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History of Freemasonry

The history of the craft of masonry way well be seen as the history of building, from the earliest stone constructions through to the most magnificent cathedrals of Europe and Briton. From the earliest times men have sort shelter from the elements and as communities developed these requirements became more and more elaborate in design and permanency, this combined with religious verdancy to construct bigger and better edifices to the gods forced the development of masonry as the preferred medium to withstand the ravages of time and the elements whilst at the same time creating structures so great that the common man could well conceive that they did in fact reach the heavens. At some point, operative masonry, or the actual craft of building, turned into speculative masonry, or the moral and mystical interpretation of building, when and how this actually happened or when the structure and organisation came into existence may never be known with absolute certainty. The thoughts contained herein may stimulate the reader to search further for the answers. Wor. Bro. Robert B. Hamilton.

Timeline

960 BCE
The traditional Masonic history attributes the Freemasons history and development from the time of Euclid the Greek mathematician and the father of geometry in ancient Egypt, Thus the mason is also able to link his craft to one of the greatest civilisations of all time, the Egyptian’s, Masonic ledged is said to have commenced with the construction of King Solomon’s temple in 960 BCE. Masonic history of today’s freemason draws on the biblical accounts detailing the temples design and construction. (King James Bible, 1 Kings 5 -8) Whilst religious observance formed an everyday activity of the craft mason, and the craft guilds, it is more probable that the use of scripture was a deliberate attempt of 18th century Freemasons to create a history of religious atonement.
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.

926 BCE
King Athelstan
A general assembly of masons at the City of York in 926 resulting in the adoption of a constitution. Much of this original constitution is believed to have been incorporated in the later Regius Poem.

The mason building trade differed from all other groups in society by the sheer scale and magnificence of their collective achievements, the great stone castles, fortifications, churches and cathedrals of the British Isles and Europe further adds dimension to their anointed history and their apparent supremacy in the eyes of all other sectors of civilisation.

Throughout this period of time, craft, Guilds operated under local serfdom conditions in that they were tied to, or subordinate to, their town or Burgh authorities, or the lord of the Manor, however the trade of the mason was unique, he was not tied to one location or town, but rather free to work within his trade in any part of the land, and able to committee to particular construction sites. In the northern aspects of Europe and the British Isles, major construction works often closed down during the winter months, during this period the mason would return to his home location before returning to the work site in the spring.

It was this freedom of movement from job site to job site ,town to town county to county and even inter country travels, that reinforced the masons secrete modes of recognition, not only as proof of their trade membership but also as a method of proof of proficiency

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.

1390
Amongst the oldest of these masons’ manuscripts and perhaps the most famous is known as the Halliwell Manuscript or the, “The Regius Poem” exact origin of the manuscript is unclear but it appears to have been written between the years of 1390 and 1445, and may have been transcribed in 794 lines of rhyming verse from the Book of Constitutions arising from the General Assembly of Masons held in the City of York England in the year 926. The style of the old English prose would however seem to suggest that was written at about the same era as the translation of the Latin Vulgate into the vernacular English of John Wycliffe which would suggest the late 1300’s. The Halliwell Manuscript or Regius Poem reflects the dominance of the Roman Catholic religion in the daily life of general society, dictating the requirements of the trade of masonry dedicated to the power or the lord. Written in rhyming verse it was intended to be committed to memory by all members of the trade. The document may have been promoted as a response to various legislatory actions by the church and the crown to fix wages at pre-plague levels and attempt to control the emerging strength of the mason’s guild. The crown and church were at that time the principal employers of the masons, many of whom were pressed into labour as the need arose. The poem legitimises claims that the assembles of masons along with their wages being linked by royal decree ordained by King Athelstan 926.
This document is of importance to all historians written as the era of the Middle Ages draws to a close.

With the dawning of the Reformation Period the masons craft in England consolidated with a number of additional manuscripts being produced to govern the trade of masonry. Of particular note is that known as the Cook Manuscript of about 1450.

