Middlesex in 1769
An alternative Provincial Grand Lodge.
W. Bro Stan Marut SLGR PPrJGD – News Editor – Provincial Media Team looks at the County of Middlesex as was and why Lodges based in the old County were never part of the Provincial Grand Lodge established in 1870.
If you asked the average East Ender if he knew that the East End had previously been part of Middlesex, you might have been scoffed at, but the map above will show that the County of Middlesex embraced an area from the River Colne in the west to the River Lea in the east and was girded in the South by the River Thames. The Isle of Dogs was in Middlesex? You might hear the response; “You’re having a laugh”. Nevertheless, it is true and in 1889 the old County territory was torn asunder and over 50 square miles of Middlesex became administered by the newly formed London County Council. The area which was taken included a large swathe of the Ossultone Hundred and gradually Middlesex would become a “has been” to be finally laid to rest in 1965 when the Greater London Council took over the administrative function of the now defunct Middlesex County Council.
The Hundreds of Middlesex – the Ossultone Hundred took the major brunt of “annexations” and the Domesday map of Middlesex showing the names of towns which might still be recognisable.
As for the Province, this was formed in 1870. However, the initial jurisdiction of the newly formed Grand Lodge formed in 1717 was limited to Lodges meeting in London, specifically an area within 10 miles of Charing Cross. This begs the question of a definition of what constituted London at that time? Patently London was the City and the surrounding area constituted Middlesex. This is not contested. For a better understanding on how government at a local level worked (and it does seem highly complicated then look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_local_government_in_England
In 1971 the 10-mile radius from Grand Lodge was reduced to five miles; Lodges in the band between five and 10 miles opted either to remain a London Lodge or transfer to the relevant Province.
5 MILE BOUNDARY FROM GRAND LODGE
10 MILE BOUNDARY FROM GRAND LODGE
SOME OF THE LODGES MEETING IN MIDDLESEX BUT WITHIN THE BOUNDARY SET BY GRAND LODGE – 10 MILES
| LODGE NAME | NUMBER | CONSECRATION DATE | MEETING PLACES PRE 1870 | ERASED |
| ST GEORGE’S AND CORNERSTONE LODGE | 5 | 1756 | SHADWELL, STEPNEY, MIDDX | |
| MOUNT MORIAH LODGE | 34 | 1775 | WAPPING, MIDDX | |
| SEA CAPTAINS LODGE | 90 | 1756 | WAPPING, MIDDX | 1794 |
| LODGE OF AMITY | 171 | 1784 | SHOREDITCH, MIDDX | |
| ST PAUL’S LODGE | 194 | 1790 | SPITALFIELDS | |
| MARINER’S LODGE | 255 | 1760 | WAPPING, MIDDX | 1778 |
| MERCHANT NAVY LODGE | 781 | 1859 | POPLAR, MIDDX | |
| BRITISH OAK LODGE | 831 | 1860 | STRATFORD, MILE END | 1874 |
| HORNSEY LODGE | 890 | 1861 | STOKE NEWINGTON, MIDDX | |
| LODGE OF TEMPERANCE IN THE EAST | 898 | 1862 | POPLAR. MIDDX | |
| DUKE OF EDINBURGH | 1259 | 1869 | MILE END, MIDDX | |
| LODGE OF ST JOHN | 1306 | 1870 | WAPPING, MIDDX | |
| CORINTHIAN LODGE | 1382 | 1872 | CUBITT TOWN, ISLE OF DOGS, MIDDX |
Strictly, then there might be said that there is no case to answer. But I present this as “what if”. Middlesex was the larger area of land. London in name was confined to the City with its rules and regulations on how it was administered.
G F Bosworth writing about Middlesex in 1913 (Middlesex -Cambridge University Press) said that Middlesex had suffered from the overpowering influence of London. London, as we have said was founded long before Middlesex and from the time of King John until 1889 one of the Sheriffs was the Sheriff of Middlesex. Middlesex never had its own county town, although Brentford did receive the accolade as the “capital” of the county but strictly from 1889 until 1965 the County administration took place in Westminster, (Middlesex Guildhall). He also stated that the position of Middlesex was anomalous for it was the only County which never had its own constabulary.
MASONICALLY SPEAKING
The 10-mile rule strictly wiped out any notion of the Province having within its auspices those Lodges which met in Middlesex in the East, as I have called it, and would eventually become part of the Metropolitan Grand Lodge when it was ultimately formed in 2003. It appears that there had been various recommendations and discussions as to how freemasonry would be managed in London. This never really got off the ground. In 1767-8 a plan to establish a Province of London was considered but rejected after objections were raised by London Lodges. A later review in 1913-14 included the proposal to create 10 Metropolitan Grand Lodges which was shelved when war broke out in 1914. Despite subsequent discussions about the administration of London Lodges by the Grand Secretary’s office it was only in the late 1990s that the Grand Master (HRH Duke of Kent) set up a formal review. A further and more concise explanation of the establishment of the 10-mile rule is given in Ron Selby’s book – Middlesex 150 – (2020) and published by the Province. Also, there is a discussion of the formation of the Province in Middlesex Matters by Allan Beaver which was published in 1995 by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex. Copies of both books are still available. Allan Beaver’s book may be purchased second hand on Abebooks.co.uk
So, we can only regret that because of the Rules pertaining as shown above, Middlesex as a Province did not embrace those Lodges which met in East Middlesex.
