A Short History
June 2019
The Lodge of Friendship
being numbered 44
The members of the Lodge of Friendship have every right to feel proud of their Lodge. The roots of the Lodge go back to 1755 when a warrant, No.39, was issued for a Lodge in Manchester. Through good times and bad the Lodge has prospered.
We follow in the footsteps of many dedicated brothers who gave much to their Lodge and the City of Manchester.
We live in very different times but the values and compassion that marked our brethren in 1775 should be ours in this 21st Century. The name of our Lodge should live in the welcome visitors and every brother receives. The warmth of our handshake and a welcoming word are the true treasure we can all share.
I have compiled this short history from the work of others and I pay tribute to their labour and diligence. The history from our 2003 Bi-Centenary to today has yet to be written. Your contribution to our future history lies open for you….
John Winstanley
June 2019
Copies of the full history are available on request
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A (shortened) History of the
Lodge of Friendship No.44
The forerunner of the Lodge of Friendship No.44 was constituted on June 18th, 1755 and was originally known as No.39. There is very little documentary evidence in sufficient detail to provide evidence of any depth. This reflects something of the times – education was not universally available until much later and, in all probability, only a limited number of brethren would feel comfortable with the task of reading and recording the minutes of the meetings. It is easy to imagine that only a few members would be capable of fulfilling the office of Secretary. Meetings and Social Boards were conducted by the dim flicker of candlelight and records kept to a minimum. The ceremonies worked relied mainly on word of mouth from Brother to Brother leading to a fluidity of traditions which, in many aspects, are still found in Lodge workings today.
It would appear that in those early days the Lodge was, in reality, a Sick and Burial Society - the Manchester Lodges joining together to defray the funeral expenses of a brother.
In 1755 Manchester must have been a pleasant county town with no more than 20,000 residents. There were no railways, no canals but there were numerous Public Houses, which the Lodge of Friendship, and others, frequented – and vacated – from time to time.
Notes published in 1901 by Bro Nathan Heywood,
who served the Lodge with distinction for many years,
have proved invaluable. His fuller history can be read
elsewhere on this website.
The first recorded meeting of the Lodge was at
St. Ann's Church and Mitre in 1755. The original
Warrant was dated June 18th, but during the
succeeding twenty years
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Lodge Officers lost the document, for we read that on March 25th, 1775 in answer to a petition from the Lodge, then meeting at The Black Moor's Head, Old Churchyard, a renewal Warrant was obtained from the Atholl Grand Lodge (the “Antients” were stronger in the North West; the “Moderns” prevailed in the Midlands and South East) on the payment of six shillings. For some unexplained reason, perhaps culpable carelessness on the part of the Secretary or Treasurer, perhaps owing to a lack of funds, no returns were sent up to the Atholl Grand Lodge for some years, resulting in the cancellation of the warrant on the June 5th, 1793.
Less than two years later, on the March 4th, 1795, a renewal Warrant was granted to Bro. Watson and others, meeting at the Queen’s Head, Old Churchyard, which sacred precincts apparently sheltered a fair number of public houses.
The renewed Warrant of 1795 was granted on the recommendation of the Lodge of Fidelity No.275, and the Lodge of Unity No.278, but in its turn, met with misfortune and lapsed due to the non-payment of dues.
A new Warrant was not issued on the 1803 revival but, on the payment of two guineas, the petitioners were granted the Warrant of No.39 on the roll of Lodges. This was really the start of the present Lodge. The meeting place of the new Lodge was The Horse Shoe, Old Shambles, and William McCormick was made Worshipful Master. At this time, and for many years previously, there were two Installations each year; St. John's Day in June and December.
Of the early Masters of the Lodge we know little beyond their names as given in the list printed on the back of the Summons of the Lodge.
By 1800 Manchester was changing rapidly, the town’s population of 70,000 was growing at a prodigious rate.
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An amusing item appears in the minutes regarding the conduct of Bro McCormick, the first Worshipful Master, who soon found himself at variance with the Lodge on July 4th 1803, on being admonished for being intoxicated. It is reported that he left in high dudgeon, saying, "he would not be reproved by a parcel of schoolboys”. Evidently, he soon saw the error of his ways, made repeated efforts to rejoin, but was not admitted until April 6th, 1812.
Up to 1813 the workings of the Lodge had been that of "The Ancients," but at the Union the working of the "Moderns" was decided upon. Our Lodge, however, continued the old form of working, which caused a friction with the other Lodges meeting in Manchester, and to smooth all questions for the future, a Lodge of Reconciliation was held at the Talbot Inn, Market Street, Manchester on August 2nd, 1814.
