THE BUILDER May, 1925

Royalty and Their Patronage of the Craft

By W. BRO. J. WALTER HOBBS, P.M., L.R., P. Z., ETC.

LITERARY EDITOR "MASONIC RECORD," England

Great Kings, Dukes and Lords,
Have laid by their Swords,
Our myst'ry to put a good grace on;
And ne'er been ashamed
To hear themselves nam'd
With a Free and an Accepted Mason.

THUS sang the late Bro. Matthew Birkhead in 1722 in a song which is
still heard among the English Craft in many places, at the toast of
the health of an initiate. Bro. Birkhead sang of a time when the
association of Royalty with the English Craft was but a tradition,
or perchance something less, for his knowledge of the past history
of the old Craft could not have been great even if derived from
some old brother or from a copy of the Old Charges. The magician's
wand of fanciful history it is true was being waved around by that
master of the imaginative art, Dr. Anderson, but whether Bro.
Birkhead (who is named in the 1723 Constitutions as Master of a
lodge, and in the heading to the song as "our deceas'd Brother")
knew of Anderson's work and realized the extent to which that
brother had unwarrantably called in the great ones of the earth as
Grand Masters or not it would not much matter. It was still
tradition as I have said, and in cases the facts do not justify the
assertions even on the ground of probability.

The Old Charges as we know them refer, it is true, to royal
personages as supporters of the Craft, as having loved Masons well,
given them a Charge, and called Assemblies. The historical value of
these statements is mostly nil, the traditional value very little
more. Some support can be obtained by inference for statements here
and there but the Masonic historian who treats the subject as
definitely proved, has a good deal to learn.

Where then shall I begin? Excursions in the realm of imagination
are barred and if they were not I should not travel that way. To
lose oneself in a maze of Continental Masonic degrees and their
royal patrons would be valueless because this article is written
for the purposes of a British number in order to afford readers of
THE BUILDER sufficiently interesting and conclusively proved
material in regard to the members of the royal ruling houses in
England subsequent to the origination of the Mother Grand Lodge of
the World in 1717. The ideas of the founders of this organization
may not be clearly understood now, for the period of the early
growth and limited operations of the reorganized Craft is one still
calling for much patient research and care.
It can, however, be accepted that although there is nothing to show
that Payne, Desaguliers and Anderson had anything to do with the
origination of Grand Lodge--yet it was hoped by some one to get a
nobleman to become Grand Master. This eventuated in 1721 with the
installation of John, Duke of Montagu, since which time noblemen,
or Princes of the Blood Royal, have continuously succeeded to that
high office or have been members of the Craft.

We shall then proceed to enumerate the Royal Patrons of the Craft,
meaning thereby the Blue, or Symbolic, Masonry.

1. H.R.H. FREDERICK PRINCE OF WALES, 1737

The Grand Lodge of England had enjoyed the presence of noble Grand
Masters for nearly twenty years before any scion of the reigning
family became a member of the Craft. The first to do so was
Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of H. M. King
George II. The record of his initiation and of his proceeding to
the subsequent degrees is contained in Anderson's Constitutions of
1738. The initiation took place on Nov. 5, 1737, at an occasional
lodge held in the Palace at Kew, near Richmond, Surrey. The Master
of this lodge was the Rev. Dr. J. T. Desaguliers, a Past Grand
Master, with other brethren present, including the Rt. Hon. Charles
Calvert, Sixth Baron Baltimore. Anderson goes on to say, the lodge
being formed and held, H. R. H. "was in the usual manner introduced
and made an Enter'd Prentice and Fellow Craft." He continues that
"our said Royal Brother was made a Master Mason by the same Lodge
that assembled there for that purpose." Whether this was at the
same time, so that our Royal Brother was Initiated, Passed and
Raised on the same day may be open to doubt, but the practice of
the two first degrees being conferred on the same occasion was not
unusual, without regard to the rank of the candidate. That the
"usual manner" is mentioned bears this out, and further indicates
as incorrect what is sometimes assumed to be the case with royal
brethren, that the usual formalities and procedure are not adopted
but waived in their favor. That the Prince took more than a
superficial interest in the Craft is clear for the 1738 Book of
Constitutions was dedicated to him (and he is there described as a
Master Mason and Master of a Lodge) and actually presented to him
by Anderson in 1739 at a private audience on the introduction of
the Marquis of Carnavon, the then Grand Master, who was in the
minutes of Grand Lodge, April 6, 1738, described as a "Gentleman of
the Bedchamber to our Brother His Royal Highness, Frederick, Prince
of Wales." Our royal brother died in 1751 and his activity in the
Craft is not further known, but that the Craft was not regarded
with disfavor by his family is clear, for no less than three of his
sons, viz., the Dukes of York, Gloucester and Cumberland became
members of it, the latter becoming Grand Master in 1782, as will be
seen later. The eldest son of this Prince became King George III,
but he was not a member of the Craft.

