Letters relating to the administration of the Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter established...

HC 14/A

Letters relating to the administration of the Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter established by the Moderns (or premier) Grand Lodge

c.1765 - 1817

Correspondence relating to the administration and governance of the Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter of the Royal Arch of Jerusalem established by the Moderns’ Grand Lodge prior to the formation of the Supreme Grand Chapter in 1817. Most letters were received by the Recorder, sometimes referred to as the Grand Recorder, namely Benjamin Cooper (1794-1802); James Higgins (1803 – 1805) and John Foulstone (1806-1810), or other Royal Arch masons, including John Maclean, described as father and founder of the Most Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter, and John Allen, Inspector General (1778-1796). The series includes letters about forming new Chapters, including Alexander Shedden, George Antrobus and William Wady seeking to establish Chapter of Charity, No. 187, associated with Royal Sussex Lodge of Hospitality, No. 447, Bristol [SN 771], [ HC 14/A/2; 4; 5; 6 and 8]; Chapter of Harmony with a proposed Union Lodge to meet at the Bedford Head, Maiden Lane, London [ HC 14/A/3]; Gabriel Jeffreys and Iltid Thomas seeking to establish a Chapter at Swansea, Wales (Chapter No. 8 meeting at the Falcon, Swansea, associated with Beaufort Lodge, No. 378 [SN 761]) [ HC 14/A/7 and 9]; George Lomax, Abraham Wood, John Wood, James Schofield and John Haworth of Chapter of Unanimity and Lodge of Intercourse, No. 7, Bury seeking to establish a Chapter associated with Lodge of St John, No. 305, Manchester [SN 766] [ HC 14/A/13]; Rev Matthew Barnett regarding payment for registering Chapter of St Matthew, No. 58, Barton Upon Humber, Lincolnshire and certificates for members, William Morris, Robert Sutton, James Bygott and William Johnson [ HC 14/A/14]; Josias Brown, William Willcock and Thomas Gahard of Godolphin Lodge, No. 235, St Mary’s, Scilly Isles [SN 740], [ HC 14/A/24]; Thomas Adcroft, secretary of Lodge of Peace and Unity, No. 565, Preston, Lancashire [SN 1327] on behalf of Henry Skeat, Miles Beck and John Thompson, with details for a charter to form Mount Ararat Chapter, consecrated as Royal Architect Chapter, No. 126, Preston [ HC 14/A/34]; Thomas Parr of Poole for Grand Superintendent for Dorset Province, Sir John Lester, seeking charter for Chapter of Philanthropy, No. 128, associated with Lodge of Friendship and Sincerity, No. 394 [SN 1064] at Shaftesbury, Dorset with references to William Clarkson, veterinary surgeon, King’s German Legion and John Bridson Richardson, Lieutenant, East India Company establishment, Bombay in Durnovarian Chapter, No. 22, Dorchester and Chapter of Amity, No. 21, Poole [ HC 14/A/42 and 48]; Thomas Grayson, George Pavey and William Martindale of Sun and Sector Lodge, No. 312, Workington [SN 882] seeking a charter to form Chapter of Mount Horeb, No. 130, Workington [ HC 14/A/43]; and from S Wehner, H Hurtebusch, Johannes Taberger and George Haucke concerning Zion Chapter, No. 44, Hanover, including a list of members, mentioning the threat of French invasion, recommending Dr Meussel, a surgeon in the King’s German Legion and referring to a possible chapter to be established at Rostock [ HC 14/A/45; 45 a-c]. Other letters include references to Royal Arch masonry or Chapter members, namely Lazarus Thomas, Samuel Lloyd, John Williams and William Jones at Carmarthen, Wales [ HC 14/A/5]; petitions requesting assistance for Chapter members including Patrick Graham, a cordwainer of Bristol [ HC 14/A/6]; Alexander Shedden, a former accountant of Bristol seeking assistance in London [ HC 14/A/8]; letter from the Rev H I Knapp of London, author of An Abridgement of Universal History, recommending a M. Billion, a freemason from Arras, France who needs to go to New England in order to revive his fortunes following the French Revolution [ HC 14/A/53]; letter congratulating Francis Dukinfield Astley on his appointment as Grand Superintendent of Lancashire from the Principals of Chapter of Unanimity, No. 7, Bury; Chapter of Wisdom, No. 84, Rochdale; Chapter of Unity, No. 137, Rochdale and Chapter of Knowledge, No. 138, Middleton, recommending Joseph Heap of Middleton to serve as his Deputy [ HC 14/A/49 and 50]; or members seeking advice on issues such as regalia to be worn by Royal Arch masons in processions with Craft freemasons and the order of the procession [ HC 14/A/16]; Others include details about disputes, including a report from Benjamin Wildsmith of Manchester concerning an attempt by irregular members including Companion Torr, supported by Chapters in Bolton and Bury, to reform the dormant Euphrates Lodge or Chapter of Garden of Eden, No. 6, Manchester [ HC 14/A/10]; accusations of irregularity, with subsequent legal case and report by Grand Chapter Officers, concerning Caledonian Chapter, No. 2, Westminster between Evan Lloyd, John Procter and John Haniver