History of the Lodge of Connaught & Truth No. 521

Chapter X
Chronological List of Gifts to the Lodge

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CHAPTER X.
C H R O N O L O G I C A L L I S T O F G I F T S T O T H E L O D G E
AND DONATIONS TO CHARITIES.
Gifts to the Lodge as recorded :
and Donations to Masonic Charities.
AS WILL be seen from the heading, this Chapter is devoted to summarising gifts
and donations, two different classes or kinds;
both exemplify the "Grand Principles", the former denoting the Brotherl y
Love of the Brethren for their Mother Lodge, and the latter Relief in the
help given to the various Masonic Charities.
Throughout the 100 years of its history there have been numerous gifts to
the Lodge of all manner of things, impedimenta, furniture, accessories,
equipment, jewels, portraits, etc. etc. This part of the Book is devoted to a listing
of such as are recorded in the Minutes, or from other available evidence. The
list may not be complete; there will probably have been gifts to which precise
reference has not been made in the records.
The list makes interesting reading; it shows the extent of the love and
loyalty of the Brethren for their Mother Lodge, and to whom the Brethren in
general are indebted for the little comforts and useful articles. which are
sometimes taken so much for granted. As often as a gift is recorded, there is a
hearty and invariably unanimous vote of t hanks t o t he donor.
T h i s d e s i r e t o h e l p t h e Lo d g e h a s b e e n v e r y p r o m i n e n t
throughout the years. It began as soon as the Lodge started, or even before; at
the preparatory Meetings, before the formation, useful gifts were made,
with which the list is commenced, and others will be observed coinciding
with the opening of the premises in Fitzwilliam Street in 1855.
Here is the list, as imposing as it is interesting:---
GIFTS TO THE LODGE.
Date. Description. Donor.
1845.
November Print of By-Laws and necessary Books. Bro. J. Brook.
do. Necessary Jewels. Bro. Kilner and
Bro. Thewlis.
do. The Gavels. Bro. A. Turner.
do. 2/2/- each. Eight Brethren.
do. Essential number of Aprons. Bro. R. Jacques.
do. Emblems of W.M. and Wardens. Bro. Cocking.
do. Cash Box. do.
do. 5/5/-. Bro. Tatham.
December (at the Consecration)—The Volume 01
the Sacred Law (in use at the Lodge at
present). Bro. J. Brook
(Prov.G.D.C.).
1(11
Date. Description. Donor.
1847.
June Sword for the I.G. Bro. T. R. Tatham.
1852.
February Worshipful Master's Chair. Bro. J. Sykes and
Brethren.
do. Senior Warden's Chair. Bro. T. Robinson.
do. Junior Warden's Chair, Bro. J. Johnson.
March Printed Receipt Books. Bro. J. Brook.
May Lodge Banner. Bro. .T. Schlesinger.
November Rough Ashlar. Bro. J. Radcliffe.
1853.
January Masonic floor cloth. Bro. W. C. Marsh.
do. Elegant Stone Tobacco Box with Masonic
Emblems. Bro. H. Baines.
June A beautiful square. Bro. J. Sykes.
1855-56. Brass Kettle. Bro. M. H. Hirst.
do. Kettle-stand, Bell and Boot-jack. Bro. H. Baines.
do. Dressing Glass. Bro. J. Kirk.
do. Moulding round Instruction Room. Bro. J. Jowett.
do Portrait—Duke of Sussex. Bro. T. Robinson.
do. Chart of Masonic Emblems. Bro. T. R. Tatham.
do. Chart and Book of Explanations. Bro. G. T. Wright.
do. Ink.Stand. Bro. A. Palmer.
do. Monitor or Timepiece. Bro. Heslop.
do. Umbrella Stand. Bro. G. N. Nelson.
do. Money towards formation of a Masonic
Library. Several Brethren.
1858.
November Perfect Ashlar---(as a token of fraternal
regard). Bro. J. Kirk, W.M.
1860.
December Elegantly bound Book of Constitutions,
and two other Masonic Books. Bro. T. Robinson.
1861.
January Portrait of Earl de Grey and Ripon. Bro. W. C. Marsh.
1862.
December Silver Snuff Box. The Lodge of
Harmony.
1865.
— Tobacco Box. Bro. T. C. Ledgard.
July Set of Fish Carvers. Bro. M. Joseph
(St. Johns Lodge 80).
1867.
February Piano—subscribed by the Brethren.
1874.
