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The Lodge Of The Nine Muses
specting the history of tho Lodge till the year 1814 . Thenceforward he has had the minute books of the Lodgo to consult , aud ho is enabled , thoreforo , to chronicle the principal events that have since happened , as well as to describe the general conduct of tho Lodge , so far as it may be learned from these records . Thus we are told of the
difference between tho Nino Muses ancl the brethren of the Prince of Wales ' s Lodge , in connection with the Candlesticks . Bro . Ruspini , for reasons best known to himself , appears to have quitted tho Muses and joined the Prince of Wales ' s , ancl to have presented to the latter the
candlesticks which Bro . Franco had so generously given about the timo when tho Lodge was constituted . A smart interchange of resolutions took place between the two Lodges , but tho candlesticks were restored to their first owners , and the difference , which Bro . Webb considers to
havo originated in a misapprehension , was at an end . Tho moral he deduces from this episode , namely , that Lodge property should be adequately cared for , will suggest itself to most of our readers . Later , we have mentioned the circumstances attending the temporary loss of the W . M . ' a
jewel . This had been lent to H . R . H . Duke of Sussex , ancl for somo timo mislaid , but it was restored in tho year 1823 , aud the jewel provided as a substitute " seems to have been , " ever since , " devoted to the use of tho immediate Past Masters . " As to what may be called the
vie intime of the Lodge , this appears to havo passed most pleasantly . The meetings were spent in a most agreeable manner , members took an interest in each other ' s welfare , not only within , but likewise outside , the precincts of the Lodge . The summer gatherings , when ladies were present ,
were mostly held at the Star and Garter , Richmond , and were most enjoyable , while benevolence , and a sympathetic ancl liberal regard for the claims of our poor ancl distressed brethren , were duties which the Nine Muses appear to have fulfilled most conscientiously on all occasions . We
agree with Bro . Webb that it is most undesirable for a Lodge to change frequently its place of meeting , nor do the Nine Muses appear to have erred greatly in this respect . They met during the first forty-four years of their existence at the Thatched House Tavern . For the next
forty-three years they met at Freemasons' Tavern , and for the nine years following at the Clarendon Hotel , Bondstreet . In 1873 they removed to St . James ' s Hotel , Piccadilly ; in 1874 , after one meeting at Freemasons ' Tavern , to the Queen ' s Hotel , Cork-street ; and in 1875 to
their present locality , Long ' s Hotel , Bond-street . In the Appendix is given a list , as far as it was possible to com - plete it , of the Worshipful Masters , and in connection with this , the author cites the names of four who have specially contributed to the maintenance of the
Lodge in a state of efficiency during the latter half of the century . Theso are Bro . John Propert , who filled the chair in 1822 , 1823 , 1839 , and 1846 , and was Treasurer for some time ; Bro . Francis Kearsey , W . M . in 1847 , 1848 , ancl 1850 ; Bro . C . B . Claydon , W . M . in 1842 ancl 1849 ,
and Bro . John M . Clabon , whose zeal in the cause of Masonry is so well known and appreciated , who was W . M . in 1863 and 1869 , and likewise fulfilled the duties of Secretary for several years . A transcript of the Centenary warrant , an inventory of the Lodge Jewels , Furniture , and
Books , and a list of the present members , together with a copy of a memorandum on fly-leaf of the earliest Minutebook in possession of the Lodge , complete the contents of the Centeniai sketch . It is to be regretted there were so few materials available , for it is evident , from the manner in
which he has dealt with what existed , that had Bro . Webb been able to trace a connected history of the Lodge , he would have compiled a most interesting narrative . As it is , his fellow admirers of the Sacred Nine are deeply indebted to him for the very able manner in which he has
discharged a self-imposed task . We , too , thank him for the opportunity he has so courteously afforded us of reading his history , and as every little scrap of information relating to the Lodge will doubtless be acceptable to him and to his co-members , we are pleased to be enabled to direct his
attention to an entry in the Freemasons' Calendar for the year 1813 , published under the sanction of Grand Lodge . Therein occurs , at p . 34 , under the head of "Lodges erased for not conforming to the Laws of the Society , or
discontinued on bein g united to other Lodges , since the alteration of the Numbers in 1792 , " the following entry in the year 1796 , " 350 L . of Rural Friendship , united to No . 330 , L . of the Nine Muses . " This union is also mentioned in the Freemasons' Magazine as having been ordered at
The Lodge Of The Nine Muses
the meeting of Grand Lodge on 13 th April 1796 . The words are : " ORDERED , That No . 350 , Lodgo of Rural Friendship , bo discontinued on the List of Lodges , being united to No . 330 , tho Lodge of the Nino Nnses , at the
Thatched-Honso-Tavern , St . James ' s-stroet . " It will also interest him , perhaps , to learn that in the same Freemasons' Calendar aro to be found , in the List of " Officers of the Grand Lodge of England , from its revival , A . D . 1717 , to the present Time , " the following names ,
which occur in Bro . Webb ' s narrative , in the ancient Warrant , or in the record quoted from the Freemasons ' Magazine , 1796 . John Hull , one of the petitioners for the Warrant , and tho 1 st W . M . of tho Lodge was Secretary of tho Board of Grand Stewards for 1773 , ancl Junior G . W .