2. H.R.H. WILLIAM AUGUSTUS DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, 1743

He was brother of Frederick, Prince of Wales, being the second son
of King George II. He is said in Multa Paucis to have been
initiated in 1743 in Belgium, but although Gould refers to this
there is but little to support the statement. The Duke was a
notable soldier and commanded the English troops in the Low
Countries at the battle of Fontenoy in 1745. Of his other military
exploits nothing need be said here.

3. H.R.H. EDWARD AUGUSTUS DUKE OF YORK, 1765

This Prince was son of the above named Prince of Wales and brother
to King George III. He was initiated at Berlin on July 27, 1765, in
a French speaking lodge there, which, after the Duke's admission
adopted the name of the "Royal York Lodge of Friendship," and
obtained a warrant from the Grand Lodge of England under which it
worked, and to which Constitution it remained subject, until its
cessation many years afterwards. The Duke was patron of the lodge.
The Duke of York was present in the following year when his brother
the Duke of Gloucester was initiated in the New Lodge at the Horn,
Westminster, No. 313, of which lodge he himself became an honorary
member. He was appointed Past Grand Master, as became customary
until the present generation.

4. H.R.H. WILLIAM HENRY DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, 1766

He was brother to the Duke of York (No. 3) and the Duke of
Cumberland (No. 5) and to King George II. He was initiated on Feb.
16, 1766, at an occasional lodge held at the Horn Tavern,
Westminster, being the New Lodge, No. 313 (as distinguished from
the Old Lodge also held there). The then Grand Master, Lord
Blayney, was in the chair as Master and the Duke proceeded to all
three degrees on that occasion. Report being made (as in all cases
of Royal Masons) of the admission of the Prince into the Craft to
Grand Lodge, he was appointed a Past Grand Master in 1767. He
became an honorary member of the New Lodge, which was afterwards
called the Royal Lodge, and attended some of its meetings.

5. H.R.H. HENRY FREDERICK DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, 1767; G.M., 1782-90

This Prince was also brother to the last two named, and the third
of the sons of the first royal Freemason (No. 1). The Duke was
initiated on Feb. 9, 1767, at an occasional (or emergency) lodge at
the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's, the home of the Royal
Lodge, No. 313, already mentioned, and was passed and raised on the
same occasion. Upon the usual report to Grand Lodge he was
appointed Past Grand Master. The activities of the Duke of
Cumberland were very considerable, for in 1782 he was elected Grand
Master of the Craft. It may be noted that this is the date given in
the official Year Book issued by Grand Lodge, but Gould in his
History gives 1783, the point is however not of importance as
election and installation may explain the difference. He filled
this office until his death in 1790. It was with his support and
patronage that the great Institution for Girls, as it is today, was
founded; and as indicating the Grand Master's interest it may be
noted that it was then called the Royal Cumberland Freemasons'
School, and the Duchess took a personal interest in the management
and in the scholars. It is a provision of the English Constitution
that where the Grand Master is a Prince of the Blood Royal there
should be an Acting Grand Master--who must be a Peer of the Realm
(now called Pro Grand Master), and in the present instance the Earl
of Effingham so acted from 1782 to 1789, when he died.

6. H.R.H. WILLIAM HENRY DUKE OF CLARENCE, 1786 (AFTERWARDS, KING
WILLIAM IV)

This Prince was third son of King George III and the first of six
of them who became Freemasons. He was initiated on March 9, 1786,
in the Prince George Lodge, No. 86, meeting at Plymouth. The Duke
followed the naval profession and was ultimately Lord High Admiral
so that his initiation in a naval port may be regarded as a
professional act. His reception into the Craft was not announced to
Grand Lodge until the following year and until after that of his
eldest brother, George, Prince of Wales (No. 7). This Duke was, as
customarily, appointed Past Grand Master. He was installed as
Master of the Prince of Wales' Lodge on Feb. 22, 1822, and so
remained until 1830. This lodge was formed in honor of the Prince
of Wales as noted under (No. 7). In 1830 the Duke succeeded to the
throne on the death of his brother, King George IV, and so became
Patron of the Craft. The active interest in the Craft of necessity
ceases in the case of monarchs.

7. H.R.H. GEORGE PRINCE OF WALES, 1787; G.M., 1790-1813 (AFTERWARDS
KING GEORGE IV)

He was the eldest son of King George III and was initiated at a
Special Lodge held for the purpose on Feb. 6, 1787, at the Star and
Garter, Pall Mall. The news was communicated to Grand Lodge the
next day by the Grand Master, the Duke of Cumberland (No. 5), and
a resolution of appreciation of the honor conferred on the Society
by the Prince's initiation was passed and the Prince was appointed
a place in Grand Lodge next to and on the right of the Grand
Master. On the death of the Duke of Cumberland in 1790 he was
elected Grand Master and was installed as such in 1792. The Prince
of Wales' Lodge was founded in his honor in 1787 (now No. 259), of
which the Prince was Master from 1787 to 1820, the year in which he
succeeded to the throne. Prior to this he was, owing to his
father's ill-health, Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820, and in the
year 1813 resigned as Grand Master but remained as Patron of the
Craft. He was also Grand Master and Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge
of Scotland.

8. H.R.H. FREDERICK DUKE OF YORK, 1787

He was second son of George III and was the third of the sons who
became a member of the Craft. He was initiated in the Britannic
Lodge, No. 29, on Nov. 21, 1787, and appointed a Past Grand Master.
The Duke is known to have attended various Masonic functions and
Grand Lodge. He was Master of the Prince of Wales' Lodge, 1823 to
1827. He died in the latter year.

9. H.R.H. EDWARD DUKE OF KENT, 1790


He was the fourth son of George III and the fourth of such sons to
be received into the Craft. He was initiated in the Union Lodge of
Geneva on some date not discovered, but the fact of the Duke's
initiation was announced in Grand Lodge on Feb. 10, 1790. He was
appointed a Past Grand Master of Grand Lodge and later was District
Grand Master for "Gibraltar and the Province of Andalusia in Old
Spain" from 1790 to 1801. It is here needful to specify that this
was the Grand Lodge of 1717 (Moderns), for this Royal Brother was
one to whom the Craft was indebted for facilitating the Union of
the Grand Lodges. His influence no doubt largely predominated with
the Ancients for on the resignation of their Grand Master, John,
fourth Duke of Atholl, this Royal Prince was admitted an Ancient
Mason and elected as such in his place for the purpose of giving
effect to the Union, as appears in the records thereof and Hughan's
Memorials of the Union. (It may be mentioned here that many
descendants of this Prince, through his only child, Princess,
afterwards Queen victoria of revered memory, became members of the
Craft.)

10. H.R.H. PRINCE WILLIAM DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, 1795

This Prince was a son of H.R.H. Prince William Henry, Duke of
Gloucester (No. 4 above), and nephew of King George III, one of
whose daughters he married. He was initiated in the Britannic
Lodge, No. 29, on May 12, 1795, and being a Prince of the Blood
Royal was accorded the privilege of a Past Grand Master. He took
part in Masonic functions--attended the Grand Festival, and so on.
In the case of several of these royal personages one must always
remember that they were necessarily over-shadowed by the Prince of
Wales, the virtual head of the family, being also at the head of
the Craft, so that their activities were restricted or the record
of them not so elaborate.

