Page 12 - Centennial Sketch of the History of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 1877 UGLE

12 Lodge of the Nine Muses 1777-1877

position of “R.W.M.” of the Lodge. In January of the latter year he retired in
consequence of the rule of Grand Lodge, then recently passed, and providing that
no Brother shall continue Master of a Lodge more than two consecutive years.
After an interval of two years we find Bro. sir W. Rawlins again installed as R.W.M.,
which position he retained during the years 1821 and 1822. For eleven years, from
1824 to 1835, he was Treasurer. The last date on which his name appears on the
Minutes is November 14th, 1837. For some months previous to this we observe
that his attendance becomes irregular — once we have a record of a resolution
expressing sympathy with him in illness; but it is rather singular that we have, so far
as I have observed, no record of his death. The well-known name drops abruptly
from the list of Brethren attending the Lodge, and the genial presence, which the
constant references of these Minutes, through a long series of years, seem to make
pleasantly familiar to us, vanishes for ever. sir W. Rawlins, we learn from Debrett,
was knighted in 1802, in which year he held the office of sheriff of London and
Middlesex. The same authority informs us that he was a bachelor, notwithstanding
that, as we have seen, he was fondly wedded to the Nine Muses.
In the earlier years of the history of the Lodge the Minutes were kept in a more
copious fashion than is usual in modern times. To this custom we are indebted for
10
a curious and interesting record, of what I will venture to call the Candlesticks
Episode of the Candlesticks. It was with reference to this part of our furniture that,
in the days of its youthful immaturity, our Lodge was brought into something like
collision with another company of Brethren of the Craft, ~ the only instance of
the kind, be it observed, in the history of the Lodge of the Nine Muses. The first
Minute upon the subject is dated February 25th, 1814, when a communication
from the Prince of Wales’ Lodge was laid before the Lodge of the Nine Muses,
consisting of a letter and a series of Resolutions relating to the candlesticks already
mentioned. The following is a copy of the Minute: ~

A letter was read from Bro. stratford Robinson, the secretary to the Prince
of Wales’ Lodge, dated January 11, 1814, with an extract of the Minutes of the
proceedings of the said Lodge, held the 3rd June, 1813, which letter and extract
were ordered to be entered on the Minutes as follow, viz.: ~

10 The Episode of the Candlesticks.