in 1775 . Thoro is a " Rt . Biggin" among tho Grand Stewards for 1778 , and a Robert Biggin is one of the petitioners . There is a " Dr . Isaac Seqneira " among the G . Stewards in 1777 , and an " Isaac Seqneira M . D . " among the petitioners . Bart . Ruspini was a G . Steward in 1772
ancl G . Sword Bearer from 1791 to the time of his death in 1814 . In the list of members in the extract from the Freemascms' Magazine are entered " Lord Viscount Tamworth , made December 8 th 1778 , " "Earl Ferrers , admitted June 1779 , " "Earl of Effingham , admitted March 15 th ,
1779 , " "the Hon . Washington Shirley , made April 4 th 1782 , " " Hon . William Ward , made 9 th January 1783 , " " Lord Macdonald , admitted 13 th February 1783 , " and " Sir Nicholas Nugent , Bart ., admitted 1785 . " On referring to tho Freemasons' Calendar in question , we find that the " Right
Hon . Viscount Tatnworth " was Senior G . Warden in 1779 , and " the Earl Ferrers " was President of the Board of Grand Stewards in the same year . It should be noted , by the way , that Viscount Tarn worth is the second title of tho Earl Ferrers , and is borne , by courtesy , by his eldest
son , so that if these are severally identical with the Viscount Tamworth and Earl Ferrers named in tho extract , father and son may have been Grand Warden and President of Grand Stewards the same year . But this is not necessarily the case . Referring to the same authority , wo
find " Thomas Howard , Earl of Effingham , " Acting Grand Master 1782-89 ; the " Hon . Washington Shirley "—a relative of the Earl Ferrers aud Viscount Tamworth just mentioned—as Senior G . Warden and President of Board of Grand Stewards in 1783 , ancl Prov . G . Master of Warwickshire
in 1813 ; the " Hon . William Ward , " Senior G . Warden and President of G . Stewards in 1784 ; Lord Macdonald , President of G . Stewards in 1786 , and Senior G . Warden 1787 ; and Sir Nicholas Nugent , President of G . Stewards in 1785 , and Senior G . Warden in 1786 . Of those named
as being officers in 1796 , William Blacksfcono S . W . is among the G . Stewards for 1795 , and there is a " Charles Carpenter " a G . Steward in 1794 , who may be one and tho same with " Charles Carpenter , Esq ., Treasurer . " Lastly , " Sir W . Rawlins , Knt ., " who is referred to specially as one of
the most active and valued members of the Lodge—at all events from 1814 to 1837 , and for how much longer it is impossible to say , as the Minute books are lost—was W . M . from 1814 to 1818 , resigning in the last year , and filled the same office again for the biennial period , 1820-2 . Bro .
Webb further states that he was Treasurer , 1824-35 , and , on the authority of Debrett , that he was knighted in 1802 , in which year he held the office of Sheriff of London ancl Middlesex . On glancing down the list in Freemasons ' Calendar , we find a " Sir William Rawlins" was a G .
Steward in 1798 , and , being marked with an asterisk , that he was a member of G . Stewards' Lodge in 1813 . There is likewise a " Sir William Rawlins" named as Senior Warden in 1802 . We do not say that all we have quoted from the Calendar are identical with those named in Bro .
