Freemasonry in
              Scarborough

 

 

Knights Templar - 238

Consecrated at the Masonic Hall Scarborough, 25 September 1925 by the Provincial Prior Lt. Col. Myles John Stapylton 

Meet 1st Fri Feb, Apr, June, Oct and Dec.
Secretary
Telephone 01723 373566

The earliest record of the Masonic Knights Templar in the district now covered by the Provincial Priory of North and East Yorkshire, occurs in the records of the "Grand Lodge of All England, held at York" and takes the form of a certificate to Bro. Mark Anthony Robinson, a yeoman of the City of York. The certificate gives the date of Bro. Robinson's Initiation, Passing, Raising, Exaltation into the Royal Arch, and admittance into the Knights Templar Lodge. These five ceremonies occur between the date of his initiation, 26 January 1779, and 29 of November 1779, the date of his admittance into the Knights Templar degree.

The Scardeburg preceptory possess a copy of a Knight Templar warrant dated 1809 issued by an Irish Grand Priory authorising the formation of an encampment in Scarborough. However none of the petitioners can be identified as members of Scarborough freemasonry so it is possible the warrant was issued to a Regiment stationed in Scarborough at that time. This warrant was later transferred to an encampment in Ringley near Manchester who surrendered it on 6 January 1853 and took out a new warrant which is now worked under the Faith Preceptory No 41 Wigan.

Early in 1867, seven members of the Antient York Conclave of Redemption petitioned Grand Conclave to form a new Conclave, the second in the Province, to be named the Geoffrey de Bouillon and to meet in Scarborough. The petition was granted and the Conclave was numbered 91 to meet at Scarborough "to be holden on no regular day". The warrant was dated 2 April 1867. 

The founders were all members of the Antient York Conclave of Redemption. Walter Reynolds of Hull, Mark William Cooper of York and five members of the Old Globe Royal Arch Chapter. John Woodall Woodall, who later became Provincial Prior, H. W. Garnett, Dr. W. F. Rooke, A. B. Brockwell and Captain H. Knocker of Bridlington. 

No record has survived of the day of consecration neither of this new conclave, nor of the names of the Consecrating Officers. The first recorded meeting is dated 2 November 1867 and was held at the Old Globe Lodge Room in the yard of the Old Globe Inn. 

The 1896 Provincial meeting in Scarborough was marked by the lowest attendance. The Geoffrey de Bouillon Preceptory was almost out of existence and only ten knights attended, comprising nine provincial officers and one member of the Antient York Conclave of Redemption.

A report was made to the meeting of the Provincial Priory at Hull in 1899 that the Geoffey de Bouillon Preceptory had ceased to meet through lack of interest on part of its members and that Great Priory had transferred the Warrant of the Preceptory to Birkenhead. The average attendance was about twelve and in the last few years dwindled to six. The records indicate that at the time of the transfer to Birkenhead, the Preceptory was in debt to the Treasurer in the sum of £12. 14. 8p. To discharge this debt the furniture and property were sold to the Birkenhead Knights for £13. 12. 8p.

At the meeting of Provincial Priory at St. Saviourgate, York on 17 October 1900 the Sub Prior, Col. H. Fawcett Pudsey in the absence of the Provincial Prior referred to his wish that the number of Preceptories in the Province should be brought up to a total of four, by re-establishing the Preceptory in Scarborough, and forming a new one at Middlesborough.

Between 1922 and 1925 a number of Scarborough Royal Arch Masons were installed as Knights Templar in the Ancient Ebor Preceptory. They constituted themselves into a body of petitioners to form a new Preceptory in Scarborough. This Preceptory, the Scardeburg No.238, was warranted on 15 July 1925 and consecrated in the Masonic Hall, Scarborough on 25 September 1925 by the Provincial Prior, Lt. Col. Myles John Stapylton O.B.E, D.C.