Page 69 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

Lodge of the Nine Muses 69

An entry under 8 February 1842 shows the old difficulty over the collection
of the subscriptions, for the Treasurer reported a balance in hand of £6. 7s. 7d. and
arrears “extending to about £30”. But this trouble was always recurring: as late as
1886 the accounts show arrears of subscriptions £165. 9s. 9d. and in addition £40.
5s. 0d. due for visitors, and there are later entries on the same scale.
The accounts for 1852 show that the Charity fund still stood at £14. 5s.; there
is no further reference to it till 1858, when Bro. Propert handed a sum of £12.3s.,
entered under “Fines fund”, to Bro. Kearsey who then succeeded him as Treasurer.
The entry does not occur again, and what became of the fund there is nothing
to show. In 1859 its place is taken by a “Charity Fund” consisting of sums collected
after dinner, and these have been regularly noted from that time.
The circumstances of Bro. Kearsey’s succession may be of interest.
On 8 December 1857, a letter from Bro. Propert was read, as follows:
New Cavendish Street/ 7 Decr 1857/ Dear Crew/ I beg to state that I have
paid the Grand Lodge dues agreeably to the return forwarded by me to you,
and will take an early opportunity of discharging the Tavern Bill for tomorrows
Banquet. I have communicated to PM Kearsey my positive determination, not to
serve the most honorable office of Treasurer again and cordially suggest he should
accept the office ....

Brother Propert was notwithstanding most unanimously elected Treasurer for
the ensuing year with the same feeling of regard with which he had been elected
to the same office for many years.
Bro. Propert, however, stood firm, and resigned both office and membership,
and on 9 March the following rather involved resolution was adopted:
Resolved: That the Lodge while deeply lamenting the lofs of so valuable a
Member as Br J. Propert and many years Treasurer of the Lodge they not in
expectation that a name so valued shall be again enrolled as a subscribing Member
of the Lodge yet cannot refrain from doing themselves the honor of electing him
y
Hon . Member and The W Bro John Propert is so elected accordingly.
Bro. Kearsey was duly elected Treasurer and took over a balance of £42. 19s. 2d.