The Richmond Lodge No: 2032 Founded in 1884 1 CONTENTS 1. Foreword. Introduction. 2. Early Freemasonry In Richmond. Preliminaries. The Consecration. 3. Consecration Ceremony. Warrant of the Lodge. 4. Cornicle of The Richmond Lodge of Instruction. 5. Homes of the Lodge. 6. Masonic Million Memorial fund. The War Years. 7. The War years continued. 8. The Golden Jubilee. The Lodge Centenary. 9. Freemasonry in Richmond Today. 10. Richmond Royal Arch Chapter. 11. References. Research. Conclusion. The Richmond Lodge No: 2032 FOREWORD The word " Free," as applied to a mason did not at that time THE RICHMOND LODGE, NO: 2032 necessarily imply the meaning put upon it today. Masonic students find that the term was sometimes applied to The history of The Richmond Lodge, No: 2032, has been one of steady progress, going form strength to strength in the years that have elapsed masons not associated with the masonic craft. Crisp, how­ since its founding on 25th March, 1884, the record is one of Harmony, ever, refers to Henry Walden, in Richmond Notes, 1863, Peace and Brotherly Love. Long may it continue to maintain, support and when he makes a retrospective review of Richmond uphold the principles and tenets of Freemasonry in Middlesex. tradesmen, mentioned in a trade directory of 1794. He writes as follows : " Messrs. Walton, Ardus and Holmes, TWO CENTURIES OF FREEMASONRY IN RICHMOND bricklayers and plasterers, deserve notice though all extinct A RETROSPECT in Richmond ; the name of Walton has been known in INTRODUCTION Richmond for 200 years ; one of the names contracted for Freemasonry in the British Isles, as practised in regular lodges, and the repair of the church tower in 1614, and we believe that organised under Grand Lodges, reaches back for over two centuries to William Walton, whose portrait adorns the Freemasons' 1717 when the first Grand Lodge was formed in London. Since then Lodge at the Greyhound, was of this family." records have been kept, at first somewhat irregularly, but many of the early records have been lost. With the scantier information from the 18th century and the fuller from the 19th, it is possible to build up a fairly comprehensive account of the history and development of the Craft during that time. This applies also to Masonry in Richmond . Its first regular lodge was in existence in 1725, eight years after the formation of the Grand Lodge in London. Since then lodges have been working with only short inter­ missions. In this article some attempt will be made to present in ordered form the information at present to hand. BEFORE 1717 There is abundant evidence that Masonic Lodges existed up and down our country before the formation of Grand Lodge. But of these and their methods of working we have but scanty and fragmentary evidence. The same may be said of Richmond . We might reasonably presume that associated with the building of such important Royal and Ecclesiastical structures as Richmond Palace (c. 1125), the Priory(1414), the Friary (1490), there would be Companies (lodges) of operative masons, in accordance with the custom of the times. But so far no record of them has RIGHT WORSHIIPFUL come to hand, though diligent search at the Record Office, among the State papers and elsewhere, might bring something of masonic interest to BRO.WILLIAM WALTON light. (from an oil painting in possession of the Lodge of The earliest reference so far is to be found in the Vestry Minutes (1624) of Harmony). Member of the Lodge of Truth : Master and for the Parish Church of St. Mary's, Richmond, and reported by Crisp in his 46 years a member of the Lodge of Harmony : wearing the Richmond and Inhabitants, 1863, as follows : " . the mason, or ' Free ' medal presented by his brethren in 1802, and now worn by mason as he is termed, one Henry Walden, agreeing to execute all the the Senior P.M. present in Lodge. repairs in his own immediate branch for the sum of thirty pounds, which by the careful management of the parish paymaster was ordered to be The portrait referred to is the property of the latter Lodge, paid instalments. He was to be paid twenty nobles when he deserved ten and now hangs in the Masonic rooms of the Great Central pounds of his money, and so for the rest. This ' free ' mason could not Hotel, London. have benefitted to any very considerable extent by the profit realised from his contract. The church found the materials, scaffolding and tackling's for the ' raisings The Richmond Lodge No: 2032 PRELIMINARIES There is unfortunately no record of the early meetings or discussions which preceded the formation of The