should be set apart for " a General Audit of the Accounts . " At this meeting " Bro . Rogers produced a sett of Jewels to be sold for Three Guineas , " and the members decided to purchase them , Bro . Huddy , the host , giving one-third of the cost .

Throughout this minute book , the Master for the time being was the onl y Treasurer , so that the audit really concerned the Masters from 1736 to the period in question . The accounts were satisfactory , at least the Auditors accepted them in due course , but the figures reveal a few unpleasant facts . " Jht Sundays paid " £ 25 14 s . from

Nov . 1 st , 1736 , to June 13 th , 1 / 3 / , which , I suppose , meant the cost of liquor consumed on those days . It is difficult to imagine aught else that this large sum was expended in , though as Bro . Hudd y ' s bill came to £ 15 7 s . 3 d . besides , it is possible that the members spent the time in taking drives in the country with their wives and families !

Bro . Huddy was " ordered to attend the Grand Secretary" to arrange for the second Monday in the month being left out of the "printed Book of Lodges "—i . e ., the Engraved Lists—likely because it was "a private night . " On Jan . Sth , 1737-8 , " asett of Mahogany candlesticks of the Three Orders " was agreed to be purchased , the cost not to exceed £ 9 . In the next month a bill " for Ribbons for the use of the Lod ge , " amounting to 14 s . 3 d ., was presented for payment .

" 'Twas this ni ght agreed [ 8 th May , 1738 ] , by the majorit y of this Lodge that if any Bror . should put [? on \ another Brors . apron he should be lyable to the censure of the Lodge . " He was also to be fined . Two visitors on 24 th April are described as of the " Grand L .

Paris , " and frequent visits were made from May , 1738 , of members of the " Stewards' Lodge" ( now the Grand Stewards ) . Unfortunatel y no numbers of the lodges are supplied , so that identification is not always an easy matter , even with Bro . John Lane ' s "Masonic Records " in hand .

On Monday , 10 th July , " A motion was made b y Bror . Cock for Gloves for some Brethren and all our Sisters ; " who also proposed that a copper-plate for the Summonses be ordered , and on being put to the vote , the Secretary states " ye Ay had it . " Twenty visitors were at the lodge held 27 th Nov ., being three more than the

number of members present , but why so many attended does not appear . A change was made in the election of a new Master on 11 th Dec , Bro . Elanes Balgay being elected instead of " C . AV . Phillipps , Esq . " ( who had been re-elected each six months from Jan . 1736-7 ) , and was installed on Christmas Day , 1738 .

« The Master informed the Lodge [ Dec . 11 th , 1738 ] yt he had recti , a Letter from the Grand Masr . and Grand Wardens wth . a proposal inclosed for raising yearly £ 310 for ye Carrying on and Providing for 20 children of Masons , and Binding 4 to Trades every year

& c , " and at the next lodge 16 members gave m their names as being desirous " to assist and encourage so laudable und good an undertaking . " AVhat came of this scheme I am unable to state , and being the first time it has come before my notice , it looks as if it fell through .

The Secretary was particular to note m his minutes for 12 th March , 1739 , that " Bror . Carter on his marriage generously treated the Lodge with 1 Gallon of AVine . " "A motion was made" at a lodge held June 11 th , 1739 , "that Capt . Jno . Colt should be made a Alason as a Foreign Bror . in this Lodge . " It seems that " Affairs requiring his going abroad suddenly , " all tbe arrangements were expedited , so that his initiation

could take jilace on the following Friday . The Secretary took no account of the initiation of this gentleman , but in the Treasurer ' s statement of accounts ( or rather the Master s for the time being ) at the other end of the minute book , the entry occurs "July 9 . By Expences at Capt . Colts niakcing , 0 . 10 . 3 . " Strange to say there is no payment credited for his reception , and in the Minutes for the same date his name is not mentioned .

The consent of the lodge was granted for the attendance of the R . AV . M . and Wardens at the ensuing Q . C . of the G . Lodge , December 10 th , 1739 , and one guinea was voted on behalf of " the Grand Charity . " During the Mastership of Bro . Goudge ifc was agreed that the

" Accots . of the Lodge should be engrossed by Bror . Lane and him to have 5 s . for so doing , and to be our Perpetual ! Secretary ; and also to be admitted into our Lodge at no Exjience in lieu of his Trouble . " Possibly this entry refers to a joining member , as there were two brothers of the same name noted from this period .

