The Province Of Durham.

The Province of Durham .

TT 7 E have some A'aluable and most suggestive links between \/ y operative and speculatiA-e Freemasonry in the Province of Durham , so remarkable , in fact , that 1 doubt if another province is so favourably circumstanced . There are IAVO lodges on the roll Avhich Avere at work for many years before obtaining regular constitution by the Grand Lodge of

England , one of which probably dates back to the 17 th century , and the other assembled without any warrant from 1738 to 1763 , when a charter was granted its members by the Earl of Ferrers , the M . W . G . M .

THE EARL OF DURHAM , G . C . B ., PRO GRAND MASTER 1830-Ml , PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF DURHAM isls-lsll .

I he senior of these two lodges is the Industry , No . 4 8 , Gateshead , constituted in 1735 , but with minutes beginning so far back as 1725 , when the meetings were held at Winlaton , and subsequently at Swalwell , both about four miles from its present habitation . When the lodge was started cannot now be decided , but in all probability it was a

survival of the body of Freemasons , composing in part the incorporated trades of Gateshead , of 1671 , by charter of the Bishop of Durham , 24 th April , 1671 ( Reproduction Ars Quatuor Coronati Lodge , 1902 ) ; or possibly of the corporate body of Masons , Newcastle , of 1581 , both having the well

known motto , " The Lord is all our trust . " There is also a tradition that the lodge Avas introduced by Sir Ambrose Crowley at Winlaton in 1690 . I had the great privilege of examining the precious volume of minutes of this old lodge , IIOAV NO . 4 8 , a few years since ,

and Avas much impressed Avith their value and importance . The entries are made irregularly on sheets , bound up with a copy of the Book of Constitutions of 1723 ( utilised , so to speak , as a unique minute book ) , the earliest of which bears date September 29 th , 1725 . At that time the lodge Avas evidently of an operative characterthough speculatives were

, accepted " according to the majority of the company . " Apprentices ( operatives ) were made free for 8 s . each , and " any working Mason , not of the lodge , the sum of 10 s . " This Avas agreed to Tune 14 th , 1733 . Prior to then the

apprentices paid three half-crowns to " take their freedom . " Down to 1776 there are several entries of apprentices and mention made of their indentures , this being many years after the brethren had joined the Grand Lodge of England . The " Old " Charges " used at Swalwell were divided into "Apprentices' Orders " ( similar to the apprentice charge , only

more elaborate ) and the " Orders of Antiquity , " the former being required to be read to the neophytes at the time of registering , or within thirty days after . These will be found in my " Old Charges of British Freemasons" ( 18 95 ) ; and many particulars as to the records generally were given by

the lamented Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , P . G . C , in the " Masonic Magazine " for 1875 ; also in . the By-laws of A . D . 1870 , & c . In an article that is intended simply to take a glance at the subject , it will not do to refer at any length to the