Enniskillen Masonic Lodges

Communications:

2nd Thursday of every month 8.00PM

 Excluding

 June, July & August.

Lodge History

Lodge Warrant No. 205 originally issued to, 27th foot,

1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

It was transferred a number of times before it ended up back in Enniskillen where it was issued in lieu of the Star of the East Warrant No. 804.

So to cover the History of the Lodge, I will cover the History of the Warrant 205 and 804.

And the History of the Enniskillen Lodge named Star in the East.

Warrant No 205

27th Foot, 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

7th February , 1749 Transferred to 35th Foot,

1st Bn. Royal Sussex Regt. about 1785

Removed to Moy Co. Tyrone, 3rd August, 1790

Warrant Cancelled 6th January, 1814

 

Newry, Co. Down, 4th June 1818, issued in lieu of Warrant 914

Wellington Lodge.

Warrant Cancelled 7th January, 1830.

 

Naas, Co Kildare. 7th October, 1841.

Sent in 1870 and reissued for Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, in lieu of Warrant No. 804.

Star in the East Lodge.

The original Lodge 205 was apparently a Military or Marching Lodge, as we first hear of it in the 35th Regiment of Foot, then stationed in Moy, Co Tyrone. This the Royal Sussex or Belfast Regiment, had been formed in 1701 in Belfast - on the spot occupied by Messrs. Anderson and McAuley, in whose premises there is a plaque commemorating the event. In the records of Grand Lodge the issue of this Warrant is dated February 7th, 1749. In the records of the same year John Mc Indow was registered as Worshipful Master, and Wm Boyd and Richard Freeburn as Wardens. At this point we find some duplication of entries, with slight differences; for example between October 5th, 1769 and March 5th, 1787, one entry gives sixteen members, another eleven, as being "registered" which presumably means entering the Lodge either by Initiation or Affiliation. In either case the number is small for such a long period, which might seem to suggest that the Lodge found support in the Regiment waning. On the other hand, the Royal Regiment was engaged in the American Wars, 1774-1782, so it is very possible that the Warrant accompanied it across the Atlantic - at a time and in circumstances when the making of new Masons would have been a secondary consideration.

On August 3rd 1790, the Warrant was transferred to Moy, Co. Tyrone, in the names of Wm. Richardson, W.M., and Roger Best and Gerard Stewart, Wardens. It is possible that this implies the transfer from the Regiment to the civilian brethren in the locality where the Lodge had its origin. Sixteen members were registered between 1790 and 1809. After this there would appear to have been a period of dormancy, which is concluded by the entry "Warrant cancelled by order of Grand Lodge, 6th January, 1814."

On June 4th, 1818, Warrant No.205 was reissued in exchange for Warrant No. 914, of the "Wellington" Lodge, at Newry; the recipients are named as Bernd. Keenan,W.M., Robt. Holden and Fras. Daly, Wardens, and ten others. At Newry, however, the life of 205 was short. Thirty three members were registered between 1818 and 3rd April,1820; then entries cease, and on August 4th, 1829, there is an entry in the Grand Lodge Minute Book: Lodge 205 Newry has not been opened these two years." Then on January 7th 1830, again in minutes of Grand Lodge, we find an entry, "Warrant 205 Newry cancelled being in arrears"

Eleven years later the Warrant was again re-issued, this time to Naas, Co. Kildare, to Capt. E. Madden, W.M., and William Clarke and James Revell, Wardens. This was on October 7th, 1841. A few copies still exist of the By-laws and Regulations of this Lodge, dated 1854, from which we see that it was then known as "The Star of the West." It contains, in addition to the By-laws, a beautifully written but unfortunately unsigned Introduction devoted to the principles of the Craft, and acknowledging as its source "Oliver's Antiquities of Masonry"; and also, more germane to these notes, a history of the Lodge from the time of its establishment at Naas thirteen years earlier; beginning, "It owes its origin to the Masonic zeal of an humble but worthy Brother, now deceased - Brother John Brown, P.M. 100 and 132." This also gives the names of the founder members, and after some very interesting details conclude with a list of the Masters of the Lodge from 1841 until 1855. There is also a list of 24members and five Honorary Members. According to Grand Lodge records, 78 members were registered between 1841 and 1859; so everything would point to a very thriving Lodge in this period. Then however, a decline seems to have set in; only eight members were registered in the next six years, and by 1866 it would appear that the Lodge had ceased to meet. In the old Register it is recorded that the Warrant 205 was "sent in" on 12th September, 1866; but from the larger Grand Lodge registers it seems that the Warrant was not returned from Naas until 1870.

