Lewis Masonic is a long-established firm, founded in the nineteenth century, specializing in the publication of Masonic texts. Then, called A Lewis, the focus of the company was exclusively on ritual books, from Masonic Craft degrees to Masonic side orders.
Over the years the name of the company slowly changed from 'A Lewis' to 'Lewis Masonic'. Nowadays, ritual books are still kept a priority at Lewis Masonic but the company's focus has expanded to cover all areas of Masonic publishing.
The book reflects the author’s research interests in Victorian Freemasonry, and the Orders beyond the Craft . Th e fact that the other Orders of Freemasonry in England have a combined membership greater than that of the United Grand Lodge of England, is perhaps not as well-known as it should be, nor the fact that the period 1845 and 1880 saw an unprecedented expansion in Freemasonry in general and the other Orders of Freemasonry in particular. In bringing together into one publication a set of six previously published essays and lectures the author hopes to provide a better understanding of the importance of the other Orders of Freemasonry. He is of the fi rm belief that within, what he terms, the Full Spectrum of Freemasonry the Craft is but one facet, and one in which the other Orders all have an equal and important part to play. Each of the six chapters deals with a different but complimentary aspect that:
• provides a better understanding of how the other Masonic Orders have grown and developed in parallel with Craft Masonry;
• highlights the significant contribution made by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons (GLMMM), originally formed in 1856, which despite encountering considerable problems and opposition in its early years has grown into the formidable organisation it is today;
• demonstrates how the quality and status of the various Mark Masons’ Halls (MMH) headquarter buildings have reflected the increasing prestige and standing of the GLMMM;
• reflects on the prominence and social standing of some of its more distinguished Victorian rulers, revealed through the medium of the portraits originally commissioned for the original MMH;
• underlines the importance of Frederick Binckes, who for nearly thirty years, successfully combined the roles of both Grand Secretary of the GLMMM and Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys, and who played a key part in the development of both institutions;
• scrutinises the role of Robert Wentworth Little who was the prime mover and progenitor of four orders of Freemasonry, two of which, the Red Cross of Constantine and Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, are still very much active and thriving today.
Key to Front Cover
The cover shows a graphical representation of the respective size of membership, of the sixteen larger Orders of Freemasonry beyond the Craft currently working in England and Wales individually named, and the six smaller ones combined into one grouping designated as ‘de minimis’. In addition to an expansion of the abbreviation, the date given is that of the establishment of the respective governing body, not necessarily that of the first known existence of the degree or order.
Royal Arch: Royal Arch: 1766; Mark:Mark: 1856; A&A Rite: Ancient and Accepted Rite [Rose Croix]: 1845;RAM: Royal Ark Mariner: 1871; KT:Knights Templar: 1791; OSM: Order of the Secret Monitor: 1889; RCC: Red Cross of Constantine: 1865; RSM: Royal and Select Masters: 1873; KTP: Knight Templar Priests: 1924; AMD: Allied Masonic Degrees: 1879; Athelstan:Masonic Order of Athelstan: 2007;ROS: Royal Order of Scotland: 1872;Operatives: Operatives: 1913; ScarletCord: Order of the Scarlet Cord: 2006;SRIA: Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia:1867; Acon: St. Thomas of Acon:1974; KBHC: Knights Beneficent of the Holy City: 1937; Pilgrim Preceptors:Masonic Order of Pilgrim Preceptors:1984; de minimis: Ancient Order of Noble Corks; August Order of Light; Corporation of Squaremen; Hermetic Order Martinists; Knight Masons;Royal Order of Eri.
Richard Gan is a senior Freemason and a Grand Officer in all the major Orders of Freemasonry. He retired in June 2010 as Deputy Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons.
Born in 1950, he was educated at the Becket School, Nottingham, and is a graduate of London University where he took an Honours Degree in Geology and subsequently studied part-time for a Masters Degree in Education. He is also a graduate of the Open University, where he took a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management Studies. Whilst at the Institute of Education he combined winning a double distinction in the Post Graduate Certificate of Education whilst also serving as President of the Students' Union.
He has enjoyed a number of successful careers in education and Masonic administration before finally becoming Editor of The Square, an independent magazine for Freemasons, retiring in 2014. He is a full member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the premier Lodge of Masonic research.
