History of the Lodge of Connaught & Truth No. 521

Chapter VIII
Lodge Records, Routine and Ritual

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C H A P T E R V I I I .
L O D G E R E C O R D S , R O U T I N E A N D R I T U A L
INSTRUCTION CLASSES.
Warrants and Workings — Lodge Banner and Books — Lodge Records and Routine —
Minute Books — Declaration Books -- Lodge Journal — Circulars — Guard
Books — Missing Records — Instruction Classes — Union Lodge of Instruction ---
Monday Night Classes — Thursday Night Classes — Past Master's Jewel — Record
of Masters Year.
THE LODGE MEETING.
As is the custom with most of the Lodges in Huddersfield, the Lodge
of Truth holds its Regular Lodge Meetings once a month, all the ye ar round, the
day of the Meeting being the first Friday in ever y mont h and the Inst all ation
Festival in December. It has a weekly Instruction Class held on the Monday
evening, and also, as will be seen from Page 84, a Thursday night Instruction
Class, held weekly during the winter months.
LODGE MINUTE BOOKS.
The Minute Books show the holding of the monthly Regular Lodge
Meeting every month, without break or interruption, from the inception,
except for the two months (July and August) in 1913 w h en t h e Lo d ge w a s
c l o s e d ; so wi t h t he n u m e r o u s E m e r g e n c y Lodge Meetings held—there have
been well over 1,200 Lodge Meetings in the 100 years of existence.
And during that period the number of Brethren initiated or j oined has
been 610 (534 Initiates and 76 J oining Members), an average of over 6 per
annum, which is a record of which the Lodge can be justifiably proud, and a
perusal of the Roll of the Worshipful Masters, at the end of this Chapter, shows
that no less than 58 of the Brethren have attained Provincial Rank.
A list is given on Page 78 of the number of Subscribing Brethren at the end
of each year, which reveals that the numbers grew steadily during the first 12 years
(1815-1856), and fluctuated in the 70's, 80's and 90's for over 60 years; from 1918
to 1929 the number was over 100. During the past ten years death has taken a
heavy toll of he Members, much in excess of the intake, and the number has
gradually declined to 70 at the end of 1944.
A complete Roll of all the Members of the Lodge, 1845-1945, will be
found in Pages 135 to 139 of this history.
The Author has had the pleasure of perusing all the Minute Books,
which are intact for the period, eight of them in all, viz. --
LIST SHOWING THE NUMBER
OF SUBSCRIBING MEMBERS AT THE
END OF EACH YEAR.
(According to the Lodge Returns.)
1845/1869 1870/1894 1895/1919 1920/1944
Year Number Year Number Year Number Year Number
1845 25 1870 91 1895 72 1920 114
1846 33 1871 92 1896 75 1021 114
18•7 18 1872 94 1897 79 1922 113
1848 14 1873 97 1898 80 1923 116
1849 14 187• 97 1899 84 1924 114
1850. 12 1875 96 1900 89 1925 110
1851 18 1876 97 1901 84 1926 107
1852 52 1877 95 1902 85 1927 105
1853 63 1878 103 1903 90 1928 107
1854 78 1879 102 '1904 89 1929 104
1855 81 1880 99 1905 89 1930 98
1856 87 1881 86 1906 85 1931 95
1857 87 1882 81 1907 87 1932 89
1858 79 1883 76 1908 87 1933 88
1859 74 1884 83 1009 94 1934 84
1860 83 1885 80 1910 99 1935 77
1861 90 1886 79 1911 88 1936 74
1862 91) 1887 72 1912 90 1937 72
1863 82 1888 77 1913 91 1938 73
186 78 1889 74 1914 91 1939 72
1865 75 1890 75 1915 89 1940 71
1866 68 1891 71 1916 95 1941 69
69 1867 66 1892 73 1917 98 1942
1868 84 1893 72 1918 103 1943 70
1869 90 1984 70 1919 112 1944 70
T6
No. 1 1844 - 1857.
2 1857 - 1871.
3 1871 - 1885.
4 1885 - 1896.
5 1896 - 1908.
6 1908 - 1922.
7 1922 - 1936.
8 1936 - in use to-day.
The records therein have been such to enable practically the whole of
the History to be gleaned and written up from them.
In 1923 the Lodge decided to introduce a rather abbreviated form of
writing up the Minutes, which it was thought would be the means of saving the
time of those attending. This method was based on a specimen of Lodge Minutes
prepared by W. Bro. T. McCulloch, and passed by the Lodge Committee on the
8th January, 1923.
The Author makes two particular comments :-
(a) To say how exceedingly useful it was to find in many periods MARGINAL
SUBHEADINGS for the Minutes: it does help when preparing a History,
and the wish is expressed that all future Secretaries will emulate the
splendid example of their predecessors.