In reply to a request as to the date of our Warrant, a letter was received from Grand Lodge stating that it appears to have been granted June 18th, 1755. Despite this, the Lodge does not claim continuity from that date. The Lodge minutes record that in 1835 the Warrant of 1795 had become almost illegible, and that a petition was presented to HRH The Duke of Sussex, Grand Master, for a new Warrant in exchange. The prayers of the Brethren were duly answered on June 29th, the number of the Lodge being given as 52. The Lodge number, which had originally been 39, became 59 in 1813, and 52 in 1835, and so remained until the renumbering in 1863, when the Lodge received its present number of 44.
A deputation from the Lodge of Virtue attended on December 6th, 1842 to consult as to the observance of St. John's Day. A return deputation was appointed to arrange that they officiate as Stewards, and the ceremony be held on December 28th, this to replace the normal January meeting.
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The Installation was duly held and both Lodges attended, a practice which continued for many years. The "Friendship & Virtue" flags which grace our Social Board were first used on these occasions – the originals, restored in 1990s are preserved in a display case.
In October, 1851 the annual subscription for membership to the Lodge of Friendship was raised from four to six guineas. (In today’s value – from £400 up to £600)
A letter was received from Bro J.W. Petty regarding the building of a Masonic Hall (Cooper St) at the cost of £15,000, (Approx £1.2M today) the capital to be raised by issuing shares of £10 payable within three years. The proposal was well received and the foundation stone laid on July 25th, 1862.
On September 1st, 1865, a deputation from the
Anchor & Hope Lodge, No.37, Bolton, visited and
presented the Lodge with their Master's Silver Chain of
Office. This chain was made in Manchester by Bro
Botsford, a member of the Lodge of Friendship. Feeling
that as a result of the renumbering that it could not now
be used by them, it was resolved to present it to the new
No. 44.
A pleasing act on the part of WBro James Rait Beard
was his presentation to the Lodge on December 1st, 1882 of a VSL (this is still in use at our regular meetings and can be found on the Worshipful Master’s pedestal.)
Lodge expenditure in 1879 was causing anxiety and as a result of various proposals, new By-Laws, of which unfortunately there is no copy, were finally adopted in February, 1880.
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A committee was appointed to enquire as to the desirability or otherwise of removing from the Freemasons' Hall and, in September 1882, it was decided to remove to the Albion Hotel, Piccadilly – to become our home for the next 40 years. The meetings there generally commenced with high tea, a custom which persisted except at Installations.
With the commencement of the First World War in 1914, Grand Lodge suggested that Lodges should meet for business only, and each lodge should determine the extent of such business. The Lodge committee decided to hold their meetings at lunchtime and reduce the duration of such meetings.
The Lodge Crest as we know it, was first
used on the Summons in 1916. In the
original seal, as used prior to 1863, the arm
was vambraced, (armoured) but the motto
was identical.
With the signing of the Armistice on November 11th, 1918, the Lodge reverted back to its regular meetings with one amendment, the June meeting was abandoned and replaced by a meeting to be held on the first Friday of each January.
The 1920s were years of great activity in the Province, drawing plans for the new Masonic Temple at Bridge Street and laying schemes for their accomplishment.
The Lodge of Friendship played a not insignificant part in the ultimate success of the venture.
The Worshipful Master inaugurated the sending of birthday greetings to the members in 1933, one of those little unobtrusive acts which during the years has been very much appreciated.
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At the January meeting in 1934 the Lodge was
notified that the the E. Lancs Masonic Benevolent
Institution (now the ELMC). would be pleased to
accept the clock offered, and requested that it be
placed in the Goulburn Room.
The Installation meeting in October, 1939, was
the first meeting after the outbreak of war. Once
again, the meetings following were generally held at mid-day, and there commenced a period of austerity.
At the Installation of the Grand Master in March, 1948, not the least the pleasurable occurrence was the announcement that our RWBro Sir Edward Rhodes had been promoted to the rank of PGW. On June 23rd he was invested as Dep Prov Grand Master for East Lancashire. He was Installed as Provincial Grand Master on October 5th, 1950, the ceremony being conducted by the Grand Master MWBro The Duke of Devonshire K.G.,Etc, Etc.
In February, 1952, came the sad announcement of the death of His Majesty King George VI, Past Grand Master, who had enthused the nation, particularly during the turbulent years of the Second World War. In 1952, His Royal Highness, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was initiated in to the Craft.
In June, 1953, amidst post-war austerity and rationing, the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II captivated and lifted the hearts of her subjects. The Coronation Ceremony at Westminster Abbey, was to be broadcast on Television for the first time. Such was the excitement that almost one million television sets were purchased.
