Page 32 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

BuRyiNG ThE hATChET
A
MOST INTERESTING AND HAPPY CEREMONY took place at the
regular meeting of the Prince of Wales’s Lodge, No. 259, on Tuesday 25th January
1972, when this lodge accepted the offer of the Lodge of the Nine Muses, No. 235,
to use their candlesticks, whilst both lodges were meeting at the Bakers’ Hall.
The Prince of Wales’s Lodge was founded in 1787 by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, later
to become King George the Fourth, as the personal lodge for the Royal Family, but the main
influence in the formation of both lodges was The Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini who
as every freemason should know, was the Institutor of the first of our Masonic Charities, the
Royal Masonic Institution for Girls.
In 1803, Thomas Harper, the famous Masonic jeweller, was expelled by the Premier Grand
Lodge because not only did he continue to recognise the rival ‘Athol’ or Ancient Grand Lodge
but he was also its Deputy Grand Master. He was at the same time the Secretary of the Lodge
of the Nine Muses, whilst the Chevalier Ruspini was its Master. Ruspini decided, for reasons
that can only be guessed at, to retain the Warrant of this lodge but not to continue meetings.
Ruspini was at the same time the Treasurer of the Prince of Wales’s Lodge and, at its
meeting on Friday 17th February 1804, he presented to them “the Chairs, Candlesticks
and paraphernalia late of the Lodge Nine Muses”. At this meeting Sir William Rawlins
was present as a visitor. He had been acting Deputy to Early Moira, the Pro Grand
Master of the Premier Grand Lodge when he had conducted the investigations leading
to the expulsion of Thomas Harper.
In April the following year, Ruspini wrote to the Grand Secretary informing him that the
Lodge of the Nine Muses had not met, that he had the Constitution, paraphernalia etc., and
had paid every expense due to the house which amounted to £60.
The reply of the Grand Secretary, if any, must also be guessed at, but on December
14th 1805, just over two months later, Ruspini and three others signed a new Members
Signature Book of the Lodge of the Nine Muses and by February 20th 1806 there are
nine signatures, including that of Sir William Rawlins, who became the leading figure in
the revived lodge and Waller Rodwell Wright who had just visited the Prince of Wales’s
Lodge. The Chairs and Jewels seem to have been handed back to the Lodge by Ruspini
but the Candlesticks were not.