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Masonic History in Barbados
>> July 12, 2006
DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BARBADOS - 250 YEARS OLD
Albion Lodge No. 196 E.R. - 200 Years Old
(Note, this article is a few years old, so years quoted will be a little longer -KD)
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Barbados was founded in the year 1740 (overseas Provinces became known as Districts from 1866). This was the same year in which Alexander Irvine introduced Freemasonry to Barbados under the name of St. Michael's Lodge No. 186 (Moderns Grand Lodge).
The first Provincial Grand Master was Thomas Baster, he was followed in 1755 by William Maynard, and following in succession were John Stone, Hon. Samuel Rouse, Hon. Benjamin Gittens, Hon. William Bishop, James Cummins, Col. John Straker, Francis Lord Seaforth, Brig. Gen. Charles Shipley, Hon. John Alleyne Beckles, Sir Robert Boucher Clarke, Col. John Elliott, John Locke, Robert Haynes, John P. D'Albuquerque, Lt. Col. William Bowring, Rev. A. E. Armstrong, Lindsay E. R. Gill, Maj. Arthur Warren and in 1980 by the present incumbent, Dr. William Edward Cooper.
From 1841 to 1890 there was an interregnum, and this ended with the appointment of Col. John Elliott, who was Inspector General of Police. His installing officer was His Excellency, Bro. Sir Walter Joseph Sengall, K.C.M.G., Governor of Barbados, and the ceremony took place in the Council Chamber of the House of Assembly, in the Public Buildings.
The District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, as it is now called, covers English Constitution Freemasonry Lodges in the islands of Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, St Lucia, Antiqua, Montserrat, Anguilla, Tortola, and St. Thomas.
Albion Lodge No. 196 E.R. is this year celebrating its Bicentenary, having met and worked continuously from 1790. It was warranted under the Grand Lodge of Athol (the Antients), and has guarded its antient privileges and usages zealously over the period of its like so far. It is the seventh oldest Lodge still working under the United Grand Lodge of England outside of the United Kingdom. During its two hundred years Albion has sponsored, and has been responsible for spreading Freemasonry to Grenada, St Vincent and St. Lucia, and has provided members to form and constitute two Lodges in Barbados that recently celebrated their centenaries.
In 1843 Albion established a scholarship fund with the Central School Board to send two boys and two girls from underprivileged homes to schools which later became known as Combermere School for Boys and Queens College for Girls. These scholarships continued until the onset of free education introduced by Government. In 1870 Albion along with the two other masonic bodies in Barbados brought the building in Spry Street, Bridgetown, where they still meet. This property was formerly used by a school run by Mr. Thomas Harrison, and when he moved from Spry Street as a result of the sale of the property to its new masonic owners, he moved to Crupton Street and renamed the school Harrison College.
The ownership of the building at Spry Street is vested in a Board of Trustees operating under an act of Parliament. Albion over the years has had many vicissitudes, but has always survived and become the stronger. It has always been able to produce a strong Master when needed, and the great love of the Past Masters of Albion for their Lodge has made it the strong and long lived Lodge that it is. Grand Lodge acknowledged its two hundred years by awarding it a bicentenary warrant in December 1990.
This warrant was presented too the Lodge by the District Grand Master at a wonderful ceremony or celebration which coincided with the annual installation of the Lodge at which a Past Master of the Lodge was honored by being reinstalled in the Chair. At a special meeting held in January, 1991, the Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Hon. Lord Farnham visited the Lodge in recognition of its achievement, a very great honor for Albion.
Posted by Bro. Ken at 7/12/2006
Labels: Barbados, Barbados Freemasonry, Freemason History, Grand Lodge, Grand Lodge of Barbados |
