Welcome to the
Supreme Order of the Royal Arch.
The completion of the narrative begun in the third degree and
your journey through Pure Ancient Freemasonary.
THE HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON CHAPTER
No. 463 (1853), No. 360 (1863).
Warrant granted February 2nd 1853, Consecrated 18th November 1853, at the George Hotel, Northampton.
Compiled by E.Comp. Raymond Stanley Turner, P.Pr.GScrN. for the 150th. Anniversary of Consecration
By 1850, Northampton was a town where, shoe and leather manufacture was the main industry, but other industries were beginning to emerge, although domestic service was still the second-biggest employment. Brewing continued to be important, and house-building was increasing, some seven per cent of the working population was employed by builders, and rows of four-bedroom houses accommodated home-workers making footwear. The shoe-workers were very militant and they tried to prevent the arrival of machinery which would replace workers. Inevitably, foreign imports and market forces would compel the use of more machinery.
Gas street-lighting had come in the early eighteen hundreds. The railway in 1845 linked Northampton to London and Birmingham. Passengers could travel to London in two and a half hours for five shillings, third class, or fourteen shillings first class, in greater comfort. Another line linked Northampton and Peterborough, while Wellingborough was reached in 1866, and Market Harborough was also linked in 1859.
The population of Northampton increased from fifteen thousand to twenty-six thousand by 1851, and to over forty thousand by 1871.Growing numbers of people were employed in clerical work, shop-work, teaching, nursing, printing, brick-making, and iron-foundry work. There were many public houses and several hotels.
The earliest known record of the Royal Arch Degree was found in an article by Dr. Dasigny , an Irish Freemason, written in 1744, in which he refers to a “Royal Arch Lodge”. Following the normal Craft degree, some lodges are known to have worked the Royal Arch Degree in England and in the United States.
We know of no written record of the decision by the Pomfret Lodge to form a Royal Arch Chapter. Freemasonry had come to Northampton in 1730, but did not become successful until 1819, when the Pomfret Lodge was formed by a number of progressive Freemasons who had experienced the pleasurable ceremonies of Freemasonry. The Pomfret members were local businessmen, professionals, teachers and some well-educated men, several of whom were already members of London Chapters, and they decided to form the Northampton Chapter.
There were ten Founders of Northampton Chapter, all of whom were already Royal Arch Masons:-
George Worley, 34, a Farmer, of Sywell, the then W.M. of Pomfret
Edward Elers Welchman, 42, Chemist, 24 Gold Street
John Smith, 57, Surgeon, Kettering
Wm. Harrison Barwell, Ironmonger, Bridge Street & Abington Street
Christopher Markham, 63, Solicitor, St. Giles Street
Thos. Robert Andrew, 39, “Gentleman”, Harlestone
Abraham Simeon Styer, Dental Surgeon, St. Giles Square (Anglo-Dutch)
Wm. Thos. Higgins,39, Proprietor, George Hotel ,Northampton.
Abram Andrew Leveau,54, Wine Merchant, London (PGDC)
Charles William Elkington, 37, Schoolmaster ,Corporation School.
The first nine lent £5. Elkington never paid the £5, and never paid any subscriptions. He was Worshipful Master of Pomfret Lodge in 1841, aged 25 yrs., and later left to become High Bailiff of the Edgbaston County Court, and moved house to Edgbaston, He was MEZ of the Chapter in 1853, 1854, 1855. and acted twice as MEZ in 1857, then once in 1858, after which he never again came to Northampton. On the 16th of May 1856, he was presented with “a handsome silver cup in Testimony of high appreciation of his exertions”. This beautiful Cup is displayed in our Northampton Masonic Museum. At this meeting, Elkington and John Machin, of 51 Chapter were both made Hon. Members, for their great work in getting the Chapter established. We know that Elkington had become the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire by February 1864, in which year he was made an Honorary Member of Northampton’s Pomfret Lodge. He was a Grand Standard Bearer in Craft.
A large number of RA masons were present at the Consecration, and included Lord Leigh, PGM of Warwickshire, Also Johnathan Ward Broughton Leigh, Deputy PGM.,who lived at Guilsborough Hall.
