History Of The Lodge Of Emulation, No. 21.

The Lodge of Emulation was originally awarded the number 22 on the Union List but at the next enumeration in 1832 it acquired its present number , the former No . having been erased in 1830 . 1814 , Jan . 17 th . —This being Installation night the Lodge was well attended , twenty-six members and thirteen visitors

being present . After the Lodge had been opened in the first and second degrees and the work appertaining thereto disposed of it was adjourned from labour to refreshment . " On the Lodge being resumed the R . W . Master , Brother Deans , proposed that the Installed Masters present should

proceed to the installation of the R . W . M . elect , and Brother Percy having pledged himself to support the Laws and Constitutions of the Order and the Bye Laws , retired to an adjoining room , where having been regularly installed he returned to the lodge room and after being duly obligated

took the Chair . Brother Tuffnell was also by the recommendation and authority of the Grand Master installed as Deputy Master of the Lodge of Friendship at Chichester and duly obligated . "

SIR WATK 1 X l . KWES , LORD MAY'lR OK LONDON * , I 7 N 0--M , INITIATED IN THE LODGE OK EMCLATION IN I / Sl . I'liolo & n filial from 11 Print in the Cnililhnll Library , bv fieriitission of the l . ibnny Committee of the Corfioratiou of l . oiuton . The new master then invested his officers , but no mention

is made of an Inner Guard , until the Installation meeting of Jan . 15 th , 1816 , when " previous to the appointment of a Tyler , P . M . White observed that in consequence of the new regulations the Inner Guard must be a subscribing member , two Tylers became unnecessary , he therefore moved that

one only be now elected . " Hence it appears that the duties of I . G . had been hitherto performed by one of the Tylers . 1814 , Feb . 21 st . —At this meeting the Committee recommended sundry alterations in the By-Laws , amongst which

were the following . " That the Dinner Bill be called by the Treasurer on or before Nine o ' clock under a penalty of one guinea . " "That the fine to be levied on a disobedient Brother be from two shillings and sixpence to ten shillings and sixpence ,

< 'it the discretion of the Master . That the visiting fee be twelve shillings , and the proposition fee one guinea instead of half a guinea as heretofore . " The Committee further reported that they had " arranged with Brother Butler to pay six shillings and sixpence per

head for dinner which sum is to include every charge except for wine , broken glass , and the Tyler ' s refreshment . They also recommend that in future the Badges furnished by the

Tylers be paid for by the individuals requiring them and not out of the funds of the Lodge . " March 28 th . —At an Emergency meeting held this day for the purpose of initiating Mr . Thomas Reddalls , the first and second sections of the First Lecture were worked , and at the next meeting , April 1 SU 1 , four of the sections were

rehearsed and the Antient Charges read . To avoid repetition I may state that it appears from the minutes , to have been customary at this period and for many subsequent years , to work some of the sections and read certain of the Antient Charges at every meeting of the

Lodge . Dec . 19 th . —Bro . Harry Down of the Somerset House Lodge and Bro . William Burls of the Old King ' s Arms Lodge were this night raised to the third degree at the request of the Masters of their respective lodges , " having satisfactorily

passed their examination in open Lodge as candidates for the mysteries of the sublime degree of Master Mason . " 1815 , Jan . 16 th . —Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed at the banquet provided on this the Installation night , and notice was given for the removal of the Lodge .

Notice of motion was also given to increase the annual subscription to £ 4 , exclusive of the 4 s . payable from each member to the General Fund of Benevolence . Tin ' s motion was carried in the aflirmative at the following meeting , when it was resolved by a considerable majority to remove the Lodge to The George and Vulture , St . Michael's Alley . Cornhill .

May 15 th . —It was decided that the Summer Festival should be " at Brother * Willoughby ' s , Hybury House , Islington , and that the tickets for the same be 15 s . each . " " The Petition of Catharine Frith , the orphan daughter of the late Rev . John Frith , was read by which it appeared , that in addition to the misfortune of being left destitute , she

was in the pitiable condition of being deaf and dumb . " The Lodge immediately voted . £ 10 towards the fund being raised " for purchasing an annuity for the life of this forlorn orphan of a late worthy and venerable Brother . " The Rev . John Frith , A . M ., it will be remembered was

the lirst Master of the united lodges in 1780 , and , in conjunction with William White , was mainly instrumental in bringing about that important event . As far back as 1773 he joined the Mourning Bush Lodge but his former Lodge I am unable to ascertain . He served the Lodge as

Warden in 1774 , as Master in 1775 , 1779-1780 , and as Grand Steward in 1777 . He was a skilful penman and has left an example of his elegant caligraphy in the lirst Minute Book of the Lodge , he having temporarily filled the office of Secretary . His Masonic fame , however , rests chiefly on his

connection with the Order of the Holy Royal Arch , having been exalted in the Grand Chapter on 12 th Dec , 1777 , and appointed Scribe E . at the next meeting . For several years he filled the office of Grand Recorder , and after duly serving in the subordinate offices , was elected M . E . Z . in 1790 . He died at Chelsea in 1814 , in his 75 th year , having been curate of St . Thomas Apostle for upwards of thirty years .

1816 , March i 8 th . — " Bro . White , P . M ., agreeable to his notice , moved , that the sum of Twenty-live Guineas be paid by this Lodge to the fund of General Purposes towards extending and improving the Society's Freehold property in Great Queen Street , and that the members do subscribe the sum of Ten shillings and sixpence each , for the purpose

of reimbursing the funds of the Lodge , which was seconded by Bro . Norris and carried unanimously . " i 8 r 8 , Jan . 19 th . —The Master having been duly installed and the Officers severally invested , " The Lodge adjourned from labour to refreshment , and resumed its labours at

8 o ' clock , when on the motion of Br . Whitford , P . M . it was regularly proposed and seconded , ' That it appears expedient to establish a fund in this Lodge , which shall be exclusivel y applicable to Benevolent purposes . ' This resolution was agreed to .

" It was further moved and seconded , ' That the said fund be raised by voluntary contributions of the Brethren present at each meeting and that a Box be circulated after

dinner for that purpose , ' upon which it was moved and