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

one bottle of wine , and all absent members to subject themselves to the code of laws . " Our excellent brethren evidently thought more of their stomachs than their brains . This closes our record of tho old Minute Books : The following year , 1813 , the memorable event took place—the Union of

the two Grand Lodges of Ancients and Moderns under the Dukes of Kent and Sussex , and since that time the British Union has shared those vicissitudes Avhich Lodges , like families , mostly experience even in the course of sixty or seventy

years ; but its career though uneventful , has been generally prosperous , and it holds now a deservedly distinguished position amongst the Lodges of East Anglia , being Avithout doubt the leading Lodge in its own province of Suffolk . In 1816 it appears to have been moved

from the Golden Lion to the Bear and Crown , afterwards known as the Suffolk Hotel . In 1840 it removed to the Now Assembly Rooms , where it remained till 1 S 49 , Avhen it Avas held at the Great AVhite Horse Hotel ( immortalised by

Dickens in Pickwick ) , Avhere , with the exception of a short break in 1853 , it remained till 18 G 6 . in 1807 it was remo \ 'ed to the new and elegant Masonic Hall , the property of a Company , Avhere it now remains—and where it may long flourish .

Its original number was , we believe , 270 , and about 1777 became 214 . In 1781 it was numbered 173 , in 1792 it was numbered 147 , and so remained till the Union in 1813 , when it was numbered 180 . In 1832 it became 131 , aud in 1863 it attained its present number through the extinction of older Lodges of 114 .

The Lodge celebrated its centenary 21 st January , 1862 , Avhen both the Prov . Gr . Master Sir Shafto Adair ( now Lord Waveney ) and the D . P . G . M . were present . No application ivas made however for permission to Avear a centenary jewel ( the brethren being no doubt satisfied with

their private Lodge jewel , a silver star very much like that worn by the Knights Templar , but having Masonic emblems instead of the Latin cross in the centre ) till 1 S 72 , when the Most AVorshi pful Grand Master grauted a warrant empowering all subscribing members to wear the authorised centenary jewel , all other private Lodge jewels being illegal .

Amongst the most important occasions when the Lodge appeared in public , may be mentioned the laying of the foundation stone of the handsome new Custom-House , built in the Italian style of architecture in 1843 when Bro . E . Bullon , D . P . G . M .,

, in the joint names of the three Lodgesthe British Union , the Perfect Friendship , and the St . Lukes , presented the then Mayor with the silver trowel used on the

. The brethren Avere also present at tho laying the foundation of Melton Church , near AVoodbvidgc , in 1 S 6 G , aud subsequently also when the same ceremony Avas performed at the new Town Hall , Ipswich , a very handsome structure , and of which

the Ipswich people are justly proud . In 1 S 73 a list Avas published for the information of the members of the names , titles , Masonic rank and profession of tho brethren , from which we gleam some interesting information as to the status of the Lodge 111 years after it Avas consecrated .

Thus we find that of the 48 members who formed the Lodge at the date mentioned , three are of no profession , or in popular phraseology , gentlemen ; six are clergymen ; three are surgeons ; one an Army , another a Navy , doctor ; another a physician ; the Army is also represented

by an officer in the Dragoons , another in the Rifles , and a third in tho Royal Artillery . We have besides a member of the Civil Service , a secretary of legationsince become a M . P . —a barrister , a retired distinguished . nember of the Indian , Civil

Service , a baint cashier , a bachelor of music , a doctor of philosophy aud wellknown scientist , i \ n architect , and civil engineer . Two members are well-known peers of the realm , one a lord of the treasury , the other a .-. A . D . C . to the Queen , two more are solii'tors , one of them the town clerk of London . The rest are

jewellers , estate agents , farmers , accountants , merchants , & a . Taking their Masonic rank , wo less than 22 are Past Masters , 14 hold Provincial rank , one is the popular Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk , Lord Waveney , a second is D . P . G . M . of Suffolk ( HOAV -alas no more ) , another is a P . P . G . M . of Western India , three are members of Grand Lodge , one being President of the Board of General