The Minute Book Of The Lodge Of Industry, Gateshead.

The following are minutes Avhich range from 1725 to 1776 , and show IIOAV truly operative the lodge still remained , though it had received a Warrant from the Grand Lodge in 1735 . The following is the earliest minute in this valuable book :

" September 29 , 1725 . Then Matthew Armstrong and Arthur Douglas , Masons , appeared is . ye lodge of Freemasons , and agreed to have their names registered as ' Enterprentices , ' to be accepted next quarterly meeting , paying one shilling each for entrance ancl 7 s . Cd . Avhen tbey take their freedom . "

"June 24 1728 . Then John Robinson , notified to ye lodge his having taken Matt"' Bambrough apprentice for seven years , ancl promises to SIIOAV or produce the indentures ye next quarterly meeting day . " "Dec . 27 1729 . Then Matthew Bambrough appeared in ye Lodge of

Freemasons , and [ a word interlineated ancl erased ] bis master showed his indentures which Avere agreeable , he will have his freedom Avben out of his time paying 7 s . 6 d . to ye lodge box . " "September 29 1730 . Then George

Gillespy notified to the lodge his having taken Tho . Clough apprentice for seven years , and premisses to SIIOAV bis indentures next quarterly meeting . " "December 28 1730 . Then Matthew Armstrong notified to ye lodge his having taken John LaAvthers apprentice for seven years , and hath shown his indenture , for

which he hath paid 6 d . " "March 25 1731 . Then Mich Dalton notified to ye lodge his having taken Robt Hunter apprentice for seven years , and promises to SIIOAV his hidentures next quarterly meeting for which he bath pd

six pence . " " June 21 . 1732 . Mr . John Thomson entered in our Society of Freemasonry — He is clearly a speculative Mason . " December 1 st 1735 . Then Abraham Shield notified to ye lodge his having

taken Robt Elliott apprentice for seven years and promises to SIIOAV bis indentures ye next quarterly communication for Avhich hes pd 6 d . " " December the 7 th 1737 "NB . This clay W Burton of Whickham

his indenture was read over in the presence of the Society then assembled bearing date the third of the instant as an apprentice to Matthew Armstrong of Swalwell .

" Pd for Redigistering the sd apprentice according to kuv 6 cl . " NOAV these IAVO last minutes are after the grant of the original charter from Grand Lodge . There are thirteen other entries , tbe last dated December 27 th , 1776 , all relating to the registration of apprentices . I give tAvo more of them for a special

reason . " 25 th March 1754 , " That Bro . W "' Burton having taken John Cloy'd as an apprentice for 7 years made his apperauce and had the apprentice charge read over , and p d for registering fid . "

" 25 th Do . That Robert Hope having a son call'd Rob' Hope Jun ' made his appearance and had his order read over , and paid for registering Cd . " NB . The above Robert Hope does not belong to the Lodge . " . I think all Masonic students will see

and say , that these are alike interesting ancl valuable minutes from an archajological point of vieAv , as they serve to suggest many important considerations affecting the early history of Freemasonry in England , about the time of the revival , as it is called . The next earliest minute

I find is that I have already transcribed above , the very important one of 1733 . This is followed by the minute I now give : " It is enacted by the Master and Wardens and the rest of the Society ; that if any person shall presume to speak in the

lodge after it is regularly opened by Master and Wardens without standing up and directing his discourse to the Master shall for the first offence pay 2 d . for the second 4 d . and so on as the majority o the Society shall think proper . "May ye 6 th 1734 . " The next is an interesting minute for

various reasons : " Decr . 27 1734 . "It is agreed by the Master and Wardens ancl the rest of the Society that if any brother shall appear M the Assembly Avithout gloves and aprons at any time Avhen summoned by Master and Wardens

shall for each offence pay one shilling on demand . " A later hand has interpolated " * . vhite " before " gloves" ( both which words , moreover , are lined through ) , and has changed one shilling into sixpence .