Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. Ad. 1762.

absent , and 2 candidates were admitted to the 1 st and 2 nd degrees . A Lodge appears to have been held on the following night , a most unusual course , and if an adjourned meeting , Ave believe unconstitutional , At this Lodge , Benjn . Woollward and

Edward Wiles Avere raised Blasters , and paid OS . each . Miles Avas Tyler , and had been initiated and passed Feb . 1775 . We find another most interesting note at this meeting , as follows : —

" By order of the Lodge the Treasurer paid Bro . Pargman and Bro . Prentice four shillings eacli , as Operative Masons . " The Nov . Lodge in this year Avas Avell attended : 18 Members were present , 11 A'isitorsancl 4 are recorded as absent .

, Wm . Woollaston , John Bloomfield , John Humphreys , and Robert Bowles ( all IpsAvich names ) , Avere raised to the degree of FelloAV Craft on this occasion , tAvo of these brethren having been made in September .

They must have been a genial lot , these brethren of a century since—for at the next Lodge held on the loth Nov . Ave find a note to the effect that , " This night the above Members Avent in procession to the play , called 'Bold Stroke for a Wife Avith the Padlock . ' Had a full house . "

One fancies that as Avith the outside world , sometimes all is not so serene as it should be in Masonry , for at the Lodge held on St . John ' s Day , 27 th Dec . 1776 , at the Green Man , Ave find the following : — "Bro . James Woollward , S . W . by seniority ,

was to have taken the chair , but as Wm . Clarke , R . W . M ., Avas absent , all business ( particularly that on St . John ' s Day ) was omitted ; also Bro . Manning , J . W ., insisted on resigning the jeAvel , on account of the Lodge not being regularlkept up . "

y Bro . AVoollward either was not competent , or he Avas not popular , for Ave find that at the March meeting in 1777 , Robert Manning was elected R . W . M . ; John Prentice , S . W . ; Benj . Foxwell , J . W . ; J . Bloomfield , Treasurer ancl Secretary ; ancl

Bro , Paxman , Tyler , for the remainder of the year . " Resolved this night that every brother who intends to belong to this Lodge , shall sign his hand and pay into the hands of the Ireasurer , the sum of 3 s . as quarterage , ancl so on for every quarter . Upon default

thereof , his name is to be erased from the Lodge . Here folloAvs the list of members , ancl for the benefit of the Ipswich ancl Suffolk readers of the " Masonic Magazine , " some of Avhose ancestors may be amongst them ,

Ave give the names : — Joseph Clarke ; AV . Clarke ; Robert Manning , R . W . M . ; John Prentice , S . W . ; Edward AA iles ; Wm . Prentice ; Benj . AA oollard ; Wm . HoAves ; LaAvrence Rainbird ; John Humphries ; Charles Lord ;

Edmund Prentice ; Jonn Philby ; Cornelius Hill ; Samuel Ribbans ; Benj . Huggins ; R . Page , Junr . ; Jno . Blomfield , Treasurer and Secretary ; Benj . FoxAvell , J . AV . ; Wm . Usher ; AVm . Kerridge ; Robert King ; John Spooner ; James Woollward ; Caleb

HoAvard . On the 10 th March 1777 , Bros . Huggins , Blomfield , Humphreys , Usher , E , Prentice , C . Hill , ancl another Brother Avhose name is indeciciperable , Avere raised to the degree of Master , ancl for the cash account for that evening , Ave find the entry ;

seven brothers , raised Masters , £ 2 odd . The shillings ancl pence are torn off , Avhich is perhaps as Avell , since the next entry is also Avauting the amount " received from two visiting brethren "—pointing to a very objectionable ancl most unhospitable

practice noticed before , of making the visitors pav for Avhatever they gut . Under date May Gfcli 1777 , we find the following entry : — "By order of the Grand Lodge no person shall be made a Mason for less than £ 2 2 s ., ancl made a resolve of this Lodge accordingly . "

The Green Man seems to have become unpopular to the Brethren of the Lodge , probably as the . Grand Lodge had raised the fee for initiation , candidates of a higher class were seeking admission , and the humble hostelry Avhich had been deemed good enough for the founders of the Lodge

ancl their immediate successers , Avas now considered not sufficiently aristocratic for the Brethren introduced under the neAV regime . At any rate , on the 3 rd June , 1777 , a motion Avas made by the R . W . M ., at the request of several Brethren , to have the Lodge removed , ancl it Avas hallotted for accordingly , when the members

voted—For its remoA ' al 10 Against 3 It Avas therefore agreed " That this Lodge be removed to Bro . John Philbys at the