Today, the Province is situated within the area of the Greater London Authority and the boundaries are perhaps not as strictly defined as to favour of the Province. Rule 158 BoCs requires that permission is granted for a candidate not living or working in a locality where he has neither permanent residence, nor regular place of business. Nowhere in the rule is mentioned any boundary of either a Province or a Metropolitan Area, but reference is made only to ‘a locality’. This is a moot point.
The point made here is to be aware of the history of freemasonry in the area which was ostensibly Middlesex but was never included within the definition of the newly established of Province Middlesex in 1870. If there had been no ten-mile rule we can only ponder what might have been.
The George as it appeared before the two world wars where it was severely damaged by bombs and today totally reconstructed on the old foundations.
The author had the opportunity to visit the George Public House on the Isle of Dogs where Corinthian Lodge No 1382 was established in 1872. We would, perhaps, normally associate our freemasonry in the leafier climes of the western part of the “County”. The Isle of Dogs was in the heart of the Docklands and shipbuilding took place there. Corinthian Lodge No 1382 was formed by members of Lodge of Temperance in the East No 898 and included in the petition to Grand Lodge was this plea “…and also for the convenience of Masters or Officers of ships lying in the Millwall Docks and the West India South Dock, there being no other Lodge in the immediate neighbourhood.” Though the Lodge was consecrated at the Silver Tavern, Burdett Road, Bow, by W. Bro. Henry Muggeridge, preceptor of the Stability Lodge of Instruction, on March 20th, 1872, it was empowered to meet on a regular basis at the George Inn, Glengall Road, Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs, on the third Wednesday in every month. (from the Corinthian Lodge History – https://www.corinthianlodge1382.org.uk/history.html)
Brass plaque commemorating the meeting place of Corinthian Lodge No 1382 in the cellar of The George Public House.
Square and Compasses on a pub sign at The George.
Ship building in Middlesex? It’s true. Brunel’s Great Eastern was built at Millwall Dock, Middlesex.
After a tasty pub lunch at the George the author endeavoured to find the launching site of the SS Great Eastern and eventually using Google Maps and asking one or two locals it was found. The launching of this ship was a major event at the time and was not without difficulty – (see – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Great_Eastern)
The author believes that members of the Province must continually reinvent Middlesex, so we recognise the important heritage of the former County which may not be fully known or appreciated. Hopefully this short article has provided food for thought and a catalyst for more research into the Industrial and Masonic history of the County.
For further research on non-masonic aspects of the History of Middlesex the twelve volumes of the Victoria County History of Middlesex can be found on the following website – https://www.british-history.ac.uk/search/series/vch–middx
Bound volumes may also be found using Google Search for suitable web sellers.
All photos and illustrations are either author’s copyright or in the public domain.
Addendum: Some parishes lost after 1889 which were formally in the County of Middlesex:
Acton (St Mary) • Bethnal Green • Bow • Bromley • Charter House • Chelsea (All Saints) • Chiswick (St Nicholas) • Clerkenwell • Duchy of Lancaster • Ealing (St Mary) • Finchley (St Mary) • Friern Barnet • Fulham (All Saints) • Furnival’s Inn • Glasshouse Yard • Gray’s Inn • Hackney • Hammersmith (St Paul) • Hampstead (St John) • Holy Trinity Minories • Hornsey • Islington (St Mary) • Kensington (St Mary Abbots) • Liberty of Saffron Hill, Hatton Garden, Ely Rents and Ely Place • Liberty of the Rolls • Limehouse • Lincoln’s Inn • Mile End New Town • Mile End Old Town • Norton Folgate • Old Artillery Ground • Old Tower Without • Paddington • Poplar • Precinct of the Savoy • Ratcliffe • Shadwell • Shoreditch • Spitalfields • (St Andrew) Holborn • Staple Inn • St Botolph Aldersgate • St Botolph without Aldgate • St Clement Danes • Stepney (St Dunstan) • (St George) Bloomsbury • St George in the East • St George the Martyr • St Giles in the Fields • St Katharine’s by the Tower • St Luke • St Marylebone • St Mary le Strand • Stoke Newington • St Pancras • St Sepulchre • Wapping • West Twyford • Whitechapel • Willesden (St Mary the Virgin).
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesex
History of Middlesex – Kingfisher Visitor Guides
