Page 7 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTORY

HE LODGE OF THE NINE MUSES, founded, as every member knows,
in 1777, celebrated its centenary with becoming ceremony in 1877. The
TW. Master of the year, Bro. WALTER WEBB, took the occasion to write a
paper on the history of the Lodge, which he read at the centenary meeting on 8
May 1877; for this the thanks of the Brethren, inscribed on vellum, were presented
to Bro. Webb a few months later, and the paper was printed under the title of A
Centennial Sketch of the History of the Lodge of the Nine Muses, 1777-1877.
Nearly thirty years later, in 1906, Bro. Webb was requested by the Lodge to
have the Sketch reprinted, with a supplement bringing it up to date, and with
photographs of the jewels and property. Unfortunately, Bro. Webb did not find
himself able to comply, and nothing came of the proposal.
When, therefore, the Lodge kept its 150th birthday in 1927, it was generally
felt by the Brethren that the time had more than come for a history of the
Lodge to be taken in hand again. Bro. Webb’s Sketch, printed fifty years before,
had long been out of print, and had become very scarce; moreover, it was brief
and discursive, and made no pretence to completeness. To meet the wish of the
members the Secretary undertook the task of preparing a full history of the Lodge
throughout the 150 years of its existence. After he had collected a good deal of