JOHN R.

PATERNOSTER, IX
M.W. Frater Supreme Magus

Some Interesting people

From the SRIA Golden Book
High Council – 11th May 2013
By Alistair McGawn Lees VIII/9°
Director General of Studies

© SRIA 1867-2011
2
JOHN R. PATERNOSTER, IX
M.W. Frater Supreme Magus, SRIA

Some Interesting people

From the SRIA Golden Book

High Council – 11th May 2013

By Alistair McGawn Lees VIII/9°

Director General of Studies

© SRIA 1867-2011
SRIA High Council Library

4
5
 Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
(Rosicrucian Society of Freemasons)
M.W. Fra. JOHN R. PATERNOSTER, IX
Supreme Magus
Chief Adept of Greater London

HIGH COUNCIL LIBRARY

High Council Library

Paper read at High Council 11th May 2013
Director General of Studies
Alistair McGawn Lees VIII/9°

Some Interesting people

From the SRIA Golden Book

INTRODUCTION

The SRIA Golden Book is contained in three large sumptuous volumes at our
headquarters at Hampstead. These records were diligently transferred in 2012 in to
digital format by R.W. Frater Terry Cook VIII/9°, Deputy Recorder General and
Chief Adept of the South East Counties, greatly assisted in this task by his wife
Sandra. The results of this herculean task will be available on the societies new
website in due time.
The electronic Golden Book will help our Fratres search for historical
member’s names, ranks, dates, mottos and for Date Protection purposes limited
personal details will be available of existing members, but it also contains more
importantly the complete details of past and deceased members of our society and
will no doubt help with historical research. Apart from the three handwritten Golden
Books, one of the many additional sources used by R.W. Frater Terry Cook was the
very first record of this information, which was contained in the back of the first
society minute book, re-discovered in the society records in 2010.
It was this ‘first Golden Book’ that Frater Terry remarked one day, would
prove the basis for a very interesting paper, as it shows the gradual build-up of the
membership and also contains the names of people proposed but who never joined
the society as well.

6
 The first thing to say is that everyone in our Golden book is a very interesting
person, just look around your own college. This is the briefest description of some of
the first interesting members that are not mentioned in the societies SRIA History,
written by Tom Marston Greensill 9° (1915-1996) [DEFENSOR FIDEI , Colleges
numbers No. 01, 13, 53, admitted 27/04/1977, Celebrant of College No. 53 1992 ,
Grade 9° 1988].
His S.R.I.A. history was later amended by both R.W. Frater Andrew
Stephenson IX° SME ACR, [FONS VITAE SAPIENTIA , Colleges 01, 13, 18 Hon
– 22,23,24,40,65, 68 70, 72. Admitted 1961 Celebrant No 13 1971 and No 22 2002,
SM 13] and R.W. Frater Bob Gilbert in 2003.
There are over 1,969 current entries, of existing members and 7,794 in the
combined historical list. In Microsoft Excel software you can sort these by columns,

Figure 1 First Page of the Golden Book

like for example sort by the college number and thereby produce a list of all your
colleges’ members, further sorted by the date they joined.
For example there have been a total of 1,227 members of Metropolitan
College over the years or 16% of the total!
I would like to acknowledge that much of the new information, not contained
in our SRIA History for each person, comes from the biographical notes contained
in the United Grand Lodge Museum and Library, entries for some of the documents
concerning these people and can be sourced online through their Museum and
Library website. I similarly purchased some of the photographs from the Museum
and Library.

7
 Can I start with one potential member that you may say one that got away! I
believe that William Henry White would have been the first Supreme Magus of the
English Rosicrucian Freemasons, if he had lived.
The reason for this is that he died in April 1866, eight months before Robert
Wentworth Little and William James Hughan travelled up to Edinburgh to be
admitted on the 31st December 1866. There are two other reasons for this conjecture.
R.W. Little resurrected the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine and from a Grand
Council of Pennsylvania history 1872 of the order, W.H. White became the first
Grand Sovereign (1865-1866) before Lord Kenlis, who is mentioned later.
As you will see from the bibliography below W.H. White had originally been
head of the ‘Red Cross of Constantine’ order first in 1813 and Grand Sovereign in
1856. We are told in the SRIA History “Bro. Little found certain papers in the cellar
of Freemasons' Hall” but that “Bro. Little was employed on the staff of Grand Lodge
from 1862 and appointed Cashier in 1866.”
This was five years after W.H. White had retired from office making him an
unlikely source. But as we will see a number of the clerks and cashiers made up the
first members of our society and senior ones at that, in fact they made up three of the
seven Brethren that attend the first meeting of our society on 1st June 1867. H.G.
Buss was a UGLE clerk working with W.H. White first in 1855, showing a very
strong loyal link with the UGLE secretariat and our society. So I suggest more
research may prove interesting in this area!

William Henry White (1777-1866)

Head of Red Cross of Constantine 1813,
Grand Sovereign 1856
First Sovereign of the revived Red
Cross of Rome and Constantine 1865-
66
William Henry White was born
in London on 19 November 1777. He
was the second son of William White, a
stockbroker and his wife, Mary. He was
baptised at St. Alphage church, London
Wall on 6 December 1777. He married
Mary Ann Hands at St James church,
Clerkenwell, London in 1812, where the
banns were read on 6 and 13 of
December that year. He trained as a
solicitor and served as the Private
Secretary of HRH the Duke of Sussex,
Grand Master of the United Grand Figure 2 - William Henry White
(UGLE)
8
Lodge of England by 1813 and as Secretary of the Honourable Artillery Company
from 1820 to 1857. In the English census he is recorded as Secretary of the
Honourable Artillery Company and Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons,
living at 18 Artillery Place, Finsbury Square, London with his wife and two servants
in 1851 and as a widower living at 36 City Road with his niece Martha Ann White, a
cook and housemaid in 1861.
He was initiated as a freemason in Lodge of Emulation, No. 21, London on
15 April 1799, working under the Moderns (or Premier) Grand Lodge of England,
where he served as Worshipful Master in 1801. He was appointed a Grand Steward
in 1805 and joined Grand Stewards Lodge [SN 162] the same year. He became a
joining member of Lodge of Friendship, No. 6, London in 1806, where he served as
Secretary; Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2, London in 1813, resigning in 1815; Royal
Alpha Lodge, No. 16, London in 1823, resigning in 1863; Britannic Lodge, No. 33,
London in 1821, resigning in 1831 and Somerset House Lodge, No. 4, London in
1829, resigning in 1847. He was appointed joint Grand Secretary of the Moderns
Grand Lodge with his father in 1810 and after the merger of the Antients and
Moderns Grand Lodges in 1813, with Edwards Harper, the Deputy Grand Secretary
of the Antients. After Harper’s retirement in 1838, White became the sole Grand
Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, serving until he retired on 29 April
1857. In 1849 he was presented with a testimonial for his forty years of service as
Grand Secretary. In Royal Arch he was exalted in St. James’s Chapter, No. 2,
London on 14 March 1811. He became a Founder of Cyrus Chapter, No. 21, London
on 10 December 1811, where he served as inaugural third Principal and later served
as First Principal. He was appointed Grand Scribe E by the Supreme Grand Chapter
of Royal Arch Masons of England in 1817, serving until 1858. He was installed as a
Knight Templar and received the Rose Croix and Ne Plus Ultra Degrees in the
Mount Calvary Encampment.
In Ancient and Accepted Rite he became a member of a Rose Croix Chapter.
He became a member of the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and on 13 March
1809 he was installed as a Knight Grand Cross. He was appointed Grand Chancellor
of the Order on 15 December 1810 and head of the Order on 19 July 1813. On 31
May 1856 he was elected Grand Sovereign of the Order. He supported the Masonic
charities and became a Trustee for the Masonic School for Female Children, later
known as the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls and also a Vice-President of that
Institution. He also became a Life-Governor of the Boy’s School, later known as the
Royal Masonic Institution for Boys, and the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged
Freemasons and their widows, later known as the Royal Masonic Benevolent
Institution. He died at 36 City Road, London on 5 April 1866 and was buried at St.
James’, St. Pancras, London a week later. His will was proved on 7 May 1866 at
under £3,000 and the executors were his niece and a nephew – Alfred White of West
Drayton.

