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.

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 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.

The problem of exporting Freemasonry to Cornwall at the beginning of the eighteenth century was the very poor infrastructure. However, by the end of the 1700s there was a stage coach from England to Bodmin and Falmouth, with many more branch routes to follow. The tin mining industry was also in its ascendency. Falmouth was developing into a flourishing port. Therefore it is not unsurprising, that with an active social society and an increasing intellectual population, the need for a gentleman's club was considered necessary. The camaraderie that Freemasonry offered, saw the founding of the first Masonic Lodge in Cornwall in 1751, Love and Honour Lodge, now No. 75, met at the King's Arms Tavern in Falmouth, and was formed a year before the Province of Cornwall was established. The lodge meets in its own hall in Falmouth today.

In 1751,the Premier Lodge was warranted at Falmouth, as No. 146, now 75. 1752 and a lodge warranted at Helston as No. 151, erased as No. 120 in 1774. The founding of the Province of Cornwall with Bro. W. Pye appointed as the first Provincial Grand Master and 15th in England. Four years later, Bro. Issac Head appointed Provincial Grand Master for the Isles of Scilly and a lodge was warranted in Penzance as No. 271 (erased as No. 163 in 1777).

In 1783, Lodge of Love and Honour No.75 subscribed £25 for the erection of the Freemasons' Hall, London, and received a silver medal for its Master to wear in perpetuity. Only three other Lodges outside London were so distinguished.

In 1794, Bro. Sir John St. Aubyn Bt. presented a set of jewels, and Sir Francis Bassett Bt. a Sword of State, to PGL which are still in use (a lodge with his name was warranted in 1978) - the former served as PGM from 1785 to 1839.

Brethren often ask about the Lodge of St. John No.3 bis – why bis? In Latin, it means twice because two lodge are deemed to hold that number. In many lists, bis was denoted by the fraction ½ rather than bis but implying 1 of 2. There is nothing extraordinary in "bis" being attached to the number of a lodge. In former times this practice was more prevalent than it is now. There were 127½ (Arbroath St. Vigean), 158½ (St. Andrew Royal Arch Scots Greys), 244½ (Rothesay St. Brooks), 355½ (Ruthwell St. Ruth) and at present Kirkwall Kilwinning stands on the roll as 38 bis and the other lodge is St. Michael No.38 in Crieff.

The ancient origins of 3bis is found within the Incorporation of Masons which shared the office of Master and Deacon until 1850. The Collector’s jewel of the Incorporation is shown opposite.

Who is the other lodge with No.1? The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) whose records start just before 1600.

First Honorary Member

In 1851, a new class of member was introduced to the Grand Lodge of Scotland—the rank of Honorary Member. This was first conferred upon the King of Sweden (left) who was head of the Swedish Rite for Sweden and Norway and Prince Frederick of the Netherlands (below), also a Grand Master.

King Oscar I of Sweden made some reforms when enthroned. There includedthe institution of equal rights of inheritance for men and women, and the enactment of the right of unmarried women to come of age at age 25. Perhaps his masonic lessons made him more open to equality.

Prince Frederick was the younger brother of King William II, who was also a Freemason and for 65 years, was Head of the Dutch Order from 1816 to 1881. In 1816 he was accepted as a Freemason in a Berlin lodge of the German Grand Lodge "Zu den Drei Weltkugeln" and in the same year he was appointed as Grand Master National of the Grand East of the Netherlands and for the Chapter of the High Degrees. In 1819 he declared that he did not want to work in the High Degrees any more, because he detested the Christian character and thought that this would undermine the character of the Craft as a sanctuary for all believers.

Old image from the Illustrated London News shortly after the opening of the building in 1928/29. In 1927, over 6,000 masons watched the foundation stone ceremony.

French Jewels

This is a selection of jewels from the French constitution, varying from lodge anniversary jewels to founders’ jewels. Very colourful clearly using the red, white and blue of France, but although obviously masonic they are slightly different from UK jewels.