History Of The Airedale Lodge, No. 387,

HISTORY OF THE AIREDALE LODGE , No . 387 ,

Giving also , incidentally ( by notes of the Foundation of each Lodge in chronological order ) , a Record of the Progress of Freemasonry in Yorkshire . BY BRO . J . KAMSDEN RILEY , P . M . AIREDALE LODGE , NO . 387 ,

Z . MORAVIAN CHAPTER , NO . 387 . THE occasion of the Earl of Carnarvon's visit to Saltaire has been taken advantage of by the Freemasons of Shipley to give eclat to the opening proceedings of a neAv Masonic Hall in that toivnan event which was looked

, fonvard to with considerable interest , not only by Masons in the district but by those of the Craft resident elsewhere . The securing of a hall specially adapted for Masonic purposes by the brethren at Ship ley Avas of itself an event sufficiently interesting , and has been rendered increasingly so by the circumstances that they have been able to secure the good offices of so distinguished a Mason as the Pro Grand Master of the Order to conduct the inaugural

proceedings . Another circumstance of interest is the fact that the neAV hall is a memento of the jubilee of the Airedale Lodge , 387 , for whose accommodation the hall has been erected . From the published address of the Secretary , P . M . J . Ramsden Riley , which was g iven upon the fiftieth anniversary of the lodge in April , 1877 , Ave learn that the Airedale Lodge Avas established at Baildon , on April 11 th , 1827 , having succeeded to the paraphernalia of the defunct Duke of York Lodge , which was constituted at Doncaster in 1788 .

During the latter part of this earlier lodge ' s existence it does not appear to have shoAvn much vitality , and in 1807 it ivas removed to Bingley , where it existed under slightly better conditions until January , 1815 . A few brethren of the district appear to have met without interruption at each other ' s homes , but it was not until 1827 , mainly through the exertions of Wainman Holmes ancl Jonathan Walker , assisted strenuously by two or three members of the

Keighley Lodge , that a lodge could be formed , ancl the present Airedale Lodge constituted . The last fifty years has been so important an epoch of Masonic history that it would have been extraordinary if the Airedale had not had its vicissitudes , aud notably in 1838 , when its members were returned to Grand Lodge as seven ( although nominally comprised of about fourteen ) , the career of the lodge had well nigh ended through the severe commercial depression m

the Baildon district . It had even then , hoAvever , some staunch supporters , whose example has no doubt materially affected the subsequent growth ancl importance of the lodge , which since 1866 ( commencing as it were another generation ) , has had an uninterrupted prosperity , Ai'hile its future prospects are decidedly auspicious . The jubilee of the lodge was held on the 11 th April last year , in the old rooms in Westgate , Ship ley . The number of members is noiv viz John

about fifty , the folloAving being the acting officers of the lodge , ., Morrell , W . M . ; John Hey , I . P . M . ; John Magson , S . W . ; Fred Ives , J . W . ; JLister , S . D . ; H . Mitchell , J . D . ; . S . Smith , I . G . ; E . Heaton , O . G . ; the indefatigable Secretary of the lodge being J . R . Riley , P . M . The new Masonic Hall is situate in Wellcroft-court , Kirkgate , Shipley , and has been erected upon the site of the former New Inn , by Mr . Jonas Bradley , who has built the Star and Garter Hotel adjoining . About £ 1000 has been