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

when also a motion was made that a small subscription should be made towards the expense of the Burial of Bro . Thomas Colman , who was unfortunately drownedwhich was done . One is always glad to come across these little evidences of the

benevolent character of our Order . Mere names are nothing , aud one can get but little idea of the status of the Loclge unless one knows the social standing of its members . One night we find a brandy merchant proposedon another an exciseman is

, admitted , and he soon after proposes another officer of that much maligned body . At the June meeting , 1788 , Bro . William Middleton , Esq ., was proposed by Bro . Ribbans as a member of this Lodge , and his admission money , 10 s ., wasj > aid into the

hands of the Treasurer . Bro . Middleton ' s attendance at the Lodge has been before noted . In February , 1789 , William Wade , Clerk to the Collector of Excise , was proposedand was admitted in March .

We are glad to notice a pencil note " free" against the names of visiting Brothers about this date , 1789 . Mr . Thomas Wright , carpenter , of Copdoek , Suffolk , was proposed at the meeting in December , which shows how various were the callings of the members of the Lodge

at this time ; we very much doubt whether a carpenter would have much chance of admission now . On the 2 nd March , 1790 , we find Bro . Russell of the Philanthropic Lodge , Long Melford , Suffolk , a visitor of the Lodge . This Lodge is not now in

existance , at all events it is not in the Cosmopolitan Calendar ; but perhaps our courteous friend , Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn , Past Grand Chaplain , the present Rector of Long Melford , could inform us . The following Lodge night a visiting Brother from St . John ' s Lodge was present —but which of the St . John ' s we do not know .

Amongst the members present on the 5 th October , 1790 , we fiucl the name of William Middleton , Esq ., P . G . M . for the County , but there is no record as to when or where he was installed—except the note below . It is a curious fact that the present justly-esteemed and very popular P . G . M ., Lord Waveney is also a member of this Lodge .

The next Lodge night , the 2 nd November , the following Minute occurs : "It was this evening proposed , and unanimously agreed , that a Lodge be convened for all the members of the Lodge that choose to pass the chair ; and those absent , to be

summoned for that purpose on Wednesday , the 3 rd insfc . ; and it is further unanimously agreed that the tickets of admission on the day of Installation ( sic ) of Bro . Middleton shall be 10 s . 6 d . each . " Accordingly on the following night we find that no less than

12 brethren passed the chair . Probably this was done to qualify them to attend the Installation of Bro . Middleton , as only W . M . ' s , P . M . ' s , aud actual Wardens have a vote and seat in P . G . L . Allusion has before been made to this custom of giving brethren

the rank of P . M ., whenever were Installed Masters , and there is therefore now no occasion to refer to a most objectionable practice , now happily obsolete . At a meeting , held December 7 th , amongst the disbursementswe notice one

, that would strike our London brethren" Paid to a Blue-coat Boy Is " . The Blue-coat Boy alluded to , however , was not one from the famous Christ ' s Hospital

iu London , but the little old building known as Christ ' s Hospital at Ipswich , founded we believe in the reiga of Queen Elizabeth . But why the boy got Is ., and what he had to do with the Freemasons , we cannot tell . On St . John ' s day of this yeara watchmaker , stationer " gent" and

, , , upolsterer ( sic ) were proposed for initiation , and in the following March we find a wheelwright initiated . The provincial clothing , we fancy , must have been a very different sort of thing to what it is now , when a full suit costs six

or eight guineas , especially if got up in Bro . ICenning ' s best style . Under date April 5 , 1791 we find"To two Provincial Aprons , 3 s . 6 d . each , 7 s . " We very much doubt whether a Trov .

Grand Officer could be found now , who would condescend to wear a 3 s . 6 d . apron . On the ICth March , 1791 , a general Lodge was convened atthe"White Lion , " St . Mary , Stoke , Ipswich "to attend ye funeral duties of Bro . T . Askew , in the churchyard of St . Mary , Stoke . " Twenty brethren were present from the British Union , twelve from the Perfect Friendshi p Lodge , and