Freemasonry’s roots lie in the traditions of the medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles.
It is here that a number of the famous elements of Freemasonry find their roots. In the medieval era, stonemasons often travelled around to find work in different locations. To demonstrate their level of qualification, they would use grips, words and signs in order to distinguish themselves from unqualified builders.
Freemasonry uses building analogies to teach members how to lead productive lives that benefit the communities that they live in. In the medieval era, stonemasons wore aprons and gloves to protect themselves while working on shaping rough pieces of stone, but in today’s society Freemasons meet to build friendships and communities rather than cathedrals and castles..
1646
The origins of Freemasonry are unclear, although early Freemasons were influenced by the legends, imagery and customs of medieval stonemasons. Elias Ashmole wrote about his initiation in a Lodge in Warrington in 1646, the first recorded evidence of the initiation of an English speculative mason – notwithstanding the fact that those present and listed would have certainly been initiated at an earlier date.
1717
On St. John’s Day, 24 June 1717, four London Lodges, which had existed for some time, came together at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern in St Paul’s Churchyard, declared themselves a Grand Lodge and elected Anthony Sayer as their first Grand Master. This was the first Grand Lodge in the world. This was the founding of the Premier Grand Lodge, the first of its kind anywhere in the world and the origins of the United Grand Lodge of England.
1723
By this time, the new Grand Lodge had published its first rulebook – The Constitutions of the Free-Masons – and was meeting quarterly and recording its meetings.
1751
A rival Grand Lodge appeared in London with different practices. London Scottish and Irish Freemasons had formed a rival Grand Lodge in 1751, labelling the original Grand Lodge ‘Moderns’ and calling themselves ‘Antients’. The two rivals existed side by side – both at home and abroad – for nearly 63 years, neither recognising each other as regular.
1775
English Freemasonry’s home has been on Great Queen Street since 1775.
1783
After nearly 63 years, the two Grand Lodges in England united on 27 December 1813 to form the United Grand Lodge of England. This union led to a great deal of standardisation of ritual, procedures and regalia. Operating under the core values of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth – now expressed in the guiding principles of Integrity, Respect, Friendship and Charity – English Freemasonry attracted people from all walks of life and spread around the globe. In the times before a welfare state, it created charities to look after the wellbeing of members and their families, but over time it has evolved into a major supporter of charities and causes beyond Freemasonry throughout local communities across the country.
1814
Some 647 Lodges were in existence. The 19th century saw a great expansion of Freemasonry – both at home and abroad.
1900
2,800 Lodges now existed under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England.
1927
United Grand Lodge of England’s headquarters, Freemasons’ Hall – originally called the Masonic Peace Memorial – were built between 1927 and 1933, as a memorial to more than 3,000 members of the United Grand Lodge who lost their lives in the First World War.
World Wars I and II
The two World Wars both had a great effect on English Freemasonry. Some 3,533 Freemasons were killed during the First World War, and Freemasons’ Hall (originally the Masonic Peace Memorial) was built in 1933 as a memorial to the fallen. In the three years after the First World War, more than 350 new Lodges were set up; and in the three years after the Second World War, nearly 600 new Lodges came into being. In many cases, the founders were servicemen who wanted to continue the camaraderie they had built up during their war service and were looking for a calm centre in a greatly changed and changing world.
1967
On 14 June 1967, the 250th anniversary of Grand Lodge was celebrated at the Royal Albert Hall. The centrepiece of the celebrations was the installation of HRH The Duke of Kent as Grand Master. He still holds that office today and comes from a long line of Royal Grand Masters, which includes his father George, King Edward VII, the Duke of Sussex and King George IV.
1992
On 10 June 1992, more than 12,500 Freemasons and guests gathered at Earl’s Court in west London to celebrate the 275th anniversary of Grand Lodge. For the first time, press and television were present at a meeting of Grand Lodge and the event featured on television newscasts around the world.
2017
The tercentenary of Grand Lodge in 2017 was celebrated in style throughout the year, culminating with a special meeting of Grand Lodge at the Royal Albert Hall, which was presided over by the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, and attended by representatives of sovereign Grand Lodges from around the world.
The North Gallery in the Museum of Freemasonry was opened as part of the celebration and tells the history of three centuries of English Freemasonry through displays and public tours.
and the
FOUR ORIGINAL LODGES
The Goose and Gridiron Ale-House was located in a section of London known as St. Paul’s Churchyard. The name was a corruption, or parody, on the arms of the “Swan and Lyre,” a musical society which also met at the ale-house. The building was constructed with five floors, including the basement. The largest dining room, on the second floor, measured only 14.2 by 21.2 feet in area.
Masonic history records the beginning of the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster as being organized there on June 24, 1717, by a combined meeting of four local area Lodges. One of Lodges among the original ‘Four Old Lodges’ met there, assuming the name of the ale-house.
Dr. Anderson tells us that a Grand Lodge ‘pro tempore’ was formed at the Apple Tree Tavern in 1716, with no Grand Master elected and with no regulations or laws of any kind formulated. This meeting amounted to an agreement to meet the following June 24th to form a Grand Lodge, at the Goose and Gridiron Alehouse.
