The Duke Of Atholl, K.T.

firstly of Preston , and then of thc far more formidable Dunckerley , been in the slightest degree effectual in shaking his attachment to , and respect for , the Society under whose auspices he had obtained his first insight into the principles and tenets of tho venerable Craft . However , his resignation of office caused only a temporary embarrassment to our "Ancient" brethren , who lost no time in seeking the

patronage and support of some other noble personage , their efforts being ultimately rewarded by the acceptance of the Grand Mastership by Randal , Earl , afterwards Marquis of Antrim , who , had twice previously been G . Master of Ireland ( in 1773 and 1779 ) , and who remained at the head of thc Ancient G . Lodge of England from 1783 to 1791 . On tho 10 th of August , in thc latter year , a special meeting

of G . Lodge was held , under tho presidency of Bro . Agar , Dep . G . Master , on whom devolved the melancholy duty of announcing thc death of the Grand Master , the Marquis of Antrim . Thereupon , on motion duly made and seconded , it was unanimously resolved " that the Most Noble and Rt . Worshipful the Duke of Atholl , Grand Master , be requested to do the Fraternity thc high honour of accepting the

office of Giand Master , and it was further agreed that thc Dep . G . M . and Past Dep . G . M . Dickey " should wait on His Grace to this effect , if in town , or if not , write to him . " At the usual period , in the September following , it was again unanimously resolved that the Duke bo requested to preside over the Fraternity during the j * car 1792 , and at the communication , on 7 th Dec , 1791 , a reply from his

Grace , dated " Isle of Man , Sept . 30 , 1791 , " to a letter of Dep . G . M . Agar , was read , in which he acknowledges the honour the Ancient Craft had done him in again choosing him as their Grand Master , and adds : " I beg leave to assure them that I shall do whatever is in my power at any time to promote the Interest of Masonry according to the Old Institution . " On the following St . John ' s Day—27 th of the same month—the Duke was installed—we presume by proxy , as

he was not at Grand Lodge—and a letter was read from Bro . W . Mason , G . Secretary of Scotland , in which he congratulated "the Ancients " on the Duke ' s re-acceptance of office , while on the 30 th January , 1792 , the Duke did the fraternity the honour of attending and being again solemly installed as G . Master . On this occasion Bro . Thos . Corker , Dep . G . Secretary of Ireland , tendered his congratulations on the auspicious event .

From this time forward until towards the close of the year 1813 , when he resigned , and was succeeded by H . R . H . the Duke of Kent , his Grace was annually re-elected , and , as during his previous tenure of the office , manifested on all occasions his love of , and regard for , tho Ancient Craft . From time to time also ho attended G . Lodge and took that part in tho proceedings which

pertained to his exalted position . His earliest experience , on resuming his duties , was not altogether an agreeable one , a complaint having been forwarded to him concerning what the aggrieved brother regarded as an irregularity in the election of G . Officers on the 3 rd Septr , 1793 , for thc ensuing year . The difficulty , however , was adjusted by a Committee of Grand and

Past G . Officers , with seven loyal Masters of Lodges appointed for thc purpose , and thc aggrieved brother—William Hockaday—who had been properly elected J . G . Warden , was conlirmed , and shortly afterwards installed in that office . In 1794 , Bro . Dickey succeeded Bro . Agar as his Grace ' s Deputy , and retained the position until his death in tho latter half of 1800 , the only event that is worth

recording during these years being the passing in 1799 of the Act of Parliament for thc suppression of Secret Societies , a Special Clause exempting Freemasons from the operation of the Act being inserted —as regards the " Ancient" G . Lodge , through the exertions of the Duke in his place in Parliament . At a meeting of Grand Lodge on thc 6 th May of that year , his Grace was present and was

recommended to inhibit and suppress " all public Masonic Processions , and all private Meetings of Masons , of Lodges of Emergency upon any pretence whatsoever , and to suppress and suspend" all but the regular stated Lodge Meetings , and Royal Arch Chapter . At thc Communications on the 5 th June and 5 th September respectively , resolutions of thanks were unanimously passed to thc Grand Master

The Duke Of Atholl, K.T.

for his services in respect of the Act , the terms of the two being almost identical , though the second which Ave quote in full is the more ample of the two : " Resolved Unanimously that the Thanks of this R . W . Grand Lodge be given to the Most Noble Prince John , Duke of Atholl , etc ., etc ., R . W .. Grand Master , for his very sincere , uniform , and unremitting attention to the Honor and Interest of the

Ancient Craft , and particularly for his care and attendance during the progress of the Bill lately pending in Parliament , by whose exertions alone the Ancient Free Masons of this Kingdom are Indebted for the privilege and benefit of holding their Meetings in conformity to thc Rules and Orders of the said Fraternity , and that the same be fairly transcribed and transmitted to his Grace in the most respectful mannei \"

