Bye-Laws Of The York Lodge, No. 236.

With regard to the Grand Lodge Bro . John Todd says : — "Previous to 1761 , no attempt Avas made to establish a lodge in the City of York under any other jurisdiction than that of the ancient Grand Lodge . In that year a warrant Avas issued by the

Grand Lodge ( modern ) of London , to hold a lodge at the Punch Bowl Inn , Stonegate , which had a very brief existence . Another lodge , called the " Rockingham , " Avas also constituted by the same authority with a like result ; and a third , under the title of

the "Apollo" Lodge ( which met at the George Inn , Coney Street ) , Avas likewise constituted by the same Grand Lodge in 1773 , and continued until about the year 1 S 13 , when it became extinct . " It may seem somewhat surprising that

, Avith a Grand Lodge in existence iu York , application should have been made to the authorities in London for tho constitution of the lodges above referred to . In all probability , the adoption of such a course arose from the fact that whilst Masonry iu

the south of England during tho latter half of the eighteenth century was making rapid progress , in the north it had for some time past been gradually declining , and the

Grand Lodge of all England Avas , iu consequence , in a decaying condition . " Notwithstanding the encroachment uponUs jurisdiction by the Grand Lodge of London , a fraternal feeling existed between the old Grand Lodge and the lodges so

constituted , as appears from the circumstance , that on the decease of Bro . Martin Croft , a member of the Grand Lodge of York , in February , 1780 , a notice Avas sent by that body inviting all free and accepted Masons iu York to attend his funeral , and

two of the lodges , under the constitution of the Grand Lodge of London , took part Avith the old Grand Lodge in the funeral procession , the expenses of the interment being borne jointly . "The meetings of the Provincial Grand

Lodge for the Avhole of Yorkshire Avere held iu York from 1738 ( the date Avhen the first Provincial Grant ! Master was appointed by the Grand Lodge of London ) , until the year 1 S 21 , Avhen the county was divided into two provincesand from that

, period for the Province of the North . and East Ridings of Yorkshire until 1835 , since which time the meetings of the latter province ( which includes York in its Masonic

jurisdiction ) , have been held in the various lodges of the province , and at York in the years 1836 , 1838 , 1841 , 1843 , 1848 , 1851 , 1856 , 1804 , and 1874 . " On the 30 th April , 1777 , a petition was presented to the Provincial Grand

Lodge of Yorkshire , signed by Joseph Jones , John Preston , John Stephenson , Thomas Denton , William Walker , William Thompson and John Store , desiring a Constitution for a lodge to be held at Lockwood's Coffee HouseYorkto meet on the

, , first Monday in every month during the summer half-year , and the lirst and third Mondays in the winter . In consequence of this application a Dispensation A ^ as , in the first instance granted to the petitioners , viz ., on the 20 th of June following , to hold

regular lodges until a Constitution Avas obtained . Under this Dispensation the first lodge ( being a lodge of emergency ) , Avas held on the date of the Dispensation , there being present Joseph Jones , Master ; Thomas Denton , S . W . ; John Stephenson , J . W . ; William Thompson , Secretary ; John Preston , and William Walker . " The Warrant of Constitution Avas

issued in July , 1777 , by Sir Thomas Tailored , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master for the County and City of York , under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England ( London ) , of Avhich the Most Noble Prince George Montagu , Duke and Earl of Manchesterwas then Grand

, Master , and bears the seal of the Grand Lodge , constituting the brethren named in the petition into a regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , under the title or denomination of the " Union Lodge , " to be held at LockAVOod's Coffee Housein

, Micklegate , in the city of York , and appointing Joseph Jones , Master ; Thomas Denton , S . W . ; and John Stephenson , J . W ., for opening the lodge , the number thereof on the roll of the Grand Lodge being 504 .

" The officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge attended on the 7 th of July , 1777 , to constitute the lodge , when the beforementioned Joseph Jones , Thomas Deuton , aud John Stephenson Avere dul y installed as Master and Wardensalong Avith William

, Thompson , as Secretary . U p to December , 1787 , tho Master and other officers of the lodge Avere elected half-yearly , but at that date it was resolved that the appointments should be held for one year . "