1450
The Cooke Manuscript continues to strongly support the religious views of the period but unlike the Halliwell Manuscript which could be said to be a Roman Catholic inspired document, the Cook and indeed others that followed could be said to be Protestant. This document details the origins of the craft of masonry linking it to the seven liberal arts along with a number of biblical persons and events including Nimrod the architect of the Tower of Babel , and the construction of the Temple of Solomon. Like the Halliwell Manuscript, the Cook document further reinforces the masons struggle to determine their own pay, particularly following the statutes of 1425 banning the assembles of masons.

1348
From about 1345 to 1350 the Black Death pandemic devastated both Europe and England with as much as half the population losing their lives. Men women and children, entire villages and towns, ravaged. Men of learning who were generally the leaders of the established church were struck down equally.

The effects of the Black death was profound, entire trade skills were lost, but importantly for masonry much of the academic skills of the educated clergy who had been the architects and engineers of masonry were disseminated . Labour and knowledge were at a premium as communities began the task of rebuilding.

1349
The Ordinance of Labourers 1349 was introduced following the extreme labour shortages caused by the Black Death, its purpose was to contain prices and fix the cost of wages

1425
With the dawning of the Reformation Period the masons craft in England consolidated with a number of additional manuscripts being produced to govern the trade of masonry. Of particular note is that known as the Cook Manuscript of about 1450.

Like the Halliwell Manuscript, the Cook document further reinforces the masons struggle to determine their own pay, particularly following the statutes of 1425 banning the assembles of masons. The use of these Manuscripts appears to be Unique to the English Mason

1562
The Statute of Artificers act “controlled entry into the class of skilled workmen by providing a compulsory seven years' indentured training, reserved the superior trades for the sons of the better off, empowered justices to require unemployed artificers to work in husbandry, required permission for a workman to transfer from one employer to another and empowered justices to fix wage rates for virtually all classes of workmen”.

1598 Scotland
William Schaw was appointed “Maister o’ Warks” (Master of works) to the Crown of Scotland by King James V1 of Scotland, later to be King James of England and founder of the King James Bible. As Master of Works Schaw took on the task of being : '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
Translated as; 'Great master of work of all and sundry his highness' palaces, building works and repairs, – and great overseer, director and commander of whatsoever policy devised or to be devised for our sovereign lord's behalf and pleasure.

Shaw statutes
1598, in his capacity as the Kings Master of works, Schaw produced a number of statutes and whilst not the earliest Scottish record of the craft of masonry it is certainly recognised as the first state control and regulation of the masons trade.
The statutes besides reinforcing the “Old Charges” of the trade and their traditional histories were designed to bring formal rules of the crown directing the industry in its performance. Schaw constantly refers to the “Ludge” or Lodge as being the place of meeting. The government of the craft was vested in the Warden, Deacons and Masters for whom the Fellow-crafts and apprentices took their instructions. These statutes ensured that the building trades via the masons was now regulated by government, These rules dictated and set standards many of which are reflected in some part with today’s industrial standards.

The craft organisation began to attract the gentry and the nobility into what was to become the speculative mason, within the operative masons construction industry, these men were to become the architects, financiers and engineers coordinating the crafts at all levels of building replacing the church and the crown, perhaps the start of the building industry as we know today.

Amongst the earliest non operative masons was The Laird of Auchinleck, John Boswell of Scotland, who joined a lodge in Edinburgh in 1600 whilst in England Elias Ashmole, solicitor, politician, soldier and mathematician, and one of the founders of the Royal Society, was to join a lodge in Warrington in 1646.

1666
The Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London changed the building industry for all time, coming 12 months after the Great Plague in which 80,000 Londoners lost their lives, the great fire killed untold numbers of the remaining working class, and poorer inhabitants both directly and indirectly, The built structure of that part of London was total, 13,200 thatched roof timber dwellings, 87 parish churches including St Paul’s Cathedral, along with the majority of public buildings.

King Charles 2nd
As a result of the acute labour shortages brought about by events such as the black death combined with the devastation caused by the Great fire forced the government and the then King Charles 2nd to take extreme action to rebuild a safer city.

