Masonic Records 1717-1894

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In 2003, Dr Estelle Stubbs and The Centre for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism under the Directorship of Professor Andrew Prescott in collaboration with the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, London produced an electronic version of Lane’s book. Since 2008 the Library and Museum of Freemasonry has been adding lodges that came into existence after 1894 to the database and eventually hope to edit the records of pre-1894 lodges to include meeting places after that date. The traditional Masonic history attributes the Freemasons history and development from the time of Euclid the Greek mathematician and the father of geometry in ancient Egypt, Thus the mason is also able to link his craft to one of the greatest civilisations of all time, the Egyptian’s, Masonic ledged is said to have commenced with the construction of King Solomon’s temple in 960 BCE. Masonic history of today’s freemason draws on the biblical accounts detailing the temples design and construction. (King James Bible, 1 Kings 5 -8) Whilst religious observance formed an everyday activity of the craft mason, and the craft guilds, it is more probable that the use of scripture was a deliberate attempt of 18th century Freemasons to create a history of religious atonement.

Our 9 th Provincial Grand Master, R.W. HRH Prince Michael of Kent was initiated into the Royal Abbey Lodge No.16 in 1974, was its Master in 1977 and became Middlesex Grand Master in 1989. There is a long history of family Masonic tradition as his grandfather and father were Masons. His leadership has gained the Province of Middlesex much success. Middlesex Lodge No. 143 could be the oldest Lodge that has met continuously. Originally founded in Middlesex in 1775, Lane’s Masonic Records show that this Lodge has moved around central London, but has never actually met in Middlesex. William Schaw was appointed “Maister o’ Warks” (Master of works) to the Crown of Scotland by King James V1 of Scotland, later to be King James of England and founder of the King James Bible. As Master of Works Schaw took on the task of being : Ridley, Jasper. The Freemasons: A History of the World’s Most Powerful Secret Society: Constable, 1999 King Charles 2nd passed away in 1685 leaving no legitimate Protestant heirs to the throne. England was tormented by years of political and religious un-rest whilst also facing significant battles with seemingly all her neighbours.The Museum of Freemasonry provides free guided tours of the building, taking in the Grand Temple and Shrine. Tours are not available when the Grand Temple of other areas are in use for ceremonial purposes, and groups must book in advance. https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/freemasonry-and-family-history (Museum of Freemasonry Research Guide: Freemasonry and Family History. The guide covers the records held and the services we offer) Having had an intimate knowledge of the ‘Masonic Records’ throughout its several stages, I have no hesitation in declaring that the Volume is a monument of perseverance, research and fidelity, and well deserves the hearty support and lasting gratitude of the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons… The resource is rich in place name information and will be of interest to local historians among others as well as historians of freemasonry. Locations can be viewed on interactive maps. with an interest in freemasonry under any of the English Grand Lodges. Masonic Records enables the early history of freemasonry in a particular place to be readily traced and provides information about individual lodges.

John Lane’s Masonic Records 1717-1894 is an authoritative listing of all the lodges established by the English Grand Lodges from the foundation of the Along with the Horn, there were 3 other main freemason’s lodges meeting in the surrounding areas, At the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul’s Church- Yard, the Crown Ale-house in Parker’s-Lane near Drury-Lane, and at the Apple Tree Tavern In Charles-street, Covent-Garden.

During his research for both editions, to ensure accuracy and completeness Lane used a wide range of sources both published an unpublished including; Grand Lodge Registers and Minutes, Grand Lodge Proceedings, Warrants and Warrant Books, Engraved Lists, Calendars, Histories and Lodge Minutes. In his own words: The mason building trade differed from all other groups in society by the sheer scale and magnificence of their collective achievements, the great stone castles, fortifications, churches and cathedrals of the British Isles and Europe further adds dimension to their anointed history and their apparent supremacy in the eyes of all other sectors of civilisation. Eventually, a number of London Lodges petitioned Grand Lodge in 1869 to form a Middlesex Provincial Grand Lodge These were the Royal Union Lodge 382; Strawberry Hill Lodge 946; Carnarvon Lodge 708; Villiers Lodge 1194; Dalhousie Lodge 865; Enfield Lodge 1237; Crescent Lodge 788 and Gooch Lodge 1238. Burdett Lodge was consecrated on the morning of the Provincial consecration. The Museum of Freemasonry's reference library and archives provide a number of services including family history and biographical research. There are over 1.7 million names listed in the digital registers from 1751 to 1921. The movement of men is just one of the aspects that can be discovered about our ancestors’ lives through Masonic Lodge records: well worth delving into if there are Lodge members in your families.

Of the four old Lodges which met at the Apple Tree Tavern and formed themselves into the first Grand Lodge, No. 2—that at the Crown Ale House—lapsed about 1736. The three remaining lodges maintained a continuous existence, preserving their identity intact (as No. 1), or in amalgamation with other Lodges (Nos.3 and 4), so that their descendants of today are now the Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2 (the original No. 1, the Lodge at the Goose and Gridiron), the Lodge of Fortitude and old Cumberland, No. 12 (the original No. 3, the Lodge at the Apple Tree), and the Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge, No. 4 (the original No. 4, the Lodge at the Rummer and Grapes). Free entry to London's best buildings» Open City". www.openhouselondon.org.uk . Retrieved 8 January 2019. Before the unification of the Grand Lodges to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813, Palatine Lodge was a member of the Premier Grand Lodge (the Moderns) which pre-dated the Antient Grand Lodge (the Antients) by 34 years.

Genealogical Value

The Lodge is one of the 50 oldest in the UK and was consecrated on 14 January 1757, [5] [6] by John Thornhill, [7] Worshipful Master of Phoenix Lodge No 94, which had been consecrated 14 months previously. John Lane was a Masonic historian who first published his magnum opus Masonic Records in 1886, the work being a listing of all the lodges formed under the English Grand Lodges (both Antient and Modern), including the numbers and various locations of the lodges, from 1717 to 1886. Lane collected information from a variety of sources; Grand Lodge registers, minute books, Grand Lodge Proceedings, Warrants and Warrant Books, engraved lists, Masonic calendars, various lodge histories and various lodge minute books. The book was later revised in an updated edition to include lodges up to 1894. Freemasonry was growing fast in the later Victorian period.

From these earliest times masonry combined the mysteries of mathematics, geometry, architecture, and all aspects of labour both physical and managerial, to create a professional building trade that those outside the industry would envy. A general assembly of masons at the City of York in 926 resulting in the adoption of a constitution. Much of this original constitution is believed to have been incorporated in the later Regius Poem. Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England, March 1838. London, England: United Grand Lodge of England. 1838. www.grandlodgescotland.com (Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Lodge of Scotland represents Freemasons working under the Scottish Constitution since 1736) https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/lodge-family-tree (Museum of Freemasonry: Lodge Family Tree Charts: Search the histories of individual lodges of England and Wales up to 2019)

Contents

VW Bro Sir Ralph (Noel) Milbanke (1747 –1825), British MP, landowner, Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Durham, father-in-law of Lord Byron and grandfather of the Mathematician Lady Ada Lovelace [19]