Past Grand Secretary

Although a Secretary to the Grand Lodge was appointed in 1723 (becoming Grand Secretary in 1734) and the premier Grand Lodge had a permanent building in Great Queen Street from 1775, it was not until 1838 that the Grand Secretary’s Office came into being. From the of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 until 1838, the Grand Secretaryship was a joint office shared by William White, who had held the same office in the premier Grand Lodge and Edward Harper, who had been Deputy Grand Secretary of the Antients. In 1838, Harper ‘retired’ and White was asked to take on the role of Grand Secretary. He agreed but on one condition: that Grand Lodge employed two full-time clerks to assist with paperwork. As a result of the expansion in members and lodges in the Victorian period, by the time Letchworth became Grand Secretary in 1892 the office had grown to seven clerks. As they had to be Master Masons it was suggested they should have a lodge—Letchworth Lodge No.3505.

Sir Edward Letchworth (1833–1917) was the Grand Secretary, or Chief Executive, of the United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body of Freemasonry in England and Wales, from 1892 until his death, making him the longest serving Grand Secretary to date. During this time he took part in the foundation ceremonies of over 400 lodges.

Sir Edward stated that the lodge’ s purpose was ‘to meld the clerks into greater harmony’. It would also assist Grand Lodge by bringing into Freemasonry suitable candidates that might become clerks in the office; and get brethren through the Chair in a reasonable time for additional duties. The latter was important, as many lodges had more than 100 members and it could take 15 or more years to reach the Chair.

George Cockerill Jewel

The George Cockerill jewel can be found in the Museum of Freemasonry in Riga, Latvia,. He was a long time Parliament member, Deputy Director of Military Intelligence and Director of Special Intelligence with the rank of Brigadier-General. In 1926 he was knighted, shortly after he was master.