Page 33 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

Lodge of the Nine Muses 33

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for the annual election of the R.W.M. Sir W . Rawlins resigned his office and the
chair was taken pro: temp: by the Secretary Upon the ballott for a New Master Sir
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W . Rawlins Kn. was unanimously reelected to that high and important Station
in.the lodge, was reinvested with his insignia and resumed the Chair.
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The R.W.M. nominated Bro. Moss Sen. and Bro. Docksey Jun. Wardens, and they
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were reinvested with the Jewel of their respective Offices (Bro. Thornton acting as
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proxy for the absent Bro. Docksey) for the year ensuing The Secretary read a letter
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from Mefs. Willis proprietors of the Thatched House Tavern respectfully soliciting an
addition of 1/6 per head for the dinners on account of the high price of provisions
Ordered to be considered at the next meeting.
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Illustrations of Masonry were delivered by the R.W.M. & the Sen . Warden. With
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reference to the minutes of the last lodge relating to Bro . The Chevalier Ruspini it was
announced by the R.W.M. that the Chevalier died in the month of December last. It
was therefore ordered that no further proceedings be taken respecting the claims of the
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lodge on Bro . the Chevalier Ruspini until the further order of the lodge.
The lodge was closed in due form and adjourned to the fourth friday in
February emergencies excepted.
This is followed by a flourish filling half the page.
“Adjourned”, be it noted, is the word used throughout the first minute-book.
We are thus introduced at once to Bro. Sir William Rawlins, the leading figure
in the Lodge for many years. He was apparently a sort of permanent Master.
He was re-elected on this occasion and so must have been Master in 1813 and
perhaps since 1807, when according to the late Bro. Sadler, G.T., he was also
W.M., and he was re-elected every year up to and including 1817. In 1818 Bro.
Henry Martin succeeded Sir William, but only temporarily.
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The minutes (23 January 1818) say that “Bro . Henry Martin was duly
elected R.W. Master of the lodge for the year ensuing on the resignation of Sir
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W . Rawlins Kn . who retired from his office in conformity with a recent law
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of the Grand Lodge which provides that no Brother shall continue master of
a lodge for more than two years from the date of such order.” Note the word
“resignation.”