History Of The Airedale Lodge, No. 387.

£ 20 was remitted May 8 th , 1865 , ancl on May 10 th , 1865 , the first official proposition to remove the Airedale Lodge from Baildon to Shipley was made . This was proposed b y Bro . Wainman Holmes , seconded by Bro . Wm . W . Holmes . The Secretary was also " directed to give notice of this resolution in the next circular , so that the members may come ancl vote . " A long discussion took place at the regular meetings held June 14 th and August 9 th

following , but on both occasions was postponed to next meeting . On October 11 th , 1865 , "the motion connected with the removal of this lodge was then brought forward by the W . M ., and on the votes being taken it was unanimously resolved that it should not be removed , ancl , therefore , that question is now settled for the present . " Such is the entry closing for a time the first agitation which indicated that the lodge was making its progress rather in the

direction of Shipley and Bradford than at Baildon . At this meeting a proposition was made and passed that the monthly subscriptions of the brethren should be one shilling . Up to this time it ought to be stated the contributions were but six shillings per annum . Early in the year 1866 ( January 31 ) , the sum of two shillings and sixpence per lodge night was voted to the landlord of the Angel Inn at Baildon

( then Mr . Joseph Field ) " as a small remuneration for the use of the lodgeroom , fire , ancl light , as under the present circumstances he must be a loser through the bad attendance of members and other causes . " Bro . John C . Taylor now took a livel y interest in the working of the lodge , ancl under his able tuition the junior members attacked the ritual in real earnest . On March 28 th , Mr . J . R . Riley was initiatedhaving been proposed by the W . Master

, , ( Wm . W . Holmes , P . M . ) , the preceding month . On June 26 th , 1866 , Bro . Thomas Murgatroyd , Bro . Thomas Renton , and Bro . J . R . Riley were made Mark Masons . In this year the Mirfield Lodge , Mirfield , No . 1102 , and the Wharfedale Lodge , Otley , No . 1108 , were constituted .

The year 1867 was in several respects , so far as Airedale Lodge was concerned , an important year , and a trying one in its history . On February 20 th " revision and regulation of our by-laws " was proposed , and a committee of three formed for that purpose . It was also proposed that £ 21 be given to the Masonic Charities , and Bro . Henry Smith was appointed Charity Steward . At the next meeting , March 20 th , it was agreed that ten guineas be given to the Aged Freemason ' s AnnuitFundfive guineas to the Boys' and five

y , guineas to the Girls' Schools . It was settled , on the 17 th April , that the donation to the Aged Freemasons sould be given in the names of the two Wardens , but was remitted in the name of the S . W . only . On the same evening Bro . Sam . Jackson ( of Shipley , architect ) again brought forward his plans for building a new loclge room at Shipley , and after discussing the desirability of the change , Bro . Thomas Murgatroyd proposed " that this lodge be removed

to Shipley when suitable rooms can be got . " Bro . Joseph Denby seconded the proposition , which was carried . Later on the same evening , the Brethren carried another resolution , "that the rooms about to be built by Bro . Jackson be taken . " Illustrative of the inconsistency or thoughtlessness of members , many dissensions and resolutions were brought forward about this time , apparently without the slightest regard whether the Lodge would benefit or

suffer thereby . One brother , who had not been in the lodge since 1862 , supported quite vehemently a proposition made on the 8 th April , 1868 , "that from the 1 st July next the members should pay their subscriptions in advance . " This very desirable ancl proper resolution has since been in operation ; but it is a strange fact that not only was the brother referred to an absentee from the locl ge ever afterbut his subscritions in arrears had to be written off as a bad

, p debt , and his name erased in 1871 . The furnishing of the new rooms was soon brought forward , and on May 6 th a committee , consisting of the W . M . Bro . Thomas Murgatroyd ; J . Renton , S . W . ; J . R . Riley , J . W . ; Thomas Denby , S . D . ; F . W . Booth , J . D . ; S . S . Blakey , I . P . M . ; and Samuel Jackson ( of