Ad00902

^^^^^p^^a23 GREAT QUEEN STREET , W . C .

Records Of Extinct Lodges.

RECORDS OF EXTINCT LODGES .

— : o : — THE MARINERS' LODGE , No . 570 , SELBT . BY BRO . T . B . WHYTEHEAD .

SOME time ago I placed before yonr readers an account of the extinct Lodge once held at the Punch Bowl Inn , at York . I now have much pleasure in giving a sketch of the career of tho Mariners' Lodge , at Selby , near York—a Lodge whioh existed apparently less than twenty years , bnt which during that period did a good deal of work . Its minntes are now in the safe custody of the St . Germain's Lodge , No . 566 , at Selby , and I am indebted to the

courtesy of the Worshipfnl Master and Secretary of that Lodge for the privilege of examining them thoroughly . The Minute-Book is in excellent preservation , and has on the first page a form of summons issued by the Lodge . Below this is the following entry : — " In the making , after the prayer in Preston's Illustrations , last

chapter in 2 nd Thessalonians to be read previous to the obligation . In the 2 nd Degree wo read the 13 th chapter 1 st Corinthians , and in tbe 3 rd Degree 13 th Hebrews , all previous to the obligation . " The first minute records the constitution of the Lodge , which took place on the 7 th of June 1799 . The ceremony was performed by four brethren of the Union Lodge at York ( now the York Lodge ,

236 ) , and Bro . Hardisty , of the now extinct Apollo Lodge , who were appointed by the Provincial Grand Master for the purpose . Five or six brethren of Selby were also present . Having read their authority , whioh was signed by Bro . J . Watson , on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master , the "deputation" constituted the Lodge , and "dedicated it to Holy St . John the Baptist , to Freemasonry ,

Virtue , and Universal Charity and Benevolence . " An Oration was given by Bro . Lund , the Secretary . The First Lecture was given by a second brother , the Second Lecture by Bro . Lund , and the third by a Past Master of the Union Lodge . A ballot was taken for a Worshipful Master , and Bro . A . Shepherd was chosen . "The health of the W . M . Elect was drank with Masonic Hononrs , and he

was duly invested with the insignia of his office , " ancl proceeded to appoint his Officers : —E . Aspinall S . W ., Joseph Sawyer J . W ., John Sawyer Secretary , and T . Winter Senior Steward . These having been invested , " the charges were given . " On the 12 th of the same month an emergency meeting was held , when Bro . John Sawyer was appointed Treasurer , and a candidate

was proposed . I may here mention that in all cases the ballot for candidates was taken in the third degree . On the 21 st August 1799 it is recorded that the J . W . acted as W . M . in the absence of the latter , and on the 28 th of the same month the same thing occurred , when two candidates were initiated and passed by him .

On the 20 th November " it was ordered that the Master shall apply for a constitution for this Lodge , " and " harmony prevailed until Bro . Joseph Sawyer J . W . came into the Lodge in a very abrupt and insulting manner to the Order of Masonry , and particularly to the Worshipful Master , whereupon the Lodge was closed . " On the 21 st November an "Emergency and Inquiry Apprentice Lodge was

opened , and it was resolved that the conduct of Sawyer was reprehensible . Accordingly the Apprentice Lodge was closed , and a Master Masons' Lodge was opened , and Sawyer was " unanimously expelled , '' and the Secretary -was ordered to wait on him and inform him of this unpleasant circumstance , and " return him the money he had advanced ; " also to inform Bro . E . Peck , the W . M . of the Union Lodge , at York , and also the Lodge at Wakefield .

On the 4 th December 1799 , Bro . A . Shepherd was re-elected Master . About this time the members seemed to have formed a Masonic Benefit Society for the relief of their own distressed members . Members joining it were regularly proposed and balloted tor , and it was quite distinct from the Lodge Funds . In April 1800 wo . J . Staniland was appointed by the W . M . as Provincial Steward » or the Lodge , and in May , of the same year , a Lodge of Instruction was formed .

On June 21 , 1800 , Bro . E . Aspinall was elected W . M ., and an emergeney meeting was held to celebrate " the festival of our fpatron at . John the Baptist . " On that occasion " an apprentice Lodge waa opened , when E . Aspinall appointed himself to the chair in the abfence of onr late W . M . A . Shepherd , and installed his officers . " A Mother was then " exalted " to "the 3 rd or Sublime decree . " The terms " passed , " " raised , " and "exalted , " were at this time used

indiscriminatel y . On the 3 rd July the W . M . " requested the opinion of the Brethren ejecting the proper chairs for the Lodge being procured , which were unanimousl y ordered to be procured . " shni ? ° ber of this year ifc was resol , red that in future elections fall T J * be by ballot - " a 11 candiclates to bo publickly announced in inrf » u and the assent or foment of tho brethren taken accord-S y » but in November this resolution was rescinded , and the ballot

Records Of Extinct Lodges.

was again adopted , " as tho other method was not according to Masonio rules . " The Mariners' Lodgo was staunchly loyal , for I find that in October 1800 " Mr . George Bennett was ballotted for and unanimously approved of , provided he recanted from his former political principles and promised duo ulU > "iaaeo to tho King awl the laws aud

coustitutiouaof theso realmes . " Mr . Bennett is described as a " Uatt maker . At this meeting the " lecture was given by Bro . T . Dickinson , who afterwards gave the Apprentice Song . " At the following meeting " Mr . R . Bill and Mr . G . Bennett were initiated into the Miskories of Masonry in this Lodge in tho first degree , or that of an apprentice , having first declared that they will pay due allegiance to King

George the Third aud tho laws and Constitutions of these Realmes . " On the 19 th of the same mouth several brethren were raised to the third degree , and the " Floor Cloth was explained . " It was at the same meeting ordered that Bro . Garbutt make " the passage of tho staircase properly secure from coeins . " The meetings were held throughout at the Bose and Crown Inn .

