Chapter Seven, A Daughter

Having become more established the Lodge was attracting a steady flow of members, particularly from Halifax and as a consequence in 1878 a petition was presented by 14 Halifax Brethren “that on account of the distance from Halifax to the Lodge and praying to the WM to grant permission to them to form a new lodge”. The burning question was whether the Lodge should be removed to Halifax or that a new lodge be formed out of the Halifax contingent. After much debate it was decided the the Lodge should remain at Haworth, hence the formation in 1878 of the St.John’s Lodge 1736 at Halifax, our second daughter lodge.

Lodge proceedings were becoming more expanded, after a Tracing Borard was presented to the Lodge in 1876 there is the first instance of the explanation being given. Again mention is made of Grand Lodge certificates being presented.
At the Installation in 1887 Bro Chas Blagbro, of Hope Lodge, Bradford, sang the solo “Be thou faithful”, this being the first mention in the Lodge Minutes of the singing of this solo at our Installation which is now an integral part of that ceremony.

As usual there is no mention made in the Minutes of national events with one exception.
At the March meeting in 1887 a circular was read from the Provincial Grand Secretary on the subject of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations. At the following meeting a sum of three guineas was given from the Lodge funds in aid of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Presentaton to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Widows, the object of the presentation being considered not only deserving but appropriate as the Benefactress herself being a widow of 25 years.

And so this period in the Lodge history draws to a close, in 1889 the Lodge premises were renovated and decorated. A proposal to suspend meetings during the summer months was unsuccessful. A dispute as to the correct date for holding the Installation, either in December or in the January following was settled. The outcome being that it should be held on the last meeting in any one year.

As this section of our history began quietly, so it ended. There was very little business done in 1800 and to make it worth their while meeting at all, several Brethren have lectures in the three degrees. But a great deal happened in the next twenty years.

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