Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. A.D. 1762.
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTE BOOKS OF THE BRITISH UNION LODGE , No . 114 , IPSWICH . A . D . 1762 .
BY BRO . EJIEA HOLMES , 31 ° , P . M ., M . E . Z .. St . Luke ' s Chapter , P . M . M . P . E . G ., P . E . P ., P . M . W . S ., Past Provincial Grand Registrar of Suffolk , Past Grand Inspector of Works ( Mark ) , Past Grand Provost Order of the Teinile , P . P . G ., Banner-Bearer Royal Order of Scotland , & c , & c .
' . ( Continued from page 447 . ) UNDER date , October 3 , 1782 , Ave find that this evening a lodge Avas convened by order of the R . W . M . and Wardens in order to " spend ye evening with Bro . John Blomfieldancl from him to receive the
, benefit of the 3 L s , Avhich Avas accordingly done to ye general satisfaction of the brethren present . " No doubt Bro . Blomfield delivered or explained the three lectures , and it is noteworthy the guarded way in which this is
noted , very different to the open ancl diffuse manner the minutes are often kept , and perhaps , Ave might add , too often reported in the " Freemason . " Oii St . John the Evangelist ' s Day , December 27 , 1782 , it is recorded that this evening Bro , Robert Tovell , Secretary , Avas raised to the degree of Past Master , being found Avorthy .
Some of our younger brethren will be surp -ised to learn , that it was a common custom in the last century , and is , we believe , even now in Scotland , to confer the titular degree of Past Master upon brethren who have never passed the chair . In England now Ave all know a Past
Master is a brother who has served the office of Warden in some warranted lodge , ancl has been elected by the majority of the lodge to fill the chair of U . S . He is then duly installed , receiving the secrets of Avhat are called the Installed Master ' s
degree , and from thenceforth , so long as he is a subscribing member of any lodge , he retains his rank as Past Master and is entitled to a seat in Grand Lodge , On the 5 th November , 1782 , "Mr . John Spooner Avas nominated to take the chair for the ensuing year ; and at the St . John ' s Festival following he was elected R . W . M . ; Bro . B . Foxwell , S . W . ; Bro .
Jacob Bunnett , J . W . ; Bro . S . Ribbans , Treasurer ; and Robert Tovell , Secretary . Thus it Avould appear , as has been before remarked , that at this time all the superior officers in the lodge were elected as is the case IIOAV in Royal Arch Chapters , we believeand not as now , when the AV . M .
, appoints all his OAVH officers from the S . W . downwards , except the Treasurer , who keeps the keys of the money-chest , and the Tyler , Avho is the serving brother of the Lodge , and not the servant of the Masteras some appear to think .
, On March 4 th , 1783 , Robert Koymer , from " ye TAVUIS Lodge , Norwich , " was a visitor . No such Lodge appears IIOAV in the ' ' Cosmopolitan Calendar "—though there are no less than six in the old
cathedral town—the youngest , by the Avay , being named after the late lamented ancl popular Prov . Grand Master , at whose installation last November we assisted , . as the French say ; ancl now , alas , he has gone over to the majority . William LaneOperative
Masonap-, , pears amongst the brethren present at a Lodge holden on the 4 th November , 1783 , and Ave find that this evening the brethren went from the Lodge room at ye Golden Lyon in procession to the theatre to see the comedy "As you like it , " with the
musical piece , called the " Deserter . " The same evening Michael Sharp , musician . Peter Dogneville , dancing master ; Thomas Smith , innholder ; Stephen Pren tice , shipwright ; ancl William Bennett , cooper ancl innholderAvere proposed for initiation .
, On November 18 , 1783 , "Bro . James Garrod was raised to ye degree of Master Mason , being found Avorthy . " This night also " Mr . M . Sharp Avas made a Mason in clue form , ancl was admitted to the second and third degree of Masonry . " The
other four brethren noted above Avere all initiated , but took only the first degree . This is the first instance we have yet come across where a brother has taken the three degrees in one night . The fees are all given , and it appears Bro . Sharp Avas charged as follows : —
For Admission - -, £ 2 2 0 ,, Registration fees - 0 8 6 „ Second degree - 0 2 6 „ Raised Master -060 £ 2 19 0 2 M
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. A.D. 1762.
