The Library And Museum Of The Grand Lodge Of England.

now known as the Committee Room , was reserved as a Library and Reading Room , and the corresponding room on the Tavern side of the main entrance was to serve as a Coffee Room . A new book-case was made—one being deemed ample

for all the books then in the Library—daily papers , Masonic periodicals , and writing materials were provided , and a subscription of One Guinea per annum was fixed for the use of the two rooms .

JwlnumirS j Qncx- . U / U — — - ' 7 z £ Notwithstanding eloquent and frequent appeals from the Chairman of the Buildings Committee ( John Havers ) , the

scheme failed for want of support . Not more than thirty brethren , including officials of the Grand Lodge , and of the charitable institutions , paid the first year ' s subscription , and only three of these continued for another year . The money received being insufficient to cover expenses , the attempt was ,

for the time being , abandoned . In 186 9 , the first printed catalogue of books in the Grand Lodge Library was prepared under the supervision of a member of the Board of General Purposes . We use the word catalogue because it is so described on the title page , but it

was merely a list of books in alphabetical order , having neither size , press mark , nor locality indicated , so that as a catalogue it was of no value whatever . And as many of the works are entered several times under different heads , it is somewhat difficult to compute the exact number , roughly speaking , there would probably be between three and four hundred volumes .

Such was the condition of things , when , in 18 79 , the present writer was appointed Grand Tyler , with a residence on the Grand Lodge premises , and was thus enabled to devote his spare time to Library work . As already stated , the first annual grant of £ 25 from

the Grand Lodge was made in 1880 , and from this period may be dated the resuscitation of the Library and the foundation of a Masonic Museum . At the Grand Lodge in June , 188 7 , the following recommendation was made by the Board of General Purposes

and carried unanimously : — ' The Board have to report that there being at present no complete Catalogue of the Library of Grand Lodge , they have arranged for one to be

prepared as soon as possible , and that in order to accommodate Brethren who may desire to make use of the Library in the evening , the Board propose that it shall remain open on Mondays and Thursdays until 10 o'clock p . m ., and on other days by arrangement . The Board recommend that Brother Henry

Sadler , Grand Tyler , be appointed Sub-Librarian , under the Grand Secretary , in addition to his other duties , with a salary of . ^ 20 a year , in order to carry out the proposed arrangements . " In the following year ( 1888 ) the first real catalogue ol "

the Grand Lodge Library was printed , and a copy sent free to every Lodge under the Grand Lodge of England . In December , 1892 , on the recommendation of the Board , the Grand Lodge agreed to increase the annual grant for the Library from £ 25 to . £ 50 , and at the regular meeting ol "

the Supreme Grand Chapter in November , 1903 , that body resolved to contribute a like amount annually towards the expenses of the Library and Museum . We will now endeavour to show the beneficial results of the liberality of the governing bodies , first premising , that in 1893 , the salary of the Sub-Librarian was increased to £ 40

per annum . In 18 94 , owing to the large increase of books , both by gift and purchase , a new catalogue was found necessary , and the writer being conceited enough to think he could improve on the original , set to work , and bv the following year a supplementary catalogue was completed and in print , but

strange to say the supplement is about double the size of the original , the former extending to 94 pages octavo , while the latter only numbers 4 8 pages . This is not due , alone , to the growth of the Library , but to a more careful classification , and the fact that every book is entered at least twice , i . e ., under

the name of the author and also under the subject of the work . If the full title of every book were given , it would , of course , entail much more labour and a corresponding increase in the cost of production . What is known as a " Dictionary Catalogue " has hitherto been deemed sufficient

MASONIC . l _ . \ VI- _ r _ CASK . Prevented In llenint l . tnlife bij the lliike of Hieltiuoitil in /" - ¦» . for our purpose , although another new catalogue is now badly wanted , the books having very much increased since the last one was printed . The small room appropriated for

Library purposes being found quite inadequate , and no space whatever for a museum , when the leases of the houses , Nos . 57 and 5 8 , in Great Queen Street expired in 18 9 8 , it was decided to utilise a portion of the site for the erection of a new Library . The Grand Superintendent of Works ( Henry L . Florence ) , therefore designed a handsome and commodious room , suitable in every way for both Library and Museum .