(b) To say what a pity it is that the recording of the Names of the Brethren
present, which was done meticulously and properly from the formation of
the Lodge in 1845 came to a sudden stop on the 26th May, 1852. There
was some excuse for the Secretary of 1852. He had certainly had a busy
year of scribing: his Minutes of that year needed no less than 54 pages of
the Minute Book, so perhaps he can be forgiven for the "error of
omission." This most regrettable omission was taken as a precedent, and
was unfortunately continued for no less than 89 years. The practice of
recording the names of the Brethren present was not regularly
resumed untilthe 7th March, 1941- never, it is hoped, to fail
again. The History has had to be written without the picture of those
present during that period, and the position has not been eased by the fact
that many of the Attendance Registers are not available to provide the
supplementary information.
MISSING RECORDS.
Bro. Reuben Williamson, who figured prominently on several occasions
as the Lodge's Historian, made comment in one of his addresses that, when he
was preparing his notes for the Jubilee he discovered that some of the records (he
does not say which) were lost during the building operations and extensions at
Fitzwilliam Street.
It is perhaps interesting here to interpolate that another Lodge of Truth
was concerned about its lost records. The Author learnt this from a letter he
found in the Lodge Guard Book in 1936. It was dated the 2-1th October, 1936,
and it was from the Secretary of The Lodge of Truth, No. 99-1 E.C.--a Lodge in
Bombay founded in 1862. The writer was engaged on the History of his Lodge,
and was enquiring of other Lodges of the name "Lodge of Truth" as to how and
why they came to have that name, and, in the course of his letter, he remarked
that the records for their first 25 years had been lost—ALL EATEN UP BY
WHITE ANTS.
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The Author had hoped to spend some pleasurable and profitable hours
perusing the Treasurer's Cash Books, because Treasurers' Cash Books
of 50 to 100 years ago are often most revealing and picturesque; that
pleasure, however, has been denied, as the Treasurer's records have not been
traced prior to as recent a date as 1917 : perhaps some of them may yet be
found, and every effort should be made to trace them: perchance they
may vet turn up among papers at the offices or homes of some ex-
Treasurers or ardent and enthusiastic members, who may have had the
books in their possession, when working on behalf of the Lodge. It is
obvious, from an inspection of the Lodge Journal - a specimen opening of
which is included as an illustration at Page 86 —that the C ash Records
were avail able t o W. Bro. J. T. Spratt in 1916 and 1917 when he wrote up
the Lodge Journal, as the Columns in the Journal for the Abstract of the
Finance are entered up, with the abstracted Totals of the various Receipts and
Payments for EACH year from the inception 1846 to 1917 and onwards, except that
from 1920 the figures appear to be for the Trustees' Finance only; from 1924 the
Abstract of Finance has fallen away and is missing for some years. This
summary of Figures from 1846 to 1917 in the Journal appears to he the
Lodge's only financial record preserved for that period; this makes the Lodge
Journal a very valuable and precious as s et of t he Lod ge. W ha t happen ed
t o t hos e C as h R e co rds aft er W. Bro. Spratt had used them ? Is there a
parcel temporarily mislaid, or are they irrevocably lost ?
INSTRUCTION CLASSES.
The Lodge Instruction Class Minutes are much more complete, and
are continuous from 1856, except for a break of six years from 1861 to 1867.
There are evidences of Instruction Classes earlier than 1856.
Reference is made in Chapter I to the "Union Lodge of Instruction" which was
formed, under Dispensation from the Province, in 1849, at the instigation
of the three Lodges in Huddersfield, viz.:
The Lodge of Harmony, No. 342,
Huddersfield Lodge, No. 365,
The Lodge of Truth, No. 763.
Here is a copy of the Dispensation which was granted :
T O T H E W O R S H IP F U L M A S T E R S , T H E W O R S H IP F U L
P A S T MASTERS, THE WARDENS, OFFICERS AND
BRETHREN OF THE LODGE OF HARMONY, No. 342—THE
HUDDERSFIELD L O D G E , N o . 3 6 5 , A N D T H E L O D G E O F
T R U T H , N o . 7 6 3 , individually and collectively, severally and conjointly.
I, CHARLES LEE, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, acting under the Patent and Authority of the
Right Honourable The Earl of Mexborough, Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire,
SEND GREETING and being anxious to promote the sound advancement of Masonic Knowledge and to
foster the cultivation of our mystic Science, I DO HEREBY in compliance with the petition to me, addressed
by you the Worshipful Masters, Officers and Brethren of the three Lodges aforesaid, and by virtue of the
power and authority delegated to me, GRANT LICENSE AND DISPENSATION unto you to form,
establish and conduct a joint genera! Lodge of Instruction for the end and object as aforesaid, to be holden
on the Friday in every week, at the White Hart Inn, in Huddersfield.
AND I DO HEREBY strictly and solemnly enjoin each and every of you to discharge the duties
of Masonry in a constitutional manner according to the forms of the Order and the Laws of the Grand
Lodge, so that pleasure and profit be the result of this joint general Lodge of Instruction that Masonic
knowledge may grow and increase among you, and that Goodwill and Brotherly Love may take deep root
with you and long flourish around you.
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Given at Leeds this twenty-second day of May A.D., 1849, A.L. 5849, under my hand and
seal.
CHARLES LEE,
Deputy Provincial Grand Master LS
of West Yorkshire.
