Albion Lodge196ER: The First Two Hundred and Twenty Four Years 1790-2014

Albion Lodge196ER: The First Two Hundred and Twenty Four Years 1790-2014

This book traces the history of Freemasonry in Barbados from its earliest times in 1740 through to the Consecration of Albion Lodge No. 196 E.R., in 1790 thereafter the reader will embark upon an exciting journey to the present day. Although this book has particular emphasis on the history of Albion Lodge No. 196 E.R., this Lodge did not exist in isolation. Therefore there are several pages dedicated to other Lodges meeting in Barbados and registered under the United Grand Lodge of England, Lodges registered under the Scottish Constitution, especially Lodge Scotia 340 S.C. and Lodges registered under Irish Constitutions which have long ceased to exist. There is also materials on the formation of the District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean as it is now called, and a list of District Grand Masters, which should be of interest to members of Lodges that comprise the District. This is a must reader for every member of Albion Lodge 196 E.R., and masons of other Lodges meeting in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, who have a keen interest in understanding the several trials which Freemasonry had to overcome in order to become the vibrant organization it is today. Albion Lodge196ER The First Two Hundred and Twenty Four Years 1790-2014 By W.Bro. NGD Atwell Trafford Publishing Copyright © 2015 W.Bro. NGD Atwell PDSGW All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4907-5269-3 Contents Foreword, ix, Acknowledgement, xi, Albion Lodge - Before and After 1790, 1, The Formative Years, 12, Meeting Places, 21, Treasurers, 25, Motions, Petitions and By-Laws, 27, Royal Arch and Mark Masters Degrees, 31, The District Grand Stewards Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, 36, Free Born, 39, Scholarships, 41, Lodge Scotia 340 S. C., 46, Thomas Clarke Marshall, 47, June and July 1824, 52, Masonic Land, 54, Building Committee, 58, District Grand Master - 1890, 66, Centenary, 69, Masonic Funerals and Our Vault, 71, Alexander Irvine, Early Barbadian Mason, 75, Summonses, 82, Library, 84, Albion – Irish Connection Etc., 87, Archibald Aubrey Chase, 95, The Albion Ritual and the Lawless Address, 98, The Changing Face of Albion in 1978, 100, Albion Miscellania, 102, Closing, 116, Appendix A Membership List 2013 - 2014, 121, Appendix B Membership List 1790-2014, 125, Appendix C District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean 2014, 161, CHAPTER 1 ALBION LODGE - BEFORE AND AFTER 1790 This publication sets out to give a history of the Albion Lodge No. 196 E.R. working under the United Grand Lodge of England and under the District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. However, to start on the 6th December, 1790, and just go forward would leave a gap in the building up of Freemasonry in Barbados and of Albion Lodge in particular; so to breach this gap I will start on 12th January, 1740. On that day Alexander Irvine, who was resident here, started the first Lodge in Barbados. This he called St. Michaels, which was warranted under the "Moderns" as No. 186. Later that same year saw the warranting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Barbados with jurisdiction over "all other islands to Windward of Guadeloupe". The District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is the eleventh oldest in order of Provincial/District Grand Lodges under the United Grand Lodge of England, in order of seniority: The Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire 1725 " " " " " S. Wales 1726 " " " " " N. Wales 1727 " " " " " Warwickshire 1728 " District " " " Bengal 1728 " Provincial " " " Shropshire 1732 " " " " " Durham 1734 " " " " " Lancashire 1734 " " " " " Northumberland 1734 " " " " " Yorkshire 1739 " District " " " Barbados 1740 The first Provincial Grand Master appointed in 1740 was Thomas Baxter. He was followed by: 1755 William Maynard 1764 John Stone 1770 Hon. Samuel Rouse 1783 Hon. Benjamin Gittens 1791 Ron. William Bishop 1796 James Cummins 1801 Col. John Straker 1803 Francis Lord Seaforth 1907 Brig. General Charles Shipley 1917 Ron. John Alleyne Beckles 1941 Sir Robert Boucher Clarke 1851 to 1890 A long interregnum 1869 Master of Albion Lodge granted discretionary Power by M. W. Grand Master the Earl of Zetland, but a report must be made to Grand Lodge of any such use of power by the Master. 1990 Col. John Elliott 1995 John Locke 1904 Robert Baynes 1906 John Pedro D'Albuguerque 1930 Lt. Col. William Bowring 1941 Rev. Arthur Evelyn Armstrong 1957 Lindsay E. R. Gill 1973 Maj. Arthur S. Warren 1980 Or. William E. Cooper 1996 Brian Douglas Parsons There was also an Irish Provincial Grand Lodge in Barbados from 1804 to 1828 but this collapsed when it was unable to carry out an edict issued to it in 1823 with reference to colour prejudice in Freemasonry. No records exist in Barbados about this Irish Provincial Grand Lodge and therefore the Provincial Grand Masters cannot be listed. In order to show the flourishing state of early Freemasonry in Barbados I