Bro. Robert Freke Gould, Historian Has anyone not seen a set of volumes by this masonic historian? Probably very few! Bro. Gould was commissioned in 1855 as Ensign, 86th Foot, then Lieut., 31st Foot. Served in the North China Campaign. Barrister, 1868. Initiated 1855 in the Royal Navy Lodge, No. 429 (now No. 621), Ramsgate. Member Friendship Lodge, No. 345 (now No. 278), Gibraltar; Inhabitants’ Lodge, No. 178 (now No. 153), Gibraltar; Meridian Lodge, 31st Foot, No. 1045 (now No. 743); St. Andrew’s-in-the-East, No. 313, Poona, (Grand Lodge of Scotland); Orion-in-the-West Lodge, No. 598 (now No. 415), Poona; Northern Lodge of China, No. 832 (now No. 570), Shanghai; WM in 1864; Royal Sussex Lodge, No. 735 (now No. 501), Shanghai; Moira Lodge, No. 92, London, WM in 1874-5. Exalted Melita Chapter, No. 437 (now No. 349), Malta; Scottish Chapter at Poona; Zion Chapter, No. 570, Shanghai; Moira Chapter, No. 92, London. That’s the blurb from QC Lodge in London, but what of the man?
[See Cross Keys in December for a short history of this lodge which works in London]
The same year, he resigned his Commission and came to London to study Law at the Inner Temple and was called to the Bar in 1868. In was during the next 20 plus years he did what is called the ‘authentic school’ of research (ie. history was written from actual sources rather than esoteric manuscripts). He was scathing about the standard of inGould’s enthusiasm for the Craft was evident struction given to young enquiring freemaas the lodges he became involved with all be- sons. came successful, this being mainly India to begin with there he was stationed. He also His first book, The Four Old Lodges, in 1879 joined the Knight Templars in 1857 and two brought him in touch with the foremost mayears later became the Deputy Provincial sonic researchers of the day and ultimately to Grand Commander of Bombay. Unfortunate- forming the first research lodge, Quatuor Corly, it was shorted lived as the 31st was post- onati Lodge in London. Bro. Gould only ed to the North China Campaign and over the missed one meeting in the first 8 years! next two years, he trained a battalion of Manchu troops to form the garrison and worked The first volume of his monumental landalongside Maj. Gen. Gordon of Khartoum. His mark on the History of Freemasonry was pubonly masonic activities were in Meridian lished in 1882. Unfortunately during the earLodge attached to the 31st. In 1863, he be- ly years of the 20th Century, due to ill health and failing eyesight, his masonic activities came the first joindecreased considerably. ing member of Royal Sussex Lodge He died in his home in Woking in 1915. The No.501 in Shanghai, great Irish researcher wrote: joined The Northern Lodge of China There has been no one like unto him in our No.702 and founder day, nor is there any probability of a sucof Tuscan Lodge cessor that shall outdo his work. No.1027 both in Shanghai as shown.
Cross Keys Aprilk 2022
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