This was, as the Dispensation suggests, a joint general Lodge of
Instruction. Special By-laws and Regulations were drawn up and approved,
and regular weekly meetings were held, principally at The White Hart Hotel,
which was the meeting place of The Huddersfield Lodge, No. 365. From a
perusal of the Minutes of The Lodge of Truth it would appear that the
Union Lodge of Instruction was still functioning in 1859, as on 1st April,
1859, the Secretary was instructed to communicate with the Secretary of the
"Union Instruction Meeting" to extend a cordial invitation to the members
thereof, to hold their weekly meetings thereafter at the Fitzwilliam Street
premises, should they feel so disposed and desirous.
It has been generally admitted that W. Bro. W. Smith, of The
Huddersfield Lodge, was one of the leading characters in connection with
those Instruction Meetings, and it was he who asked the questions in the E.A.
Lecture when the Seven Sections were worked in open Lodge (at The Lodge
of Truth) on that evening, 1st April, 1859.
The Minute Books of The Union Lodge of Instruction are in the
custody of The Huddersfield Lodge, No. 290, who courteously allowed the
Author access and use of them for examination.
The first of those Minute Books, which covered a period from the 1st
June, 1849, to 9th February, 1872, opens with a manuscript copy of the
Dispensation as quoted on page 80. There then follows a manuscript copy
of a Code of By-laws stated to be
"For the regulation and government of The Union Lodge of Instruction
Huddersfield"
of which the following is a précis or synopsis :-
(1) To be held every Friday at White Hart Inn at 7-30 open at 8-0
close by 9-30.
(2) A n n u a l c o n t r i b u t i o n 2 / 6 p e r m e m b e r .
(3) O f f i c e r s — M a s t e r .
P.M.
2 Wardens.
2 Deacons.
Treasurer.
Secretary.
Steward.
I.G.
Tyler.
Master for next Meeting elected at close, who appoints his
Officers and names the business.
(4) Brethren appointed Master and Wardens not attending
pay fines 6d. for Master,
3d. for Wardens.
(5) Membership limited to Master Masons who are Subscribing
Members of a regular Lodge.
(6) V i s i t i n g f e e 6 d .
(7) Collection of dues.
8I
( 8 ) R e f r e s h m e n t s a t t e r m i n a t i o n o f M e e t i n g.
( 9 ) Secretary keep Minutes.
(10) Salary of Tyler be 1/- a week.
(11) Three weeks' Notice of any Alteration to By-laws.
(12) B y - l a w s b e r e a d t w i c e a y e a r .
(13) Emergencies not provided for to be decided by laws and usages
of the Craft.
At the end of those By-laws there appears this :
JUNE 5th, 1849,
THESE BY-LAWS ARE APPROVED.
CHARLES LEE,
D.P.G.M.
and this is in the handwriting of the D.P.G.M. himself.
The following are the names of the Brethren who attended the first
meeting, which was on the 1st June, 1849, at The White Hart Inn,
Huddersfield :-
Bro. William James Clarke, W.M. of (342) (Harmony) in the Chair.
Bro. Ben Taylor, P.M. (342) and W.M. of (763) (Truth). Bro.
James Peace, P.M. (342).
Bro. Geo. Rice, S.W. (342).
Bro. E. G. Lister (342).
Bro. Wm. Shaw, P.M. (365) (Huddersfield).
Bro. Titus Thewlis, P.M. (365).
Bro. Wm. Smith, P.M. (365).
Bro. Joseph Shires (365).
Bro. T. R. Tatham, P.M. (763).
Bro. John Johnson (763).
Bro. W. Lorando Jones (266) (Prudence).
The Dispensation was read : the By-laws which had been prepared by a
Committee were approved: Bro. Wm. Smith was requested to provide the
necessary books and a box to hold them. Bros. Ben Taylor and James
Peace were made Honorary Members; Bro. Wm. Smith was appointed
Secretary, and Bro. Wm. Shaw Treasurer.
Bro. Ben Tayl or was elected as the Master for the ensuing
Meeting, and the Union Lodge of Instruction proceeded onwards
according to plan. It continued to meet regularly each week, and worked
some of the Sections of the E.A. Lecture, sometimes an Initiation Ceremony,
and, very occasionally, the 3rd Degree Lecture.
The Class or United Lodge had its own independent membership, and
there are evidences of the attendance of Brethren from various Lodges. The
subsequent Minute Books, although still printed as "The Union Lodge of
Instruction," also bore the printed name of "The Huddersfield Lodge" and
continued for 40 or 50 years: latterly the membership was mostly from
Huddersfield Lodge, No. 290, and it would appear that, in process of time,
those books and records became merged into the Huddersfield Lodge, No,
290, Instruction Classes Records, and in this Chapter the reader will learn
about the separate Instruction Classes held by and at The Lodge of Truth.
As mentioned in the opening paragraph of this Chapter, The Lodge
of Truth has two established Instruction Classes, the main weekly
Instruction Class for practices and rehearsals on the Monday night, and a
Thursday night Class.
