CATEGORIES OF JEWELS
CARNLOUGH LODGE No.216
The Irish Master's Cloak.
Very Wor. Bro. David B. McCutcheon, PM & Past Senior Grand Warden of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim and the Refurbished old Master's Cloak of "St. Patrick's" Lodge No. 653 presented at the Lodge of Research CC Meeting held on September 6th 2001 at Masonic Hall, Ballymena, Country Antrim.
On Thursday the 6th September 2001, V.W. Bro. David McCutcheon, P.M., Past Senior Grand Warden of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, presented to the Lodge of Research CC the refurbished Master's Cloak shown in the above photograph.
The refurbished Master's Cloak was originally presented to the Brethren of St. Patrick,s Lodge No. 216, Carnlough, County Antrim.
This Cloak had been repaired, refurbished and rstored to its original pristine condition under the watchful eye of V.W. Bro. McCutcheon.
Some of the younger Brethren, and matbe some of the not so young brethren might wonder what it was for, and to answer that question we must go back some 200 years to the early part of 1809, when £3.15sh. 9d was expended by Brethren working in Carnlough, under Seton Warrant No. 623, to purchase a "Scarlett Morion, White fur fringe and blue stuff for a cloke" Now that was a large sum in 1809 and it was spent to ensure that their Master was suitably clothed to lead his Brethren to the annual St. John's Day Church Service in Carnlough, Glenarm, Cairncastle, Larne or maybe even Cushendall.
The Lodge met on the morning of St. John's Day, collected outstanding Dues, Fines and other monies, Installed their new Officers and then formed up into proper order, set off to the beat of Lodge drums, led by an officer called an Ensign, who was followed by the Brethren , two by two, marching in good order in front of their Worshipful Master, who was escorted by his Deacons, carrying their Wands of Office.
The Master, wearing this Lodge Cloak, would have been carrying the Lodge Warrant. The Ensign would have borne the Lodge Colours and the Brethren would have been in their Sunday best, wearing their aprons.
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