Welcome to Irish Masonic History
& the Jewels of Irish Freemasonry
Freemasonry ~ “Philanthropy, unconfined by nation, colour, sect or religion”
W.Bro. Daniel O'Connell, "The Liberator", Past Master Lodge No. 189.
Purpose of Website
My previous website was dedicated primarily to the display of my collection of Irish Masonic Jewels, with information on the history Irish Freemasonry being secondary to the display of the said jewels.
This website is more general in nature and dedicated primarily to the history of Irish Freemasonry. However as you can see from the categories above the display of my collection of Irish Masonic Jewels is still an integral part of the website.
I have found whilst putting the necessary information on the website in regard to a particular Jewel that it has led me down other avenues regarding Irish Masonic History, whether that be a topic I feel would be of interest to the Masonic historian, or some biographical information on a Freemason of yesteryear, whose story I am in a position to tell and publish on the website. I have always felt that putting a face together with a story is always of more interest.
I had not updated my old website for some considerable time due to the fact that I was involved in another Masonic project and this project having been completed I had a look at my website and decided it was time for a revamp - this is the result.
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As I set out in my previous website I am an Irish Freemason and a member of the Irish Lodge of Research No. "CC" with an interest in Irish Masonic history and the Jewels of Irish Freemasonry. I have tried to collate and "publish" on the website as many papers, articles and books as possible on both the history and Jewels of Irish Freemasonry. "A Mason Made from the Tools of His Lodge"
Engraving at Freemasons' Hall Museum, 17 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. |
The Content of the Website
The content of what you might expect to find on this site is indicated by the various headings found at the top of this page.
You are currently on the site's Introduction page or "Homepage". By "clicking" on the each category heading you will access the main page of that category which sets out what you might find in the various sub-categories associated with that category.
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If, for example, you "click" on the category "Jewels of Irish Freemasonry", the list of sub-categories consists of all the branches of the order in Ireland from "Craft Jewels" to "Prince Masons". When you "click" the mouse on the first sub-category "Craft Jewels" (and so on) another list of sub-categories will appear setting out the list of jewels, or depending on the category, a list of articles or papers, contained in that category.
To access a particular jewel or article you "click" the name of the link and you will be brought to a separate webpage for each article or jewel. The webpage will, depending on the section, have an article on Irish Freemasonry or a picture of a jewel with any available information on the jewel in question. If the jewel is named in regard to a particular Lodge I set out a history of the Lodge and any other relevant information. |
Jewel of the Military Lodge
"Active Service Lodge No. 415". The words "Foundation & Initiate" would suggest that the recipient of the Jewel was initiated into Freemasonry after the ceremony of Constitution of the Lodge. |
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You will find in some of the various web pages, whether it be a page associated with a Jewel, an article or paper, photographs or portraits of particlar individuals that I have managed to locate and in regard to these individuals you will find a link to a separate web page giving some biographical information on the Brother in question.
W.Bro. Lieutenant-General Edward Cooper Hodge, Worshipful Master St. Patrick's Lodge No. 295, 1835, pictured opposite is an example of the some of the photographs I have managed to come across. You will find Bro. Hodge's photograph in the "Craft Jewel" section under the heading "St. Patrick's Lodge No. 295 ~ The Royal Dragoon Guards ~ Past Master's Jewel". This Lodge is particularly interesting as it is the last Masonic Lodge in the world with a Travelling Warrant (date of issue 1758) attached to an actual Army Regiment. As Lieutenant-Colonel and Commanding Officer of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards he took part in the successful "Charge of the Heavy Brigade" at the Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25th October, 1854 and had attempted to support the Light Brigade during the disastrous "Charge of the Light Brigade" later on the same day. |
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Acknowledgements
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I would ask Brethren and visitors to pay particular attention to this section of the website - it contains information about the Lodge of Research No. CC, The Royal Arch Chapter of Research No. 222 and The Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 (UGLE), links to their websites and if you have an interest in Masonic history how you may join (you have to be a Freemason to join the Irish Lodge and Chapter of Research but anyone can now join the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle).
R.W.Bro. W.J. Chetwode Crawley
(15th Nov., 1843 - 13th March, 1916) He can be regarded as the greatest Masonic scholar and historian in regard to Irish Freemasonry. |
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The acknowledgments section also informs you how to obtain a copy the Third CD Edition of Irish Masonic Records, a work which I have heavily relied upon for this website. It is an update of the the first CD version, which took over twelve years to produce, and was described as the "Second" version of Irish Masonic Records, as the original "First" edition was actually a book published by Bro. Philip Crossle. However the second and up-dated third version of Bro. Crossle's work shows little or no resemblance to the original, while still relying on the book as one of its prime sources of information.
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I hope to give anyone who visits this site an idea of the origins of Irish Freemasonry and through its history try to explain what Freemasonry in Ireland represents now and in the past.
What's New?
You will see that there are several headings at the top of this webpage, one of them being "What's New?" - the purpose of this webpage is to show at a glance literally what has been newly published on the website by reference to a date - I have decided to publish on the website's Introduction or 'Front' page [see below] the most recent addition to the "What's New?" section. I hope you will find this an easy way of noting what is new on the site.
28th September, 2014.
Today I have added another paper to the 'Masonic Literature' section.
Freemasons' Hall, Park Street, Kolkata.
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The paper is entitled "260 years of Irish Freemasonry in India, 1754-2014" and is by V. W. Bro. Aniruddha Pradhan, who is the P. Prov. Gr. Chap., Prov. Asst. G. Secretary, PM and Secretary, Lodge St. Patrick No. 319 I.C. This Paper was presented during the Annual Installation of Lodge St. Patrick no. 319 I.C., Mumbai, 19th June 2014. |
I would like to thank V. W. Bro. Aniruddha Pradhan for allowing me to publish his paper on the website and I am sure it will be well received by all Brethren.
