History Of Freemasonry In Lei Cestershire And Rutland.

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN LEI CESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

IT is a great feature in the present generation of Freemasons , and one on which they are most heartily to be congratulated , that the desire for a knowledge of the history of our Society is assuming rapidly such very considerable proportions . This is evidenced by the increased

number of Masonic historical sketches . Some of those containing accounts of different Lodges we have already noticed , and we purpose now directing our attention to one which gives a clear and succinct history of the Craft in one of our Provinces . It is the work of one who speaks with

authority ; indeed , there is no one who \ s more competent than he is as to this particular Province . It was published some few years since , and to a certain extent it must be

known among Craftsmen ; but it is possible that this knowledge does not extend much beyond the limits of the province of which he writes . We have , therefore , thought it well to give in these columns a resume of the contents of this

eminently interesting sketch . It is by Bro . Kelly , P . P . G . M . of the Province , than whom , as we have already said , no one is more capable—both from the many high positions he has held , and also from the deep interest he has invariably taken in the doings of the Craft—to write a sketch of this character .

As in the case of nearly every Province in England , the early history of Freemasonry in Leicestershire and Rutland is veiled in the greatest obscurity . It seems that on the 7 th December 1739 , a Lodge was constituted as No . 170 , to meet at the Wheat Sheaf , Leicester , but beyond the bare

record of its constitution , nothing whatever is known of its history . It is not in a printed list of Lodges brought down to 19 th April 1763 , the No . 170 there given being Evangelist ' s Lodge at Antigua , constituted 10 th November 1753 , and from this circumstance Bro . Kelly surmises that the

Lodge had a very brief existence . The next we read of is derived from Cole ' s list of Lodges for 1767 , and is to the following effect : — " No . 197 ( figure of a Pelican ) Leicester , first and third Thursday , 21 st August 1754 . " The only additional information we have of this Lodge is to the effect

that in 1 / 68 , " Several years letters returned . No Lodge . " This , then , had perhaps , an even briefer existence than the first . The next reference to Freemasonry in Leicester is found in the Leiceeter and Nottingham Journal of 7 th May 1763 , in an account of the rejoicings at Leicester , on the 5 th

of the month , in connection with the day of Thanksgiving for the peace with France . On that occasion , the High Sheriff of the County , the Mayor and Aldermen of the town , and the rest of the corporation went in procession

through the town , and among the bodies which accompanied them were " Two Lodges of the most ancient , honourable , friendly and agreeable fraternity of the free and accepted Masons . " The Order of Procession is given in Bro . Kelly ' s sketch , and we quote it accordingly : —

" 1 st . The Tyler , with his sword and jewel . " Two present Masters of Lodges with their proper jewels , each bearing , in their left hands , the bible , compass and square belonging to each Lodge , and , in the right hand , each a common gavil . " Three late Masters , with their proper jewels , each bearing , in

their left hand , their authority from the Grand Lodge , with book of Constitutions , rules , and orders , & c , & c . " Two Senior and two Junior Wardens , with their jewels and columns of their Order in their right hands .

" Two Secretaries , with their jewels , & c . " Tbe other Tyler , with his sword and jewel , as above . "AU elegantly dressed , according to the formality , and kept up with exactness and decorum peculiar to thoir Ancient Order . "

History Of Freemasonry In Lei Cestershire And Rutland.

One of these Lodges , Bro . Kelly says , " was undoubtedly No . 91 , as the writer possesses the Grand Lodge Certificate of Bro . William Licqnorich , a member of the Lodge , dated the tenth day of September , 1764 , " and then he goes on to describe its character and dimensions , adding " It is in the

beautiful handwi'iting , and bears the signature of the celebrated Lawrence Dermott , Past D . G . M . and G . Sec . ( the author of the Ahiman Rezon ) , and has the seal of the Grand Lodgo of the Ancient Masons affixed , the device being the Square and Compasses , surmounted by a dagger within a circle ,

inscribed with the motto , ' Virtue and Silence , Grand Lodge of London . ' " We learn further respecting this Lodge that not only did it work the three Craft degrees , " but also the Mark and Arch Mariners , the Royal Arch , the ' Super

Excellent , ' and the Knights Templars , and other chivalric degrees . " Bro . Kelly has its seals for the various degrees in his possession , but the records are unfortunately lost , and consequently there is no chance of obtaining any definite information as to its career . The records of the

Grand Lodge do not contain even the date of its formation , but they stated the first Master was Robert Gray , and Sampson Skidmore and Thomas Phipps the first Senior and Junior Wardens respectively . The Lodge became dormant after a time , but was revived in 1775 , when

Bro . William Bnrley was W . M ., and it met" at the Leather Bottle or elsewhere in Leicester . " It figured as No . 114 on the revision oE numbers in 1814 , at which time it met at the George Inn , bnt having made no return to Grand Lodge , it was erased in 1821 .

Another of the Lodges , formerly known as No . 47 , and now as the " Knights of Malta , " No . 50 , Hinckley , was constituted in 1764 , its warrant , which bears date the 30 th January of that year , having been granted by the Earl of Kelly , Grand Master of the Ancient , or as they were

subsequently called the Athole , Masons . This Lodge , however , was originally held in Macclesfield , and it was not till the year 1803 that the warrant , as Bro . Kelly informs us , was " transferred to sundry brothers to convene at Hiuckly , in Leicestershire , at such house and upon such times as may be most convenient . "

In the year 1774 a deputation was granted by the then Grand Master , Lord Petre , to Sir Thomas Fowke , Knt ., Groom of the Chamber to H . R . H , the Duke of Cumberland , brother of George the Third , appointing him to

preside over the destinies of the Craft in the Province . On 31 st August 1776 , there was , according to the Leicester Journal , a Masonic funeral , and Bro . Kelly has extracted tho following particulars from that journal , which we have thought it well to reproduce : —

"On Sunday meming , August 25 fch , died , at his bouse in this town . Mr . Thomas Brown , worsted maker . Ho was a member of the Honourable and Ancient Society of Free and Accepted Masons . His brethren , as a mark of their esteem , attended the funeral , and pre . ceded the corpse to AU Saints' Church ; thev were all dressed in

deep mourning , adorned with their jewels , and in the uniform and regalia of their Order . The greatest concourse of people we ever remember to have seen on such an occasion attended the procession , which was very well conducted , and made in the following order : — " 1 st . —The Tyler of the Lodge , with his sword of office .

" 2 nd . —Two Wardens , with their columns and ensigns of office . " 3 rd . —Two senior brethren , with a cushion supporting the bible , square and compass . " 4 th . —The Master , with the ensigns of his office .

" 5 th . —The Past Masters . " 6 th . —The Secretary , with his ensigns . " The rest of the brethren walking two-and-two , according to seniority , and followed by the Deacons with their black wanda . Six Master Masons supported tbe pall . " About this time many representatives of county families