History Of The Airedale Lodge, No. 387.

Bradford , Builder ) were appointed to carry out the same . The joining fee was fixed at twenty-one shillings the same ni ght . On August 5 th , 1868 , the initiation fee was raised to five guineas , and a motion to raise a furnishing fund by £ 1 shares amongst the members was passed . At the installation of Bro . Thomas Renton as W . M ., December 30 th , 1868 , the lodge being held at Baildonwas closed thereand the brethren adjourned to the new

, , lodge rooms at Westgate , Shipley , to celebrate the St . John ' s Festival . This year seven lodges were established , viz .: Goderich , No . 1211 , Leeds ; Searborough , Batley , No . 1214 ; Defence , Leeds , No . 1221 ; Savile , Elland , No . 1231 ; Wentworth , No . 1239 , Sheffield ; Marwood , Redcar , No . 1244 ; and Denison , No . 1248 , Scarborough . On January 27 th 1869 the first lodge meeting was held at Westgate

, , , Shipley , ancl on that occasion Bro . Wardman presented the beautiful centre lamp in the lodge room , and Mrs . Wardman a handsome Bible cushion for the pedestal . On April 28 th , 1869 , the subscriptions were advanced to £ 1 13 s . per annum , and on May 6 th , this resolution was added to , and finally passed , December 15 th , 1869 , in the form following : " That all members of this lodge who have been initiated since January , 1864 , pay an annual subscription of

£ 1 13 s . to same , to include suppers . " At this meeting , being St . John ' s , and the installation of Bro . Thomas Denby as W . M ., Bro . J . R . Riley was , owingto the removal of Bro . Wainman Holmes to Wiltshire , officially appointed acting Secretary . Bro . Blakey was also elected Charity Steward , superseding Bro . Henry Smith , this being one of the first results indicative of an unwholesome feeling and unsatisfactory condition of the Lodge . The Ryburn Lodge , Sowerby Bridge , No . 1283 , was established in 1869 .

The year 1870 was an important one , the by-laws of the loclge being drawn up b y the Secretary and passed in open lodge on 13 th July . The 35 th Regiment of Foot being stationed at Bradford Moor Barracks , several Masons being amongst them , visited Airedale Lodge frequently . The unusual popularity and good name which the regiment had gained during its stay in Bradford was forcibly illustrated on the day it left the town - , the occasion being regarded as a public lossand as such alluded to in all the local . The Airedale

, papers Lodge felt its particular loss also , and several of the members , amongst whom were Bros . Wardman , Todd , and myself , attended at Laister Dyke Station , and with many hearty good wishes , presented aM . M . ' s jewel to Bro . Quartermaster-Sergeant Imbusch , as a slight memento of his sojourn in Bradford . On September 15 th died suddenly a worthy , though humble brother , John Mann , an obituary notice of whose death appeared in The Freemason ' s Magazine of

1 st October , 1870 . The Brethren of Airedale Lodge would have a framed address of condolence sent to Mrs . Mann , and having a strong personal appreciation of Bro . Mann ' s amiable character , I wrote it out myself , and it was signed by thirty-five members . I was so pleased with the reading of this memorial recently ( 1878 ) that I am tempted to reproduce it in the Appendix ( G ) . At one time it was

contemplated placing a memorial window in Baildon Church , but serious illness overtook the brother most wishful for it , and in the anxiety to . set his own house in order , the project had to be abandoned . Bro . John Mann was a g-ood Freemason , and his example mi ght be fitly followed by many whose university education has not prevented them from engaging in unseemly wranglings in print of late years . Amongst his Masonic brethren he was universally in all

esteemed , and , probability , had scarcely an enemy in the world . Four lodges were established in 1870 , viz : Bri ghouse , Bri ghouse , No . 1301 ; De Warren , Halifax , 1302 ; Zetland , Leeds , No . 1311 ; and Anchor Loclge , 1337 , Northallerton . In consequence of the disposal of the funds in the Treasurer ' s hands to the three Masonic Charities on removal from Baildon to Shi pley , and the very heavy outlay requisite to furnish the new rooms , as well as the increased rent , etc ., the Lodge was getting uncomfortabl y into debt ; and on 5 th