Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Minute Book Of The Lodge Of Industry, Gateshead.
" The original Warrant of the lodge Avas dated 24 th June , 1735 , the number of the lodge at that time being ] 32 . After this Warrant was lost , a Charter of Confirmation was granted to the lodge in October , 1771 , by the Duke of Beaufort Grand Master ,
which is now in posseasion of the brethren of the lodge , and constitutes their authority for all Masonic jiurposes . " In 1867 , the lodge resolved to apply to the Most Worshipful the Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetlandfor
per-, mission to Avear a centenary medal , Avhich Avas granted Avithout hesitation , and Bro . W . Gray Clarke , the late Grand Secretary , in reference to the age of the lodge , stated that the Lodge of Industry first a 2 ipeared in the books of Grand Lodge in 1735 ancl
, had continued on tho rolls of Grand Lodge regularly since that time . " The following account of it has also appeared in tbe " Freemason , " Avhich , as it Avas written by myself , I deem it also Avell to give here , as it affords a fair account of
the book as now before me . "The Minute Book of the Lodge of Industry , Gateshead , has been lent me for perusal and description by the great
kindness of the W . M . of the said good lodge , through the courteous intermediation of P . M . Bro . E . Robson , Treas ., ancl a most interesting relic it is . " This old record is a paper book bound up with Anderson ' s Constitutions of 1723 .
" Some of the MS . entries begin at the reverse end . Some go through as usual from left to ri ght . "The earliest minute is of 1725—at the reverse end—to this effect , very note-Avorth y : September 29 , 1725 . 'Then
Matthew Armstrong and Arthur Douglas , Masons , appeared in the Lodge of Freemasons , and agreed to have their names registered as " Enterprentices , " to be accepted next quarterly meeting , paying one shilling each for that rankancl 7 s 6 d
, . . when they take then freedom . ' " TSveiit y-oiie minutes in all are consecutivel y entered at the reverse end , the last dated December 7 th 1776 , more or less all relating to tbe taking ancl acceptance of apprentices .
_ " When Ave turn back to the continuation of the printed Constitutions we find some very remarkable entries . "The 'Orders of Antiquity , ' almost identical with those of the Alnwick
Constitution , but standing separately there , the Apprentices Orders , the General Orders , the Penal Orders , the Fund Laws , are all of rare archaiological value . " Unfortunately between the numbered pages , 36 ancl 37 , a " hiatus valde
deflendus" occurs , where some scrupulous , or unscrupulous , brother has deprived us of several pages of MS . " I hope that the original ' Fund LaAvs , ' are nevertheless to be put together from other pages of the book .
" It may interest some to knoAV that in July , 1746 , it Avas ' enacted at a Grand Lodge , ' held that evening , that no brother Mason should be admitted unto the dignity of a ' Highrodiam , ' under less than ye charge of 2 s . Gel ., or as tbe Damaskin or
Forin , as John Thompson from Gateside , paid at the same night 5 s . N . B . —The English Masters to pay for entering unto the said Mastership 2 s . 6 d . per majority . This is headed ' Memorandum of tbe
Highrodiams , and there is a hst of seven who only paid Is . 6 d ., and four thorough English names , equally who paid 2 s . 6 d . Avith this note , ' Engl . 8 th , pd . 2 sh . 6 d . ' "There is a further list of t-velve , Avho , I presume , paid the 2 s . 6 d ., and over the leaf we have tAvo lists of twelve and thirty
respectively , the twelve are headed the names of the brothers in the High Order , & c . To pay for making in that Order , Is . 6 d . At tbe bead of tbe other list is
'English Masters , to pay at entrance , 2 s . 6 d . each . ' At the bottom of the list are the names of six others , or of the six receiving brethren . "We have the names of five 'Raised Masters' on the same page in 1771 and 1772 .
" I have said enough to show the interest of this most valuable Masonic book , ancl I conclude Avith the regulations of 1733 , which are exceedingly valuable archseologically , as oiu' Bro . W . J . Hughan will agree : —
"' June 14 , 1733 . " ' It is agreed by the Society , that any brother of the lodge that hath an apprentice that serves his time equally and laAVfully as he ought to do , shall be made free for the sum of 8 s . And for any Avorking
Mason , not of the lodge , the sum of 10 s . Ancl to any gentleman or other that is not a Avorking Mason , according to the majority of the company . '" ¥
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Minute Book Of The Lodge Of Industry, Gateshead.
