History Of The Airedale Lodge, No. 387,

HISTORY OF THE AIREDALE LODGE , No . 387 ,

Giving also , incidentally ( by notes of the Foundation of each Lodge in chronological order ) , a Becord of the Progress of Freemasonry in Yorkshire . BY BEO . J . RAMSDEN KILEY , P . M . AIREDALE LODGE , NO . 387 , Z . MORAVIAN CHAPTER , NO . 387-SECTION IV . —1864 to 1879—concluded .

ON the 29 th November , 1878 , twenty-nine brethren attended the funeral of our late Bro . Thomas Murgatroyd , P . M . and P . Z . 387 , forcibly reminding us of the uncertainty of all things . He was present at the opening of the new hall in the preceding month . Bro . Murgatroyd was a zealous Mason , and before illness compelled him to be absent from the lodge meetings , he interested himself earnestly in its welfare and prosperity . I had many opportunities of

knowing him beyond the circle of Freemasonry , and probably felt his loss , both as an intimate friend and Mason , more keenly than others outside his own family . Initiated at Baildon in 1864 ( Apl . 20 ) , just after the death of Dr . Fearnley , then D . P . G . M . of W . Yorkshire , he had but got through the rudimentary offices of Masonry when I became acquainted with himas J . W . at my initiation

, , , February 28 th , 1866 , he having served J . D . in 1865 . He was appointed J . W . at the preceding St . John ' s , January 10 th , 1866 . The friendship then begun never diminished , and , I believe , up to the hour of his death , his regard for myself amounted almost to affection . I sent up the following memento to the Freemason : —

" Bro . Thos . Murgatroyd closed his earthly labours on the 25 th ult ., at the early age of thirty-nine , and was interred with every mark of respect on the 29 th November , at St . Paul ' s Church , Shipley , the vicar , the Rev . W . Kelly , officiating . Most of the shops in the town were closed during the funeral , and a large number of persons attended at the church to pay their tribute of respect to the memory of a highly-esteemed townsman . The funeral procession was in the following order : —The members of the Shiley police force

p ; tradesmen and gentlemen of the neighbourhood ; the medical profession ; the W . M ., officers , and members of the Airedale Lodge , No . 387 ; the hearse ; mourning coaches containing the widow and friends of the deceased . Whilst the coffin was being lowered into the grave , the relatives and friends of the deceased placed flowers , and the W . M ., officers , and members of the Airedale Lod ge each a sprig of acacia , upon it , the latter ceremony evidently incomprehensible

to the large assemblage in the churchyard . Bro . Dr . Murgatroyd was born at Baildon Green , near Shipley , on the 9 th February , 1839 , and educated at Scaleboro' Park School , Burley-in-Wharfedale . He was afterwards apprenticed to Bro . Dr . Taylor , of Bradford , and eventuall y took his degrees as a surgeon in 1862 , when he commenced practice m Shiley . During the sixteen of his residence in the town his naturall

p years y generous and kindly disposition won for him the affection of all classes with whom he came in contact . He was surgeon to the West Riding Constabulary , and held other public appointments . As a Mason , our late brother was universall y beloved by the members of bis lod ge ( Airedale , No . 387 ) , in which , whilst at Baildon , he was initiated in * ° 64 , and may be regarded as the connecting link between two generations , t

-hough of a somewhat retiring disposition , he attained the dignity of W . M ., V