Lodge held in the Eighty-fifth Regiment of Foot, No.309A [erased]

Annual returns giving names, professions and residence of members of the Lodge held in the Eighty-fifty Regiment of Foot [Antients] and general correspondence relating to the running of the lodge. Includes correspondence on the forming of the lodge and letters of recommendation for other groups petitioning for warrants.

The unnamed lodge was established in 1797 under warrant No 309 and was held Eighty-fifth Regiment of Foot. As the lodge was a military lodge it moved with the regiment, spending time in many locations across England, the Isle of Wight, Jersey and Jamaica. In 1800 the regiment was split into two battalions and the lodge and warrant were taken by the 2nd battalion. [The 1st battalion petitioned for another warrant and received Antient Warrant No. 298B] In 1803, while the regiment was serving in Jamaica, the 2nd battalion was dissolved and joined with the 1st battalion. As the 1st battalion held a lodge under Warrant No. 298 the decision was made to return Warrant No. 309 to Grand Lodge. Lane's "Masonic Records 1717 - 1894" links this warrant to the Fifty-second Regiment of Foot but there is no traceable evidence that the warrant was transferred from the 52nd to the 85th regiment.