Some Memorials Of The Globe Lodge, No. 23, And Of The "Red Apron."

' The Globe Tavern , from which the Lodge takes its name , was not only a well known Masonic meeting place , but is immortalized in history as the home of a certain literary and convivial club , much frequented by that versatile genius , Oliver Goldsmith , historian and poet , at the period when the Globe Lodge was held there . Unfortunately the Register

of the Grand Lodge , so far as the Globe Lodge is concerned , is blank from 1730 to about 1776 , had that not been the case it is not unlikely that some of the members of that celebrated club would have been found to have also been members of this Lodge .

YK OLDE BELL TAVERN . WHERE THE GLOBE LODGE WAS HELD FHOM 1755 TO 1757 . —( 1 'hoto Elite Portrait Co . )

Of the ten different houses at which this Lodge has found a home , it may be noted that , with the exception of the adjoining premises , not one is now to be found in the condition in which it was at the time the Lodge was held there , several of them have been entirely swept away , others have been rebuiltand one seems to have been only slightly altered .

, The last referred to is the house at which the Lodge was held , from 1755 to 1757 , and judging from external appearance this old tavern has undergone very little structural change , notwithstanding that it is situated in the very heart of London . Only recently I made an inspection of it , I didn't

go inside because well , I don't hold with liquid refreshment in the forenoon , but , with the exception ot the windows having been slightly modernized , the house has every appearance of \ enerable age , indeed , I see no reason to doubt its being quite 200 years old , and may have possibly

occupied its present position ever since the rebuilding of the city after the great lire in 1666 . Should any of the brethren desire to pay it a visit and test the quality of its liquids , it is now called Ye Olde Bell , and is situated in Noble Street , Falcon Square , Aldersgate .

N . B . —The entrance to the Saloon Bar is in Oat Lane . Since writing the foregoing paragraph , I have been fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of the proprietor of this old tavern , Bro . George H . Sweet , who courteously invited me to inspect the interior , and having done so from attics to cellars , I see no reason to alter or modify the opinion

already expressed . Considerable alterations have undoubtedly been made , both internally and externally , but unless I am much mistaken , the room in which Masonic meetings were held is practically intact . The old brickwork of the outer walls , as will be seen from the accompanying photograph , has been hidden by

stucco , and the windows enlarged and modernized by the removal of the old-fashioned broad , wooden framing , but I have not the shadow of a doubt that it is the identical house in which the Globe Lodge was held from 1755 to 1757 , and the Lodge of Industry , No . 186 , in 1815 .

On account of the narrowness of the street and the dulness of the weather at this season , it was very difficult to get a good photograph of the building , and I shall only be doing bare justice to the photographer in saying that he has done much better than I expected .