On June 22 nd , 1741 , the members resolved that " the next Lodge shall be held at Bro . Huddy ' s , at Snaresbrook , " it was also agreed that "the Jewels and Furniture of This Lodge shall be removed into Bro . Hudd y ' s care . " The meeting was so held 13 th July , when it was decided to remove the lodge " to the House of Mr . Antony Wall ,

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

Angell and Crown AVhite Chapjde , provided the Landlord purchased the silver Candlesticks and other Plate , together with the Pedestals . Every care was taken that a fair jn-iee should be paid for these articles , and all being satisfactorily arranged , the removal took jilace on July 27 th of the same year . The brethren being anxious to please their former Landlord , if was resolved to assemble at Snaresbrook " the Monday next proceeding every Quarter . "

The minutes break off December 13 th , 1741 , and begin at the opposite page " " At a Lodge held at Bro . Chiddick ' s , the sign of the City of Norwich in AVentworth Street , Spitafields , on Munday , 2 oth May , 17 -J 2 . " At the end of the book the Masters' accounts are duly entered ( with their several names ) from 1741 to the period when the minutes

commence afresh , so that it is quite evident the meetings were continued , only for some reason , not apparent , the records are not entered in the volume , as was usuall y' done . Bro . AValls was the host throughout the term in question , and his bills from time to time amounted to considerable sums , which were jiaid in duo course . Frequent bills are noted for ribbons and aprons , and the accounts , regularly audited , were signed by the brethren duly appointed for the

purpose . Towards the close of this period scarcely any business was done , save to receive subscrijitions , until the minimum was reached during the Mastershi p of the R . AV . Bro . Edwards , when £ 2 12 s . were jiaid as quarterages , the whole of whicii was absorbed b y Bro . Wall ' s bill of £ 2 7 s . 6 d ., and two small payments . There was a balance , however , of £ 2 Is . lid . in favour of the lodge , but as the account was not balanced , no mention is made thereof under the new officers .

At the meeting of 25 th May , 1752 , when there were present of the old lodge Bros . Edwards , Master , and Goudge and Allen , AVardens , a resolution was jiroposed , seconded , and thirded by those members respectively , that " This Lodge be continued at this Honse , jnovided Br . Chiddiek shall pay forthe Constitution , Furniture , & c , the sum of Ten Guineas , " and on being carried ( Ih-o . Anthony Wall being deceased ) the sum was jiaid accordingly . Twenty-one visitors

attended " who became -members thereof immediately , " and a dozen more were present ; of the latter may be mentioned " Bro . Cole , Ludgate Hill , " whose name is familiar to Masonic students ; four had the initials " H . L . S . J . " after their names ( Hol y Lodge of St . John , i . e ., not subscribing members , < fcc ) , and one was from the lodge assembling at "Ben Johnson" [ Head ] , whicii was erased later on .

Bro . AVright , elected this eve , flourishes as the R . AV . M . on 8 th June , 1752 , but no word occurs of his election or installation until then , and for the first time occurs the entry "Bro . Hallam , Pa 4 Master , P . T . " The initiation fee was lowered to £ 1 6 s ., and , judging from the style of the minutes , quite a different class of brethren supported the lodge now to formerly .

It was decided in September , 1752 , that brethren of the H . L . S . J ., " as True Masons , are not in Point of all True- Morals , etc ., and good Fellowship ) liable to the same Penalty , " of 18 pence , which meant evidentl y the visitor ' s fee . On February Oth , i / 53 , these brethren were required to i > ay 2 s . each . A " Lecture on

Masonry" was given ou October 28 th , 1752 , when " all Business being over , Lodge Closd . in Due l- ' orm . " The name of the Secretary is given for the first time , in the register of the attendance , ou July 13 th , hitherto only the titles of the Masters and Wardens being noted . The well-known suffix of " P . M . " being also written in .

On November 24 th , 1 / 52 , we read "lhe Jewells Disposed of to ye Brors . as follows : Bror . Edwards . Master ; Bror . Hoskins , Senr . Wd . ; Bror . Gilly , Junr . Wd . " " Bror . Barnard generously offer'd a Present of Silver Orris

Ribbons , as a further Ornament for the Jewels , and Masonry in General , " and another present was also made . A proposition then made , December Hth , 1752 , was adjourned " till the Furniture of the Lodge and Constitution is our own , " whicii clearly means that at this time tho property mentioned belonged to the landlord .

Ihe "New Laws" were read and agreed to on January 26 th , 1753 , and ordered to be transcribed b y fche Secretary . Bro . Ansell brought six aprons to the lodgo at this meeting , one of whicii is noted as being supplied to Bro . Baines on February , Oth , when he was initiated . The former brother was paid 18 s . for twelve in May of this year .

"Three Masons made , and the Enter'd Ajqirenticc ' s Lecture given . N . B . —Three Aprons to the new made Brethren . " This was on April 5 th , but names of the new members are not recorded . The term "Masters' Lodge" is noted August IGth , as being i' closed in due form . " Sometimes these were held on Sunday , byproposition in the lodge , accordingly .

Ten guineas were jiaid the landlord for the lodge furniture , December 20 th , 1753 , which was a step in the right direction , and assuredl y much better than running up heavy bills at the "City of Norwich" Tavern .

lhe business of the lodge , June 20 , 1754 , being over , Bro . Crycr was " hauled over the coals , " and the members agreed that he " should not at any time hereafter have any vote in any matter cause or thing whatever , for it was thought the said Bror . Crycr behaved extremely 111 and absolutely' broke through the Laws in refusing to pay one Bottle of wine for Entring into the Hol y State of Matrimony . "

It docs not seem to have affected the Brother much , as his name occurs as being present at the next meeting . Possibly he jiaid the fine for the sake of peace , as on October 3 rd , the healths of three new Benedicts were drunk , including this Bro . Crycr .