PAST MASTER'S JEWEL 1949
CATEGORIES OF JEWELS
SAINT JOHN'S LODGE No.98
PAST MASTER'S JEWEL 1949
CONTENTS:-
[TO JUMP DIRECTLY TO A SECTION CLICK ON NUMBER ]
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1. DESCRIPTION OF JEWEL.
2. SHORT HISTORY OF WARRANT No. 98.
3. HISTORY OF SAINT JOHN'S LODGE No.98,1810 - TO DATE.
4. DETAILS OF WHEN SAINT JOHN'S LODGE No. 98 MEETS.
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OBVERSE OF JEWEL
A silver Past Master's Jewel suspended from a sky blue ribbon by two silver bars.
The top bar has the name of the Lodge, "St. John's" , and bottom bar has the number "Masonic Lodge No. 98" .
The Compass and Square is a standard silver Past Master's Jewel with a fixed "G".
REVERSE OF JEWEL
The reverse of the Jewel bears the inscription :
"Presented to
W.Bro. T. Cooke
by Masonic Lodge 98
Jan. 1949"
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There is no record of the issue of Warrant No. 98 in the Grand Lodge Register, but probably issued either on 27th December 1738 or 7th March 1739.
Warrant No. 98 was, in accordance with a Grand Lodge Order, erased on 5th November 1801.
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3. HISTORY OF SAINT JOHN'S LODGE No. 98
1810 - TODATE
The Minutes of Grand Lodge dated 6th December 1810 show in regard to Warrant No. 98 -
"6 December, 1810 – Read a Memorial from Brs. John Quinland of 103, John McMahon 178, and John Britain, 103, praying a Warrant to hold a Lodge in Newtownbreda, Co. Down. Granted." [Warrant 98]
Warrant No. 98 was reissued to John Quinland (Lodge 103), John McMahon (Lodge 178) and John Britain (Lodge 103) to hold a Lodge in NEWTOWNBREDA, Belfast, 6 December 1810. The above brethren registered 6th December, 1810.
The Lodge is shown as ‘Purdysburn Lodge’ working in “Clawson’s Inn,” Newtownbreda, Belfast in 1818. (A.R. 1818), with J. McMahon, Master and the Lodge remained in or around this district until in 1835 when Lodge 98 was removed to MILLTOWN, Belfast, 1835 and worked under the Belfast Masonic Committee.
A total of 66 brethren registered up to 31st December, 1856.
Warant No. 98 was "sent in, in trust," on the 27th September 1860.
Unfortunately Lodge No. 98 would appear to be getting into difficulties at this time and again from the Grand Lodge records we find that on 27th September 1860 the brethren “sent in, in trust,” the Warrant. This was a means whereby the Warrant was returned to Grand Lodge who would hold it for a short period of time to see if the brethren could revitalise the Lodge and in the meantime no dues would be payable.
Eventually the Warrant was restored to John R. McCowan (Lodge 186), William Rea Spencer (Lodge 186) and Thomas Martin (Lodge 51), on 5th May 1870, as ‘St. John’s Lodge’ under the old Warrant and Grand Lodge granted permission to remove to Arthur Square, Belfast as can be seen from extracts of the following Minutes of the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes concerning Lodge 98 -
"14 March, 1870 – Read a Memorial from certain Brethren of (old) Lodge No. 98 Newtownbreda praying for the return of the Warrant which was sent in, in Trust, and requesting permission to remove to Belfast, and enclosing amount due at the time it was sent in. Recommended by the P.D.G.M.
Restored to John R. McCowan (Lodge 186), William Rea Spencer (Lodge 186) and Thomas Martin (Lodge 51), 5 May 1870, as `St. John's Lodge' under the old Warrant and Grand Lodge granted permission to remove to ARTHUR SQUARE, BELFAST."
Series three Vol. 6 of the extant Grand Lodge Registers shows -
"Warrant No. 98 Newtownbreda (Scored out) Belfast as “St. John’s Lodge” Restored and permission granted to remove to Belfast, by Grand Lodge order 8 May, 1870 - John R. McCowan (186); William Rea Spence (186) and Thomas Martin (51) registered, along with four others, 8 May, 1870"
No indication as to Master or Wardens.
Lodge 98 had a membership of only thirteen in 1870, however, this had increased to thirty by May 1873. The Lodge subscribed to the new "Purchase Scheme" devised to buy out the Arthur Square Hall.
A total of 445 brethren registered up to 9th November, 1900. In most cased the dates when the degrees were conferred and the issue of certificates is shown.
Ten members of Saint John's Lodge No. 98 served in the 1914 -18 War and all returned.
Series four Vol. 12 of the extant Grand Lodge Registers shows a long list of brethren clearly transcribed, including their occupations, from the previous volume and a total of 275 brethren registered up to 18th October, 1923. In most cases the dates when the issue of certificates is shown, together with the occupation of the brother.
Series six Vol. 21 of the extant Grand Lodge Registers commences with the registration of T. J. S., Joiner, registered 19th March, 1953.
A total of 110 brethren registered up to 15th November, 1984. In most cases the dates when the issue of certificates is shown, together with the occupation of the brother.
From 1984 the registration of members of Saint John's Lodge No. 98 is held, in alphabetical order, in a computerised register by Grand Lodge, Freemasons’ Hall, 17 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Registration of the Worshipful Master, Wardens and Secretary of Lodges are held in separate Registers, the first Volume covering the period 1983 to 1994 inclusive and the second Volume covering from 1995 to date.
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4. DETAILS OF WHEN SAINT JOHN'S LODGE No. 98 MEETS.
ST. JOHN'S LODGE No. 98 MEETS ON THE 3rd THURS. AT 7.00p.m. (EXCEPT 6,7 & 8) AT ARTHUR SQUARE, BELFAST, COUNTY DOWN.
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