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TOWER of LEBANON |
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TOWER of LEBANON |
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Freedom Lodge #169 meets in Arthur Square Masonic
Hall, Belfast every fourth Thursday (except June, July and August). Although
a very small Lodge -- slightly less than 20 Master Masons -- it has a
very long history behind it. Completing its Centenary celebrations in
1995 it still manages a full set of Offices and has yet to fail to open.
A brief history follows taken from the Centenary dinner menu and extra information
as gleaned from Minute books etc.
The Warrant was first issued to a Dublin Lodge on 2nd September 1747, but was
cancelled on 5th September 1765. In its early days the Lodge appears to
have had a stormy history! It had some 49 members but an entry in the
Grand Lodge registry reads "this warrant cancelled by Order of Grand Lodge 5th
September 1765 for not acting according to rules". We cannot be sure what
crimes the Dubliners committed but it seems likely that they allowed excluded
Brethren to attend meetings. --- NB. a brief history dated 1944 states this
Lodge remained until 1782
169 resurfaced in Magherafelt County Londonderry on 7th March 1811 when Grand
Lodge minutes record "Granted Warrant 169 to Andrew Davidson, James McDonaghy,
Backhouse Lenox to hold a Lodge in Magherafelt. It was Moneymore Lodge.
Some years later the Lodge seems to have been on the move to in County Londonderry.
On 1st December 1825 Grand Lodge gave permission for the Warrant to be removed
to Tobermore. The Lodge did not stay there and in 1838 Grand Lodge gave
it permission to move to Moneymore. We do not know why but in January
1860 the Lodge collapsed and the Warrant returned for suspension until August
1860.
In 1895 a number of Brethren applied for a Warrant to hold a new Lodge in Arthur
Square, Belfast. The new Lodge was to be called "Freedom". The first
Officers From October 1895 were:-
W. M. was Bro. Robert Tate
S. W. Bro. Hugh M. Jackson
J. W. Bro. Joseph H. Smyth
Treasurer Bro. Thomas Tate
Secretary W. Bro. David Hume
S. D. Bro. W. MacGregor
J. D. Bro. W. J. Hume
I. G. Bro. E. F. Bumyar
Sen. Stewart Bro. John Munro
Jun. Stewarts Bros. J. C. Carson and J. T. Leslie
All the above and many more were members of St. Patrick's Lodge #195 Belfast.
The application was supported by Donegall True Blue Lodge #92, Star of Ulster
Lodge #239 and Star of Bethlehem Lodge #665. The Warrant was issued
and dated 4th October 1895. They met in Arthur Square in the "New Lodge
Room".
The Lodge clearly had some problems as in 1896 Robert Tate resigned, along
with the Worshipful Master. Having checked with the Minutes and Attendance Books
I cannot find any indication regarding this. Robt. Tate is signing the Attendance
book and carrying out Degree work well into 1897/8. Having said that there was
considerible discussion involving both these parties regarding after Lodge refreshment
and Past Master Jewels.
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LEFT ... Jewel presented to W.Brother Robert Hafferon who was in the "Chair" in 1907. The jewel was discovered in a Belfast auction room by Brother Hammy Todd who was pleased to contact me as Secretary and offer the jewel to me as a current member of 169. supplied by Wm. J. Gowdy 119 Albertbridge Road Belfast Watchmaker and Jeweller The jewel is 9 carat rose gold with sterling silver Square and Compasses the bar is also gold. Apparently the letters and Square and Compass are hand cut. Few jewels like this would be in existence today as the habit would have been that upon death the Widow would have requested jewels like this to be buried along with the owner! Robert Hafferon details: Bookkeeper 19 Brookland Street, Belfast Proposed: Bro. McIlveen Seconded: Bro. Sinton Balloted 23 Dec. 1897 Ballot being clear he was given E. A. degree that night F. C. Degree: 27 Jan 1898 M. M. Degree 11 March 1897 (Emergency Meeting) |
During the 1914/18 War 8 members of the Lodge fought
for the Armed Forces and fortunately only one Bro. Joseph Cochrane was noted
as making the supreme sacrifice. By 1921 the Lodge had 105 members.
