Page 106 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

106 An Account of the

excepted, should be reduced to five, as follows: The Queen and the Craft, the M.W.
the Grand Master, the W. Master, the Visitors, and the Tyler’s toast. This, with “King”
for “Queen” and with the addition of the Grand Lodge Officers, accords with
present usage. How many and what toasts were usual in 1877 is not stated
During the war years, 1914-18, the scale of the banquets was of necessity
reduced, an economy advocated also by the Grand Lodge. On 10 November
1914, it was resolved “That during the war the banquets be of the simple
character arranged for this evening at a cost of 7/6 a head exclusive of wine and
cigars and that the difference between this and the normal cost be contributed
to such charitable purposes connected with the war as may be determined by
a Committee”, appointed for the purpose. On 9 February 1915 an exchange
of letters was reported, between the Lodge and the manager of the Grand
Hotel, where the Lodge then met, expressing appreciation by the Lodge of the
courtesy of the management in agreeing to the reduction of the cost of the
dinners for purposes of charity, and the ready consent of the management to
the suggestion.
In 1877 and in 1927 the centenary and “sesqui-centenary” of the foundation
of the Lodge were respectively celebrated; the festivities on these occasions, and
one or two other special celebrations, are dealt with in a separate chapter.
Nothing further of interest bearing on the subject is to be found in the
minutes, and this chapter may fittingly conclude with an account of the table
furniture belonging to the Lodge.
First must come the two loving cups. These stand on the table at every banquet,
but only go round on installation nights, after initiations, or on other special occasions.
The older of these is the magnificent cup presented by Bro. Heseltine, then
Treasurer, at the banquet on 9 May 1899. The minutes for 14 November 1899
contain the following acknowledgement:
Resolved that the Brethren hereby express their warmest thanks to ... Bro.
Heseltine for his handsome gift ... of a loving cup which in beauty of design and
excellence of execution is worthy of the artistic traditions of the Nine Muses
handed down from the days when Bartolozzi and Cipriani were members of
the Lodge. And the Brethren one and all desire to record their ardent hope