Webb ' s Record and Appendices , but there is a reasonable degree of probability they are . It should be added , that in the same Calendar , in tho " LIST of SUB - SCRIBERS to the HALL LOAN , agreeable to a Resolution of the GRAND LODGE on 21 st June 1779 " will be found the
following names of members of the Lodge , on tho assumption , of course , that the bearers of the respective names were severally identical with the names quoted by Bro . Webb : — " Earl of Effingham P . A . G . M ., " " Earl
Ferrers P . S . G . W . " — this may possibly be the " Hon . Thomas Shirley , " Senior Grand Warden in 1764 ( or , perhaps , the Hon . Robert Shirley , Senior G . W . 1747-51 ) and Earl Ferrers of 1779 ; "Earl Ferrers P . S . G . W . "—the same perhaps as Viscount Tamworth
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lodge Of The Nine Muses
specting the history of tho Lodge till the year 1814 . Thenceforward he has had the minute books of the Lodgo to consult , aud ho is enabled , thoreforo , to chronicle the principal events that have since happened , as well as to describe the general conduct of tho Lodge , so far as it may be learned from these records . Thus we are told of the
difference between tho Nino Muses ancl the brethren of the Prince of Wales ' s Lodge , in connection with the Candlesticks . Bro . Ruspini , for reasons best known to himself , appears to have quitted tho Muses and joined the Prince of Wales ' s , ancl to have presented to the latter the
candlesticks which Bro . Franco had so generously given about the timo when tho Lodge was constituted . A smart interchange of resolutions took place between the two Lodges , but tho candlesticks were restored to their first owners , and the difference , which Bro . Webb considers to
havo originated in a misapprehension , was at an end . Tho moral he deduces from this episode , namely , that Lodge property should be adequately cared for , will suggest itself to most of our readers . Later , we have mentioned the circumstances attending the temporary loss of the W . M . ' a
jewel . This had been lent to H . R . H . Duke of Sussex , ancl for somo timo mislaid , but it was restored in tho year 1823 , aud the jewel provided as a substitute " seems to have been , " ever since , " devoted to the use of tho immediate Past Masters . " As to what may be called the
vie intime of the Lodge , this appears to havo passed most pleasantly . The meetings were spent in a most agreeable manner , members took an interest in each other ' s welfare , not only within , but likewise outside , the precincts of the Lodge . The summer gatherings , when ladies were present ,
were mostly held at the Star and Garter , Richmond , and were most enjoyable , while benevolence , and a sympathetic ancl liberal regard for the claims of our poor ancl distressed brethren , were duties which the Nine Muses appear to have fulfilled most conscientiously on all occasions . We
agree with Bro . Webb that it is most undesirable for a Lodge to change frequently its place of meeting , nor do the Nine Muses appear to have erred greatly in this respect . They met during the first forty-four years of their existence at the Thatched House Tavern . For the next
forty-three years they met at Freemasons' Tavern , and for the nine years following at the Clarendon Hotel , Bondstreet . In 1873 they removed to St . James ' s Hotel , Piccadilly ; in 1874 , after one meeting at Freemasons ' Tavern , to the Queen ' s Hotel , Cork-street ; and in 1875 to
their present locality , Long ' s Hotel , Bond-street . In the Appendix is given a list , as far as it was possible to com - plete it , of the Worshipful Masters , and in connection with this , the author cites the names of four who have specially contributed to the maintenance of the
Lodge in a state of efficiency during the latter half of the century . Theso are Bro . John Propert , who filled the chair in 1822 , 1823 , 1839 , and 1846 , and was Treasurer for some time ; Bro . Francis Kearsey , W . M . in 1847 , 1848 , ancl 1850 ; Bro . C . B . Claydon , W . M . in 1842 ancl 1849 ,
and Bro . John M . Clabon , whose zeal in the cause of Masonry is so well known and appreciated , who was W . M . in 1863 and 1869 , and likewise fulfilled the duties of Secretary for several years . A transcript of the Centenary warrant , an inventory of the Lodge Jewels , Furniture , and
Books , and a list of the present members , together with a copy of a memorandum on fly-leaf of the earliest Minutebook in possession of the Lodge , complete the contents of the Centeniai sketch . It is to be regretted there were so few materials available , for it is evident , from the manner in
which he has dealt with what existed , that had Bro . Webb been able to trace a connected history of the Lodge , he would have compiled a most interesting narrative . As it is , his fellow admirers of the Sacred Nine are deeply indebted to him for the very able manner in which he has
discharged a self-imposed task . We , too , thank him for the opportunity he has so courteously afforded us of reading his history , and as every little scrap of information relating to the Lodge will doubtless be acceptable to him and to his co-members , we are pleased to be enabled to direct his
attention to an entry in the Freemasons' Calendar for the year 1813 , published under the sanction of Grand Lodge . Therein occurs , at p . 34 , under the head of "Lodges erased for not conforming to the Laws of the Society , or
discontinued on bein g united to other Lodges , since the alteration of the Numbers in 1792 , " the following entry in the year 1796 , " 350 L . of Rural Friendship , united to No . 330 , L . of the Nine Muses . " This union is also mentioned in the Freemasons' Magazine as having been ordered at
The Lodge Of The Nine Muses
the meeting of Grand Lodge on 13 th April 1796 . The words are : " ORDERED , That No . 350 , Lodgo of Rural Friendship , bo discontinued on the List of Lodges , being united to No . 330 , tho Lodge of the Nino Nnses , at the
Thatched-Honso-Tavern , St . James ' s-stroet . " It will also interest him , perhaps , to learn that in the same Freemasons' Calendar aro to be found , in the List of " Officers of the Grand Lodge of England , from its revival , A . D . 1717 , to the present Time , " the following names ,
which occur in Bro . Webb ' s narrative , in the ancient Warrant , or in the record quoted from the Freemasons ' Magazine , 1796 . John Hull , one of the petitioners for the Warrant , and tho 1 st W . M . of tho Lodge was Secretary of tho Board of Grand Stewards for 1773 , ancl Junior G . W .