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It is interesting to trace the evolution and development of these Instruction
Classes from the earliest days of the Lodge up to the present time.
The Lodge was formed in 1845, and reference has already been made to the
Union Lodge of Instruction started in 1819, run jointly by The Lodges of Harmony,
Huddersfield and Truth. Apart from that, there are evidences of Instruction Classes of the
Lodges individually from their early days. There is a Minute Book with the Lodge of Truth
records 1856-1861, and the first meeting therein recorded mentions the confirmation of
the Minutes of the previous Meeting, so apparently that was not the first book. The Class
night during that period was Tuesday at first, and then Monday (as from 1860). There
were some Rules or By-laws made in 1857. The Classes in those days were not an
integral part of the Lodge organisation. They had their own Rules, their own List of
Members, and their own small Entrance Fee. They were often under the jurisdiction or
supervision of an Individual Instructor, rather than under the Lodge. The Members of
the Class held the various Offices, generally on a rota system, a Brother starting as
I.G. moving to Secretary, J.D., S.D., J.W., S.W., Master and P.M.; and the Class Master
for the night appointing the next I.G. to enter the rota. One of the Rules in 1857 provided
for a fine of 6d. on the Master, and 3d. on S.W., J.W. and I.G. if absent, without providing a
substitute. In 1882 the Class became a "Private Class" with Bro. J. W. Shoesmith (of
Albert Edward Lodge, No. 1783) as Master, with Rules as in the former Class. This was
held on a Tuesday, and in the following year, 1883, there was started a Class which met
on a Thursday and was known as "The No. 2 Instruction Class"; this ran until 1885. When
we come to 1893 we find a fresh renewal on a somewhat revised basis, with a specially-printed
Minute Book titled "Bro. J. Shoesmith's Classes, Thursday Evenings," and there were two
Instructors in charge:
Bro. Jno. W. Shoesmith, P.M. (1783) P.P.G.P.
Bro. W. A. Beevers, S.W. (1514).
and the Class was divided into two divisions, junior and Senior, the former meeting from 8
to 9 p.m., and the latter from 9 to 10 p.m.
The work of the Juniors was 3 Sections from the 1
0
Lecture and the Initiation
Ceremony, and for the Seniors the remainder of the 1
0
Lecture, the Passing and Raising.
Provision was made for promotion from the Juniors to the Seniors. Members absent without
reason for four successive nights were struck off the List of Members. Rules were drawn up,
a List of Members made (which included Brethren from other Lodges), and the Members
signed the Rules. This Class ran for at least eleven years until 190•. Features of this Class
were the regularly-recurring presentations of silver mugs to Members with newly-born
children (a forerunner to the presentation by the Lodge of Bibles), and a Dinner, annually
from the inaugural Dinner of 1893.
One notices great enthusiasm in the Instruction Classes, especially about the
period 1899-1900, when there were attendances of 40 to 50 Members, and the Class often
adjourned to one of the larger rooms, viz.: the Billiard Room (now the Annexe) or the Supper
Room.
In about 1900 the night was altered to Friday. Also in 1900 there were held some
Instruction Classes for the Royal Arch Chapter. But by 1901 the Class reverted to Thursday,
with W. Bro. Shoesmith
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as Instructor—and this class was restricted to 15 working members. In
1902 Bro. W. A. Beevers was made an Honorary Member, and in 1904
there was a Special Dinner, and a Special Letter to Albert Edward Lodge, No.
1783, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of W. Bro. J. W. Shoesmith
in Freemasonry.
During that period, in 1899, a separate Class and Minute Book were
started titled "Bro. J. Shoesmith's Friday evening Class" with rather
similar Rules, with an Entrance Fee of 1/-, and a membership limited to ten,
but after twelve months or so there was a movement to unite the Thursday
and Friday Night Classes, first with two Divisions, Junior and Senior, and
later Juniors; it was decided, however, to limit the Class to Lodge of
Truth Members only. The Class was then called the Junior (Instruction)
Class (Thursday). It was about this time that W. Bro. J. T. Spratt began to
take an active part, and he gradually succeeded W. Bro. J. W. Shoesmith, and
became the Class Instructor. This Class held Annual Suppers, as distinct
from Annual Dinners, and at the Annual Supper in 1906 a presentation was
made to W. Bro. J. T. Spratt of a flower and fruit epergne as a token of
esteem from the Members. This brings us to the last stage leading up
to the present-day arrangements.
Another Minute Book opened in May, 1907, this time titled :-
"Bro J. T. Spratt's Instruction Class (Thursday Evening)
Lodge of Truth."
This Class held its Annual Dinners, and at the Dinner in 1908 further
recognition of W. Bro. J. T. Spratt's services was made by the presentation to
him of a music cabinet. In 1910 the Senior and Junior Sections were
definitely merged into one.
In February, 1912, a Special Meeting was called which recommended
that the status of the class should be fixed properly by the Lodge. This
went in turn before the Lodge Committee, and then before Open Lodge
on the 1th April, 1912, which date marks the official adoption by the
Lodge of the Thursday Night Class, the Special Resolutions for the
Constitution of the Class being recorded in full in the Lodge Minute
Book, including :-
1. Special thanks to W. Bro. Spratt for his services.
2. Meet every Thursday October to April.
3. The Worshipful Master to be Official Head, and a Prompter to
be appointed annually.
