Page 13 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

ThE CONNECTiONS OF ThE EARlS FERRERS
AND ThE NiNE muSES

HE SHIRLEY FAMILY became connected with our Lodge early in our
history. The first to join us was Robert 6th Earl Ferrers on 15th June 1778,
Twho had his eldest son Hon. Robert, Viscount Tamworth (to become the 7th
Earl) made in our Lodge the same evening. He had been S.G.W. in 1747/51, and he had
married Katherine, daughter of Rowland Cotton of Etwall. He died in 1787.
Masonically, the first of interest in this family was Washington Shirley, the 2nd Earl.
He was descended from the same family as George Washington, that great American
Freemason and their First President. His daughter, Selina, married the 2nd Earl of
Huntingdon from whom the 2nd Earl of Moira, the second Acting Grand Master of the
Premier Grand Lodge, was descended. She was, incidentally, the great supporter of the
Rev. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist revival.
Washington Shirley’s brother had three sons. The eldest became the 4th Earl but he was
hung at Tyburn in 1760 for murdering his Steward. The second was Washington, the 5th
Earl and then our Robert who became the 6th Earl Ferrers.
The 5th Earl was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge in 1762/63. He was the
first to propose the building of a Hall a School for 12 boys attached but is supposed to
have resigned as Grand Master because his scheme was then rejected. He died in 1778.
The next to be made in our Lodge was Henry Cotton in April 1779. His mother was
the sister of Katherine who had married Robert the 6th Earl Ferrers.
In April 1780, Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, 5th Bart. M.P. and brother to Henry
Cotton, joined us. He became Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire 1785/1809. This
family was descended from Sir Robert Cotton who had founded the Cotton Library, now
replaced by the Houses of Parliament.
On 9th April 1782, the Hon. Washington Shirley, brother to Viscount Tamworth, was
made in our Lodge. He was a famous Freemason, becoming S.G.W. in 1783 and Provincial
Grand Master of Warwickshire in 1811 until his death. He seconded H.R.H. the Duke of
Sussex to become the first Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge in 1813. This was
very appropriate because our Lodge had been opposed to the previous rivalry between
the two Grand Lodges. Subsequently, he is known to have visited our Lodge on several