The Act of Parliament for the rebuilding of London 1666
Importantly for masonry, the act stated that:
“No man whatsoever shall presume to erect any house or building, whether great or small, but of brick or stone”

The Court of Kings Bench could set the costs of both labour and materials, “Builders may receive due encouragement by having the materials for building at reasonable prices and getting workmen for moderate wages.” “noe Brickemaker Tile maker lime Burner Carpenter Brickelayer Mason Plaister Joyner Plumber or other Artificer Workeman or Labourer may make common calamity pretence to extort unreasonable or excessive wages”.

“Artificers workeman or Labourers refusing to sell or work at such prices; or leaving work unfinished; or giving more wages than allowed; imprisonment or Penalty.”

“And be it further enacted That all Carpenters Brickelayers Masons Plaisterers Joyners and other Artificers Workemen and Labourers to be imployed in the said Buildings who are not Freemen of the Citty shall for the space of seaven years.” “have and enjoy such and the same liberty of working and sett to worke in the said building as the Freemen of the citty of the same Trades and Professions have and ought to enjoy,” “ for and during their naturall lives”

The Rebuilding act had the effect of dismantling the long accepted authority of the guilds and the mason’s lodges. Simply, men could come to London and “pick up a trade” and in so doing after a term of seven years be granted “Freemen of the Citty” of London status for life. Masons from lodges throughout Britain and Europe also arrived in London to partake in that city’s biggest building program. It was also a time for the non mason to have an involvement in the reconstruction.

With all the operative masons work concentrated in a relatively small area of London often isolated from their lodges of origin, the masons who had in the past formed lodges on the building site now tended to meet and form new lodges, in the local taverns, not only for refreshment, but as social gatherings and a place to carry out the business of a lodge, to protect their industrial rights and trade secretes as they had in the past. These comfortable surrounding also suited the increasing numbers of non-operative or speculative masons to join with the skilled operative leaders.

One such lodge was St Paul’s an operative lodge. The lodge met at the “Goose and Gridiron” Ale-House, St Paul’s Churchyard adjacent to the work site. Believed to have been founded in 1630 by Inigo Jones when St Pauls Cathedral was under a period of construction works. Christopher Wren appears to have joined this operative lodge between 1691 and 1709 around the completion of the masons work on the Cathedral. His involvement with masonry began in October of 1666 when King Charles appointed him as one of three King’s Commissioners for the rebuilding of London. This position was quickly followed with his promotion to that of “The Kings Surveyor” responsible for overseeing all rebuilding works.
St Paul’s remains perhaps his greatest and most recognised achievements. The foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid by Thomas Strong, Master Mason and the Master of St Paul’s Lodge from 1675 to 1680. Strong was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Masons, a Livery Company or Guild of the City of London and as such a “Freeman of the City”

For England this was also the dawning of the Age of Enlightenment
The Royal Society
1660 saw the founding of what was to become “The Royal Society” Isaac Newton published “Principia Mathematica”, and importantly for Masonry the works by John Locke, in his “Essay concerning human understanding” along with Wren as not only a member of a masons lodge but as the overseer of all London’s Building works.

This era of philosophy and discovery saw men of education; Gentlemen, Merchants, Clergymen and nobility take an ever increasing interest in masonry and the science of building. London was now desperately overcrowded, and for the middle classes the existing rituals, structure and fraternalism of the masons lodge meeting, in their local tavern was a congenial and often rewarding environment. The lodges of the operative masons of London became dominated by these new middle and upper class gentlemen of the city, many of whom were also members of the Royal Society, and who perhaps saw the lodge to be, in the words of Anderson writer of Freemasons Book of Constitutions, these men “found the lodge to be a safe and pleasant relaxation from intense study or the hurry of business without politics or party.” King Charles 2nd passed away in 1685 leaving no legitimate Protestant heirs to the throne. England was tormented by years of political and religious un-rest whilst also facing significant battles with seemingly all her neighbours.

