Philanthropic Lodge History

This original exposition was presented by the following Brethren from Philanthropic Lodge No. 304 in 1984.
Brother Ian Weatherhead, who compiled this exposition and did the original research.
Brother Andrew Gott
Brother Gilbert Booth
Brother Owen O'Neill
Brother Alan Haigh now W. Brother Alan Haigh
Update of this exposition by W. Brother James A.W.D.C.Baird, Provincial A.G.D.C.
Presented on 28th October 1998 – Birthday of our Worshipful Master W. Brother Randolph Bradley, P.P.G.Reg.
Presented on 29th September 2005- W.Bro Brian Sykes PPSGD, W.Bro Barry Sucksmith PPGSwB, W.Bro Iain Glass, Bro Stephen Foster,
Bro Dennis Newton, Bro Ian Robertson, Br John Templeman

Editors note:
To put the history of our lodge in historical context, it is useful to review what was happening in the world at the time of our foundation.
George III was on the throne of England, his government under the leadership of William Pitt.
Slavery was still permitted in Britain, and wouldn't be abolished for another 13 years
Our American colony had gained it's independence only 11 years earlier, and their civil war would not take place for another 67 years.
The French Revolution which had started only five years earlier was still in full swing, in fact Robespierre's reign of terror had only ended in the same year on which our lodge was founded. Napoleon also came to power in this year
India was a collection of Prince states, ruled by the Mogul Empire.
Europe was at that time awash with ideas of republicanism and an end to monarchies. All of which was fired up by the French Revolution
The British Empire was still in the distant future.

The first 150 years
Over two hundred years ago on Monday, August 25th 1794, Philanthropic Lodge held its inaugural meeting. Eight members of Fidelity Lodge, No 289, were responsible for our formation and to we salute our Brethren in Fidelity in particular and our Brethren in Freemasonry, in general with an exposition tracing our history, our achievements, and indeed our landmarks which point to the contribution Philanthropic Lodge has made to our ancient and honourable order.
If we could but summon those ancient Brethren from the Lodge above, what a dramatic story they would tell . . . what a truly inspiring story of their determination to extend the Craft here in Leeds, in what was most certainly a dark and dangerous age.

FIRST MINUTES of PHILANTHROPIC LODGE NO. 542
LEEDS, MONDAY, AUGUST 25TH 1794

Lodge opened at 8 o'clock when Brother Bentley was properly installed as Master and took the chair.
Brother Higgins as S.W., Brother Parish J.W., Brother Armatage Treasurer, Brother. Willcock Secretary, properly obligated Brother Joel and Brother Cocker as Deacons. Master installed by Worshipful past Master Sutcliffe in the presence of Brother Banks, Brother Craven, Brother Cock and Brother Boothman from the Lodge of Fidelity 512, Leeds.
Brother Craven proposed himself to become a member of this body. Brother Willcock proposed Joseph Dorrams to be initiated into Masonry and paid 5 shillings. Brother Bentley proposed Richard Constantine to be initiated into Masonry as Tyler and paid 5 shillings. Lodge closed at 11 o'clock in good harmony.

They met in a pub – there was nowhere else. It can’t have felt much like an historic occasion, a few men sitting in a smoky room in this pub, the Crown Inn, Kirkgate Leeds. It was lit, poorly lit, by tallow tapers.
We know it was a smoky room because three months later smoking in the Lodge was banned. Any Brother choosing to smoke must do so outside the Lodge – that’s what it says in the minutes.
And we know it was poorly lit by tallow tapers because they complained about them for two years, then the Senior Warden had something to say about ‘em, so they changed to wax candles.
Now we are not suggesting that our illustrious founders spent their Lodge nights putting up “No Smoking” signs and complaining about the light.
Our minutes tell us that those early meetings were closed in “Perfect Peace, Great Friendship and Great Harmony.”
But if the mood inside the Lodge was of peace, harmony and friendship, the atmosphere in the outside world was very different indeed,because England was at war.
Leeds one of the eight major cities of England was literally knee deep in the filth and squalor of the first waves of the Industrial Revolution.
England had declared war on France the year before. Volunteer armies were being raised in every town to counter the threat of insurrection and internal commotion.

The tide of war, the birth of the steam age, our people caught up in the Industrial Revolution and the Craft in Leeds undoubtedly, inevitably, at a low ebb.
These were the elements making up the turbulent times in which our Lodge was founded.
Most assuredly, Philanthropic Lodge needed Men of Fidelity. . .

We do not exaggerate the seriousness of the industrial and the economic climate of Leeds back in 1794.
We found this brief notice in a weekly newspaper, The Leeds Intelligencer, of May 12th, 1794, which was just a few months before our formation.
'Just published, price sixpence, a concise sketch of the intended revolution in England with a few hints on the obvious methods to avert it.'
In April, June and July of that same year the Leeds Intelligencer carried news about the many regiments being formed for the defence of the town in against what they describe as 'internal commotion.'
The same thing was happening at Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, Pontefract and York.