Throughout its history, the active membership of the Lodge of Friendship appears to have averaged 20-30 members, with a steady trickle of initiates and joining members
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replacing natural erosion. The early post-war years were fruitful and membership throughout Manchester increased substantially with the return of many ex-servicemen.
In response, within the Masonic Temple in Bridge Street, the Club Rooms and Service Accommodation were altered to create new Lodge Rooms. Appropriately, 44 had the privilege of being the first Lodge to meet in the new Rhodes Suite.
During the 50s and 60s, dramatic changes were taking place in society. Modes of transport were changing, the age of rail travel had begun to wane and more people owned cars, giving them the freedom of individual movement and personal comfort.
One of the greatest social changes was the continuing movement for the equal rights of women in society. More women than hitherto were going out to work and discovering a new independence. Men generally, particularly the younger element, realized that they had to take an equal share of domestic chores. In short, the greater independence of women, quite rightly, clipped the freedom that men had previously enjoyed.
The contemporary scene of the early 60s saw the initiation into Freemasonry of HRH The Duke of Kent, leading to his Installation as Grand Master in June, 1967.
March, 1965 saw the introduction of the alternative wording in the Initiate's Obligation, the choice to adopt being left to the discretion of the Lodge. It was decided, after deliberation, to adopt the same.
In November 1971 RWBro Sir Clyde Hewlett,Kt. CBE,JP,MA was installed as the Provincial Grand Master for East Lancashire. The Installation ceremony took place at Belle Vue, Manchester – amidst the sounds and smells of the elephants and lions…
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Social aspects of Lodges flourished and Friendship’s glamourous Ladies’ Evenings took over the whole building. These commenced at 3pm with a Whist Drive and Afternoon Tea in the Front Lounge (First Floor); Dinner in the old Derby Suite (Ground Floor) and Dancing in the Goulburn Ballroom (Second Floor). Indeed, for the Ladies, the event usually started with a 9am visit to the hairdressers. The Lodge also held an annual golf competition for the Chambers’ Cup and a Christmas Party.
The commercial world, however, was changing. Up to this date many of our members were prominent locals and their names and businesses were well-known throughout the City. Now, some of our younger members were being moved in their work to other parts of the country, a loss to us and a gain elsewhere. Nevertheless, there was a steady influx of new members to make up for our losses.
During the ten years, 1965-75, our membership was becoming older and the Lodge began to experience a lack of candidates. This trend was completely reversed in the following decade, when we had a large influx of joining members who, themselves began to bring in new members. The international and domestic political scenes were discouraging:- the three-day week, a high cost of living, raging interest rates, etc. The public. undaunted by these prospects, seized the opportunity of celebrating the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 1976, following a discussion on the finances of the Lodge, it was decided to reduce the number of meetings to six per annum, Past Masters had to occupy the Chair and other senior Offices and the Ladies’ Evenings were substituted with a Party Night – though the Christmas Parties and Golf Days were maintained.
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During the 1980s and 90s, at a time when Freemasonry was under severe public scrutiny (there had been a number of attacks by the media on Freemasonry and Church, Police, and Local Government members came under pressure to declare their allegiances, with strong suggestions that this may adversely affect their career prospects) the Lodge was strengthened by a seemingly endless supply of candidates.
The Lodge very active with a steady influx of new members and a number of double-ceremonies and ceremonies conducted by other Lodges were necessary to cope with the amount of business.
The Lodge was fortunate to have a number of joining members who, together with the remaining Past Masters, played a pivotal role a revival of the Lodge, in particular, WBros J.D. Hemsley, B. Kay and K. Beer;
Bros V. Carlisle, W.H. Elliott, D.C. Stevens, F. Senior and Intitiates, W. Hulley, P.J. Titterton, M.J. Thompson, A.E. Cole.
The January meeting 1984, was attended by our APGM WBro H.B. Clarke, accompanied by a deputation from Provincial Grand Lodge - the occasion being the Initiation of a lewis, the son of WBro L.C. Titterton, Lodge Secretary. (Other Lewis in recent history are Bros C.R. Peers, P. Shore and O.J. O’Carroll)
October, 1984 saw the Installation of WBro Hemsley. The Provincial Director of Ceremonies was in attendance, and demanded admission on behalf of the APGM accompanied by a deputation from United and Provincial Grand Lodges.
The Installation of Bro D.C. Stevens, October, 1985, heralded the first time for eleven years that the Chair was not occupied by a Past Master. The Representative of the RWPGM, was WBro Stanley Hewlett Whittaker who was to become a regular visitor to the Lodge.