4. The Worshipful Master to decide on the work to be undertaken.
5. That both Monday and Thursday night Classes be notified on
the Lodge circular.
6. That a Class Secretary be appointed annually.
7. That the Minutes of both Classes be in the same Minute
Book.
There are some interesting features or customs in connection with
this Thursday night Class. It has been a regular custom to hold a light
supper on the first meeting of the session, for Members only. At the close
of the session it has been the prerogative of the Members of the Class to ask
the Past Masters to retire, and they themselves, under the guidance of the
S.W., nominate an Instructor for the next
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session, which nomination is forwarded to the Lodge Committee, and then
to the Lodge for final approval. At the close of the session a supper or
dinner is held, to which are invited the Worshipful Masters and Instructors
of the Lodges in the Town, and this has been a very interesting annual
function.
Throughout the history of the Classes there has been close
collaboration with other Lodges, particularly The Thornhill Lodge, No.
1314, and there were frequent interchanges of visits, Brethren from No.
521 Class going to Thornhill to work Tracing Boards, Lectures, etc.,
with similar visits by the Thornhill Brethren to The Lodge of Truth. This
was particularly noticeable in the period 1919-1921.
LODGE COMM ITTEE M INUTES.
The Lodge Committee Minute Books are available from 1892 and
contain the usual records of Lodge Committee business, passing of
accounts for payments, etc., but nothing of an cutstanding nature calling
for special comment, which is not otherwise covered by the general
history as revealed from the Regular Lodge Minutes and other records.
LO D G E J O UR NA L.
As an off-set to the missing records, referred to on Page 79, the
Author wishes to refer most particularly to a really wonderful asset of
the Lodge known as The Lodge Journal, and feels he cannot find words
adequately to express his tribute to the magnificent work done by the late
W. Bro. J. T. Spratt in compiling this Journal; he did this in the years 1916
and 1917, and presented it to the Lodge on the 2nd November, 1917. It is
a factual précis of the happenings and events of the Lodge throughout the
whole of -its existence, W. Bro. Spratt having written it up from the
Minutes and Records from the inception of the Lodge. The Journal was
apparently specially printed by William Henry Cook, Ltd., Lithographic
and Letterpress Printers, of Huddersfield Ref. No. 9083-27th November,
1916. It contains 100 pages, specially ruled in columns, vide the specimen
page herein; each page thus gives at a glance the History of one year. The
years 1852, 1853, 1831, etc., were so full of events as to run into continuation
pages, so that No. 1 Journal finishes a little before the 100 years, but No. 2
Journal follows (as a reprint), and all future Secretaries of the Lodge
cannot have a better standard and style as to how the job should be
done than to refer to W. Bro. Spratt's 80 odd pages in No. 1 Volume. At
the front of the book is an alphabetical thumb index, giving the names of
ALL the Members of the Lodge, from its inception, with the year of
Initiation or Joining, the year as Worshipful Master, and the year of
cessation of Membership, by Resignation, Death, etc.—a most valuable,
comprehensive, and ready Record.
J O UR N A L IN D E X .
There is also another index—a separate Alphabetical Thumb Index
Book, prepared by W. Bro. Spratt, which is an Index to his Journal,
giving either Name or Event, or Particular Matter (under its appropriate
Index letter) and, by it, the date or year. It is a very useful Index Precis of
Events, especially up to 1916, and the Secretaries who write up the Journal
will earn the appreciation of future Historians if they will continue the good
work and keep the Index up to date,
Specimen Page of Lodge Journal
including the filling up of a few gaps when apparently its value was not fully
appreciated.
THE LODGE WORKING.
Another Past Master of the Lodge did a very good piece of work, of
lasting and permanent value, a place for which must be found in an account
of the Lodge Records, viz.: W. Bro. G. Percy Riley, who prepared a copy of
the Lodge Ritual, had it typed and approved by the Past Masters, and at the
regular Lodge Meeting on 3rd March, 1922, he presented it to the Lodge, when
it was proposed and passed that it be adopted as the Standard Working of the
Lodge. The typewritten sheets are sectionalised, with a thumb index, and are
contained in a Bound Cover—marked "Not to be removed from The Lodge
Premises."
The opening page reads as follows :March
1922.
This transcribed Ritual of the Ceremonies, Lectures and First Degree
Tracing Board, in use at The Lodge of Truth, No. 521 in the year
1921, was compiled and presented to the Lodge by W. Bro. G. P. Riley
(W.M. 1918-19).
The following Brethren assisted in the compilation and passed it as
correct.
(Signed) Thomas Bean P.P.G.W.
Thomas McCulloch P.P. G. D .
Joseph T. Spratt P.P.G.D.
John W. Thickett P.M.
John W. Shaw P.P.A. G. D. C.
The record contains authenticated alterations since 1922.
BY-LAWS.
