Royal #207

Meetings

  • Regular Day:1st Monday
  • Regular time:7:00pm
  • Location:Barbados Ave
  • Installation Month:May
  • Installation Day:Monday
  • Dark:August & September

About Us

The History of the Royal Lodge No. 207 E.C. records that the Lodge was first constituted in September 1789 as an Irish Lodge (No. 699). In February 1794, Royal Lodge (Royal) submitted a Petition to the Grand Lodge of England (GLE), praying to be granted a Warrant. The Petition was successful and in May 1794, Royal officially switched allegiance to the GLE, under the English Constitution (E.C.).

Our History suggests that "..the brethren, influenced by the better organized system of the 'Ancients' (or 'Atholls') &.. decided to abandon the Irish Warrant &". The rest is indeed history. Fast forward to modern time and Royal became a full member of the Association of Atholl Lodges (AAL) from the inception of the latter. The only other Lodge in Jamaica eligible for full membership of AAL is Friendly Lodge # 239. All others, assuming interest, are limited to associate or affiliate membership.

In addition to the rationale suggested above, for the change of Constitution, there is an excellent Paper, written by an eminent Mason, speculating on the "inducements" for the change from Irish to English (Constitution) by Royal.

Notwithstanding its full E.C. pedigree, Royal has maintained some of its Irish identity and traditions, the most obvious of which is the Irish emblem of the Naked Hand holding the Trowel. This emblem has remained the distinguishing feature of our Banner and is also the Seal of the Lodge. You can see this emblem in the top middle of the Portal Page through which you entered. And we take this opportunity to thank you for visiting. We hope that this experience proves to be a pleasant and rewarding one and that you will keep on visiting us here.

Royal meets routinely on the first Monday of each month - except August and September when we are recessed - commencing at 7.00 p.m., at 45, Barbados Avenue, New Kingston. Installation of the incoming Master takes place in May. This meeting starts at 6.30 p.m.

RELEVANT EXTRACTS FROM "AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF JAMAICAN FREEMASONRY" BY F. SEAL-COON

Warranted 10 May 1794 and constituted 9 0ctober 1794, numbered 283(A), 357(after the Union), 250(1832) and 207 (1863), given Provincial No.4(A) in 1798, now District No.1. Originally met at Mason Hall, Port Royal Street, Kingston; in 1976 (after eight or nine moves) meets at Freemasons' Building, McGregor Square, Kingston.

The Lodge's printed history relates that it was first constituted on 3 September 1789 as No.699 under a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland, but that the members decided in 1794 to join the English Constitution and petitioned the Athol Grand Lodge for a warrant, which was granted as above. Nevertheless, the Lodge's Irish beginning is illustrated on its banner, shown at left. The petitioners were: Samuel Ballard Whittaker, Joseph Dunckerley, John Misskelly, James Tindall, John Findlay, Ebenezer Daniel and James Hunt; to whom were afterwards added, according to Grand Lodge records, Robert Bartlett, Peter McLauchlin, James Dingwall, Wm. Bayley and Anty Duart. The warrant was signed by Jas. Agar, Deputy Grand Master (who, interestingly, wrote "18 Deg. 30°" after his name, indicating his membership in the Ancient and Accepted Rite). The list of Masters of ROYAL Lodge states "No record" against the years 1796/97, 1799 to 1819, and 1823.

ROYAL Lodge moved early to form a Provincial Grand Lodge, but pending its formation led the Craft in Jamaica by arrangement, with authority to consecrate new lodges. It was then referred to in the Jamaica Almanack as "The Ancient York Constitution No.283". In 1811 it was linked with the Friendly Lodge in a disagreement with the Antients' Provincial Grand Lodge and the members of both were placed under censure for burning the Provincial Grand Secretary's letters! During the interregnum of 1831/58 the ROYAL Lodge again led the English Craft in Jamaica, but is on record as opposing the formation of a new Provincial Grand Lodge in 1846.

The ROYAL Lodge celebrated its Centenary on 10 May 1894 after research by its member Emmanuel X. Leon in the records of Grand Lodge confirmed that it had worked continuously since its beginning. (At the same time Bro. Leon unearthed similar evidence in respect of the Friendly Lodge No.239, thus enabling it also to celebrate its Centenary). The ROYAL Lodge celebrated its 150th anniversary on 15 May 1944, its 175th on 1 December 1969 [and its 200th in 1994].

An attempt was made in 1831 to form a Lodge of Instruction, but apparently it met only once to rehearse a ceremony. Then, 102 years later, another was formed called "The Royal Lodge of Improvement", with F.G. Sale as Preceptor and P.L. Abraham (later District Grand Master) as his deputy. There is, however, no record of how long it lasted.

The ROYAL Lodge is the only Hall Stone Lodge in the West Indies, and its member, F.G. Sale, Grand Secretary for over 40 years, was appointed a Past Grand Deacon to mark the occasion.

Freemasonry: a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.