1702
Anne becomes Queen of England Scotland and Ireland

1707
The Act of union 1707 ensures the future of the State Church in all of Briton

1714
George 1st sees the monarchy transitioned from the House of Stewart to House of Hanover, and the entire role of parliament was transformed This sets in motion another turbulent era between England and Scotland as to who should be King.It was in this setting that modern Freemasonry was borne The formation of the Grand Lodge of England

1717
It is the culmination of all these events, The Black death, the fire of London , the death of Anne the last of the Stewart monarchs, being replaced with the first Hanoverian King and the Industrial revolution combined with the oppressive restrictions of the Statutes of Artificers of 1562, providing the social and political background for a new movement to develop.

And so it was that members of Britain’s Royal Society joined with the likes of Christopher Wren. DeLafaye a loyalist, Huguenot and head of a secrete undercover spy ring looking for insurrection against the government. The Duke of Montagu, A leading member of the Royal Society ,firm believer in equality in a time of slavery, and Huguenot Desaguliers, along with others such as Newton, Payne and the Duke of Richmond all close friends of the King to meet regularly In the Horn Tavern or (Rummer and Grapes) in Channel-Row Westminster, to have an ale and solve the problems of the realm. This was in the heart of the devastated fire region of London Along with the Horn, there were 3 other main freemason’s lodges meeting in the surrounding areas, At the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul’s Church- Yard, the Crown Ale-house in Parker’s-Lane near Drury-Lane, and at the Apple Tree Tavern In Charles-street, Covent-Garden. Of the four old Lodges which met at the Apple Tree Tavern and formed themselves into the first Grand Lodge, No. 2—that at the Crown Ale House—lapsed about 1736. The three remaining lodges maintained a continuous existence, preserving their identity intact (as No. 1), or in amalgamation with other Lodges (Nos.3 and 4), so that their descendants of today are now the Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2 (the original No. 1, the Lodge at the Goose and Gridiron), the Lodge of Fortitude and old Cumberland, No. 12 (the original No. 3, the Lodge at the Apple Tree), and the Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge, No. 4 (the original No. 4, the Lodge at the Rummer and Grapes).

It is from these 4 lodges that we see the beginnings of some form of socio-economic and political understanding development culminating in the first steps to form a united group which would develop into the United Grand Lodge of England.

1723
In 1723 the new Grand lodge commissioned The Reverend Dr. James Anderson, a paid writer to reconstructed the original manuscripts such as the Regius Poem and Cooke Manuscript; into its first rule book “ The Book of Constitutions of Masonry” to reflect more the values of the enlightenment era Thus the original craft mason’s lodge changed starting with the Guilds accepting non operative members, to become a pro-Establishment Pro-Hanoverian Pro Religious tolerant organisation, no longer a trade based body.

1725
The Grand Lodge of Ireland takes its official commencement date as being 24th June 1725, that day being of the Feast of St John the Baptist. According to the Dublin Weekly Journal 26TH June 1725, In excess of 100 gentlemen meet at about 11 am in the Yellow Lion tavern Warbrough Street to dress for the installation ceremony of the first Grand master, Richard Parsons,1st Earl of Rosse. Although 1725 is recognised as the official beginning of the Grand Lodge, it is clear that by this time there were significant numbers of Freemasons already established in Ireland.

1732
The first Travelling / Military Warrant number 11 was issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland on the 7th November to the First Battalion Royal Scott’s Regiment British Army. The first stationary Military Lodge was established in Gibraltar 1728 however it is the travelling warrant which sees the rapid spread of masonry through the British Empire. By 1813 there were 352 such warrants in existence, from the principal Grand lodges; Scotland 21, England ( Moderns and Antients combined) 141 and Ireland 190. The Royal Navy had at this time 3 ships with warrants attached.

1733
First lodge in Boston, 30TH July 1733; 18 masons gathered at the “Bunch of Grapes Tavern” King Street Boston with the intent to form a local lodge. Henry Price had secured a warrant from England the year prior, suggesting that masons were meeting regularly in Boston still earlier either through the military lodges or as un-warranted lodges. This was to become the Provisional Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Lodges spread quickly in the new colonies however generally limited to the “Well-to-do” gentlemen.