A separate Chapter (No. IX) has been devoted to a synopsis of the
history of the By-laws of the Lodge.
DECLARATION BOOKS.
These are complete and in a good state of preservation, three Volumes,
viz.:-
1816 to 1880.
1880 to 1923.
1923 date.
an interesting collection of autographs of those of fond memory and our
Brethren of to-day.
LODGE GUARD BOOKS.
In preparing the History of the Lodge the Author found it most
interesting to turn over and peruse the pages of the Lodge Guard Books; being in
chronological order they provided some interesting material, and showed the
periods and changes for the different styles of the Lodge Circulars, Notepaper,
Menu Cards, etc. There are eight of these Guard Books.
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No. 1 1855- 1861.
2 1862- 1868.
3 1868- 1874.
4 1874- 1893.
5 1893- 1915.
6 1915- 1929.
7 1929- 1939.
8 1939—date.
And in them are pasted Lodge Circulars, Lists of Members, Printed
Accounts, Social Event Invitations, Dance Programmes, Menu Cards,
interesting correspondence, newspaper cuttings, etc.-- a most interesting
collection, containing much of permanent value; altogether a commendable
custom.
THE LODGE BANNER.
A reference is made in Chapter II, in that memorable year of 1832,
to the handsome gift to the Lodge of the Lodge Banner by W. Bro.
Schlessinger. The pride of the Brethren in possessing such a handsome
Banner so early in the career of the Lodge can be imagined: the Lodge was
then only seven years old. The delight of the Brethren is well expressed by
the then Worshipful Master—Bro. John Sykes— and below is reprinted the
Worshipful Master's letter of appreciation and thanks to W. Bro.
Schlessinger, "agreeable to the Minute passed on the 7th May, 1852."
Copy of Letter forwarded to Br. P. M. Schlessinger agreeable to Minute passed on
the Seventh of May 1852.
Lodge of Truth No. 763.
Hudd. May 31st 1852.
Worshipful Past Master
and Dear Br. Schlessinger,
I am deputed by the Brethren of this your Mother Lodge to perform a task towards
you which may be more easily conceived than accomplished. To have been requested by
them as their W.M. to be the organ of their respectfull, affectionate and gratefull greetings
towards you as a Past Master and Pioneer of that Lodge which they Love and rally round
to support, is an honor conferred upon me greater than I can express; I consider it as one
of the highest compliments my masonic zeal can ever aim at attaining.
Most Worthy Past Master, much as I esteem and much as I respect you as a Brother
Mason and as an example for every succeeding Master to imitate, still you must on this
occasion be convinced that I am not speaking merely my own sentiments, but that I am
endeavouring to utter the feelings and to express the sensations of every Brother in the
"Lodge of Truth- in particular and in this our Town in general (who have visited our Lodge
and seen the Gift) in addressing you Individually.
From the fact of your having labored so long and indefatigably for the Interests of
this Lodge and for your unwearied care and superintendence, we take this opportunity of
tendering you our heartfelt thanks and of expressing ourselves most closely attached to
you by sentiments of gratitude and esteem and impressed as we are, with the conviction
that we owe much to you for your constant anxiety and unabating zeal, for the welfare of
this Lodge, and of the Brethren Collectively and Individually, but when we direct our
attention for a moment to the other Fact, that after such services, as have been so
imperfectly described, your nobleness of heart should induce you to present to the Lodge
you have so well served, that Chaste, Elegant and Beautiful Banner, we are exceedingly
astonished and which had agreeably surprised even your Most Intimate Brethren and alike
cemented our Esteem and Admiration.
Let me assure- you Worthy Past Master, that both on my own part and the Brethren
of the Lodge of Truth, we should be unworthy of so Noble a Gift and your fraternal!
esteem could we not receive it with as cordial a confidence.
As long as ever it will hang together on our walls, the recollection of your
extraordinary kindness and regard shall be most lively, and shall animate our Spirits to
similar deserve.
88
The Lodge Banner.
It shall be our constant Moniter in all our future duties.
In it we shall find a perpetual admonition to practise, with still greater activity those
Philanthropic and Benevolent Principles of Masonry which you so well and truly carried out when
the Lodge was honoured with your Presidency.
As Masons and Brethren we always stand upon a Level by the principles which we are
taught, we are all of the same Family high and low—rich and poor created by the same Almighty
Architect. Still however Masonry teaches us to shew respect and honor to each man to whom respect
and honor are due, according to the respective Characters of each individual; and when Individualls
deserve well of the whole fraternity it displays that additional lustre, that Masons unite heart and hand
to evince conjointly their high estimation of meritorious services.
We therefore Worthy Past Master, behold in you that worthy character who calls forth the
respect and approbation of the whole Lodge, who forsaking your own comforts in your resident Town,
and, as it were, earn your station in society deigned to turn your noble mind with all its energies to
promote the welfare and happiness of this particular Lodge.
These are the sentiments, Worthy Past Master, which I on behalf of myself and the Brethren
of the Lodge of Truth, communicate as our feelings towards you on further receiving so noble a Gift,
impressed with the conviction that to you we owe obligations which we can never forget. Our chief
desire is that you may see that Banner waive over the Lodge you have assisted in rearing, and as flourishing
and as exemplary a Lodge and composed of Good Intelligent Men and Masons.
