Enniskillen Masonic Lodges

Lodge No. 204

Crichton Lodge No.204 was formed in Lisnaskea on February 25th, 1867. The first Worshipful Master was Bro. Matthew H. Sankey, agent to the Brooke estates at Colebrooke; the Senior Warden, Bro. Thomas Colhoun Clarke, agent to Earl of Erne at Crom Castle; ("Crichton " is of course the family name of the Earl of Erne), and Bro. Paul Hunter, Head Constable, R.I.C., Lisnaskea, was Junior Warden. The Senior Deacon was Bro. John Patterson, and all these Brethren were members of Lodges at Newbliss or Clones. The Junior Deacon was Bro. Captain J. Matthews, who was named as from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts; and hid Brother was the Great Uncle of Wor. Bro. James H.A.Todd, Past Master of Lodge 204, Past Master of Lodge 200, and Past Secretary of Lodge 204.

Prior to this the Lodge met in Brookeborough but after the Papal Bull against Freemasonry all the Roman Catholic Brethren had no option but to resign, and so as to cause no embarrassment to the former members the Warrant was removed to Lisnaskea; the Jewels and furniture being gifted to the Lodge.

The minutes of the first meeting of the Lodge refer to the Grand Lodge Warrant authorising the formation of the new Lodge, but not to any Grand Lodge Officer present to constitute it; an omission amply made up a hundred years later! It is interesting to note that as soon as the Lodge had been constituted and opened and the Officers installed, a ballot was held for sixteen candidates, and when this was found clear they were initiated forthwith. This was apparently the normal practice, but the minutes also give evidence that it was by no means rare for a Brother to receive two degrees in the one evening. Furthermore in those early days it was the rule rather than the exception for one evening's labour to include 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree and a ballot. From which we deduce that ceremonies at degrees were a good deal shorter than at present, as after such a meeting - opening at four, five or six o'clock- the Brethren nearly always adjourned for refreshment, and "an agreeable afternoon was spent." Another detail which points to much shorter ceremonies than our degrees, is that when a second degree or third degree was given, the Brethren not entitled to be present were readmitted after the Lodge had been called down, so evidently they had remained "within hail." No record of the place or places of meeting are recorded but it was common in those days to meet in some Hotel or Inn.

In the early days of the Lodge most of the meeting were "Emergencies" and in fact on 5th April it was proposed and agreed that " Lodges of Emergency do be held until all members are raised to the M.M. degree." At the same meeting it was agreed that the matter of subscriptions to the Lodge should be1/6 (7 1/2pence) monthly or18/- (90pence) per annum. In the matter of finances it is worthy of record that at the June meeting a collection was taken up for charitable purposes and the sum collected was £1-7-6. (£1.37 1/2p). It is not easy to find an index to enable us to compare the value of money then with today, but by any standard this must at the time have been a very respectable sum, and to set an example which the Lodge is proud to have sustained up to the present day.

It is interesting to notice that the practice of electing officers for six months only was apparently general, even though sometimes the same officers, or some of them, were re-elected. The practice would appear to have associated with the observances of the two festivals of St. John. That of St. John the Baptist on June 24th, and that of St. John the Evangelist on December 27th; both were marked by installation ceremonies on or as near as possible to the date in question.

An interesting form of Masonic activity recorded from time to time was excursions to places of interest. At an early stage we read of one to Crom Castle, when the brethren were permitted to visit the house and "pleasure grounds" and subsequently sent a very warm letter of thanks to their host. A similar visit to Castlecaldwell was proposed and agreed, but later it was cancelled owing to the death of the Secretary Bro.William Flanagan.

An item of expenditure that occurs from time to time is -"ribbands" for the brethren attending the funeral of a member.

There is also a note of a visit to Belle Isle. On such occasion it was apparently the custom for the brethren to dine together on returning from the excursion. Dinners were evidently regular, and at first were at a standard charge of 3 shillings(15p); on the occasion of the Crom visit lunch was laid on at 3shillings and 6 pence (17 1/2 pence), "drinks to be provided by the Lodge" Later it was resolved to raise dinner to 4 shillings (20p), for which in those days a very respectable meal indeed could surely have been provided.

