History Of The Airedale Lodge, No. 387,

HISTORY OF THE AIREDALE LODGE , No . 387 ,

Giving also , incidentally ( hy notes of the Foundation of each Lodge in chronological order ) , a record of the Progress of Freemasonry in Yorlcslidre . BY BRO . J . RAMSDEN RILEY , P . M . AIREDALE LODGE , NO . 38 V ; Z . MORAVIAN CHAPTER , NO . 387 . SECTION III . —1833 to 1863 ( continued ) .

f \ S January 9 th , 1858 , Bro . Geo . Motley Wand was installed W . Master by ^ -J Bro . Thos . Brown , P . M ., " in a most solemn and impressive manner , and gave to each of the officers a beautiful charge on their respective duties . " The advent of this brother ( P . M . Brown ) , who was well known throughout the province as a superior worker in Freemasonry , seems to have further encouraged the worthPast Mastersalready referred on several occasionsas he

y , , was also a regular attender , and during-1858 the working of our lodge was perfect . Members from the Lodges Hope , 379 , and Harmony , 874 , were present at every meeting , and their admiration of the masterly manner in which all the ceremonies were conducted may well be understood . Bro . Brown was initiated in the Royal Yorkshire Lodge , Keighley , December 27 th 1814 and at this time was 64 years of age . He was one of the

, , bri g htest ornaments of our lodge—one of those " perfect ashlars " all should strive to emulate . May his memory never fade from our hearts , but be perpetuated not only in our lodge ( which might in the uncertain future become extinct ) , but by those other lodges which so freely benefited by his zealous and successful efforts to elevate them .

Six visitors attended from the Hope Lodge , Bradford , to witness the initiation of the Rev . Thos . W . Kelly , of Horton , on June 1 st , 1858 . Bro . the Rev . Henry de Laval Willis , D . D . ( one of the visitors ) , gave Bro . Kelly the charge in a most solemn manner , Bro . John Walker , P . M ., giving the W . T ., and Bro . Thos . Brown , P . M ., the first tracing board . On Wednesday , October 20 th , 1858 , " an invitation was received from the

Lodge of Hope , 379 , Bradford , requesting the brethren of this lodge to attend at Bradford , and open a Mark Mason ' s lodge in their rooms on Monday night next , the 25 th inst ., for the purpose of initiating Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A ., P . Prov . G . S . W ., and other brethren . " It is also recorded on November 24 th , 1858 , that the Mark Masons of Airedale Lodge gave four members of other lodges the Mark on the 25 th ult . at the Lodof Hope 379

ge , , Bradford . The Londesborough Lodge , No . 1036 , Bridlington , and Friendship Lodge , No . 1052 , Cleckheaton , constituted in 1858 . A . lodge of emergency was held May 7 th , 1859 , to approve of a petition to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows , on behalf of a brother ( J . B . ) initiated in 1830 . He was a . worth y member , and in a humble way had done his dut y to the lodge and the charities . In

consequence of an accident in 1839 , Bro . Bell suffered from several serious injuries , had lost an eye , and at this period , at the age of 70 , was still farther incapacitated from pursuing his ordinary occupation through a recent attack of paralysis . The other afflictions of this unfortunate brother were also very heavy , and called forth the genuine sympathy of our members , who adopted the petition referred to , their efforts resulting in his election as an annuitant on May 18 th , 1860 .

Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A ., P . Prov . G . S . W ., etc ., visited the lodge again October 12 th , 1859 . " The lodge being closed in due form with a prayer by Bro . Woodford , who we ( the brethren of this lodge ) were sorry to part with , at a few minutes past nine o ' clock . "