With the sincerest attachment and an affection truly fraternal--with a just return of Soul for
all that you have conferred upon us in regard to all the kindness you have exhibited towards us,
begging you to accept our deepest thanks, together with every good wish for yourself and the Craft in
general.
Believe me to be,
Worshipfull Past Master
and on behalf of My Brethren
Yours very faithfully and Fraternally,
JOHN SYKES, W.M.
Julius Schlessinger, Esqr.,
Bradford.
Soon after the Lodge celebrated its Jubilee the Brethren had in mind
their treasured Banner, and decided that it too should celebrate its 50 years of
service; a fund was formed in 1902, and, as already mentioned in Page 67, the
Banner was re-painted in 1904.
The design facing the previous page is a copy of the front page of the
Lodge Circular, as at present in use, with which all Brethren are familiar. It
has been in use for this purpose since 24th July, 1896, except that there was a
temporary period of disuse in that connection from 25th March, 1902, to
February, 1909.
The Banner depicted well conveys a general impression of the actual
Lodge Banner, although it is not correct in every particular. The colourings
are excellent representations of the real Banner, so are nearly all the emblems,
though at the bottom of the Banner certain emblems (the Sand-glass, the
Lewis, the Seven Stars and the Pentalpha) occupy different positions from
those in the illustration; and there is a further emblem "Skull and Crossbones"
on the real Banner not reproduced in the illustration; that re-arrangement was
done to suit the shape of the illustrated Banner, and that is where the main
difference lies: in the illustration the Banner is "shield shape" whereas the
actual Banner is rectangular, the latter being reproduced excellently in
Illustrations VI and VII on pages 58 and 59.
PAST MASTER'S JEWEL.
As will be seen from the photograph of the Past Master's Jewel, the
Lodge Banner Device has been used as the basis of the Past Master's Jewel,
and provides a unique and very pleasing Jewel, of
Past Master's Jewel.
90
whi ch the P ast M as t ers of the Lodge can be j us tl y proud. The
present form of Jewel has been in use since the following Minute,
passed at the Lodge Committee on 29th December, 1930 :-
"The Worshipful Master on retiring from the Chair shall be
presented with a Past Master's Jewel at the expense of the
Lodge."
RECORD OF MASTER'S YEAR.
The Past Master of the present day has another reason to be a
proud and happy man, as, in addition to a Jewel, the outgoing
Master is the recipient of a most interesting bound diary record of
events of his year. It is apparently the job of the Senior Warden to
collect the material each year for his Worshipful Master, and it can
easily be imagined with what joy and delight that little act of service is
done, knowing as he does that in a comparatively short time he, too,
will receive such a record, which he will treasure all his life, and ever
bring back to his mind the happy days when he was in the Chair of his
Mother Lodge.
B O A R D O F W OR S H IP F U L M A S T ER S .
On Page 92 is found a photograph of the Lodge's Board of
Worshipful Masters, which is a handsome piece of craftmanship
carried out by Bro. J. W. Wilkinson, a worthy son of a worthy sire, and
the Lodge is fortunate to have had. both father and son to do exquisite
work in connection with their premises and furnishings.
Board of Worshipful Masters.
ROLL OF THE WORSHIPFUL MASTERS OF THE LODGE.
Date Name Date Name
1846 William Kilner 1895 John Guest Thompson
1847 Thomas Robert Tatham 1896 John Freeman Dyson
1848 Julius Schlesinger 1897 John Davis
1849 Benjamin Taylor 1898 John Pyrah
1850 Thomas Robert Tatham 1899 John Lewis Sykes
1851 John Johnson 1900 Charles Frederick Arnold
1852 John Sykes 1901 John William Sawden
1853 Thomas Robinson 1902 John William Mallinson
1854 George Thomas Wright 1903 John Holrovd
1855 George Frederick Samuel 1904 James Mosley
Robinson, The Most Hon 1905 Frederick Edward Beckwith
the Marquis of Ripon K. G 1906 Samuel Russell
1856 William Cross Marsh 1907 Thomas Bean
1857 Walter Matthewson 1908 James Edward Battye
1858 John Kirk 1909 William Henry Wittrick