Richmond Lodge. It has however, been ascertained that the Lily Lodge of Richmond was the sponsoring Lodge. The fourteen members were selected from ten different Lodges; all being men of considerable local standing. It was in fact a Lodge designed primarily for the citizens of Richmond, and it remained as such for many subsequent years. We would pay tribute and respect to those EARLY FREEMASONRY IN RICHMOND founders. They laid a foundation perfect in its part and honourable to the It is, perhaps, not surprising that in the ancient historical builders. Institutions do not survive through the ages by accident, they and important Borough of Richmond, in the County of live only through the possession of everlasting principles, nevertheless it Surrey, reference to Freemasonry should be found at an early date. is to the individuals, the founders and subsequent members who promulgated those Masonic principles, to whom the Lodge owes a It may reasonably be assumed that for the erection of the Royal Palace (Circa. 1125), the Priory (1414), the Friary lasting debt of gratitude. The Richmond Lodge may well look back with ( 1490) and other buildings of note, companies or lodges gratification upon its records of useful Service in the flight of passing of Operative Masons would be formed, in accordance years, which are a happy augury for a prosperous future. with the customs of the times, but there is, as far as can be ascertained, no actual documentary record. Although THE CONSECRATION there are references to “Free” Masons dating from 1624, the first mention of a lodge in Richmond appears in Pine's It was on Tuesday, March 25th, 1884 that the Most Worshipful the Engraved List of Lodges for 1729, and is the 45th entry. Grand Master, H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales deputed a team Lodges were then only known by the sign of the Inn or of Grand Officers under the leadership of W. Bro. Thomas Fenn, P.G.D., Tavern in which they met. In this case it was the Lodge to repair to the Station Hotel, Richmond, to officiate at the Consecration meeting at the Red Lion, a coaching inn which stood Ceremony. W. Bro. Fenn was assisted by W. Bro. Robert Grey, P.G.D., where George Street is joined by Red Lion Street. This Lodge, being later known as Richmond Lodge and Lodge as S.W., W. Bro. W. T. Howe, and P.G.P., as J.W., W. Bro. Rev. A. F. of Attention, removed to London in 1723 and was Woodford, and P.G.Chap. As Chaplain, and W. Bro. F. Richardson, ultimately erased in 1797. Several other Lodges were P.G.D., as D.C. This is a small team by present standards, and as the either formed in Richmond or met there prior to the foundation of our Richmond Lodge but were either erased upstairs room at the Hotel has but limited accommodation the or removed to London. proceedings must have lacked much of the pomp and circumstance Special mention should be made of an “Occasional Lodge which marks the Consecration of a London Lodge at Freemasons Hall " convened at the Prince of Wales' Palace at Kew near today. One can be assured, however, that it lacked none of the solemnity Richmond. This was in 1737 and was occasioned by the and sincerity on that account. Initiation of H.R.H. Frederick Prince of Wales into the mysteries and privileges of Freemasonry. This is the first The principal Officers installed and appointed at that meeting were recorded accession of a member of the Royal Family to W. Bro. B. E. Blasby as Master, W. Bro. C. I. Digby as S.W., W. Bro. E. the English Craft. H.R.H. was passed to the Degree of J. Goodacre as J.W.,W. Bro. W. F. Reynolds as Treasurer and W. Bro. Fellow of the Craft at the same meeting, and on a later occasion was made a Master Mason. This is one of the W. R. Phillips as Secretary, also Bro. J. P. Houghton as S.D., Bro. E. earliest references to the con ferment of the Third Degree Dare as J.D., Bro. H. Sapsworth as IG., Bro. A. Crew as Org., Bro. J. which had previously, but with marked differences been, Ireland as D.C., Bro. T. Callander as A.D.C., Bro. C. Maron as Steward, incorporated in that of the “Fellow of the Craft." Bro. R. Messurn as Asst. Steward and Bro. B. Banks as Tyler. There were but three lodges remaining in Richmond at the time of Consecration of The Richmond Lodge. The Lily These are the men who have left the indelible mark of their personality Lodge of Richmond No. 820, was founded in 1860 and on this our Richmond Lodge. The Consecrating Officers were elected remained there until 1895, when it moved to London, the Honorary Members of the Lodge, and each was presented with a Rose of Denmark No.