2 minute read
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?
Advertisement
Gould’s enthusiasm for the Craft was evident as the lodges he became involved with all became successful, this being mainly India to begin with there he was stationed. He also joined the Knight Templars in 1857 and two years later became the Deputy Provincial Grand Commander of Bombay. Unfortunately, it was shorted lived as the 31st was posted to the North China Campaign and over the next two years, he trained a battalion of Manchu troops to form the garrison and worked alongside Maj. Gen. Gordon of Khartoum. His only masonic activities were in Meridian Lodge attached to the 31st. In 1863, he became the first joining member of Royal Sussex Lodge No.501 in Shanghai, joined The Northern Lodge of China No.702 and founder of Tuscan Lodge No.1027 both in Shanghai as shown.
[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 instruction given to young enquiring freemasons.
His first book, The Four Old Lodges, in 1879 brought him in touch with the foremost masonic researchers of the day and ultimately to forming the first research lodge, Quatuor Coronati Lodge in London. Bro. Gould only missed one meeting in the first 8 years!
The first volume of his monumental landmark on the History of Freemasonry was published in 1882. Unfortunately during the early years of the 20th Century, due to ill health and failing eyesight, his masonic activities decreased considerably.
He died in his home in Woking in 1915. The great Irish researcher wrote:
