By Bro. A. Grant Smith

Introduction

History of the Warrant

 (From Irish Masonic records compiled by Keith Cochrane.)

The warrant was first issued to brethren in Fintona, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, on the 6th August 1761. The Second series Vol. 2 of Grand Lodge Register Shows:- Warrant No. 369 to Fintona 6^thAugust, 1761.

James Eccles; John Buchanan and John Buchannan Junior Being the first three names of 15 brethren registered 25^th June, 1764:

Grand Lodge Minutes of 4^th March 1784 notes: Some years ago Daniel Eiders returned Warrant No. 369 to Grand Lodge. This is now restored to John Buchanan, John West and John McCaul, all on payment of arrears.

Finally the warrant was compounded for arrears, on 7^th April 1814 and cancelled, 7^th July 1825.

Series three Vol. 8 of the extant Grand Lodge Registers shows:- Warrant No. 369 to Downpatrick, Oct, 1888.

John King Maconchy (86); George St. George Tyner (86) and Douglas Lithgow (367) registered, together with 18 others from various lodges, October, 1888.

Worshipful Master J. K. Maconchy, Senior Warden G. St. G. Tyner, Junior Warden D. Lithgow, Treasurer and Secretary J. S. Clarke.

The Memorial for this Lodge was presented by Bros. Lithgow and Roden Johnston of 367 and Dr O’Flagherty of 86 to ‘Seaforde’ Lodge No. 1009 and they, having been assured that the memorial did not arise out of any friction or antagonism among the Downpatrick brethren, Lodge No. 1009 was pleased to support the application to Grand Lodge.

The rooms were located in Bridge Street, Downpatrick and the foundation and initial members came from Lodges No. 86 and 367.

The names on the memorial for the Lodge were Bros. John Maconachy,

George J.G. Tyner and Douglas Lithgow and three others, and recommended by Lodges No. 86, 172, 113 1009 and by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master.

The first Worshipful Master was W. Bro. John King Maconchy a past master of Lodge No. 86, the first Senior Warden was W. Bro. George St. George Tyner and the first Junior Warden W. Bro. Douglas Lithgow.

The new Lodge was to meet at 4:00 PM on the first Monday of every Month and the Lodge Motto decided on was ‘Bear and Forbear’. The usual chest, seal and books were to be purchased. Bye-Laws were approved by Grand Lodge in December 1888. The following year, for convenience of members, the Lodge decided to change its meeting day to the second Friday of the Month at 3:00 pm. The purchase of a gavel was approved in May 1889 and at the April meeting, approval was granted to purchase 12 aprons. Regalia has been replaced since then approximately every 15 to 20 years.

Three and a half years after the Lodge opened in June of 1891 it was decided to change the meeting time to 7:00 PM. At that time the Lodge held 12 meetings per year. 1901 heralded more changes when the decision was taken to have different meeting times for summer and winter – 8:00 PM in summer and 7:30 PM in winter – this continued until 1905. In 1906 the Lodge started to take a summer break of 3 months usually June, July and August. This was regularised in 1923 with the changing of the Bye-Laws to show different summer and winter meeting times, also in those Bye-Laws, apologies in writing only to be accepted, also that a charity fee would be paid by WM on attaining that office, this is still paid by the Newly Installed Master at the present time. The bye-laws have been altered a number of times over the years the last being in 2004 to regularise the time of installation meeting and tidy up other anomalies to do with dues. The Lodge still meets on the second Friday of each month at 8:00 pm except in January when it meets at 7:00 pm for the installation.

Mosaics in the main entrance halls are also worthy of note – one records the three Lodge numbers around the border and a square and compasses the in middle, also in the centre of the floor of the outer hall is depicted a Master Mason’s Apron, most people walk over the top of it before realising it is there.

One Other Item of interest seen on entering the Hall is the entrance door window.

Many functions were held to raise funding for the building of the new temple. Including a Grand Bazaar which lasted for three days and, in which, wives of the brethren actively participated, there were also concerts and dances organized to assist in the fundraising. Some members, by way of debentures (interest free loans) also assisted, the loans were redeemed over time. The debt remaining from the building programme tasked the thinking of local brethren for a number of years and took some time to clear. In May 1949, a lecture was given by Bro. R.E. Parkinson, a member of Lodge 200, to the Downpatrick Masonic Association on ‘Masonry in Downpatrick’ a booklet titled the same was produced to raise funds to help pay off the remaining debt for building the hall.

Lodge No. 369 had a Volume of Sacred Law and Past Masters plaque made and presented to No. 785. Over the years there have been many visitors from 785 to 369 and we have passed and raised a number of their members at their request. In September 1956 W. Bro. E N Isdell visited again and in March 1957 he presented to No. 369 a Founders Jewel for Masonic Lodge No. 785 which resides on 369 WM collar to this day.

It is one of two known in Ireland the other is in Grand Lodge Museum and was presented to the then GM in September 1957 by W. Bro. E N Isdell, who remained a member of 369 until January 1968, when he resigned due to circumstances in Zambia. In September 1975 a Jewel was presented to W. Bro. Harris of No. 785 Lusaka – this Jewel had been proposed by W. Bro. J C Clements in November 1972, but sadly he never lived to see it presented. The last of many contacts over the years was in May 1990 when Wor. Bro. David McCabe visited 369 and subsequently by the current Wor. Master, Kevin Birch in October this year.

A tradition exists in 369 that, at our installation dinner in January, at 10:45 p.m. we toast absent brethren, this is coupled with a toast to our sister Lodge No. 785 in Lusaka, this tradition has been continued over the years to date.

Similarly, Downpatrick 785 propose a toast to 369 at the festive board at every regular meeting.

It is hoped to resume communications with Lodge 785 in the near future.

During the years of the two World Wars meetings were still held – all that happened was that they started earlier. And a rule was introduced that the Master could close the Lodge instantly in case of an air raid this is still applicable to the present day. In those days they were a dedicated group of men and attempted to attend meetings what ever happened.

During the big snow and freeze in the winter of 1962/63, meetings still continued – despite the inclement weather and some roads in the area being impassable because of deep snow drifts and, in February, only 9 members attended – some from a considerable distance.

In the margin of the minutes of 13^th September 1968 it was intimated to all present that Lodge Horizon No. 208, Downpatrick, of the Eastern Star, Order of Women Freemasons, was in existence and meeting in Downpatrick. This Lodge Warrant has since moved to Carrickfergus!

Brethren this is a very short paper and I hope that I have covered most of the points to give you some of the flavour of our camaraderie here in Downpatrick 369.

Nevertheless, our origins are quite clearly established in the record of Downpatrick 369 – our Sponsor Lodge – to whom we owe our very existence and, to whom, we will be eternally grateful.

For the purpose of completeness and clarity, a brief synopsis of the involvement of Downpatrick 369 is reproduced hereunder, extracted from the foregoing history of 369 :-

“In the early 1900’s a number of members of Downpatrick 369 seem have to been members of the police and military. As is often the case, some were sent on Foreign Service, where they fought in various conflicts around the world. A number of these brethren went to N. Rhodesia (now Zambia) and they decided to form a Lodge under the Irish constitution, under the banner of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Rhodesia. The proposal was sent to Grand Lodge in November 1955 and the Lodge was to be called ‘ Downpatrick ‘ and numbered 785 on the registry of Grand Lodge of Ireland, it was formed on 9th June 1956 in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Rhodesia. One of that Lodges foundation members and first Wor. Master, was also member of 369 – W. Bro. Edward Neville Isdell, who had been initiated in Lodge No. 369 in January 1944 and was WM of 369 in 1952.

Lodge No. 369 had a Volume of Sacred Law and Past Masters plaque made and presented to No. 785. Over the years there have been many visitors from 785 to 369 and they have passed and raised a number of our members at our request. In March 1957 Wor Bro Isdell presented to Downpatrick 369, a Founders Jewel for Masonic Lodge No. 785, which resides on 369’s WM collar to this day.

In September 1975 a Jewel was presented to Wor. Bro. Harris of No. 785 Lusaka. This Jewel had been proposed by W. Bro. J C Clements in November 1972 but sadly he never lived to see it presented.

The most recent of many contacts over the years was in May 1990 when Wor. Bro. David McCabe visited 369 and subsequently by the current Wor. Master, Kevin Birch in October this year.

A tradition exists in 369 that, at their installation dinner in January, at 10:45 p.m. they toast absent brethren, this is coupled with a toast to their sister Lodge No. 785 in Lusaka, this tradition has been continued over the years to date.

Similarly, Downpatrick 785 propose a toast to 369 at the festive board at every meeting.”

The only historical document still in our possession is the record of Lodge Members and Officers, dating back to 1956, which has been used to reproduce the list of Founding Members and Senior Officers in the Lodge outlined overleaf.

The Founding Members of Downpatrick Lodge No. 785 were thirty five in number, drawn from the membership of existing lodges in Zambia, operating under the jurisdiction of the Irish, English and Scottish Constitutions.