1736
The Grand Lodge of Scotland was officially formed in 1736 when 33 existing independent Scottish lodges, some having records of existence from 1598, formed the new Grand Lodge of Scotland.

1738
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts ( St John’s Grand Lodge ) issued the earliest recorded American Travelling Warrant to an expedition team heading into Canada.

1751
A rival Grand Lodge is formed principally by Irish Freemasons living in England. Dissatisfied with the actions of the 1717 Grand Lodge masons, whom they dubbed “The Moderns” because of what was perceived as a betrayal of the original rituals of Freemasonry. The Moderns were essentially well to do men of position and title. The Antients on the other hand were largely Irish freemasons, Shopkeepers and tradesmen who practised a more traditional form of masonry perhaps more aligned with those of the earlier trade based craft of masonry. For about 63 years the two Grand Lodges co-existed both in England and abroad.

1752
The working men of Boston form their own lodge at the “Green Dragon Tavern” also known as the “Masons Arms” Union Street in Boston’s north end. The St Andrews lodge as it was known as operating on a Scottish Warrant. The lodge purchased this building in 1764. The American Revolution is said to have started from this location, certainly members of St Andrews Lodge took part in the Boston Tea Party.

1770
Sir Joseph Banks arrived in Australia with the Cook expedition. Being a freemason he may well be the first to have set foot on this new land.

1776
The Connecticut Line of the Continental Army was granted a warrant for a Movable Lodge in February 1776. This “American Union Lodge” was given authority to meet anywhere within Continental America, provided there was no other Grand Master in authority. This lodge participated in the MorrisTown, N.J. Convention of January 1780 where it was proposed that General George Washington become Grand Master for the Thirteen United States of America.

1788
The first fleet arrived in Australia.

1797
Early Freemasonry in Australia. In 1797 the Grand lodge of Ireland received a partition requesting a warrant from Australia with a request to form a new stationary lodge. This partition was deferred however, as most of the military Regiments serving in the new colony had Masonic lodges attached to them, Lodges meant there would be private secrete meetings a situation that the governor of the colony was attempting to suppress.

1799
Unlawful Societies Act
The Unlawful Societies Act was aimed at restricting the activities of radical secret societies like the London Corresponding Society, the Society of United Irishmen. the United Irishmen, United Englishmen, United Britons and United Scots were each proscribed by the Act. To prevent similar societies springing up, it was made illegal for any society to require its members to take an oath. Societies were also required to keep lists of members, and to have such lists available for inspection at all times.
Freemasons, who required their members to swear oaths upon joining, successfully lobbied to avoid their society being banned, on condition they swore allegiance to the authority of the land, and that they presented a list of all members attending any meeting to the local magistrate.

In the end any Masonic lodge existing at the time of passage of the Act were exempted, so long as they maintained a list of members and supplied it to the magistrates. These documents have at times assisted to complete the record, and may be available in some local English history centres.

1813
On the 27th December 1813 the two Grand Lodges of England, “The Antients and the Moderns” after four years of negotiations agreed to unite and in so doing formed “The United Grand Lodge of England”. The union brought a degree of standardisation of ritual, proceedings, regalia and record keeping to English Freemasonry. 1813 also marked the 46th Regiment of Foot arrival in Australia with its lodge “Social and Military Virtue, warrant number 227 Irish Constitution, In 1816 this military lodge had formed Australian Social Lodge. Warrant number 260 Irish Constitution This then was the start of masonry in Australia. Social and Military Virtue lodge is also credited with forming lodges in the Caribbean, Southern India, and Montreal.

Throughout the 1800 and early 1900’s freemasonry spread rapidly throughout every continent, with meetings even held in Antarctica. The two world wars led to the most rapid expansion in English Freemasonry in particular with in excess of 950 English warranted lodges coming into existence. This trend is repeated in Australia, Europe and all states of America, and throughout all time the principles have remained very much the same.

Useful references include

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