Lodge Of The Three Graces No.408, Haworth

John Barraclough

W.Bro. John Barraclough who was born in 1773 and died on the 28th November 1835 was a long serving member of the Lodge. The date of his Initiation is unknown but he was a member of the Lodge in 1814 and in 1815 was one of three Brethren deputed to go to Probity Lodge in Halifax every Friday night to received the “new instructions”.
He held various Offices and was Master of the Lodge in 1817, 1822, 1823 and 1824. Though a return of members sent to London in 1816 describe him as a Pastmaster.

John Barraclough was a noted clockmaker being the first in his family to engage in this craft. All the parts were forged in his workshop at Haworth (demolished in 1930). The cases were made by a local joiner and cabinet maker – John Wood who also made furniture for the Bronte family and eventually their coffins (except Anne who was buried at Scarborough).
Some of the clock faces are of particular interest to Freemasons being decorated with various Masonic symbols and two are known to be in existence, one belonging to a member of the Lodge and the other in Freemasons Hall in London. A photograph of the clock face is included in the book entitled “History of Freemasonry in Haworth 1795 – 1999″ available from the Lodge or the Information Centre at Haworth.

John Barraclough is buried in Haworth Church graveyard near to the Parsonage boundary wall and his stone depicts various Masonic symbols which would indicate he was a member of other Degrees. Those who visit the Parsonage at Haworth may be interested to know that the grave is near that of Tabitha Aykroyd who died in February 1855 and whose epitaph reads “Faithful servant of the Bronte Family for over thirty years”.

From Yorkshire Life Vol IX, no.3 March 1955

The Barracloughs of Haworth

The coming centenary commemoration of Charlotte Bronte’s death (31st March 1855) has reminded a colleague of a conversation he had some years ago with the late Mr Herbert Barraclough, then head of the Leeds firm of jewellers, Messers Z. Barraclough and Sons, Ltd. Mr Barraclough represented the fifth generation of a famous family of clockmakers, whose first shop was opposite the Black Bull at Haworth. Barracloughs then specialised in the making of grandfather clocks – and huge affairs they were, containing enough mahogany “to make a dining-room suite” said Mr Herbert Barraclough, whose sister possessed one of these massive timepieces made a few years before Charlotte Bronte died. Mr Barraclough recalled a boyhood visit to the Haworth shop when the face of the village idiot pressed against the window gave him a fright. Amongst others who peered into that window was the Rev. Patrick Bronte: he would often pause for a moment to get the correct time. The Barracloughs claim relationship with the Heatons of Ponden Hall – a family well known to the Bronte sisters: Emily, of course, made Ponden Hall the Thrusheross Grange of “Wuthering Heights”. The Barracloughs even find a place in the Bronte literature, for a minor character in “Shirley” is named Moses Barraclough and in a modern play about the Brontes, a servant at the Parsonnage announces the arrival of Mr Barraclough, the cricket club secretary.