On the death of Bro . Dickey , the Duke appointed Bro . Thomas Harper to succeed him as Dep . G . Master , and on the 5 th March , 1801 , that brother was formally installed in office , and retained it not only during the remainder of his Grace ' s G . Mastership , but until tho union of the " Ancients " and " Moderns " in December , 1813 . In 1801 the Duke made a contribution to the funds of the

" Masonic Charity for Cloathing and Educating the Sons of Ancient Freemasons according to thc Old Institutions , " and was graciously pleased to extend to it his patronage . For a few years , however , with the exception of an occasional attendance at Grand Lodge , we do not meet with any reference to the Duke of any moment until 1807 , and then in thc Minutes of G . Lodge of the 4 th March of that

year , in which wc find it was ordered " that a Petition be presented " to him " praying his Grace would be graciously pleased to reinstate the Craft in one of their Ancient Privileges , which they did enjoy from time Immemorial , until within the last eight years , namely , that of attending in One body in Procession on Saint John ' s day ( the Baptist ' s ) to Church , to hear Divine Service , and a Sermon preached to them

by their Grand Chaplain . Likewise to attend the Funeral of every respectable Brother who may have desired the same prior to his death . " On tho 3 rd June , the Deputy G . Master reported that he had had an interview with the Duke , and laid before him the Memorial , but that his Grace had explained that consistently with the pledge which he , in conjunction with other members of the

Fraternity in both Houses of Parliament , —had given with a view to preventing the " penalties of the Act ( 1799 ) from operating against the Society , " he could not concur with the prayer of the Memorial , but that he would meet thc Fraternity and celebrate St . John ' s Festival with them at Dinner at the Crown and Anchor , and further confer with them on tho subject . Accordingly

on tho 24 th June , his Grace presided in Grand Lodge , and when ho had stated and explained his reasons for not complying with the Petition , Grand Lodge was closed , and thc brethren dined together under his presidency . In the course of thc proceedings the Duke congratulated the Fraternity on the increasing prosperity , of the Institution arising from their strict , quiet , and ostentatious adherence

to the genuine principles of tho Ancient Craft , which must assuredly preserve its ascendancy over all innovation . His Grace signified in the most cordial manner his intention of attending this meeting as frequent as his residence in town would permit him , and the day was spent in that conviviality * , good order , and brotherly love so highly characteristic of every real Alason . " But notwithstanding , this

Procession and Feast on St . John the Baptist ' s Day were revived in 1808 , the resolutions of May , 1799 , which placed it in tho power of the G . Master to " inhibit and prevent" all such gatherings having first been rescinded . In June , 1809 , the minutes record that tho Deputy G . Master had received sundry letters from his Grace in which he expressed regret that his detention in Scotland prevented him

attending G . Lodge , and at the same time enclosing a donation of £ 10 fo the Masonic School . In 1810 were commenced the negotiations for a Union of the two Societies under thc Prince of Wales and the Duke of Atholl respectively on terms equal and honourable to both , and his Grace presided in person at a Grand Lodge of Emergency held on tho 1 st May , when the principles upon which the Ancients were prepared to enter into a union were very clearly

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CITYOFLONDONTRUSSSOCIETY 35 , FIBTSBTTI-rsr SQUARE , B . C . INSTITUTED 180 7 . Patron—H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , K . G . TIIB . VSUKKK—JOHN NORBURY , Esq . BANKERS—LLOYDS' BANK , LIMITED , 72 , Lombard Street . The OIIJECT OK Tins CHAI'ITV is to gratuitously relieve Poor Ruptured Persons , recommended by Governors , by furnishing Trusses for every kind of Rupture , and Bandages and necessary Instruments I ' or all cases of Prolapsus , and by performing every necessary operation . About 10 , 000 Sufferers are annually supplied with the Instruments required for their relief in and from all parts of the United Kingdom . SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOCIETY OVER HALF A MILLION PATIENTS HAVE BEEN BENEFITED . Additional Funds arc greatly needed to meet the increasing demands on the Charily . Premises , recently enlarged , now provide a long-needed separate entrance and wailing-room for female patients , aud there is a female attendant fur them . AN ANNUAL Si'iiSCiuniON OK GNU GUINEA entitles to Four Letters of Recommendation . A LIKE SUIISCIUITION OK FIVE GUINEAS entitles to Two Letters annually ; and TEN GUINEAS , Four Letters . Donations , Subscriptions and Bequests are earnestly solicited , and will be gratefully received by the Bankers , LLOVDS' BANK- , Limited , 72 , Lombard Street ; or by the Secretary , at the Offices of the Society . JOHN WHITTINGTON . Secretary . 171 / 179 : FORM OF BEQUEST . — 'I give to Tin ; Cm * OK LONDON Tnuss SOCIKTV , Finsbury Square , London , the sum of free of Legacy Duty , to be paid out of such part of my Estate as I may bequeath to charitable uses , as soon as may be possible after my decease . '