and William Hannam and Nathaniel Loaring with references to the un-Masonic conduct of Captain William Hannam, James Haswell and Francis Columbine Daniel by Robert Leaper Percy at the exaltation of Charles Henry Hagen, Doctor of Philosophy, Königsberg [ HC 14/A/29; 32; 35 and 51]; arrangements for Royal Arch committee meetings from Benjamin Lancaster to John Allen with apologies for not attending due to gout but seeking dates of future meetings [ HC 14/A/15]; complaints about insufficient support for Royal Arch meetings made by Friedrich Albrecht Winzer (Frederick Albert Winsor, 1763-1830) and the threat of a rival Grand Chapter being formed after the expulsion of Bro Sampson of Westminster for issuing cards for exalting Royal Arch members in 1792 [ HC 14/A/18]; the inability of Benjamin Cooper to attend Grand Chapter convocation, 1802 [ HC 14/A/30]; and a report on the state of Grand Chapter with a list of those eligible to attend, including officers, Grand Superintendents, companions appointed by ballot and proposed companions [ HC 14/A/31]. Some letters refer to confusions arising from working Royal Arch freemasonry under the Antients’ and Moderns’ Grand Lodge systems, with Moderns’ Lodges seeking clarification, such as from Dr J[ohn] Watkins of Faithful Lodge, No. 499, Bideford, Devon [SN 1217] [ HC 14/A/17] and from Timothy Eattock, Secretary of St John’s Lodge, No. 670, Chowbent, near Leigh, Lancashire [SN 1668] seeking advice on exalting former Antients’ lodge members into Royal Arch freemasonry without obtaining a charter to form a Chapter [ HC 14/A/55]. There are numerous requests for Royal Arch membership certificates, calendars and books of constitutions, such as Captain John Carteret Lewis seeking the same via Thomas Dunckerley, with additional references to relocating Lodge of Jehoshaphat, No. 359 [SN 863] and Temple Lodge, No. 472, Bristol [SN 1042], [ HC 14/A/11]; draft text for a proposed Royal Arch membership certificate, dated c.1765 [ HC 14/A/1]; a letter requesting the signature of Arthur, 1st Earl of Mountnorris, First Grand Principal 1801 – 1803 on patents of appointment of Grand Superintendents and membership certificates [ HC 14/A/25]; letter from Waller Rodwell Wright, (Third Grand Principal 1802 – 1803, 1806 – 1812), thanking James Higgins for a seal and jewel [ HC 14/A/33]; others mention difficulties in obtaining certificates for exalted members as revealed in correspondence between Benjamin Cooper and John Allen [ HC 14/A/19; 20; 21; and 23]; and attempts by Martin Terry, John McNeilie and Thomas Hunter of Chapter of Salem, No. 114, Liverpool, to obtain certificates from John Allen for Jesper Amussen Hoeg and Jesper Jespersen, mariners of Apenrade, Denmark and Renn Phillips Collymore, merchant of Barbados [ HC 14/A/37, 38, 39, 40 and 41]. Often dispensations are sought for specific events, for example, from John Maclean and Fleming French to exalt companions in Royal and Caledonian Chapter, meeting at the Bell, St James’s Market, Haymarket, London [ HC 14/A/12]; a request by Richard Williams to transfer the charter from Chapter of Unity, No. 77, Plymouth, dormant since 1801, to James Martin, Henry Price, Richard and James Shimell, Royal Arch masons exalted in Chapter of Resolution, No. 29, Exeter, who wish to form a Chapter at Teignmouth associated with Benevolent Lodge, No. 540 [SN 1263], [ HC 14/A/44 and 47]; and a dispensation granted and signed by Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, to Sherborne Stewart, Grand Superintendent of Southampton, William Williams, Grand Superintendent of Dorset, William Henry White, Grand Recorder and James Deans, member of Supreme Grand Chapter, in order to hold a Special Chapter meeting in London to install the principals of Chapter of Friendship, No. 3, Portsmouth and Chapter of Mount Horeb, No. 178, Portsea [ HC 14/A/54]. Finally the series includes copies of lists of members compiled by James Smith, Scribe E of Chapter of Union, No. 66, Gateshead for deposit with the Clerk of the Peace of Durham Quarter Sessions in 1803 in response to the Unlawful Societies Act 1799 [ HC 14/A/36 and 46]; copies of summonses for convocations of Grand Chapter, 1799 [ HC 14/A/19]; tickets for meetings of the Grand Chapter of Communication, c.1800 [ HC 14/A/22]; a summons with notes sent to the principals of Chapter of Unanimity or Lodge of Intercourse, No. 7, Bury, Lancashire, 1801 [ HC 14/A/27]; a summons with request for the bankers' payment book sent by Benjamin Cooper to John Allen, c.1801 [ HC 14/A/28]; and a summons for a meeting of Royal Navy Chapter, No. 117, Deal, Kent, Edward Chambers, First Principal, issued by the Scribes, J B Fish and D Hunter, annotated on reverse with details of births and deaths of children and grandparents of George Noakes, a member of Royal Navy Lodge, No. 157 [SN 521], Deal, victualler of Alfred Square, Deal, at Northbourne and Great Mongeham, Kent, 1811-1824, including details for Mary Parker Noakes, Elizabeth (Betty) Smith Noakes, Jane Noakes, Mary Noakes and George Alfred Noakes [ HC 14/A/52].

