Some Memorials Of The Globe Lodge, No. 23, And Of The "Red Apron.''

Some Memorials of the Globe Lodge, No . 23, and of the "Red Apron.''

( BY HENRY SADLER . )

THIS year . 1810 , there appears to have been some little trouble with the landlord , probably the house had changed hands , and a motion was made in April to remove the Lodge , which motion was eventually negatived at the June meeting , when " Br . Gowing proposed that this Lodge do pay

the landlord three shillings for each member for supper , and to include S . Beer , Bread , & c , which was seconded and carried in the affirmative . " "S . Beer" probably meant strong beer , served as a sort of appetizer , many of the dinner bills of Lodges in the 18 th century being headed , " strong beer and bread . "

On the 7 th of February , 181 r , we read that "Br . Gill proposed Br . John Waterhouse , Esq ., who was initiated into Masonry in the Society held under the sanction of the Duke of Athol , to be admitted a member of this Lodge , which was duly seconded and carried unanimously . He was then

introduced and duly obligated in the different degrees , and admitted a member accordingly . " At this period the Secretary appears to have been particularly careful in not committing too much of the transactions of the Lodge to writing , leaving very little worth

transcribing . Having , however , given the minutes of the first meeting recorded in this book , in extenso , it seems but right that the last transactions should be treated in like

manner . " Friday , April 5 , 1811 . Members Present . Br . Millett , R . W . M . Waterhouse .

Gilkes , S . W . Serjeant . Richardson , J . W . Gill . Miller , P . M . Manson . Gowing , Sec . Wood . Vale , Steward . Hawes .

Abram . Tiley . " The Lodge being opened in due form , the minutes of the last Lodge were read and confirmed . " Br . Frampton proposed Mr . Alexander Wm . Mills , of Great Shire Lane , to be made a Mason on the next Lodge

night , seconded by Br . Tiley , and referred for ballot to the next Lodge night . " * £ s . d . £ s . d . "Bal . Brot . fd 5 13 11 " Pd . Ho . Bill 612 6 Br . Tiley 1 1 o Tyler 046

Hawes 1 1 0 Bal . in lid o 18 11 £ 7 1 5 11 " £ 7 15 11 "

There is now a wide and lamentable gap in the records of the Globe Lodge , embracing a period of twenty-three years , during which an event of supreme importance in the history of English Masonry had taken place—the union of the former rival Societies under one Grand MasterHis Royal

, Highness the Duke of Sussex—and had the minutes of the Lodge been still available , they would probably have thrown much light on this auspicious occurrence . Unfortunately we have nothing in the shape of Masonic journalism to refer to for assistance , as the first Masonic periodical in England was

not started until the beginning of the year 18 34 , while the minute book now under examination was begun on the 13 th of November of the same year . We know , however , that the Lodge had been making satisfactory progress from the fact of the Grand Stewards and Masters having been regularly returned to the Grand Lodge .

From a printed copy of the Lodge by-laws , revised in 1821 , we learn that the regular meetings were then held on the second Thursday in the months of January , February , March , April , May , June , November , and December . That there were 52 subscribing members , including W . C .

Clarkson , Past Grand Treasurer ; Robert Gill , Past J . G . Warden ; James A . Frampton , Past S . G . Deacon ; and W . D . Cummins , Grand Sword Bearer , the list being headed by the name of John Abram , Past Treasurer , who had been a regular member of the Lodge from 1784 .

The initiation fee was five guineas , exclusive of the fees for registering and Grand Lodge certificate ; the joining fee three guineas , the annual subscription four guineas , and the visiting fee fifteen shillings . Having transcribed the first minutes in the earlier book

I will do the same by the second one . " GLOBE LODGE , NO . 23 , FREEMASONS' TAVERN , Nov . 13 TH , 18 34 . Present ,

Br . Langley , W . M . „ Bell , S . W . ,, Roberts , pro tem ., J . W . „ Fenn , P . M . ,, Morgan , P . M .. „ Hazard , J . .

„ Fell , l . G . „ Bulmore . ,, Kemball . „ Walmsley . " Lodge opened in clue form in the 1 st Degree . Minutes

of the last Lodge were read and confirmed . " Lodge opened in the 2 nd Degree . " Lodge opened in the 3 rd Degree . " Br . A . C . Kemball was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason .

" A letter was received from Br . Mills tendering his resignation , which , on the motion of Br . Clarkson , seconded by Br . Morgan , was accepted . " Br . Bell proposed for initiation , and to become a member of the Lodge , Mr . Charles Moreing , of Great Marlborough Street , Architect , seconded by Br . Walmsley . " Lodge closed in harmony . "

" Dr . Treasurer . Cr . " To Balance from Old Book , £ 84 5 s . " We gather from the above that in 18 34 the preceding minute book , since missing , was then in possession of the Lodge , that the attendance of members was smaller than heretofore , that the receipts and expenditure were not

recorded in the minutes of each meeting , and that the Treasurer had a good balance in hand . The regular meetings were held on the same days as in 1821 , and at the next meeting on Dec . nth , at which , notwithstanding that it was election night , only six members

were present , the sum of five guineas is entered as having been paid in March to the Gilkes' tribute—a monument erected by subscription in St . James' Church , Piccadilly , to the memory of Peter Gilkes . At the installation meeting , Jan . 8 th , 18 35 , eleven members

attended and one visitor . The accounts are fully recorded , and we find that the tavern bills from Nov ., 18 33 , to June , 18 34 , inclusive , amounted to ^ 89 13 s . The annual subscription appears to have been reduced since 1821 from four guineas to two guineas-and-a-half , and the visitor's fee increased to one guinea . Br . Knowles , S . Warden and Grand Steward , was elected Master on Dec . 10 th , 18 35 , but