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTE BOOKS OF THE BRITISH UNION LODGE , No . 114 , IPSWICH . A . D . 1762 .
BY BRO . EJIEA HOLMES , 31 ° , P . M ., M . E . Z .. St . Luke ' s Chapter , P . M . M . P . E . G ., P . E . P ., P . M . W . S ., Past Provincial Grand Registrar of Suffolk , Past Grand Inspector of Works ( Mark ) , Past Grand Provost Order of the Teinile , P . P . G ., Banner-Bearer Royal Order of Scotland , & c , & c .
' . ( Continued from page 447 . ) UNDER date , October 3 , 1782 , Ave find that this evening a lodge Avas convened by order of the R . W . M . and Wardens in order to " spend ye evening with Bro . John Blomfieldancl from him to receive the
, benefit of the 3 L s , Avhich Avas accordingly done to ye general satisfaction of the brethren present . " No doubt Bro . Blomfield delivered or explained the three lectures , and it is noteworthy the guarded way in which this is
noted , very different to the open ancl diffuse manner the minutes are often kept , and perhaps , Ave might add , too often reported in the " Freemason . " Oii St . John the Evangelist ' s Day , December 27 , 1782 , it is recorded that this evening Bro , Robert Tovell , Secretary , Avas raised to the degree of Past Master , being found Avorthy .
Some of our younger brethren will be surp -ised to learn , that it was a common custom in the last century , and is , we believe , even now in Scotland , to confer the titular degree of Past Master upon brethren who have never passed the chair . In England now Ave all know a Past
Master is a brother who has served the office of Warden in some warranted lodge , ancl has been elected by the majority of the lodge to fill the chair of U . S . He is then duly installed , receiving the secrets of Avhat are called the Installed Master ' s
degree , and from thenceforth , so long as he is a subscribing member of any lodge , he retains his rank as Past Master and is entitled to a seat in Grand Lodge , On the 5 th November , 1782 , "Mr . John Spooner Avas nominated to take the chair for the ensuing year ; and at the St . John ' s Festival following he was elected R . W . M . ; Bro . B . Foxwell , S . W . ; Bro .
Jacob Bunnett , J . W . ; Bro . S . Ribbans , Treasurer ; and Robert Tovell , Secretary . Thus it Avould appear , as has been before remarked , that at this time all the superior officers in the lodge were elected as is the case IIOAV in Royal Arch Chapters , we believeand not as now , when the AV . M .
, appoints all his OAVH officers from the S . W . downwards , except the Treasurer , who keeps the keys of the money-chest , and the Tyler , Avho is the serving brother of the Lodge , and not the servant of the Masteras some appear to think .
, On March 4 th , 1783 , Robert Koymer , from " ye TAVUIS Lodge , Norwich , " was a visitor . No such Lodge appears IIOAV in the ' ' Cosmopolitan Calendar "—though there are no less than six in the old
cathedral town—the youngest , by the Avay , being named after the late lamented ancl popular Prov . Grand Master , at whose installation last November we assisted , . as the French say ; ancl now , alas , he has gone over to the majority . William LaneOperative
Masonap-, , pears amongst the brethren present at a Lodge holden on the 4 th November , 1783 , and Ave find that this evening the brethren went from the Lodge room at ye Golden Lyon in procession to the theatre to see the comedy "As you like it , " with the
musical piece , called the " Deserter . " The same evening Michael Sharp , musician . Peter Dogneville , dancing master ; Thomas Smith , innholder ; Stephen Pren tice , shipwright ; ancl William Bennett , cooper ancl innholderAvere proposed for initiation .
, On November 18 , 1783 , "Bro . James Garrod was raised to ye degree of Master Mason , being found Avorthy . " This night also " Mr . M . Sharp Avas made a Mason in clue form , ancl was admitted to the second and third degree of Masonry . " The
other four brethren noted above Avere all initiated , but took only the first degree . This is the first instance we have yet come across where a brother has taken the three degrees in one night . The fees are all given , and it appears Bro . Sharp Avas charged as follows : —
For Admission - -, £ 2 2 0 ,, Registration fees - 0 8 6 „ Second degree - 0 2 6 „ Raised Master -060 £ 2 19 0 2 M