" The original Warrant of the lodge Avas dated 24 th June , 1735 , the number of the lodge at that time being ] 32 . After this Warrant was lost , a Charter of Confirmation was granted to the lodge in October , 1771 , by the Duke of Beaufort Grand Master ,
which is now in posseasion of the brethren of the lodge , and constitutes their authority for all Masonic jiurposes . " In 1867 , the lodge resolved to apply to the Most Worshipful the Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetlandfor
per-, mission to Avear a centenary medal , Avhich Avas granted Avithout hesitation , and Bro . W . Gray Clarke , the late Grand Secretary , in reference to the age of the lodge , stated that the Lodge of Industry first a 2 ipeared in the books of Grand Lodge in 1735 ancl
, had continued on tho rolls of Grand Lodge regularly since that time . " The following account of it has also appeared in tbe " Freemason , " Avhich , as it Avas written by myself , I deem it also Avell to give here , as it affords a fair account of
the book as now before me . "The Minute Book of the Lodge of Industry , Gateshead , has been lent me for perusal and description by the great
kindness of the W . M . of the said good lodge , through the courteous intermediation of P . M . Bro . E . Robson , Treas ., ancl a most interesting relic it is . " This old record is a paper book bound up with Anderson ' s Constitutions of 1723 .
" Some of the MS . entries begin at the reverse end . Some go through as usual from left to ri ght . "The earliest minute is of 1725—at the reverse end—to this effect , very note-Avorth y : September 29 , 1725 . 'Then
Matthew Armstrong and Arthur Douglas , Masons , appeared in the Lodge of Freemasons , and agreed to have their names registered as " Enterprentices , " to be accepted next quarterly meeting , paying one shilling each for that rankancl 7 s 6 d
, . . when they take then freedom . ' " TSveiit y-oiie minutes in all are consecutivel y entered at the reverse end , the last dated December 7 th 1776 , more or less all relating to tbe taking ancl acceptance of apprentices .
_ " When Ave turn back to the continuation of the printed Constitutions we find some very remarkable entries . "The 'Orders of Antiquity , ' almost identical with those of the Alnwick
Constitution , but standing separately there , the Apprentices Orders , the General Orders , the Penal Orders , the Fund Laws , are all of rare archaiological value . " Unfortunately between the numbered pages , 36 ancl 37 , a " hiatus valde
deflendus" occurs , where some scrupulous , or unscrupulous , brother has deprived us of several pages of MS . " I hope that the original ' Fund LaAvs , ' are nevertheless to be put together from other pages of the book .
" It may interest some to knoAV that in July , 1746 , it Avas ' enacted at a Grand Lodge , ' held that evening , that no brother Mason should be admitted unto the dignity of a ' Highrodiam , ' under less than ye charge of 2 s . Gel ., or as tbe Damaskin or
Forin , as John Thompson from Gateside , paid at the same night 5 s . N . B . —The English Masters to pay for entering unto the said Mastership 2 s . 6 d . per majority . This is headed ' Memorandum of tbe
Highrodiams , and there is a hst of seven who only paid Is . 6 d ., and four thorough English names , equally who paid 2 s . 6 d . Avith this note , ' Engl . 8 th , pd . 2 sh . 6 d . ' "There is a further list of t-velve , Avho , I presume , paid the 2 s . 6 d ., and over the leaf we have tAvo lists of twelve and thirty
respectively , the twelve are headed the names of the brothers in the High Order , & c . To pay for making in that Order , Is . 6 d . At tbe bead of tbe other list is
'English Masters , to pay at entrance , 2 s . 6 d . each . ' At the bottom of the list are the names of six others , or of the six receiving brethren . "We have the names of five 'Raised Masters' on the same page in 1771 and 1772 .
" I have said enough to show the interest of this most valuable Masonic book , ancl I conclude Avith the regulations of 1733 , which are exceedingly valuable archseologically , as oiu' Bro . W . J . Hughan will agree : —
"' June 14 , 1733 . " ' It is agreed by the Society , that any brother of the lodge that hath an apprentice that serves his time equally and laAVfully as he ought to do , shall be made free for the sum of 8 s . And for any Avorking
Mason , not of the lodge , the sum of 10 s . Ancl to any gentleman or other that is not a Avorking Mason , according to the majority of the company . '" ¥