Following the Consecration, at which M.E.Comp. A.A.Leveau acted as Consecrating Principal, no less than fifteen Candidates were exalted en masse! After this, by special permission, the Shakespeare Chapter No.356 was opened, and its three principals were installed by M.E.Comp. John Savage, PZ of Nos. 25 and 206. After this marathon, the banquet followed.
The exaltation fee was 4 guineas (£4.4.0), the yearly subscription 1 guinea, the joining fee 10/6. After the first few exaltations, the joining fee was also collected in every case. This meant that exaltees had to pay £5.15.6, which was quite a lot of money, when one considers that a brand-new, three bedroom house cost £60 and the average working-man earned about twelve to fifteen shillings per week.
The first Treasurer of Northampton Chapter was the solicitor, Christopher Markham. His account book is a joy to read, beautifully written, and he even noted dates of death, places of burial, and any helpful information. He obviously had difficulty collecting some subscriptions, and one very wealthy companion died ten years in arrears!
Some visitors were regular attendees, and frequently stood in for absent Officers. Such people as Thos James, PZ 607 & 786, John Machin,PZ51, Wm.Watson,PZ25 & 82, John Crawley,PZ25, would cheerfully occupy any missing Officer’s place at no notice.
During the Marquis of Huntley’s year as MEZ, he did not attend, after his Installation, and one of the willing visitors took on the work, even to install Huntley’s successor in the chair.
In 1866, Simeon Jacob, aged 55, of Fidelity Lodge was exalted. He was a tailor, and he worked until he was 90, when his hands became very arthritic. He died in 1912, aged 100, after eight years of support from the Board of Benevolence, although he had moved to the South, some years ago.
In 1868, Christopher Markham died, and W .Brook Gates took over as Treasurer. The accounts showed a balance of £67.11.1, so a donation of £10 to the Masonic Boys School, and £10 to the Aged and Decayed Freemasons Fund was made.
In 1869, Scribe E wrote to W.T.Higgins, to complain that 3/6 was too much for the meal, which included wine. Higgins wrote back, with a list of the various costs, and offered an excellent cold supper for 2/-. The decision was made to carry on with the 3/6 meal. No charge was made for rent, and this probably had not been considered before. The George had stables, and some Members came in on horseback. Higgins was an appointed provider of wines to Queen Victoria and, was a Mayor of Northampton.
A Chapter of Emergency was called in June 1870, to exalt the P.G.M., the Duke of Manchester, also to exalt the Member of Parliament, William Wells. At this ceremony, Butler Wilkins, the, Dentist acted as MEZ.
In 1875, the Chapter’s finances were in good order, so a donation of 20gns to the Masonic Girls School, and 20 to the RMBI were made.
In 1875, Grand Chapter authorised the removal of the Chapter to the Abington Street Masonic Hall, which was a conversion of the Saracens Head Temperance Hotel at No.4. There were two shops at the front, and the actual Masonic Hall was up a passageway between the shops, both of which were let to Masons. An annual rent of £10 for the Chapter was agreed, and up to £25 was allocated for decoration and furniture. The first Chapter meeting in the new hall was on 30th November 1876.
n 1878, The Revd. S.J.W.Sanders, Headmaster of the Grammar School was exalted, and in November 1878, John James Hart was exalted. JJH was to become a very valuable member of the Chapter. He was an excellent ritualist, and an accomplished musician and singer. He never married, and became a very keen member of whatever degree he joined.
The ninetieth meeting of Northampton Chapter was on 23rd. February 1882. It was a very special occasion, Butler Wilkins was in the chair, and his Grace the Duke of Manchester (PGM) and Shadwell E. Clarke, Grand Scribe Ezra, with Companion Terry, the Secretary of the Royal Benevolent Charities , were present ,with an unusually large number of visitors . Brother Thomas Phipps Dorman was proposed for exaltation, a man who was to become a very prominent freemason in many organisations.
By a Warrant signed by the Prince of Wales, Shadwell Clerke consecrated the Provincial Grand Chapter of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, and then installed the Duke of Manchester as first Grand Superintendent thereof. The banquet was served at 4p.m., price five shillings.
In November 1882, T.P.Dorman and Thos. Weatherall were both exalted.
On 31st May 1883, Harry Manfield was exalted. He was the shoe manufacturer, and a Member of Parliament. E.Comp. Martin Boeme was made an honorary member, having been a tremendously helpful member of the Chapter. His portrait hangs in the second temple. He was a banker by profession.