On 7 th January 1801 Bro . J . Conlmao , Treasurer , took the chair for the ensuing year . At the February meeting a visiting Brother Chambers " proposed himself" to be a member of the Lodge , and was accepted . At the April meeting it was " resolved that Bros . Garbutt and Dickinson be requested to go over to York in order to receive

instruction in the 3 rd degree , and their expenses will bo defrayed by the Lodge . " On tho 18 th November 1801 Bro . Conlman was re-elected , by scroll , to the chair , ancl on the Kith December the Junior Warden was also elected by scroll , the only instance on the minutes . In February 1802 fees for registration in Grand Lodge were paid by the brethren

in consequence of a communication received from Bro . W . White Grand Secretary . At the next meeting a letter was read from Bro , Hartley , Secretary of the St . George ' s Lodge of East York Militia , notifying the expulsion of a brother for fraudulent conduct . In December 1820 the Lodge had enrolled 45 members , and Bro . Coulman waa again re-elected to the chair , out of six brethren , who were

eligible . On the 7 th August 1803 a letter was read from Bro . Teally , W . M . of the Minerva Lodge , Hull , stating that two brethren had been expelled the Lodge for intoxication . It was resolved to send a letter of thanks for the information to the Minerva Lodge , and a hope was expressed that " the same will act as a caution to the brethren of the Mariners' Lodge . " In December 1803 Bro . Thos . Foster waa

elected W . M ., and accordingly afc the December meeting , " Bro . Coulman divested himself of the badge of his office , and also divested all the other officers of the different orders of their offices . Bro . T . Foster was then duly exalted to the chair , and invested with the pass and chair word , and jewel of his office . The R . W . M . then duly invested our last Master his P . Master . " Two Wardens , Senior

and Junior Stewards , and a Tyler were also appointed and invested , bufc no other officers are mentioned . Bro . Foster seems to have been somewhat remiss in his duties during his term , and on the 1 st December 1804 Bro . Coulman was re-elected to the chair . In March 1805 ifc was resolved thafc the members should pay a weekly subscription of a shilling a piece for the State Lottery , and

ifc was proposed that some of the Lodge Funds should be appropriated to the same purpose . This proposal , however , seems to have fallen through . A letter was read from Bro . W . Dignan , Secretary of the Masonio Charity for Female Children , and ifc was agreed to subscribe a guinea to thafc Institution . In December 1805 Bro . Conlman was again re-elected Master , and it was resolved to purchase for the Lodge proper candlesticks ,

canopies for the chairs , and two globes . The following December Bro . Coulman was once more placed in the chair . The last minute is dated Sept . 2 , 1807 , when we are informed thafc a Masters' Lodge was opened by Bro . C . Garbutt W . M ., but there was no business . The Lodge , however , did nob then cease to hold meetings , for I find in the Treasurer ' s cash-book , whioh is also preserved , entries for payments of Lodge expenses as late as July

6 , 1814 . Amongst these cash entries are one or two items worth noting : — £ s d 1801 . Bro . Peck for Masonic Almanack - - - - 0 1 6 Paid Travelling Turk 0 10 1802 . Apl . 7 . Sashes for Eoyal Arch - - - - 3 11 9 ( There is no other allusion to the Royal Arch ) , Jul y . 7 . Paid Ringers , Clark , & Saxton- - - 0 16 0 Sep . 1 . St . John's Musick men , Bro . Barkers - 110 1803 . July 6 . Three banners from Bro . Brooksbank - 13 14 4 Oct . 6 . A glass for Constitution - - - 0 12 0 1804 . June 6 . Attending the Volunteers coming from Malton 2 3 6 1806 . Nov . 5 . Attending Provincial Lodge at York - 9 8 9 $

One at least of the Secretaries of the Mariners' Lodge must have been unusually illiterate , for the spelling is occasionally marvellous —for instance , " seckerterrey , " " prevenshall , " " lodgnite , " " sallery . " The Lodge members were gathered from all classes , and I find

clergy of the Established Church , attorneys , surgeons , gentlemen , tradesmen , and a large proportion of mariners on the register . Amongst the Visitors to the Lodge at various times were many from the Union Lodge at York , No . 331 , as well as from the St . George's Lodge , East York Militia , No . 356 . I also

find—16 July 1800 . J . Prince , from No . 28 , Ancient Masons Lodge , Cork . 3 Sep . 1800 . G . Trueraan , from Lion Lodge , Whitby . 3 Dec . 1800 . Bro . Smallpage , from Fidelity Lodge , Leeds , No . 512 . 4 Feb . 1801 . R . Chambers , from Jacob ' s Lodge , Ramsgate .

Bro . Townsend , from Philanthropic Lodge , Leeds , No . 542 . 5 Sept . 1804 . Bro . Pindar , from Lodge 549 , Halifax . 1 Aug . 1804 . Bro . Dibb , from Minerva Lodge , Hull . Bro . Badbey , from No . 7 , Woolwich .