in 1775 . Thoro is a " Rt . Biggin" among tho Grand Stewards for 1778 , and a Robert Biggin is one of the petitioners . There is a " Dr . Isaac Seqneira " among the G . Stewards in 1777 , and an " Isaac Seqneira M . D . " among the petitioners . Bart . Ruspini was a G . Steward in 1772
ancl G . Sword Bearer from 1791 to the time of his death in 1814 . In the list of members in the extract from the Freemascms' Magazine are entered " Lord Viscount Tamworth , made December 8 th 1778 , " "Earl Ferrers , admitted June 1779 , " "Earl of Effingham , admitted March 15 th ,
1779 , " "the Hon . Washington Shirley , made April 4 th 1782 , " " Hon . William Ward , made 9 th January 1783 , " " Lord Macdonald , admitted 13 th February 1783 , " and " Sir Nicholas Nugent , Bart ., admitted 1785 . " On referring to tho Freemasons' Calendar in question , we find that the " Right
Hon . Viscount Tatnworth " was Senior G . Warden in 1779 , and " the Earl Ferrers " was President of the Board of Grand Stewards in the same year . It should be noted , by the way , that Viscount Tarn worth is the second title of tho Earl Ferrers , and is borne , by courtesy , by his eldest
son , so that if these are severally identical with the Viscount Tamworth and Earl Ferrers named in tho extract , father and son may have been Grand Warden and President of Grand Stewards the same year . But this is not necessarily the case . Referring to the same authority , wo
find " Thomas Howard , Earl of Effingham , " Acting Grand Master 1782-89 ; the " Hon . Washington Shirley "—a relative of the Earl Ferrers aud Viscount Tamworth just mentioned—as Senior G . Warden and President of Board of Grand Stewards in 1783 , ancl Prov . G . Master of Warwickshire
in 1813 ; the " Hon . William Ward , " Senior G . Warden and President of G . Stewards in 1784 ; Lord Macdonald , President of G . Stewards in 1786 , and Senior G . Warden 1787 ; and Sir Nicholas Nugent , President of G . Stewards in 1785 , and Senior G . Warden in 1786 . Of those named
as being officers in 1796 , William Blacksfcono S . W . is among the G . Stewards for 1795 , and there is a " Charles Carpenter " a G . Steward in 1794 , who may be one and tho same with " Charles Carpenter , Esq ., Treasurer . " Lastly , " Sir W . Rawlins , Knt ., " who is referred to specially as one of
the most active and valued members of the Lodge—at all events from 1814 to 1837 , and for how much longer it is impossible to say , as the Minute books are lost—was W . M . from 1814 to 1818 , resigning in the last year , and filled the same office again for the biennial period , 1820-2 . Bro .
Webb further states that he was Treasurer , 1824-35 , and , on the authority of Debrett , that he was knighted in 1802 , in which year he held the office of Sheriff of London ancl Middlesex . On glancing down the list in Freemasons ' Calendar , we find a " Sir William Rawlins" was a G .
Steward in 1798 , and , being marked with an asterisk , that he was a member of G . Stewards' Lodge in 1813 . There is likewise a " Sir William Rawlins" named as Senior Warden in 1802 . We do not say that all we have quoted from the Calendar are identical with those named in Bro .
Webb ' s Record and Appendices , but there is a reasonable degree of probability they are . It should be added , that in the same Calendar , in tho " LIST of SUB - SCRIBERS to the HALL LOAN , agreeable to a Resolution of the GRAND LODGE on 21 st June 1779 " will be found the
following names of members of the Lodge , on tho assumption , of course , that the bearers of the respective names were severally identical with the names quoted by Bro . Webb : — " Earl of Effingham P . A . G . M ., " " Earl
Ferrers P . S . G . W . " — this may possibly be the " Hon . Thomas Shirley , " Senior Grand Warden in 1764 ( or , perhaps , the Hon . Robert Shirley , Senior G . W . 1747-51 ) and Earl Ferrers of 1779 ; "Earl Ferrers P . S . G . W . "—the same perhaps as Viscount Tamworth