The Holy Royal Arch degree is considered the completion of the journey in ‘Pure Antient Masonry’. Its members meet in Chapters under the Supreme Grand Chapter. The Ceremony of Exaltation sees members follow the clues from the Third Degree to complete their journey in Pure Antient Masonry, in a spectacular and unforgettable ceremony.
Adams Holy Royal Arch Chapter meets on the 4th Wednesday in February, May, September and November
Adams Lodge Holy Royal Arch Chapter
The Known Origins of Adam’s Chapter No. 158
By Excellent Companion John Michael Watson, PPrDGReg, Chapter Director of Ceremonies
The advent of freemasonry in Sheerness has been well researched and recorded by several members of the fraternity, the most recent publication being the excellent ‘History of Adam’s Lodge 1797–1977’ by Worshipful Brother J.C.Attwood, PGStB, PPrGReg. It is not necessary for the purpose of this essay to dwell upon the early days of Craft Masonry in Sheerness except to the extent that it is necessary to be able to throw some light upon the practise of Royal Arch Masonry in late 18th and early 19th century Sheerness.
It is a tragedy that many of the early Masonic records of this period have been lost or destroyed but the early minute books of Adam’s lodge have survived. These do not give us any information regarding the ritual in use at that time but they do give us some fascinating references to the people involved, their names, profession and in some cases a clue as to their standing in the community. With the help of these documents and surviving records held in Grand Lodge we have been able to piece together some scraps of reliable information which, together with some reasonable speculation, enable us to trace the beginnings of Royal Arch Masonry in Sheerness and the formation of Adam’s Royal Arch Chapter in 1800.
Let us begin on 13th. January 1765 when a Warrant was issued by the ‘Antients’ authorising the formation of a lodge (No. 135) at the Navy Coffee House in the garrison, Sheerness. This lodge had a very short life, made no returns after 1765, did not return its warrant and was never formally erased. The ‘Antients’ considered that ancient freemasonry consisted if three degrees together with the Royal Arch. The Royal Arch degree was held to be part of Craft Masonry and the ceremonies were conducted in Craft lodges under the authority of a Craft Warrant. Does this suggest that the Royal Arch degree was conferred in Lodge No.135. It has been suggested by one writer that it was but who can tell? Since this was an‘Antient’ lodge can it be assumed that the Royal Arch Ceremony was performed in this lodge? There has been some speculation that this was a military lodge and that its members were moved on to His Majesty’s service elsewhere. We do not know for how long the lodge met in Sheerness or the names of any members of it.
A new Lodge, No 207 was granted a Warrant on 25th September 1778 by the Grand Lodge of the ‘Antients’. This lodge continued to meet until 1792 when internal strife brought about its demise. Its Warrant was returned in 1795. Again this was an‘Antient’ or ’Athol’ Lodge and as such may well have been familiar with the Royal Arch ceremony. It is impossible to be certain one way or the other but we can assume that if the Royal Arch ceremony was practised in this lodge, then at least some of its members must have become privy to the secrets of that degree somewhere other than in Lodge 207 or may have been exalted by a visitor qualified to conduct the Royal Arch Ceremony, but who they might have been is not known
The decision to return the Warrant does not appear to have been unanimous and a few months later some of the brethren of Lodge 207 petitioned for the grant of a Warrant to enable them to form a new Lodge. The Grand Lodge of the Antients granted their request in 1797 and reissued the Warrant handed in by Lodge 207. Thus 207 was born again but it was in fact a new lodge. It was this lodge that was, a few years later, to become known as Adam’s Lodge. The earliest date when the name Adam’s appeared was 1811.
This Lodge was the parent of the Royal Arch Chapter which at that time did not have a Charter of its own. It was described in correspondence of 1812 and 1813 as being ‘a Chapter of The Holy Royal Arch convened and held under sanction and authority of the Warrant of the Worshipful Lodge No 207.’ It held its first exaltation ceremony on 10th. February 1800.
On that occasion the record shows that twelve brethren were exalted the first of which was Bro. Edward Springfield who had been the first Master of the new lodge in 1797. Five days later, a Bro. David Linkletter, a member of Lodge No. 261 was exalted. On March 30th 1801 eight brethren were exalted and the record shows that during the next fifteen years fifty-seven brethren were exalted including five members of Irish Lodges. During this period one member of Lodge 207 was exalted in Lodge No 243.
