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Notes On The Old Minutes Of British Union Lodge, Ipswich.
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTES OF BRITISH UNION LODGE , IPSWICH .
BY WILHAM JAMES HUGHAN . I HAVE read the notes on the old Records of the British Union Lodge , No . 114 , Ipswich , with much pleasure , and am glad that they have been so efficiently made
by our Brother Emra Holmes ( the numerous titles are omitted which follow his name , for which I ask forgiveness ) . The history of the old Lodge is well worth preservation , and to complete as far as possible the information on the subject , I have answered Brother Holmes' questions which he has fraternally addressed to me through the medium of the Masonic
Magazine . The transcript of warrant of the Lodge should have been given if the original is to bo obtained , and also date of its constitution . By reference to some of my lists it appears that the Lodge was warranted January 21 st 1762 as No . " 270
, , , Green Man , Ipswich , Suffolk . " Subsequently it became " 214 , Philby ' s Coffee House , Ipswich , " and its name is correctly giveu as British Union Lodge in my lists of 1777 and 1779 . In consequence of the alteration in numbers in A . D . 1781 , it
became 173 ; in A . D . 1792 , 147 ; at the union of December , 1813 ( 1814 list ) , 180 ; in A . D . 1832 , 131 ; and in A . D . 18 G 3 , 114 , at which it still remains . The Lodge is well entitled to its centenary warrant , which the members thereof are doubtless proud in
possessing . The "Royal Alfred Lodge , '' mentioned in the Records September , 1770 , was held at Diss , Norfolk , No . 404 , and was struck off the roll of Lodges A . D . 1790 . The history of Masonry noticed in the minutes of 21 st December 1777 was in
, , all probability the noted " Illustrations of Masonry , " by William Preston , the best work of its kind issued in this country during the last century . Published originally in 1772 , and a second edition in 1775 , with many additions and editions
subsequently . For years it was dedicated to the M . W . G . M . Lord Petre , and well deserved the extensive support it received , as did also a less pretensions work , the
fact . We are open to prove that there are " Spirit of Masonry , " by Brother Hutchinson , which first saw the light iu 1775 . Bro . Holmes cannot evidently be aware of the character of the Book of
Constitutions bought by the Lodge on the 6 th January , 1778 , or he would not have said , " 10 s . % d . rather a high figure for the ivork . " It is a large volume , with frontispiece , quarto size , first title being of date 1767 , with pages , and an appendix of pages . It is a very scarce work now , and
a clean good copy is worth many half guineas , which our Brother would discover if he found a copy for sale anywhere . ¦ The Constitutions of last century contained a long traditional account of the Society , and a valuable history of the Grand Lodge
from 1727 , which added much to the bulk and real worth of the volume , and have rendered the various editions from 1723 to 1784 prizes much sought after and highly appreciated by Masonic Bibliographers .
We most heartily endorse Bro . Holmes ' remarks as to Masonic Banquets , and especially so when he says , " We are strongly of opinion that the Lodge funds should never be trenched upon , exceptin exercise of hospitality tostrangers , and the members who
stay to supper , or dinner , or whatever name it goes by , should be content to fay for it . ' ' Though we do not expect to live many years in this beautiful world , we yet hope to see the clay when the Grand Lodge will require Lodges to keep a separate and independent Fund for Refreshmentsor pass
, a law that no portion of the funds shall be devoted to any purposes but those strictly . in accordance with the demands of the Society and charity generally . On the Sth June , 1781 , I see it was decided to subscribe for a copy of the
official Grand Lodge Calendar . They were issued in 1777 ; but prior to that date thenplace was filled hy the authorized Lists of Lodges by Pine or Cole from 1723 . We cannot understand Lodges in the present clay being without such useful
publications as our Masonic Calendars . The visitor at the Lodge held in June , 1782 , was from the "United Traders ' Lodge , " held at Cross Street , Hatton Garden , at the sign of the "Pewter Platter ;'' and why its name cannot be found in the " Cosmopolitan Masonic Ca-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The Old Minutes Of British Union Lodge, Ipswich.