The famous meeting of June 24, 1717 (birthday of St. John the Baptist) was the designated as the Annual Assembly and Feast. Three additional annual meetings were subsequently specified by the original General Regulations; one on Michaelmas (in September), one just after Christmas (December 27 – birthday of St. John the Evangelist), and another on Lady Day (Annunciation Day, March 25). There is no record that these specified meetings actually occurred.
At the organizational meeting, the four Lodges elected Anthony Sayer, as the ‘oldest Master Mason and then Master of a Lodge’, as its Grand Master, agreeing to hold a ‘Grand Feast’ once a year. Sayer appointed his Grand Wardens and ‘commanded the Master and Wardens of Lodges to meet the Grand Officers every Quarter in Communication.’ It is worthy to note that the organization started, with only those two purposes. The modern “Craft” started with a planned party!
The four original Lodges which effected the formation of the Premier Grand Lodge are referred to as ‘The Four Old Lodges.’ They were known by the names of the taverns or ale houses where they met. The distinction between ale-houses and taverns, if there was any, is probably inconsequential.
Dr. Anderson lists the ‘Four Old Lodges’ as:
1. At the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul’s Churchyard.
2. At the Crown Ale-house in Parker’s Lane near Drury Lane.
3. At the Apple-Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Garden.
4. At the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Channel Row, Westminster.
The original List of Lodges, published in 1725, displayed a pictorial representation of the name or sign of the tavern or ale house where each of the lodges met, in addition to the appropriate names of the locations or the streets and the meeting nights. The first on the list was represented by a picture of a Goose and Gridiron, opposite of which were the words, “St. Paul’s Churchyard, every other Mond from ye 29th of April inclusive.”
Coil’s Encyclopedia informs us that the lodge which originally met at the Goose and Gridiron Ale house in 1717 continued to meet at that location until 1729. It then moved to the King’s (or Queen’s) Arms Tavern in the same area of London, where it remained for an extended period of time. On the Engraved List of Lodges of 1760, it assumed the name, “West Indian and American Lodge.” In 1770, this name was changed to the “Lodge of Antiquity.”
In the 1770s, William Preston (‘father’ of the Masonic Monitor), Masonic writer and ritualist, was elected its Master, giving the Lodge renewed esteem and dignity. Later, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Albany each became Master of the Lodge for several years. While the name has been changed, the descended Lodge is still active. It currently meets at the Freemason’s tavern and the Freemason’s Hall in London.
While the ale-house was torn down, the physical symbol of the goose was retained in the Masonic archives. Despite a variety of drawings which depicted it’s image with reasonable accuracy, the archivists were surprised to discover that the goose was actually standing in a crown. The original symbol has recently been restored.
In the interest of justice, the history of the remaining three Lodges is also warranted.
The second Lodge which originally met at the Crown Ale-house is believed to have originated in 1712. It later moved to Queen’s Head Tavern, Turnstile, Holborn in the year 1723. It then moved to the Green Lettice, Rose and Rummer, and then to the Rose and Buffloe. In 1730, the Lodge met at the Bull and Gate, Holborn. The Lodge last appeared on the Engraved List of 1736; struck from the roll in 1740. An application for its restoration was later submitted and denied on the grounds that none of the petitioners had ever been original members of the Lodge during the term of its original existence. Thus, the tragic demise of one of the Four Old Lodges.
The third Lodge which originally met at the Apple Tree Tavern on Charles Street, Covent Garden in 1717 moved to the Queen’s Head, Knaves Acre in approxiamtely 1723. According to Dr. Anderson Constitutions of 1738, after the move to the Queen’s Head, there was some form of disagreement between the members resulting in a new constitution for the Lodge. Given that none of the original ‘Four Old Lodges’ was expected to hold warrants, Dr. Anderson’s information implies that there must have been a break in the continuity of this Lodge, necessitating a new authorization. However, the known history does not imply that there was a significant interruption as had occurred with the Crown Lodge.
Unfortunately, Masonic history has not been kind to the Lodge. At some time before 1755, the Lodge moved to the Fish and Bell, on Charles Street, Soho Square, there it remained until 1768. In 1768, the Lodge moved to the Roebuck, on Oxford Street, under the name of “Lodge of Fortitude,” remaining there until 1793. In 1818, it merged with the Old Cumberland Lodge (constituted in 1753). It since been known as the “Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge No. 12.” The changes name and status caused such confusion that the identity of the Lodge was lost for nearly a century. The root of the confusion began with the acceptance of the new warrant in about 1723. The new warrant led to the inference that it was originally organized in that year. In substance this Lodge appears to be the old Apple Tree Lodge. However it was apparently technically ruled to be a new lodge, having had a warrant forced upon it.
Such is a tragedy of Masonic history, as the preliminary meeting for the organization of the Premier Grand Lodge was held at the Apple Tree Tavern in 1716, with the first Grand Master, Anthony Sayer, a member of the Lodge.
The fourth Lodge which met at the Rummer and Grapes in 1717 had George Payne, the second and fourth Grand Master, Dr. Desaguliers, the third Grand Master, and several others who became Grand Masters, together with Dr. James Anderson, as members. The Lodge moved to the Horn Tavern in 1723, taking the name, “Horn Lodge.” In 1764 a new Lodge was formed at the Horn, with the effect of the decline of the old Lodge. In 1774, it consolidated with Somerset House Lodge. In 1818, it once again consolidated with a younger lodge, “Royal Inverness Lodge”. The old Lodge now works as “Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. 4.”