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Article EARLY HAUNTS OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
erected within the past year or so . To recount what has happened in the 106 years during which it has been devoted to Masonic purposes would in a great measure involve the writing of a short Masonic history . But for this neither time nor space is at our disposal .
Moreover , we are only as yet at the beginning of our perambulations ; yet before we take farewell , for the present , at all events , of Great Queen-street and its vicinity , let us briefly glance at some of the more important personages and events which are associated with our Hall . Among the former must be noted , in the first instance , the
different Grand Masters who have held sway over the Craft since its erection . Forty-one brethren have occupied the throne of Grand Lodge since 1717 , but of these only eight have presided in the Temple in Freemasons' Hall , namely : —Lord Petre , who opened it and Avas Grand Master , 1772-76 ; George , Duke of Manchester , G . M .,
1777-1782 ; H . R . H . Duke of Cumberland , G . M ., 1782-1790 ; George , Prince of Wales , G . M ., 1790-1813 ; H . R . H . Duke of Sussex , G . M ., 1813-1843 ; the Earl of Zetland , G . M ., 1843-1870 ; the Marquis of Ripon , 1870-74 ; and H . R . H . Prince of Wales , AVIIO was elected in 1874 , installed in the Royal Albert Hall , 1875 , and still
retains the office . But if the number of Grand Masters who have reigned between 1776 and 1882 is limited , that of the Grand Secretaries , with Avhom rests , in great measure , the chief responsibilities of government , is still more so . At the time the Hall Avas consecrated the office of Grand
Secretary was held by Bro . James Heseltine , who resigned in 1784 , and was succeeded by Bro . William White . Bro . White , at his death in 1813 , Avas succeeded by his son , Bro . W . H . White , Avith whom Avas associated from the date of the Union till 1839 , Bro . EcLvards-Harper when Bro . White again became sole Grand Secretary , and so remained
till his resignation m 1857 , since Avhen the office has been occupied successively by Bros . Gray Clarke , John Hervey , and Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , the present Grand Secretary , who Avas appointed and invested at a Special Grand Lodge , presided over by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales in person , early in the year 1880 . Of other Masonic Avorthies ,
whose memory haunts the precincts of our venerable Hall , the greatest beyond all question is the Earl of Moira , afterwards Marquis of Hastings , whose Pro Grand Mastership Avas co-equal with the Grand Mastership of George , Prince of Wales , and who was as eminent in Freemasonry as he was in Statecraft . Then there were
Bro . W . Rodwell Wright , a most enthusiastic brother , and contemporary with the Earl of Moira , who revised the Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantino , of which for a time he was Grand Master , and who Avas also Grand Master of the Templars ; Dr . Hemming , N 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
erected within the past year or so . To recount what has happened in the 106 years during which it has been devoted to Masonic purposes would in a great measure involve the writing of a short Masonic history . But for this neither time nor space is at our disposal .
Moreover , we are only as yet at the beginning of our perambulations ; yet before we take farewell , for the present , at all events , of Great Queen-street and its vicinity , let us briefly glance at some of the more important personages and events which are associated with our Hall . Among the former must be noted , in the first instance , the
different Grand Masters who have held sway over the Craft since its erection . Forty-one brethren have occupied the throne of Grand Lodge since 1717 , but of these only eight have presided in the Temple in Freemasons' Hall , namely : —Lord Petre , who opened it and Avas Grand Master , 1772-76 ; George , Duke of Manchester , G . M .,
1777-1782 ; H . R . H . Duke of Cumberland , G . M ., 1782-1790 ; George , Prince of Wales , G . M ., 1790-1813 ; H . R . H . Duke of Sussex , G . M ., 1813-1843 ; the Earl of Zetland , G . M ., 1843-1870 ; the Marquis of Ripon , 1870-74 ; and H . R . H . Prince of Wales , AVIIO was elected in 1874 , installed in the Royal Albert Hall , 1875 , and still
retains the office . But if the number of Grand Masters who have reigned between 1776 and 1882 is limited , that of the Grand Secretaries , with Avhom rests , in great measure , the chief responsibilities of government , is still more so . At the time the Hall Avas consecrated the office of Grand
Secretary was held by Bro . James Heseltine , who resigned in 1784 , and was succeeded by Bro . William White . Bro . White , at his death in 1813 , Avas succeeded by his son , Bro . W . H . White , Avith whom Avas associated from the date of the Union till 1839 , Bro . EcLvards-Harper when Bro . White again became sole Grand Secretary , and so remained
till his resignation m 1857 , since Avhen the office has been occupied successively by Bros . Gray Clarke , John Hervey , and Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , the present Grand Secretary , who Avas appointed and invested at a Special Grand Lodge , presided over by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales in person , early in the year 1880 . Of other Masonic Avorthies ,
whose memory haunts the precincts of our venerable Hall , the greatest beyond all question is the Earl of Moira , afterwards Marquis of Hastings , whose Pro Grand Mastership Avas co-equal with the Grand Mastership of George , Prince of Wales , and who was as eminent in Freemasonry as he was in Statecraft . Then there were
Bro . W . Rodwell Wright , a most enthusiastic brother , and contemporary with the Earl of Moira , who revised the Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantino , of which for a time he was Grand Master , and who Avas also Grand Master of the Templars ; Dr . Hemming , N 2