Celebrating 150 Years since the Royal Ark Mariner came under the auspices of the Mark Grand Lodge
The history of how Mark Grand Lodge become the governing body of the Royal Ark Mariner Degree is far from straight forward, and a story full of intrigue and duplicity.
In May 1870 Mark Grand Lodge decided that the opportunity of working the Royal Ark Mariner degree, previously carried out in some Mark lodges, should be extended to all lodges under its control.
For the next three years there followed between Mark Grand Lodge, and the self-styled Royal Ark Mariner Grand Lodge created by Morton Edwards: lengthy and often terse correspondence, meetings, discussions, agreements, dis-agreements, all combined with disingenuous and duplicitous behaviour on both sides that ultimately culminated in Mark Grand Lodge taking control of the Royal Ark Mariner Degree.
Whilst it may be true to say that there are usually two sides to every story, in this particular instance it is a more of a question of two very different stories running in parallel, that happen to impinge on each other from time to time.
In not adopting a strict chronological approach, the need for a running commentary with appropriate cross-referencing has been circumvented thereby avoiding a fragmented story-line that would be both confusing and difficult to follow.
An overview and commentary help put the key events into context. In doing so it provides a framework for what at first sight may appear to be unconnected incidents that run parallel to the main narrative.
172 x 242 mm
172 Pages
Hardback
300 Years of Freemasonry ; Through the Prism of the History of Globe Lodge
Richard L. Gan and Archie Walls
The Lodge was Constituted in 1723 just six years after the meeting at the Goose and Gridiron in London when the first Grand Lodge was formed, it celebrated its 300th anniversary of continuous working in September 2023. It is one of nineteen ‘Red Apron’ Lodges with the privilege of nominating a member for the office of Grand Steward During the lifetime of the Lodge it has had more than 1,200 members, many of whom have played an active and influential role not just within the Lodge but in Freemasonry in general, a number have made a considerable contribution and had an impact on the world outside Freemasonry. The Lodge has experienced the odd scandal, one in Chapter 1 IntroductionMemorials of Globe Lodge 16 particular nearly caused the Lodge to fold. It has also had a few members that may best be described as ‘bad apples’, but their actions are more than counterbalanced by the number of members who deserve to be called heroes, some of whom made the supreme sacrifice in the service of their Country. Unexpected findings have included the relatively high number of members whose exposure to the hazards of business unfortunately resulted in bankruptcy. This book, as all Lodge histories is written primarily for the members of the Lodge, both present and future, in a style and with contents that are intended to appeal to both the general reader but also to those interested in Masonic history. With one or two exceptions the use of footnotes has been avoided and an alternative format has been adopted in the form of ‘text-boxes’. These have been used whenever possible in one of two ways: either to provide a brief biography or additional information about individual members without the need to clutter up the main text; or to enable more in-depth or detailed information about a particular topic to be included, in a manner that does not to disrupt the continuity of the main text for the general reader, but still allows those interested in exploring the additional information when they choose to do so. No lodge history is complete without its various lists, and in that regard, Globe is no different, hence the expected inclusion of lists of Past Masters, members who have held office in the Lodge, or been appointed to Grand Rank, together with a number of lists associated with the fact that Globe is a ‘Red Apron’ Lodge.
However, given the longevity of the Lodge it has been possible to compile and include a comprehensive Compendium of Globe Members, that contains details of the 1,200+ members of the Lodge in order of their date of joining together with a brief CV, together with an alphabetical list that includes their date of birth and death, which helps to distinguish between members who may share the same surname but were members at different times. The data generated in the preparation of the list of members has been used as the basis for a chapter concerning facts and figures relating to the membership as a whole, and a chapter that catalogues and explores the changing trends and patterns in the various occupations of Globe members over the last 300 years. The intention has been to write a definitive history of the Lodge, in a way that informs, educates and entertains. Each chapter focuses on a different and specific aspect but not in a chronological order so they do not need to be read in any particular sequence. In short it is hoped that every reader, whether or not a member of the Lodge or even a Freemason, may find something of interest in the book.
Hardback
Hand Embossed
Buckram Red Cloth
Hand Embossed
Mono Pages 259
Colour Pages 47
