Page 43 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

ThE ROW BETWEEN JAS. SAvAGE AND ChAS. BONNOR iN
ThE lODGE OF PROmulGATiON

RETHREN,

BOn the first page of our ancient Signature Book appear the names of James
Savage, who is noted in another hand as having died in 1816; Charles Bonnor, who
is noted as having resigned; and Sir William Rawlins, who was our R.W.M. when the
comments concerning the other two were made.
Tonight, may I bring alive to you those two entries and tell you about a famous
row between Savage and Bonnor which was the cause of the latter’s resignation and
in which Sir William was the filling in the sandwich. Savage was a well known coach
builder, Bonnor had been an actor but had obtained an appointment in the Post Office,
Sir William had been Sheriff of London and was Chairman of Eagle Insurance. All three
were also members of the Lodge of Antiquity (then No. 1) which H.R.H. the Duke of
Sussex had just joined. Savage was by far the most senior of that Lodge and it was during
his Mastership that Bonnor had been Initiated and Sir William had joined.
It was at this time between 1805 and 1812 that preparations for the Union between the
two rival Grand Lodges were being made. Our own Grand Lodge had warranted a special
Lodge of Promulgation to bring our ritual into line with that of the other Grand Lodge.
The Duke of Sussex, Sir William Rawlins and Bonnor were members of it but Savage was
not. One of the changes that were being made was the introduction of an ‘Inner Working’
at Installations, which was the normal custom amongst Lodges of the rival Grand Lodge
and it was then also an essential preliminary to exaltation into the Royal Arch.
At the first rehearsal of this installation ceremony, Sir William, was a volunteer candidate
to be installed. Savage, a personal friend of Sir William, offered to accompany him. He was
qualified, having been installed in the Lodge of Antiquity as well as being a Royal Arch
Mason. Having given proof of his qualifications he was received by that Lodge in no very
courteous manner and, after admittance, by a vote of the Lodge he was desired to withdraw
as a stranger, although almost every one in the room knew him. Words were passed but he
had to retire. At the next meeting it was decided to record the incident and send a copy to
Savage. Sir William clearly intervened in this controversy and persuaded Savage to write a