At this time only those who had been installed as Master of a Craft Lodge could be exalted into Royal Arch Masonry. This proved to be very inconvenient and would have severely limited the number of masons seeking to be admitted to the Royal Arch. The ‘Antients found a clever way round this problem by allowing brethren to ‘Pass the Chair’ by which means they became what might be seen as ‘honorary’ past masters. The practise continued in Lodge 207 until the early 1830’s and the practice ceased altogether in1838 by order of United Grand Lodge.
The first record of anyone ‘passing the chair’ in Lodge 207 was in 1806 when Bro. William Baker paid five shillings for the privilege. This fact was mentioned in the records of Adam’s Lodge which are still in existence. These records are not minute books as we understand them. They are more like account books and while they record such items as who presided at meetings, they are principally records of financial transactions in the Lodge. There are numerous records of brother so- and -so being fined for being late or unshaven or being under the influence of drink but no references to anyone paying a fee for ‘passing the chair’. Bro. Baker’ s name does not appear among those exalted in the Chapter and it may be that he was not even a member of Lodge No. 207.
The records of Masonic activity in Sheerness at this time, such as they are, can be very confusing and lead to more questions than they provide answers. For example- Who exalted the twelve masons who were exalted at the first meeting of the Chapter? Certainly not Edward Springfield, the first Master of Lodge No.207. The names of the Masters of Lodge No. 207 between 1798 and 1804 are not known. Could any of the nineteen brethren exalted during this period have been the unknown Masters of Lodge No. 207?
There are, however, a number of documents surviving in the library of Grand Lodge. Among these are a number of letters from the Chapter informing Grand Lodge that certain brethren had been exalted into Royal Arch Masonry. The letters were signed by the Scribe and the three Principals and were drafted with some care. The wording is identical in each case as follows:
“Excellent Brother,
We the three Chiefs and Scribe whose names are hereunto subscribed do certify that in a Chapter of Holy Royal Arch convened and held under sanction and authority of the Warrant of Worshipful Lodge No. 207,our beloved Brothers Peter Pearson, Thomas Elvy, Thomas Hughes , John porter, John Warren, having delivered to us the recommendation of the Lodge hereunto subjoined and proved themselves by due examination to be well qualified in the several degrees of Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason and having passed the Chair were by us admitted to the supreme degree of Excellent Royal Arch Mason.
Given under our hands and Masonic mark in Chapter this 13th. day of April in the Year of Masonry, 5813, A,D, 1813.
Andrew McDewell Z
J.P. Hammond H Chiefs
George Leftly J
James Swift Scribe.
There are other snippets of information which are of interest. For example, in 1809 one guinea was taken ‘out of the box’ by Lodge No. 207 for the purchase of a Royal Arch seal and in 1819 a candelabra was presented to the Chapter. In 1828 a Bro. Clarkson presented three sceptres to the Lodge for the Chapter. It is believed that these sceptres were in use until new sceptres were made in the 1980’s. Little more is known of the original furniture used in the Chapter but in 1984 new banners were made and the ones they replaced given to the care of the Masonic Library and Museum in Canterbury. These banners were in a very worn and fragile condition and were believed to date from the very early days of the Chapter. The twelve Standards in use today date from some time before 1850. They are hand painted on tin plate and were made by Evans and Sons of London. This company was absorbed by Spencers at about this time. The pickaxe, crow and shovel in use today almost certainly date from the early days of the Chapter. They appear to be hand made and are clearly very old.
Of the many who have been members of Adams Chapter over the years, one is particularly noteworthy. His name was John Staples Keddell, a surgeon. He was born in Sheerness in 1798, initiated in Adams Lodge on 4th. March 1834 and became Worshipful Master on 27th December in the same year. He was exalted in Adams Chapter in December 1836 and was for many years very prominent in Royal Arch Masonry in Kent. He acted as Consecrating Officer to a number of Chapters and in 1856 he not only assisted in the Consecration of a chapter but at the end of the ceremony exalted seven Companions and assisted with a further six. He is also credited with certain aspects of the design of the Mark Jewel.
These notes do not claim to be scholarly nor are they in any sense complete as I am sure that diligent research would turn up much more relevant information. One question, which has yet to be answered satisfactorily, is where did Adam’s Lodge get its name. The possible explanation that it was taken from Adam Pucket who was Master of Adams Lodge in 1806, and was the proprietor of two of the hostelries at which the Lodge and Chapter met is very attractive but we cannot know if it was so. If only more of those early records had survived! We would have been so much wiser.
Adam’s Chapter, the oldest in the Province of East Kent, is thriving today and the possible introduction of a new Ritual is eagerly awaited. Our duty is to preserve and pass on to future generations the traditions of this fine old Chapter.
Adams Lodge No.158 