July Decorative Gift. Bro. Franklin.
August Portrait of W. Bro. Allen Jackson. By himself after
presentation.
1875.
February Worshipful Master's Chair (now in use). Bro. W. C. Marsh.
1876.
July Portrait of W. Bro. John Kirk. By himself after
presentation.
1882.
December Officers' Collars. Bro. W. H. Jessop.
1884.
September Photograph of W. Bro. Joe Wood. Bro. T. J. Wigney.
1885.
February Silver-mounted Snuff Box as a memento Bro. M. Joseph
of many pleasant evenings. (St. Johns Lodge 80).
August Entered Apprentice Apron. Bro. J. Turpin.
1887.
February "Freemasonry at Bottom Eastwood." Rt. W. Bro. T. W.
Tew (Prov.G.M.).
1888
June Portrait of W. Bro. Joe Wood. The Brethren.
1889.
February Silver Salver for use of S.D. Bro. M. Joseph
(St. Johns Lodge 80)
Date. Description. Donor.
1896.
April Addresses of W. Bro. T. W. Tew. The Province at
Jubilee Festival.
1899.
December Bechstein Piano (£65) and £35 towards
Mortgage. Bro. F. Marsland.
1901.
November Copy of 1853 Book of Constitutions inscribed
"Lodge of Truth No. 763." Bro. J. Davis.
1902.
October Picture of Jacob's Ladder. Bro. J. T. Spratt.
November Painted Panels in Lodge Room. do.
1904.
September Two Painted Panels in Lodge Room. Bro. J. T. Spratt.
November Portrait of Bro. William Shaw (1st Senior Bro. Hy. Shaw
Warden). (his nephew).
do. Portrait of W. Bro. Abraham Armitage. By himself after
presentation.
1906.
July Portrait of Lord Allerton. Bro. J. Pyrah.
1907.
November Complete set of Working Tools in a case. Bro. J. Mosley.
December Lectern and Stand. Wife of Bro. T. Bean.
1908.
November Lead Light Windows. Bro. F. G. Thompson.
1909.
September Safe. Bro. J. W. Mallinson.
1910.
December Chairs for the Instruction Room. Bro. A. Banks.
1911.
January Book on Freemasonry. Bro. J. Davis.
April Portrait of W. Bro. H. Shaw (58 years a By himself after
member). presentation.
June Portrait of W. Bro. J. Davis. The family.
September Portrait of W. Bro. J. Firth. His widow.
November Five Volumes of Music. Bro. F. G. Thompson.
December Three Pedestals. Thursday night Class.
1913.
Safe. Bro. J. W. Mallinson.
1918.
October Portrait of W. Bro. W. H. Jessop. By himself after
presentation.
1922.
March Copy of the Ritual as prepared by Donor
and approved by P.M.'s Bro. G. P. Riley.
1928.
June Photograph of Viscount Lascelles—Prov. Rt. W. Bro.
G.M. Lord Lascelles.
1930.
February Master's and Wardens' Chairs and By Harmony and
Pedestals. Huddersfield Lodges.
November D.C's. Baton. Bro. J. L. Sykes.
1931.
August "Cartoons" of Architecture, Music, Sculpture
and Painting (in Lodge Room). Bro. J. T. Spratt.
1932.
Pair of Silver Compasses. Bro. L. Schofield.
1937.
June Picture of King Solomon's Temple—(in By his son, Bro. J.
memory of the late W. Bro. John Pyrah). Faux Pvrah, Hud.
dersfield Lodge.
1944.
December 150 years' History of Huddersfield Lodge, W.M. and Brethren of
1793-1943. Huddersfield Lodge.
103
DONATIONS TO THE CHARITIES.
Coming to the second part of this Chapter, the attention of the
reader is called to the Illustration Page at the end of the Chapter, which
shows a classified Summary of the Donations to Charities, which the Author
has compiled from the data he has been able to obtain. In some Lodges
it is possible to refer to old Cash Books kept by the Lodge and by Charity
Members, kept, it is true, in many and varied styles, but containing much
interesting information. Unfortunately no such books are available in the
Lodge of Truth; the only book or record found to date is the one in use at
present by the Charity Member, which only goes back a matter of 32 years
or so; the books of the Treasurer of the Lodge do not take us any further
back than 1917. That was the year when W. Bro. J. T. Spratt completed
his work on the Lodge Journal, and presented it to the Lodge; and, as the
Author points out in Chapter VIII dealing with the Lodge Records, it is
clear from the entries in the Journal that W. Bro. Spratt had before him in
1916-17 the Cash Records for Lodge Finance and Charities, as the
column in the Journal for Finance is completed every year from 18-16 to
1917. Most of the specific factual information in the Summary of Donations
has been obtained from the Abstracts supplied, on request, from Provincial
Grand Lodge, but there are blank periods in the Provincial Record, and, for
those blank periods the figures in the Lodge Journal Abstract of W. Bro.
