Historical discovery

from Freemasonry Today - Spring 2020 - Issue 49

Letters and social media

Stories ABOVE BOARD Tracing history

Bank of England Lodge gives the Supreme Council a set of Georgian tracing boards originally presented by Dr Robert Crucefix

This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Supreme Council for England and Wales, and the commemorations began in suitable fashion when Bank of England Lodge, No. 263, gave three Georgian tracing boards to the Supreme Council on a long-term loan.

The tracing boards were originally presented to Bank of England Lodge in 1832 by Dr Robert Crucefix, who would later found the Supreme Council.

‘We’re delighted to have them here,’ said Alan Englefield, the Supreme Council’s Sovereign Grand Commander. ‘Dr Crucefix has a very special association with us. It’s wonderful to have that link and to be entrusted to look after them. It’s a great privilege, and they are lovely objects.’

The tracing boards came to light when Chris Starnes from Bank of England Lodge was searching the lodge’s list of artefacts for objects of interest to illustrate a lecture. He came across a reference to the three tracing boards, which Crucefix had presented to the lodge on the night he went into the chair. Crucefix also presented the lodge with a cushion, which can no longer be located.

Crucefix was an active Freemason who joined numerous lodges following his initiation in 1829. He was a firm supporter of masonic charities and founded an asylum for aged Freemasons – which eventually became the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution – as well as The Freemasons’ Quarterly Review, which he edited for a number of years. Crucefix promoted Orders including the Knights Templar, Rose Croix, Ne Plus Ultra and Mark, and founded the Supreme Council with Dr George Oliver and Henry Udall in 1845.

Special artefacts, special occasions The small, portable and exquisitely executed tracing boards predate Crucefix’s foundation of Supreme Council, but Bank of England Lodge thought that 10 Duke Street would make a natural home for the objects.

‘Nobody had seen them or even knew they existed for years,’ Chris said. ‘I thought that instead of leaving them to languish in a tin box in our archive at Great Queen Street, we’d bring them here. We thought that if Dr Crucefix was alive it’s what he would have wanted. They are very nice objects – we were never going to use them, but the Supreme Council said they would use them on special occasions.’ On the back of all three tracing boards is a short statement explaining their provenance. The boards are in good condition but may require some minor cleaning and restoration.

‘It is great to have them back for the 175th anniversary of Supreme Council,’ said the Supreme Council’s head of collections, known as the Keeper of the Treasures. ‘The idea is they will get some use here, as they have been sitting unused in the vaults for many years.

‘There are certain lodges that meet here that can use them – indeed, they have just had their first outing in many years at a recent meeting of Royal Alfred Lodge, No. 780 – but the Supreme Council’s intention is that they are only brought out on special occasions.’