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 Becorcl of the Progress of Freemasonry in Yorkshire . BY BRO . J . EAMSDEN RILEY , P . M . AIREDALE LODGE , NO . 387 , Z . MORAVIAN CHAPTER , NO . 387-SECTION IV . —1864 to 1879—continued .

THE ceremony of dedication was proceeded with , according to ancient Masonic custom , by the W . D . Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Tew , in an able manner , the oration being given by Bro . the Rev . William Codings Lukis , M . A ., F . S . A ., Prov . G . Chaplain West Yorkshire , De Grey ancl Ripon Lodge , 837 , as follows : — Brethren , —We have met together to assist in a stirring and interesting

ceremonial , and our heartiest wishes accompany the performance of the act . In addressing the members of the Airedale Lodge on this auspicious occasion , I am not addressing a young Lodge , but one that has already attained to a respectable and respectful age . It is composed of well-instructed brethren , many of whom are better qualified to teach me than I am to tell them anything which they have not already learned and endeavoured to practice as true and

loyal Masons . The Airedale Lodge is in the fifty-second year of its existence , its Warrant of Constitution bearing date 12 th March , 1827 . It seems in its origin to have risen , phcenix-like , out of the ashes of an old lodge , viz ., the Duke of York ' s Lodge , No . 428 , originally constituted at Doncaster in 1788 , and removed to Bin gley in 1807 . In 1815 the Duke of York ' s Lodge at Bingley is supposed to have closed its career , and the Airedale Lodge sprang into existence , at Baildon , in 1827 , its originators being Bro . Wainman Holmes , of the Lodge of Hope , Bradford , ancl other brethren of the defunct

Bingley Lodge . From Baildon it finally settled here at Shi pley , where Ave trust it will long continue to pursue an honourable and useful career . This Avandering life Avill account for the circumstance that no dedication of the lodge should have occurred earlier . During the period between 1827 and 1877 its number has been twice changed , owing to the erasure of extinct lodges ; the first time in 1832 , when from 814 it was recognised on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England as No . 543 and the second time in 1863 when it obtained

, , its present number , 387 . It is not necessary that I should enter more at length into the history of the lodge and its vicissitudes , because that history has been compiled by Bro . P . M . Riley , and printed in a very handsome volume . I shall simply add Avhat I believe will be felt by every member of the lodge , that the brother who must always be gratefully recognised as its founder and mainstay , and whose long and active services have contributed to its prosperitis the

y , venerable Bro . P . M . Wainman Holmes , who , to quote his own AA'ords , stated last year that " out of the fifty years that the Airedale Lodge has been constituted , I think I should be W . M . and Secretary at least thirty or more years ( perhaps forty years ) , and ivhatever I had to do I did it with pleasure , and particularly in my younger clays , Avhen Masonry was my 'hobby horse . '" I will venture to say that there is probably no other lodin this province that

ge can grasp the Avarm . hand of its living founder at the end of fifty-one years . May the prayer of the lodge uttered last year be fulfilled , that the G . A . O . T . TJ . may make Bro . Holmes ' s closing years happy and contented . Before making a few general remarks I cannot forbear alluding very briefly to two points which come to li ght in the printed history of this lodge , because they indicate in a forcible manner that the brethren have been in the past , and continue to