11. H.R.H. ERNEST AUGUSTUS DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, 1796 (AFTERWARDS
KING OF HANOVER)

This Prince was the fifth son of King George III and also the fifth
of the family to become a Freemason. He was initiated on May 11,
1796, in the house of that great Freemason, the Earl of Moira
(afterwards Marquis of Hastings) who was then Acting Grand Master
having been appointed as such in the place of the Earl of Effingham
who died in 1789. He, too, was appointed a Past Grand Master. He
succeeded as King of Hanover owing to that title being relinquished
by his elder brothers and not passing by reason of the Salic Law to
Queen victoria.

12. H.R.H. AUGUSTUS FREDERICK DUKE OF SUSSEX, 1798; DEP. G.M.,
1812; G.M., 1813-1843

He was the sixth son of King George III and the last of the six
brothers who were members of the Craft, and was no doubt the most
active Grand Master the Craft had ever seen.

He was initiated in the Royal York Lodge of Friendship in Berlin in
the year 1798 (a reference to this lodge will be found under the
name (No. 3) Edward Augustus Duke of York 1765). He was appointed
a Past Grand Master in 1805. On Feb. 12, 1812, he was appointed as
Deputy G. M., and in 1813 he was elected Grand Master in the place
of the Prince of Wales, who had been Prince Regent from 1811 but
now resigned. This office of Grand Master the Duke of Sussex held
at the Union and was G. M. of the United Grand Lodge until 1843. He
was Master of the Prince of Wales' Lodge from 1831 to 1843, the
year of his death.

It would be a long story to tell of all the Duke of Sussex did as
Grand Master and the effect of his actions. Some may not bear the
construction now put upon them; some may be too lightly regarded
now; but at any rate he filled a difficult position, for after
having had a share in the Union of the Grand Lodge he had to rule
over the new organization and deal with a period of transition, the
difficulties of which the Masonic historian has not yet fully dealt
with. One can see in Freemasons' Hall, London, the statue of the
Duke placed there by the Craft in 1846 as a token of their esteem
and in the Library can be seen the magnificent piece of plate
presented to the Duke in 1838 on completing his twenty-fifth year
of office as Grand Master. He died on April 21, 1843, and there
being then no Royal Prince a Freemason, the Earl of Zetland was
elected G. M.

Conclusion

It is beyond the scope of this article to tell of the Masonic
doings of those Royal Freemasons who have been initiated into the
Craft since the Union of 1813. It may, however, be permissible to
say that there are at present four members of the Royal Family
within the ranks of Freemasonry. The manifold and great services of
our revered Grand Master, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, are too
well known to need repetition. The other Royal Freemasons, viz.,
H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, H.R.H. the Duke of York, and H.R.H.
Prince Arthur of Connaught, have all recently been selected by the
Grand Master to rule over Masonic Provinces in England, and, from
personal knowledge, I should like to add that these royal
appointments to Provincial Grand Masterships are no mere titular
honors, honorific though they be, but they entail a good deal of
actual work. The three last named royal brethren are deeply imbued
with the dignity and high importance of the Craft, and are active
in their duties, and in their practice of Masonry and its
ceremonial, and, in words of old time commendation, they are
"worthy Masons all."

While in the English Constitution the association of females as
members of the Craft has never been permitted or allowed, yet the
patronage of exalted ladies, and indeed of ladies of every rank, to
the great Masonic Charities has always been welcome. Notable
examples of this may be found in the patronage to the Girls' School
of the Duchess of Cumberland and of Queen Adelaide (wife of King
William IV), besides Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary
in more recent years. Also this reference to royal ladies would not
be complete without mention of Princess Mary, daughter of King
George III, who married a Freemason (see No. 10 above), as also did
Princess Mary, daughter of King George V, within the last few
years.

Neither time nor space permit of a reference to the Capitular and
other degrees to which our royal brethren have extended their
patronage.

And a final word, as an historian and student of the progress of
the Craft, as well as a personal observer of persons, actions and
doings in the Craft of today, I am persuaded that the advantage to
the Craft Universal of the membership of the royal brethren to whom
I have referred and of those who have joined the brotherhood since
the Union of 1813, is great and permanent, and has always tended to
enhance the dignity and prestige of the Craft, and the importance
and value of its imperishable principles and tenets.