1859 William George Dyson 1910 Albert Banks
1860 Thomas Abbey Bottomley 1911 Frederick Guest Thompson
1861 Samuel Hardy 1912 Thomas McCulloch
1862 Joe Webb Tempest 1913 Joseph Thomas Spratt
1863 Allen Jackson 1914 Frank Shaw
1864 Henry Baines 1915 Edward Lister Lockwood
1865 William George Dyson 1916 Ernest Barrett
1866 Thomas Sellars Higgins 1917 Robert Perkins
1867 John Burgess 1918 George Percy Riley
1868 Edwin Woodhouse 1919 Abram Turner
1869 Joe Wood 1920 George Frederick Tinker
1870 George Marshall 1921 John William Thickett
1871 Reuben Williamson 1922 Harry Senior Wortley
1872 Joseph Robinson 1923 James Wilkinson
1873 Joseph Hirst 1924 Thomas Boardman Bolton
1874 Joseph Varley 1925 Sidney Hampshire
1875 Joshua Marshall 1926 Wadsworth Brook
1876 Thomas Jackson 1927 Harry Bradley
1877 John William Hinchliffe 1928 Samuel Guise
1878 Thomas Mansford Benton 1929 Sani Newsome
1879 Hiram Burley 1930 Thomas Gladstone Westmoreland
1880 John Lunn 1931 Percy Ainley
1881 Henry Shaw 1932 John William Shaw
1882 Joseph Graham 1933 James Naylor
1883 William Henry Jessop 1934 George Graham
1884 John Byram Matthewman 1935 Arthur Hudson
1885 John William Turner 1936 James Hollingworth
1886 William Eastwood Jowett 1937 Lewis Schofield
1887 Abraham Armitage 1938 Joe Stanley Ward
1888 Abraham Graham 1939 James Frederick Collard Cole
1889 John Dawson 1940 Norman Sykes
1890 George Jackson 1941 John Sugden
1891 Samuel Crossley 1942 Charles Arthur Waddington
1892 John Henry Sterry 1943 Percy Clark Haves
1893 Jimmy Firth 1944 Henry Cyril Skillington
1894 William Henry Jessop 1945 Geoffrey Gledhill
93
B R E T H R E N O F T H E L O D G E O F T R U T H N o . 5 2 1
who have attained
PROVINCIAL RANK OF THE PROVINCE OF YORKSHIRE (West Riding).
Name Rank and Year of Office
Benjamin Taylor J.D. 1830, 1831 (through Huddersfield 290).
Samuel Shaw S.D. 1847.
William Kilner S. of Wks. 1848, 1849 (through Harmony 275).
Thomas Robert Tatham Regr. 1852.
John Sykes J.D. 1854.
Thomas Jennings Wigney Regr. 1855.
Joe Wood Org. 1855, 1859.
George Thomas Wright S.D. 1856.
William Cross Marsh Steward-Year not known. No record of
Walter Matthewson Steward-Stewards in Province 1848 to 1860.
Henry Baines Purst. 1858 (through Nelson of the Nile 264),
George Frederick Samuel Robinson Provincial Grand Master 1861/1874.
(Lord Goderich), The Rt. Hon.
The Earl de Grey and Ripon, GRAND MASTER 1870/1874.
afterwards The Most Hon.
The Marquis of Ripon, K.G.
Thomas Robinson Regr. 1860, 1861,. J.W. 1862.
William George Dyson D.C. 1862, 1863.
John Kirk Purst. 1863. S. of Wks. 1864.
Thomas Abbey Bottomley Purst. 1865. S.D. 1867.
Thomas Sellars Higgins Purst. 1869. D.C. 1870.
Joshua Marshall Org. 1870.
Joseph Webb Tempest A.D.C. 1873.
John Burgess Purst. 1873.
Allen Jackson J.D. 1876.
Reuben Williamson J.D. 1884.
Edwin Woodhouse J.W. 1886 (through Philanthropic 304).
George Marshall J.D. 1886.
John William Turner J.D. 1888.
Jimmy Firth St.B. 1889.
William Henry Jessop S.D. 1890. S.W. (Past) 1917.
John Dawson A.D.C. 1894,
Abraham Armitage D.C. (Past) 1897.
George Jackson D.C. (Past) 1902.
John Pyrah St.B. 1905.
Charles Frederick Arnold A.D.C. 1908. S.W. (Past) '1927.
John Holroyd J.W. 1909.
Henry Shaw S.D. (Past) 1911.
John Lewis Sykes S.D. 1912.
Joseph Varley S.D. (Past) 1912.
John William Mallinson A.D.C. 1914.
James Mosley S.D. 1916.
Frederick Edward Beckwith D.C. (Past) 1917.
JosephThomasSprats S.D. (Past) '1918.
Samuel Russell A.D.C. 1919.
Thomas Bean J.W. (Past) 1919.
Frederick Guest Thompson Treas. 1921.
James Albert Woolven S.D. (Past) 1921.
Thomas McCulloch S.D. (Past) 1923.
Frank Shaw S.D. (Past) 1924.
George Percy Riley S.D. (Past) 1926.
Edward Lister Lockwood A.D.C. 1928.
John William Shaw A.D.C. (Past) 1929 (through Connaught
3800).
Abram Turner A.D.C. 1930.
Greorge Frederick Tinker A.D.C. 1932.
John William Thickett A.D.C. 1934.
Harry Senior Wortley A.D.C. 1936.
James Wilkinson A.D.C. (Past) 1937.
Thomas Boardman Bolton Dep. D.C. 1938.
Thomas Gladstone Westmoreland St.B. 1941,
Lewis Schofield St.B. 1944,
OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
Samuel Guise Prov. G. Secy. (Warwickshire) 1932.
P.A.G.D.C. 1937.
P.G.D. 1944.