A Short History Of The Lod Ge Of Emulation, No. 21.

The Mourning Bush , St Martin's Le Grand , 1735—1765 . We now come to what was probably the most interesting , if not the oldest , of all the homes of the Loclge of Emulation , and , moreover , the one from which its first name was derived . The accompanying prints , reproduced from a pamphlet entitled , Illustrations of Ihe Site and

Xeighbourhood of Ihe Xav Post Office , etc ., by Mr . William Herbert , 18 30 , will show- what the house was like during the thirty years this loclge was held within its portals , and also how- it appeared at the time of publication . It is still in existence , under the name of The Raglan , but the frontage is not quite

the same as represented in 1830 . A volume might be . written about this old house , but we must content ourselves for the present with ( he following quotation from Clubs and Club Life in London , by Mr . John Timbs , F . S . A . : — " Far more

celebrated was the Mourning Bush Tavern , in the cellars of which have been traced the massive foundations of Aldersgate , and the

portion of the City Wall which adjoins them . This tavern , one of the largest and most ancient in London , has a curious history . "The Bush Tavern ,

its original name , took for its sign the Ivybush hung up at the door . It is believed to have been the house referred to by Stowe ,

as follows : — 'This gate ( Aldersgate ) hath been at sundry times increased with building ; namely , on the

south , or inner side , a great frame of timber ( or house of wood lathed and plastered ) , hath been added and set up containing clivers large rooms and

lodgings , ' which were an enlargement of the Bush . Fosbroke mentions the Bush as the chief sign of taverns in the Middle Ages ( it

being ready to hand ) , and so it continued until superseded by ' a

thing to resemble one containing three or four tiers of hoops fastened one above another with vine leaves and grapes richly carved and gilt . ' He adds : 'The owner of the Mourning Bush , Aldersgate , was so affected at the decollation of Charles I . that he painted his bush black . From this period the house is scarcelymentioned until the year 1719 when we find its name

changed to The Fountain , whether from political feelings against the then exiled House of Stuart , or the whim of the proprietor , we cannot learn ; though it is thought to have reference to a spring on the east side of the gate Twenty years later , in a large plan of Aldersgate Ward , 1739-40 , we find the Fountain changed to the original Bush . - ' The Fire of London had evidently , at this time , curtailed the

TTHE SOUTH SIDE OF A L O E R . S Os \ T E

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ancient extent of the tavern . The exterior is shown in a print of the South side of Aldersgate ; it has the character of the larger houses built after the Great Fire , and immediately adjoins the gate . The house was refitted in 1830 . In the basement are the original wine vaults of the old Bush ; many of the walls are six feet thick , and

bonded throughout with Roman brick . " Mr . William McMurray , Parish Clerk of St . Anne and St . Agnes , the parish in which this tavern is situated , says , " The parochial records of the 17 th century contain many references to the tavern . It is curious to note , however , that , at any

rate as far as the period 1680-1700 is concerned , it is not once referred to as the Mourning Bush , but always as ' The Fountain next Aldersgate . ' The reason for these references is that the parish dinners were held there at this time . " Air . McMurray has in hand the compilation of a history of the

parishes with which he is officially connected , and I am indebted to him for putting me on the track of the two views of

The Mourning Bush here reproduced . Aldersgate was sold by the civic authorities in April , 1761 , and was shortly afterwards

demolished . The site of the old gate is now partly occupied b y No . 62 , on the East side of St . Martin ' s Le Grand , the former

Mourning Bush Tavern being No . 61 . In 1856 the name of the house was changed to The Lord Raglan , in

memory of the Commanderin-Chief of the British Army in the Crimea , who died at his post in 1855 .

Several other Masonic lodges have held their meetings at The Mourning Bush , the last being the Strong Man Loclge , No . 45 , 18 31-34 .

As I shall have occasion to refer to this celebrated old house during my examination of the loclge records I will now pass on to its next meeting place .

' The Feathers , Cheapside , 1765—1769 . Very little is known of this house in connection with the Craft . Another lodge was held there in 1762-1768 , but I can find no mention of it as a Masonic meeting place after 17 6 9 . The Paul ' s Head ( orSI . Paul ' s Head ) , Cateaton Street , 1771-J 800 .

This house is mentioned in The History of Signboards as having been the home of a literary club about 1820 ; but it was evidently popular amongst the fraternity , lodges having held meetings there as far back as 1733 , the last , however , was the Lodge ol " Emulation . I may mention , although

probably it is hardly necessary , that the name of the house was derived from St . Paul , the Patron Saint of London . The derivation of the name of the street is less easilv cxplained , I am , however , of opinion that it has no reference to our friends the " pussies , "—although , according to Stow .