The Half Moon Tavern This old ‘pub’ existed in London in the 17th Century and like many inns and taverns at the time, masonic lodges were common societies to use their rooms. It was situated off Bishopsgate Street and was eventually demolished in 1890 when Liverpool Street Station was built.
of Freemasons. This meeting has been fully dealt with here. An advertisement in the Gentleman s Magazine, A-pril 1747, states, "Half Moon Tavern, Cheapside. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland having restored peace to Britain by the memorable Battle of Culloden, the choice spirits have agreed to celebrate that day annually by a grand Jubilee in the Moon, of which the stars are hereby acquainted and summoned to shine with the highest lustre at 6 o'clock on Thursday next." The Sign of "The Half Moon" or Crescent represents temporal power, and the Sun spiritual. A half moon also in old slang tavern language meant a sixpence. The Grand Lodge held a meeting on the 24th June, 1731 and the "Half Moon" appears in the Engraved List of 1723: the Constitutional Lodge No. 55 met there in 1762, and the Caledonian Lodge No. 180 in 1764.
It was situated to the right of Sir Paul Pindar’s residence, the Ambassador of James I. at Constantinople. Here we find the Lodge of Stability No. 217 meeting here in 1807, and the Lodge of Hope and Unity No. 214 in 1808. The image to the right shows the alley leading to the Half Moon (interestingly, the front of the Pindar building was one complete wooden structure now seen in the V& A Museum in London). The Half Moon Tavern famous — if for nothing else — as the House where Elias Ashmole dined on the 11th March, 1682, after the Lodge at which Sir Wm. Wilson, Captain Borthwick, and four Members of the Masons' Company were received into the Fellowship
Cross Keys March 2022
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