Spratt have been used.
The following explanations will assist the reader in his perusal of
the Summary of Donations. The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was
founded in 1788, and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was founded in
1798. The Roya l Masonic Benevolent Institutuion for aged Masons was
established in. 1842 (and for Widows in 1849). When The Lodge of Truth
was formed in 1845, all three Institutions were in existence. The Province
are not able to supply figures prior to 1875, although The West Yorkshire
Charity Committee was formed in 1859, so for the two periods from 1846 to
1859, and 1860 to 1874, the figures in the summary have been taken from the
Journal Abstract, but, being Totals only, they are not allocated as between the
Charities. There are Minutes constantly occurring in those periods of
Donations by the Lodge to the different Charities, e.g. £52-10-0 to the Boys
School in 1869. Although the Provincial figures supplied start with the year
1875, their records are blank for 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883: there were
donations each year during that period, as the Journal Abstract reveals. The
West Yorkshire Benevolent and Educational Fund was established in
1897, from which date all columns in the Summary come into use. There
is a further point to be borne in mind, namely, that it is possible that the
Provincial figures do not represent the TOTAL donations, as it is not clear
that their figures would include sums sent direct from the Lodge to any of
the Charities. Subject to those contingencies, and possible errors and
omissions, the Summary reveals a minimum of £6,093 to Masonic
Charities; this is a splendid testimony to the generosity of the Brethren;
moreover, it should be noted that this total does not include the amount
contributed to the Masonic Million Memorial Fund (1919-1938): but in
the total is the amount contributed by the Brethren in connection with
the splendid work they did for the Sick and Wounded Soldiers and
Prisoners of War during the 1911-1918 World War. Their activities in this
connection, by way of entertaining the troops, are mentioned more
particularly in Chapter XII.
The Summary shows that from the first, the Brethren have
always been ardent in their support of the Second Grand Principle; the
reader will recall, (Chapter IX) how at the very formation-- the
Benevolent Fund was an integral part of the By-laws, and a special
"segregation" was arranged at the instigation of Provincial Grand Lodge;
so it can truly be said that from the foundation laid at the North-East
corner of the Lodge the Brethren have raised a worthy "Benevolent"
Superstructure.
105
SUMMARY OF DONATIONS TO CHARITIES.
Period
Per Lodge
Journal
Abstract
(unallocated)
£ s. d.
Per Abstract supplied by Provincial Grand Lodge
TOTAL
£ s. d.
West Yorkshire
Benevolent &
Educational
Fund
£ s. d.
R.M.
Benevolent
Institution
£ s. d.
R.M.I.
Boys
£ s. d.
R.M.I.
Girls
£ s.
d.
1846 ---------------1859 76 8 6 76 8 6
1860 ................... 1874 172 14 0 . 172 14 0
1875 1879 53 6 0 21 0 0 32 11 0 106 17 0
1880 ------------- 1883 95 3 2 95 3 2
1884 ................... 1895 304 8 0 208 19 0 105 0 0 618 7 0
1896 ................... 1920 763 1 6 611 2 0 578 17 6 200 11 0 2153 12 0
1921 ....................1944 487 5 0 893 5 7 *911 14 0 577 10 0 2869 14 7
TOTALS 344 5 8 1250 6 6 1862 1 7 1720 10 6 915 12 0
6092 16 3
In addition to the above The Lodge contributed to the "Masonic Million Memorial Fund" 126 15 4
And in 1914-18 The Lodge contributed to the Local Funds for
Sick & Wounded Soldiers and Prisoners of War 467 18 0
LODGE VOTES HELD IN PERPETUITY £ 6687 9 7
Details R.M.B.I. R.M.I. Boys R.M.I. Girls
Chair ... 256 48 37
Gift of Brethren 481 114 67
S.W. Chair 9 1
J.W. Chair 2
Treasurer 1.
Secretary
TOTALS 739 166 105
*The figure for the 1943 Boys Festival will be amplified by some further Tax repayments.