Page 56 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

56 An Account of the

A generation ago the names of Joseph Kincaid (1877) and John Edward Waller
(1898) were very well known, and Sir Edward Manville (1893) and Sir Philip
25
Dawson (1897) are fresh in our memories.
Something may be said here as to relations of the Lodge of the Nine Muses
with the Grand Lodges. When the Lodge was founded in 1777 two Grand Lodges
existed in England, the “Regular” or “Constitutional” Grand Lodge, constituted in
1717, and the so-called “Atholl” Grand Lodge, constituted in 1753, the adherents
of which were familiarly known as “Modern”, or “Atholl” or “Antient”, Masons
respectively, the “Antients”, who claimed the stricter adherence to primitive
tradition, being the more recent foundation. Neither recognised the jurisdiction
of the other, and friction engendering much heat not unnaturally followed.
The indecency of such rivalry between men who ought to have been brothers
made itself more and more felt as time went on, and through the persevering efforts
of men of good will on both sides the two Grand Lodges eventually agreed to join
forces, and the United Grand Lodge of England came into being in December 1813.
It was from the “Regular” Grand Lodge of 1717 that the Lodge of the Nine
Muses received its warrant.
Reference to Appendices A and B will show that the Lodges of the Nine Muses
and of Rural Friendship supplied many Officers to the two Grand Lodges, and
several Provincial Grand Masters, before the Union; since that era the United Grand
Lodge has honoured the Nine Muses by the appointment of thirteen members to
substantive or past rank as Grand Lodge Officers, and, one member also has held
high office in the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Six have been granted London Rank.
Bro. Boutell’s work as District Grand Master of the Southern Division of
South America is referred to in Chapter Ten.
Bro. The Earl of Effmgham (1779) was Acting Grand Master (Moderns), 1782-9.
As Deputy Grand Master of the “Atholl” or “Antient” Grand Lodge, Bro.
Thomas Harper (1800) signed the Act of Union. One copy of the Act is exhibited
in the Grand Lodge Library, where his signature and seal may be seen immediately
below those of Edward G. M. (H.R.H. the Duke of Kent, Grand Master of the
“Antients”). The seal unluckily is so badly impressed as to be unintelligible.
For a quarter of a century before the Union, Bro Thomas Harper was the

25 Author of Electric Railways and Tramways and, among many other undertakings, project
engineer for electrifying the L.B.S.C.R overhead 6000 V a.c. now replaced by third rail, 750
V d.c.