This then is the point at which the Enniskillen Lodge and Warrant 205 meet.

Warrant 804

In March, 1795, a new warrant was issued for a Lodge at Cleffany, Co. Fermanagh, under the number 804. Apparently this Lodge continued to meet for about 60 years at Cleffany, near Lisnaskea, until 1856, when by an order of Grand Lodge, presumably in compliance with a request of the Lodge, It was removed to Brookeborough. Regular returns of Officers appear from this date until 1863. Then the Lodge appears to have fallen dormant for a few years, as there were no returns from 1864 until 1868; and on October 9th 1869, The Warrant was sent in to Grand Lodge.

In October, 1870, five Enniskillen Brethren came together and decided that it would be to the benefit of Freemasonry in Enniskillen if another Lodge were founded in the town; they were Bro. James Whiteside Dane, a lineal descendant of Paul Dane, the famous Provost of Enniskillen in 1688; Bro. William Copeland Trimble, historian of Enniskillen and of the Inniskilling Fusiliers; Bro. William Teele, a prominent J.P.; Bro Leonard Kidd, M.D.; and Bro. Charles Fausset Falls, M.A.; Obadiah Ternon, M.D., as Secretary. In response to their request, Warrant 804 was granted to them, with permission to remove it from Brookeborough to Enniskillen. Meanwhile Bro.Ternan had been in correspondence with the Lodge in Naas then in possession of the Warrant 205, with a view to removing it to Enniskillen; there appears to have been at this time much value attached to having a Warrant with a lower number, possibly as this may have given precedence in Masonic processions.

Star of the East

From October 1870 to December 5th, 1870 Star of the East was Warrant 804. As a result of correspondence between Bro. Obadiah Ternan and R.S. Hayes of Naas the Furniture, regalia and Lodge fittings, the proceeds of the sale to be handed to the Governors of the Masonic Schools. On December 5th, 1870, the Lodge received Warrant 205 from Grand Lodge and surrendered the old Warrant 804. It is interesting to note that this Warrant was subsequently issued to Bombay, where a Lodge bearing that number still flourishes today.

From the unbroken line of Worshipful Masters from 1870 to the present time, containing many names that are household words in Enniskillen and Fermanagh, it is easy to deduce that since it was established in Enniskillen, 205 has been one of the highlights of Freemasonry in this part of Ireland. Its numbers have included many who have been distinguished in high and responsible positions in Irish Freemasonry, in recent years two distinguished brethren have attained the high office of Provincial Grand Master namely Right Worshipful Bro. George Charles Andrews who was installed on 1st May, 1982, and who affiliated to Lodge 205 in 1936 and Right Worshipful Bro. Ian Gamble Brown who was installed on 1st June, 1989 in Dublin and who affiliated to 205 in 1964. Its most distinguishing feature has always been the unswerving loyalty of all its members. Indeed it would not be presumptuous in 2004, to recopy a paragraph from the Naas By-laws of1855; "The Lodge has continued to prosper year after year. Many worthy and efficient Brethren have been initiated. "Peace, Love and Harmony" have always characterised its meetings. Great Strictness is observed in the selection of candidates, and in maintaining the principles of the Order."

At the end of the month of July a shock was felt in Enniskillen, when it became known that Br. Thomas Ingram, a leading merchant in the town, had died very suddenly while attending a meeting of Lodge 205.  He was one of the best known Masons in the North-West of Ireland, being Past Prov. Grand Senior Warden of Tyrone and Fermanagh, and a member of six Craft lodges in the latter county, being treasurer of one of them.  His funeral was of a Masonic character. 

Belfast Telegraph 1 January, 1919.

NP. Vol. E. F17