English

1 folder containing 56 documents

Documentary evidence for working the Royal Arch degree can be traced to the first half of the eighteenth century. From its formation in 1751, many Lodges meeting under the Antients or Atholl Grand Lodge also worked Royal Arch freemasonry and other Masonic degrees. The Antients formed a Grand Chapter in 1771 but in effect this had little separate identity from its Grand Lodge. Formed in 1717, the Moderns (or premier) Grand Lodge, while recognising that many of its members wished to work Royal Arch freemasonry, preferred to retain a distinction between Craft and Royal Arch freemasonry. In consequence the Moderns established an Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter in 1765, joined by many influential members including the Grand Master, Lord Blayney. This body was constituted as the Grand and Royal Chapter of the Royal Arch of Jerusalem by a Charter of Compact dated 22 July 1766. The Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter held monthly meetings for which minutes survive from 1765, including lists of exaltees from 1769 until 1819. From 1801 the Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter met twice a year. It acted as a General or Grand Chapter to administer Royal Arch freemasonry as well as a private chapter until these functions separated in 1796. The Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter met at the Turk's Head Tavern in Gerrard Street, Soho, London until November 1770, when meetings took place at various London inns and taverns before the new Freemason's Hall and Tavern opened in 1775. The Excellent Grand and Royal Chapter was referred to by various other titles during its existence, including the Grand Lodge of Royal Arch Masons, Grand and Royal Chapter of Jerusalem, Most Grand and Royal Chapter and the Grand and Royal Chapter of the Royal Arch. After the merger between the Moderns and Antients Grand Lodges in 1813, the Articles of Union acknowledged Royal Arch freemasonry as the perfection of the Masters Degree. The administration of Royal Arch freemasonry was brought together by the formation of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England and Wales in March 1817, from the union of the Moderns' Grand Chapter and the Antients' Grand Chapter. The Supreme Grand Chapter acknowledged all chapters registered before 27 December 1813 but required every chapter to associate with a Craft Lodge and assume the same number.