Chapter Two, Founding Fathers

The year 1806 is an important date in the History of the Lodge.
Why? Simply because the Lodge moved from Bamoldswick to Haworth.

Again the question must be asked, why?
The last meeting of the Lodge at Bamoldswick is recorded as the 10th August 1805 when John Singleton and Stephen Carr were “raised to Master Masons”.

The Minute Book records that the next meeting was held on the 7th July 1806 stating that “this day being our first meeting of the Lodge of Three Graces, Faith, Hope and Charity No.506 removed from Bamoldswick to the Black Bull at Haworth the regular meetings to be held the first Monday in every month. Officers appointed Robert Redman, WM, Jonathan Wright,SW, Thos Pighills,JW, S.Paslaw Secretary, Wm.Smith, Treasurer and also Tim Hardaker, I.Parker, Thomas Hartley and James Scott, Tyler.
Also present 5 Bros from Bamoldswick J. Crook, Robert Robinson, Rich Broughton, Stephen Carr, Wm Broughton and 10 visitors from Colne”.

The visiting Brethren from Bamoldswick included four of the Founders and one newly raised Brother.
The Lodge was having difficulties with regard to the attendances, it had been resolved that “every member if he does not attend to forfeit his 6d. to the Box if cannot show a just reason for not attending”

If the Lodge could not continue to hold regular meetings there were only two choices, surrender the Warrant or transfer it. It is believed in those days warrants were transferred for a monetary consideration so maybe rather than suffer a total loss by surrender a transfer was the preferred option. Who knows?
But why select Haworth and where did the Brethren come from to form the nucleus of the transferred Lodge?

There are two possible reasons. The village of Haworth would not be unknown to the Bamoldswick Brethren. Although a small village, Haworth ranked next to Bradford in the quantity of wool used in the worsted trade (even before Leeds and Halifax), it was situated on one of the “trade routes” from Lancashire to Yorkshire and as Royal Lancashire Lodge had founded Royal Yorkshire Lodge in Keighley in 1788, it is reasonable to assume that through Masonry and trade the Brethren of Bamoldswick would be aware of Haworth, and it would make good sense to transfer the Lodge to a place which could probably support the establishment of a Lodge.
On the other hand there is an alternative explanation, again speculative. In Haworth there was already a Lodge in existence, namely Prince George Lodge No.550 established in 1795 which met at the White Lion Inn.
So why come to a small village where there is already an established Lodge?
One of the members of Prince George Lodge was one Stephen Paslaw, a very active Mason who had been initiated into Royal Yorkshire Lodge in 1793, became a Founder member of Prince George Lodge, being its first WM and later the Secretary. More information concerning this Brother is given under “Personalities”, suffice it to say that for various alleged misdemenours he was expelled from the Lodge although it is believed the case against him was not upheld on appeal to Provincial Grand Lodge at York in December 1805.

So we have a situation where Stephen Paslaw is no longer a member of a Lodge and no doubt felt grievously wronged by his Lodge as his appeal had been successful and no doubt he would be aware of Three Graces at Barnoldswick as he was formerly a member of Royal Yorkshire and of its attendance problems. Had he the bright idea of transferring the Lodge to Haworth with him as the first Secretary, selecting the meeting place at the Black Bull Inn which, as visitors to Haworth will remember, is situated directly opposite to the White Lion Inn? Probably taking some members from Prince George Lodge to form a nucleus to make the Lodge regular. Later some members of Prince George Lodge acquired dual membership of both Lodges.

Relationships between the two Lodges were not harmonious, one letter sent to the Lodge from Prince George Lodge states: “we propose to bury in oblivion all past grievances, we are likewise willing that our books shall be opened for your inspection and that we throw our little Funds together and become one body as it is our unanimous opinion that one Lodge is sufficient for Haworth. If you are of the same opinion Brothers we will give you the right hand of Fellowship”.

It would appear to be a forgiving and reasonable request based on common sense. There is no record of the Lodge’s response, clearly reconciliation could not be effected and in 1812 Prince George Lodge moved to Bottoms near Hebden Bridge where it has since flourished, is a well respected Lodge and celebrated its Bi-Centenary in 1996.
No one knows the true reason for the transfer to Haworth but it must be admitted the latter explanation is very plausible and more intriguingly interesting. Masonic rivalry? With some embelishment it could be the story line for an 18th century melodrama enacted on the cobble streets and smokey alehouses of Haworth. But let us return to reality.

From 1806 onwards the minutes are roughly and briefly kept, without the regularity and order to which we are now accustomed. The minutes do not give any indication of the kind of ceremonies conducted by the Lodge. The meetings ended at 10pm but we do not know when the Lodge was opened and often we are left guessing as to what happened in between. It would appear that often more than one Degree was practised in one evening, sometimes all three which makes one wonder what exactly transpired. Visitors came from Colne, Lodge of Harmony, Duke of York Lodge in Bingley and Royal Yorkshire Lodge.

From 1808 onwards the Lodge appears to have problems. A lack of candidates, Lodges of Emergency called for no apparent reason and meetings became irregular. In 1810 there are 15 meetings recorded, some described as regular, some described as Lodges of Emergency and some with no description. To combat poor attendance and raise money for charity, in June 1810 the Lodge resolved “that every member not attending shall forfeit three pence for every such neglect, except he can show a cause why he did not attend, and the forfeits to go to the Fund of this Lodge, for the use of relieving distressed Brethren as the WM and Brethren shall think proper.”

Not only were there local problems with which the Lodge had to contend but nationally Freemasonry was divided into “Modems” and “Antients” As Brethren know there were two Grand Lodges operating in England namely :- The Antient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons founded in 1717 which issued the Warrant establishing the Lodge in 1792 and the Grand Lodge of England founded in 1751, the former being known as “the Modems” and the latter as “the Antients”. The two Grand Lodges became reconciled in 1813 which unification directly affected the Lodge and indeed all Lodges. How did the Lodge manage, having falling attendances, irregular meetings and a revision of rules and ritual following the unification, not forgetting the impact of the Napoleonic war in Europe.

That the Lodge did survive is self evident but how and at what cost, we shall see later ..

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