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After the hiatus in the 70s and 80s, Bro Stevens most ably abetted by his wife, Anita, revived the formal Ladies’ Evening that we enjoy today.
Following the retirement, as Provincial Grand Master, of RWBro Frederick William Towns, the Lodge was honoured, for the second time in its history (the first being RWBro Sir Edward Rhodes – we do have a third – RWBro H.B. Longley, Prov GM of Surrey in the 1950s), by the Installation of RWBro James Dunsford Hemsley as the Provincial Grand Master for East Lancashire, at a special meeting of Prov Grand Lodge, held at Blackpool in July, 1990. Membership in East Lancashire was of such magnitude that, with the loss of Belle Vue, brethren had to travel to the Winter Gardens for the Annual Provincial Meetings.
As a member of the Lodge, the new PGM attended meetings at 44 as often as possible and always without any ceremony or fuss – it was, he said, “his night off”. He preferred to be represented at Installations during his term of office to enable the brethren to meet other Senior Officers in the Province – though he did attend, with full Provincial honours, in 1991 and 92.
June, 1992 saw the celebration at Earl’s Court of the 275th Anniversary of Grand Lodge, formed in 1717. It was also the 25th anniversary as Grand Master of HRH The Duke of Kent. Almost thirteen thousand brethren, non-masonic guests and many ladies gathered for the event, including, our Worshipful Master and RWBro Hemsley as Prov Grand Master for East Lancashire, accompanied by his wife, Sally.
The membership of the Lodge began to rise and, in 1986, there were 24 members and 9 country members.
Consideration was being given at this period to the forthcoming Bi-Centenary of Lodge working, which would
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occur in the year 2003, and to methods of setting up a fund for the Celebration of the event, including a suitable donation to Masonic Charity. It was decided to establish a collection that would be taken at each future Lodge meeting to cover all expenses at the celebration.
In 1999, the membership stood at 30, including the Tyler, plus 2 country members. We were fortunate in comparison with some other Lodges, who were experiencing difficult times owing to the shortage of candidates themselves. This was to stand us in good stead as, with the arrival of January 2000, the world and the nation celebrated a new Millennium. Masonry in Manchester, however, was not destined to enjoy such prosperity as from 130 Lodges meeting in Bridge Street in 1978, there were only 44 by 2013.
Over the many years of the Lodge’s existence there are few who make it onto the pages of history further than, perhaps, to record their names in a List of Masters. The ‘call’ of the Lodge has been such that, over the past 100 years, quite a number of Brethren have celebrated 50 (in a few cases, 60) years of membership – amongst those are Bros Rhodes, Jervis-Taylor, Buss, Simpson, Peers, Shore and Nield. Other brethren, such as Bros Heywood and Ridgeway have been prominent in Manchester Masonry and many more have made an invaluable contribution within the Lodge – often over several decades.
Each of these unnamed brethren contributed, in their own way, to the life of the Lodge; in friendship, in loyalty, in support, in charity, and without each of their contributions the life of the Lodge would have been poorer and perhaps even expired. We should salute the unnamed majority who in quiet service handed on a treasure which we share today.
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CONCLUSION (From the 2003 Bi-Centenary Booklet)
Two hundred years, and possibly more, is a very long time in the life of a lodge, and during that time conditions, both socially and economically, have changed tremendously. It is inevitable that there have been ups and downs, highs and lows, peaks and troughs, but we trust that this booklet will enable brethren to absorb the background of our Lodge and its traditions, and to ensure that the highest ideals of Freemasonry will continue to be upheld.
That there have been changes, is inevitable... changes in time, places of meeting, possibly some changes in the actual pattern of work, changes in the composition of lodge membership. There is however, a vast amount that is unchanged and changeless, which we all still treasure. One thing that is changeless and should remain so, is the truly Masonic spirit of Brotherhood that means so much to each and every one of us.
We are reminded that the life and history of our lodge is a continual process. This document clearly demonstrates that the Lodge of Friendship looks to the future with legitimate pride, and the knowledge that, with that pride, comes the responsibility of passing on to future members the inheritance that we ourselves have been so graciously given.
This documented history can only provide a sampling of the enthusiasm, trials and tribulations, which have helped to form and mold the lodge into a suitable springboard for the future. As a booklet it is to be dipped into, referred to, and perhaps savoured until its successor is researched, abbreviated and reformed in time for the Lodge’s next major celebration.
W.Bro. B.Kay P.P.J.G.W. (compiler)
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Frontispiece for the Rules and Orders in the first minute book of 1777 drawn by Laurence Dermott, Grand Secretary of the "Ancients" Grand Lodge.