The role shows that they came from all parts of the City of Belfast and from
all walks of life from accountants to one hairdresser. Our older members
can relate that during the 1930's and included members of the Baird family owners
of the "Belfast Telegraph"
Taken from the "List of members 1944" booklet found in an old Minute book. Records
George Canning as W. Master. The Lodge has 72 Full Members plus 4 Country Members
plus 3 Honoury members. Of these two were in Military Service:
Thomas H. Dorman
David J. Addis (Squadron Leader)
Notible members names:
Thomas T. McConkey (PM) whose sister has just celebrated her 100th birthday,
owing to the amount of work she personally undertook for the Lodge we still
recognise her at Christmas with a bouquet of flowers or similar gift.
Thomas J. Reid (PM): the Father of the present T. J. Reid.
Robert Hafferon (PM): see Jewel above.
By the late 1980's the Lodge had fallen on hard times and membership had dwindled
to slightly more than the number required to open a Lodge. Eventually
in 1988 a proposal was made that the Lodge close and return its Warrant.
This proposal was defeated by the then W. Master T. J. Reid Junior. Notable
here is T. J. Reid Senior's contribution. He was initiated in 1913 (W.
M. in 1952) he died at 103 still attending the Lodge. He had previously
been appointed Grand Standard bearer in 1985.
Albert Cooke and Billy Drysdale |
Albert Cooke and Billy Drysdale |
A recent upsurge has kept 169 alive and work is being made to bring its Social
Life up to scratch.
I served as Worshipful Master during 1998.
The new Millenium opened with Freedom facing a hard time and some tough decisions
regarding its future. Membership had dropped to 19 by January 2003 but there
was only a core of 11/12 turning up each meeting night. A meeting to discuss
the situation decided to keep the Lodge alive for as long as possible but the
Lodge had to stop living in its past glory and face reality. The decision to
hold regular Festive Boards was made and the Secretary contacted other local
Lodges that met on the same night to see if joint ventures could be organised.
The future of both Arthur square and Rosemary Street were open to debate at
this time and as I write the Gen. Purposes com. at Rosemay Street is considering
selling the building to redevelopement firms hoping for large contracts refurbishing
the center of Belfast. Arthur Square is more in the clear and although redevelopement
of the area is in the near future the Masonic Hall has all but been guaranteed
refitting and a future live. Although there will probably be a lengthy closure
of the building while Health and Safety work is carried out. During a recent
clear out of the Lodge locker etc. A brown paper package was discovered ---
UNFORTUNATELY NOT MASONIC DIRTY BOOKS --- it turned out to be the first volume
of our Minute Books! I hope shortly to include some passages form this excellent
tomb.
Early in February 2004 following an approach from Tower of Lebanon 285 a merger
was tabled between the wo Lodges. Although Freedom had a good turn out at meetings
they were short of members whereas Tower of Lebanon had many on the books but
poor tourn out at Communications. So a merger seemed an ideal solution to both
problems and it was left to the two Secretaries Myself and David Jamison to
set the details.
Luckily both parties were in agreement on almost all aspects of the merger and
by the time Provincial and Grand Lodge were involved most of the details were
sorted out.
In September 2004 Freedom 169 held a meeting to afiliate some 15 members of
Tower of Lebanon thereby setting the seal on the future.
Basically the idea was that the two Lodges unite under the Warrant of 169 retaining
their time and date of meeting. In return the name would change from January
2005 to Tower of Lebanon 169. In accordance with Grand Lodge rules 169 agreed
to accept the Charity committments of 285 and a ladder was agreed with the worshipful
Master being one with experience. Leslie Mc Cutcheon was designaed as an acceptible
W. Master of the first year od the combined Lodge. Well experienced in controlling
meeting and backed by the equally experienced secretary it was anticipated any
"teething problems" would be efficiently dealt with.
In November 2004 Tower of Lebanon 285 held its last meeting attended by the
provincial Grand Secretary John Frazer who accepted the Warrant for returning
to grand Lodge. The final event of the year was a "Christmas Cracker" social
event which was very successful.
This history now ends and a new section to this site will open in 2005 with
updates as to the installation and new beginning of both Lodges.
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 FREEDOM MASONIC LODGE #169 BELFAST WORSHIPFUL MASTER 1998 W. BRO. PETER LEACH |
This page was last updated on
Saturday January 30, 2010
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