The numbers of members of the  lodge fluctuated only slightly in the first 17 years; it opened with 34, reached 42, and in 1884 stood at 37. The came the decline, and by 1894 it reached the nadir of nine. No meeting is recorded from December, 1894 to June, 1895, when an emergency Lodge was held at which there were eight present including the Tyler. Some dim clue may be provided by the minutes of August, 1895, when another emergency meeting was called to consider the resignation of the Secretary of the Lodge. On the 18th November the Lodge met and "it was unanimously agreed that as the money at hand amounted only 9 shillings and 6 pence (47 1/2p) the members present should subscribe 7 shillings (35p) each toward paying Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge dues. "This seems a little tough on those who turned up, who were only five plus the Tyler. At the same meeting "notice was given by the Secretary Bro.R.Geo.Nixon that on our next regular night of meeting, viz St. Stephen's Day, that he would propose that the business of the Lodge be wound up and the Warrant sent in to Grand Lodge." Accordingly on 26th December, this motion was put up and seconded by Wor. Bro.H.M.Tisdall and carried unanimously by the seven brethren present. An arrangement was made whereby the debts of the Lodge which were then paid should remain chargeable upon the furniture of the Lodge in the event of its being revived; and the Warrant was sent to Grand Lodge. In this minute book the next entry is in the form of an account preceding the next minutes, and it is here stated that the Warrant was sent in "to be held in trust for a period of 12 months." In November 1896 thirteen Brethren, eight of whom are described as "all of 204" applied for the return of the Warrant, which was granted by Grand Lodge on the 5th December, and on 21st December, having redeemed the "furniture" the Lodge was resuscitated.

As far as can be ascertained the first meetings of the Lodge were held in the Old Court House, which appear also to have been known as the Market House and as the Town Hall. In 1914 it removed to the Parochial Hall. also known as the Eleanor Archdale Memorial Hall, where it met until 1957. But as early as 1950 plans were afoot for the acquisition of premises suitable to be devoted exclusively to Masonic purposes, and these were named the Arnold Hall after Wor.Bro.Arnold, who was Secretary from 1920 until 1957.

On 22nd June, 1967 after the culmination of ten years' hard work this Temple was opened and dedicated by the Rt. Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master, Bro.J.A.Wallace Among the very distinguished members of the Masonic Order present on that occasion was a deputation consisting of the Grand Master and Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand.

In more recent times we can mention a few of the many brethren who have helped to build and shape this fine Lodge. Brethren such as the late Very Worshipful Bro. Alan Tisdall who served the Lodge for 60 years from 21st February, 1921 when he was initiated, until he passed away on 1st May, 1981. He was Wor. Master in 1935 and in later life became "father of the Lodge." His son Frank was Secretary in the Lodge also. No Lodge can fully function properly without a good Director of Ceremonies and for 15 years form 1967 to 1982 this position was ably filled by Wor. Bro. John Ferguson, whose expertise and devotion to 204 were most gratefully acknowledged by the brethren when they presented him with a Pewter Mug. The conferring of Degrees is nothing new to Wor. Bro. David Elliott, who has been carrying out these duties for a long number of years. As well as being Director of Ceremonies he has the added responsibility of ensuring junior members play their full role in Lodge affairs, especially in the conferring of degrees. Two distinguished brethren who have contributed much to the continuing progress of Crichton Lodge over the years, are Very Worshipful Bro. James Robinson, and Worshipful Bro. Charles Kirkpatrick. Very Worshipful Bro. Robinson was initiated on 17th September, 1934, became Worshipful Master in 1950 and in 1978/79 was Provincial Senior Grand Warden of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Tyrone and Fermanagh. His son Rt. Worshipful Bro. Eric S.Robinson is the current District Deputy Grand Master of Alberta Masonic District No.3, Canada. Lastly Wor. Bro. Kirkpatrick, who was initiated on the 20th December 1948, served as Worshipful Master in 1958, later he was Secretary for a total of 8 years. In 1980 he was honoured by the Provincial Grand Master who appointed him as the Standard Bearer.

The Lodge is in good hands, continues to prosper, and the membership now stands at 100.