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTES OF BRITISH UNION LODGE , IPSWICH .
BY WILHAM JAMES HUGHAN . I HAVE read the notes on the old Records of the British Union Lodge , No . 114 , Ipswich , with much pleasure , and am glad that they have been so efficiently made
by our Brother Emra Holmes ( the numerous titles are omitted which follow his name , for which I ask forgiveness ) . The history of the old Lodge is well worth preservation , and to complete as far as possible the information on the subject , I have answered Brother Holmes' questions which he has fraternally addressed to me through the medium of the Masonic
Magazine . The transcript of warrant of the Lodge should have been given if the original is to bo obtained , and also date of its constitution . By reference to some of my lists it appears that the Lodge was warranted January 21 st 1762 as No . " 270
, , , Green Man , Ipswich , Suffolk . " Subsequently it became " 214 , Philby ' s Coffee House , Ipswich , " and its name is correctly giveu as British Union Lodge in my lists of 1777 and 1779 . In consequence of the alteration in numbers in A . D . 1781 , it
became 173 ; in A . D . 1792 , 147 ; at the union of December , 1813 ( 1814 list ) , 180 ; in A . D . 1832 , 131 ; and in A . D . 18 G 3 , 114 , at which it still remains . The Lodge is well entitled to its centenary warrant , which the members thereof are doubtless proud in
possessing . The "Royal Alfred Lodge , '' mentioned in the Records September , 1770 , was held at Diss , Norfolk , No . 404 , and was struck off the roll of Lodges A . D . 1790 . The history of Masonry noticed in the minutes of 21 st December 1777 was in
, , all probability the noted " Illustrations of Masonry , " by William Preston , the best work of its kind issued in this country during the last century . Published originally in 1772 , and a second edition in 1775 , with many additions and editions
subsequently . For years it was dedicated to the M . W . G . M . Lord Petre , and well deserved the extensive support it received , as did also a less pretensions work , the
fact . We are open to prove that there are " Spirit of Masonry , " by Brother Hutchinson , which first saw the light iu 1775 . Bro . Holmes cannot evidently be aware of the character of the Book of
Constitutions bought by the Lodge on the 6 th January , 1778 , or he would not have said , " 10 s . % d . rather a high figure for the ivork . " It is a large volume , with frontispiece , quarto size , first title being of date 1767 , with pages , and an appendix of pages . It is a very scarce work now , and
a clean good copy is worth many half guineas , which our Brother would discover if he found a copy for sale anywhere . ¦ The Constitutions of last century contained a long traditional account of the Society , and a valuable history of the Grand Lodge
from 1727 , which added much to the bulk and real worth of the volume , and have rendered the various editions from 1723 to 1784 prizes much sought after and highly appreciated by Masonic Bibliographers .
We most heartily endorse Bro . Holmes ' remarks as to Masonic Banquets , and especially so when he says , " We are strongly of opinion that the Lodge funds should never be trenched upon , exceptin exercise of hospitality tostrangers , and the members who
stay to supper , or dinner , or whatever name it goes by , should be content to fay for it . ' ' Though we do not expect to live many years in this beautiful world , we yet hope to see the clay when the Grand Lodge will require Lodges to keep a separate and independent Fund for Refreshmentsor pass
, a law that no portion of the funds shall be devoted to any purposes but those strictly . in accordance with the demands of the Society and charity generally . On the Sth June , 1781 , I see it was decided to subscribe for a copy of the
official Grand Lodge Calendar . They were issued in 1777 ; but prior to that date thenplace was filled hy the authorized Lists of Lodges by Pine or Cole from 1723 . We cannot understand Lodges in the present clay being without such useful
publications as our Masonic Calendars . The visitor at the Lodge held in June , 1782 , was from the "United Traders ' Lodge , " held at Cross Street , Hatton Garden , at the sign of the "Pewter Platter ;'' and why its name cannot be found in the " Cosmopolitan Masonic Ca-