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

In this connection 1 may mention a circumstance which will , no doubt , interest as well as surprise the brethren present . The ground on which this tavern stands , or that part of it which includes the room we are now in , was formerly owned by a very old member of this Lodge , one of its earliest ,

I might say , for in the first list of its members returned to Grand Lodge , in the year 1725 , comprising 17 names , the 1 2 th name on that list is that of Philip Carteret Webb , who , I have every reason lo believe , was for many years the freeholder and the occupier of the houses and grounds on which the original Freemasons' Tavern stood and our Grand old Hah was afterwards erected .

SIGN ' S OK TIIK TAVERNS AT WHICH THE GLOBE LODGE WA . S HELD FROM iri ' . 'i TO 17 IU .

During the first 59 years of the existence of the Grand Lodge , it had neither home nor habitation , nor , indeed , anything else in the shape of real estate . Its ordinary meetings were held at various taverns , and the Annual Festivals at one of the Halls of the City Companies hired for the occasion .

About the year 1767 , strong efforts were made to raise a Fund to provide furniture and jewels for the Grand Lodge . This movement eventually developed into the formation of a Fund for building a Hall and proper offices . It may interest the brethren to know that the Globe Lodge was one of the earliest contributors to this Fund . In 1773 , a

Hall Committee , consisting of the leading Masons in London , headed by the Grand Master , was formed , with certain powers delegated to it by the Grand Lodge . This Committee soon set to work , and after having inspected several places that were unsuitable , had practically decided to

recommend the purchase of certain Freehold premises situated on the North side of Fleet street , when word was brought to the Committee that two commodious dwelling houses and a large garden in Great Queen Street , late in the possession of Philip Carteret Webb , Esq ., deceased , were

[ * ] Donations of the following Lodges towards re-building Freemafons * Tavernagreeable to the Refolution of the Grand Lodge , on the

20 th of , March , 17 88 . No 1 . Somerfet-Houfe Lodge , Freemafons' Tavern — — - — — — £ 10500 15 . Globe-Lodge , Crown-and-Rolls , Chancery-lane — — — — S S ° Freemafons' — — — —

22 . Old King's-Arms Lodge , Tavern 5 5 ° 28 . Corner-Stone Lodge , Dean Street , Oxfoad-Street — - — — S S ° 2 Q . Britannic Lodge , Star-and-Garter , Pail-Mall — — — 52 10 o 47 . The Stewards Lodge — — — — — -- — . 2 5 00 130 . Lodge of Regularity , Thatched-Houfe Tavern , St . James s Street JO 10 o Holborn

216 . Tufcan Lodge , King ' i-Head Tavern , — — — — 5 5 ° £ 214 o o

to be disposed of . J hey- at once deputed J homas Dight , Carpenter , of Great Wild Street , who had brought the intelligence , and Brother Alexander McKowl , Bricklayer , to make a careful survey of the premises and report the result . Everything being found satisfactory , the Committee made their report to the Grand Master , who wrote his opinion at the loot of the report in the minute book , " I have considered

the above and think it the most desirable plan that has yet been offered to the Committee . ( Signed ) PKTKK . " Early in 1774 the purchase was completed , and it was in the garden above referred to that our line old Hall , in which the meetings of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter are now held , was built . The premises consisted of a front house

facing the street , and a smaller or back house adjoining the garden , probably used as a museum . The former became the original Freemasons' Coffee house , or Tavern , and the latter was fitted up as offices and a committee room for the purposes of the Grand Lodge . Notwithstanding the large expenditure in repairs and

alterations of the old premises previousl y occupied by-Philip Carteret Webb , it was found that , as the business increased , they were ill adapted for Tavern purposes , the Grand Lodge , therefore , on the advice of Thomas Sandby , Esq ., R . A ., Grand Architect ; William T yler , Esq ., P . G . Steward , another eminent architect , decided to demolish the

old buildings and erect instead a large tavern connected with the Hal ] , with suitable accommodation for the Grand Secretary , and the meetings of Lodges and other Societies . This was a serious undertaking in view of the fact that the Hall was not yet paid for , and the amount received for its use was barely

enough for working expenses—still it was , no doubt , the ri ght thing to do , considering the great age of the structure . The next question was how to raise the money to pay for the rebuilding , and , as a matter of course , the Lodges and individual brethren were first appealed to for contributions . At that time there were but 104 Lodges on the

London List , many of which were , doubtless , not in a condition to be able to contribute anything to the object in view , but the few that responded did so in a liberal spirit , as will be seen from the first and onl y list of donations printed in the Grand Lodge Report , and here appended in facsimile .

It will be observed that all the contributions came fro in what were then , and are still , " Red Apron Lodges . " The Caledonian Lodge subsequently contributed , ^ . 10 JOS . The sum required ( about £ 5000 ) was eventually raised b y borrowing from the Fund of Charity and from certain wealthy members of the Hall Committee . ( To be Continued ) .