This new version of Masonic Records is a joint venture between Museum of Freemasonry and the Digital Humanities Institute at Hall Stone Medal: Lodges that donated an average of ten guineas per head towards the building costs of the current Freemasons’ Hall between 1921 and 1933 qualified as Hall Stone Lodges entitling the lodge’s Master to wear a Hall Stone Jewel attached to his Master’s collar.

Using the same definition of Middlesex, it can also be stated that the first Grand Chapter was established in the County. This took place at the Turks Head Tavern in Gerrard Street, Soho in 1766. Lodges existed in Scotland at the end of the sixteenth century, many researchers having delved into the origins of Edinburgh and Kilwinning Lodges. Arguably, the first non-operative Mason to be Initiated on English soil, for which there are substantiated records, was on 20 th May 1641 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was Sir Robert Moray, first President of the Royal Society. He was followed five years later by Elias Ashmole in Warrington. Were there masonic meetings being held in Middlesex during the following sixty years? In tracing the earliest documented beginnings of Freemasonry most historians accept the English records in the form of documents and manuscripts (MS) known as the “OLD CHARGES” or “ Old Constitutions” as the earliest regulations of a specifically organised trade group or guilds. That is not to say that in the spread of masonry the trades man may have been imported into England and Scotland from Europe by the established church. These guilds were not unique to the Masons, in fact most other medieval trades had similar organisational structures, what is unique to the mason was the documentation of their customs and history. Our 9 th Provincial Grand Master, R.W. HRH Prince Michael of Kent was initiated into the Royal Abbey Lodge No.16 in 1974, was its Master in 1977 and became Middlesex Grand Master in 1989. There is a long history of family Masonic tradition as his grandfather and father were Masons. His leadership has gained the Province of Middlesex much success.

Contents

From these earliest times masonry combined the mysteries of mathematics, geometry, architecture, and all aspects of labour both physical and managerial, to create a professional building trade that those outside the industry would envy. VW Bro Sir Ralph (Noel) Milbanke (1747 –1825), British MP, landowner, Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Durham, father-in-law of Lord Byron and grandfather of the Mathematician Lady Ada Lovelace [19] Local Intelligence – The Installation of Bro S.P. Austin". British Newspaper Archive. Newcastle Journal, Saturday 13 December 1873. In a largely rural Middlesex, there were the county houses of many who also had London homes and it would have been strange if ardent Masons did not continue their Masonry throughout Middlesex. However, no evidence of this has come to light during extensive research at Grand Lodge library and elsewhere. Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England, March 1838. London, England: United Grand Lodge of England. 1838.

Ridley, Jasper. The Freemasons: A History of the World’s Most Powerful Secret Society: Constable, 1999 Grit maister of wark of all and sindrie his hienes palaceis, biggingis and reparationis, – and greit oversear, directour and commander of quhatsumevir police devysit or to be devysit for our soverane lordis behuif and plessur.' Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, 1581–1584, vol. 8

Time Period

English Grand Lodge Warrants". Ars Quatuor Coronatorum: Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 London. Vol.90. 12 May 1977. pp.92–141. The Lodge is one of the 50 oldest in the UK and was consecrated on 14 January 1757, [5] [6] by John Thornhill, [7] Worshipful Master of Phoenix Lodge No 94, which had been consecrated 14 months previously. This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.