Wor. Bro. Edward Neville Isdell, P.M. 369 I.C.
Wor. Bro. Bro. Thomas Little, P.M. 764 I.C.
Wor. Bro. Reginald Roy Webb, P.M. 4820 E.C.
Wor. Bro. Herman Lyall Reinders , P.M. 720 I.C. and 5327 E.C.
Wor. Bro. Harold Martin Adams, P.M. 5327 and 7072 E.C.
Wor. Bro. Frank Ward, P.M. 764 I.C.
Wor. Bro. John Carson Hannah, P.M. 764 I.C.
Bro. Gerhard Landmark 344 and 361, I.C., 3492 E.C.
Bro. William Charles Burke Harrison, 33 I.C.
Bro. Thomas Frederick Parker, 1368 S.C.
Bro. Eric Hildred Norman Warrington, 887 E.C.
Bro. Ivan Reginald Montgomery, 1347 and 1368 S.C.
Bro. William Joseph Johnstone, 1368 S.C.
Bro. Robert George Edward Gregory, 116 and 429 I.C.
Bro. Samuel James McMurray, 696 and 203 I.C.,
Bro. John Keyworth, 720 I.C., 4820 E.C.
Bro. Richard Cecil Hewitt, 369 I.C.
Bro. Anderes Trygue Eugen Brodahl, 1368 S.C.
Bro. William Henry Hannah, 2587 E.C.
Bro. Eric David Jacobs, 370 I.C.
Bro. Angus Watts, 1368 S.C.
Bro. William George Welsh, 3221 E.C.
Bro. Charles Webster McGaghey, 370 I.C.
Bro. Duncan Herbert Sandiford, 709 I.C.
Bro. Ralph Murrel Rich, 1368 S.C., 7232 E.C.
Bro. Wulfred Solomon Wulfsohn, 1321, 1480, and 1368 S.C.
Bro. Jones Charles Cartmill, 591 I.C.
Bro. William Turkington, 3235 E.C.
Bro. Alfred Davis, 525 I.C.
Bro. Edwin Jones,1022 E.C.
Bro. Rhoderick John Macfadyean, 1368 S.C.
Bro. William Leslie Rhoades, 851 S.C.
Bro. George William Hobbs, 631 I.C.
Bro. Percival Clements, 5582 E.C.
Bro. Donald McLean, 1368 S.C.

Downpatrick is, by far, the strongest Lodge operating under the banner of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Zambia – Irish Constitution, and does not suffer from dwindling membership, to the same extent as our Sister Lodges on the Copperbelt. Our membership currently stands at 26, with some 20 active members and an average attendance at regular meetings of 15.

Downpatrick actively participate in the activities of the Masonc Fraternity in Lusaka and are represented on the operating Committees of the Masonic Club and the Masonic Charity Fund (South).

The Lodge actively encourages the participation of our Ladies and regularly arranges social functions to which the Ladies are invited.

With the kind permission of Grand Lodge of Ireland, Downpatrick Brethren actually operate two lodges in parallel – i.e. Downpatrick No. 785 and Cashel Lodge No. 863, with the same officers taking responsibility for both Lodges. Lodge meetings are held on the first Friday of every month, except January, (annual recess), and July, when the meeting date is given over to Royal Arch. The Lodge meetings alternate monthly between Downpatrick and Cashel. Installation meetings are held on the third Saturday in October for Downpatrick and the first Friday in November for Cashel.

Cashel Lodge was originally domiciled in Luanshya but, as with the English and Scottish Lodges, due to declining membership, the brethren of Luanshya were forced to close the Lodge in 199? and the Warrant was transferred to Lusaka. Four brethren from the original Cashel Membership have affiliated to Cashel in Lusaka. It is to be hoped that, in time, Masonic interest in Luanshya can be revived and the warrant returned to where it rightly belongs.

Downpatrick Lodge have recently formed an association with brethren of the Grand Lodge of Slovenia and several of our brethren have visited Slovenia in recent years. As a result of this association, Downpatrick were honoured to host an official visit of the Grand Lodge of Slovenia over a two week period at the end of October 2014. Furthermore, it is Downpatrick’s intention, together with the Provincial Grand Lodge of Zambia to visit Slovenia next year, as part of a trip to Grand Lodge of Ireland and our sponsor lodge, Downpatrick 369.

We are constantly hopeful that Downpatrick and Cashel Lodges can continue to attract suitable candidates, in order that the Craft can continue to thrive in Lusaka.

PAST MASTER”S JEWEL

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