9
 The History of the SRIA written by T.M. Greensill and updated by R.A.
Gilbert and Andrew Stevenson contains much information about the key members of
the society; I have tried to show new information only.
Finding in the archives the signature book, minute book and first golden book
has shed some more light on the subject.
It is for example very interesting that the first member listed, in the first SRIA
Golden Book, which is in the back of the first society minute book is not of Robert
Wentworth Little, but that of W.J. Hughan, modesty perhaps on behalf of the writer,
who seems to be R.W.Little.

GB0001 – William James Hughan (1841-1911) 26 years old in 1867,

Zelator & II on the 31st December 1866 Edinburgh,
D.M.G. 1868-69,
S.S.M. 1869-1876 (resigns) 1891
P.S.M. for long service 1891
It would seem from the first Golden Book and the entries for W.J. Hughan’s
grades that something significant happened between R.W. Little and W.J. Hughan on
the second visit to Scotland on the 4th February, as they both received the 3° but
only R.W. Little received the 4° and 5° in Edinburgh. They do not seem to attend
any Edinburgh meeting together again.
On the 4th February “both
received the 3° and Little the 4°
and 5° in Edinburgh;” [A][M]
Why did Hughan not receive his
4° & 5° did he leave early?
On the 6th March Fra. W.J.
Hughan only received 4°, 5° and
6°. [A][M]
On the 18th May, Fra.
R.W. Little was given the 6°, 7°
and 8°. [A][M]
On the 1st June, Fra. W.J.
Hughan only received 7° and
Little 9° in absentia.
From the signature book
and the minute book it is clear that
W.J. Hughan did not attend a
Rosicrucian Society of England
meeting until 14th January 1869, Figure 3 W.J. Hughan
missing the first eight meetings 31st December 1867

10
and was not a regular attendee thereafter. Distance may have been one factor, Devon
is a long way, but Hughan travelled to Scotland and was traveling the country
looking for masonic documents for his famous book, ‘The old charges of British
Freemasons’ (1872). There must have been another reason? A warrant ‘to receive
such Gentleman’ was issued by Edinburgh on the 14th July in W.J. Hughan name,
from the Ros: Scot: from their Grand Council No member of their Scottish
organisation ever visited London. Did the break between the two bodies begin in
February 1867? However both Anthony O’Neal Hay SM and his Secretary General
were both made honorary members of the London Society according to the minutes
at its second meeting in October.
This is who attended the first meeting:-

FIRST MEETING 1ST JUNE 1867

GOLDEN BOOK NUMBERS

GB No number R.W. Little

GB 0002 – Henry Gustavus Buss. (1814 -
1893) [UGL] Ass. Grand Sec. (1877-84),
First Treas. Gen. SRIA (1867-1885)
attended first meeting, Clerk UGLE
1855, Second secretary of Royal
Albert Lo. 14 years (first was R.W.
Little)
GB 03 – William Turner, Secretary General
1867, minutes written in R.W. Little’s
hand, died 1868
GB 06 – Alfred Albert Pendlebury. Pendlebury
(1840-1898) attended first meeting. Figure 4 W.J. Hughan
GB 05 - Charles Hasgood? Never attended
again
GB 06 - Edward Clarke? Never attended again
GB 07- James Trickett? Never attended again

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GB 0002 Henry Gustavus Buss
1st Treasurer General 1867
The first Treasurer General of the Rosicrucian Society of England in 1867
and one of seven that attend the first meeting 1st June 1867. Henry Gustavus Buss
was born in Holborn, London around 1814. He became a clerk working in the Grand
Secretary's Office of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1855. By 1881 he was a
widower, living at 127 Otford Road, Middlesex.
He was initiated in Lodge of St. Mary, No. 63, London on 19 March 1846,
where he was passed on 16 April and
raised on 21 May the same year. He
was listed as being a ‘serving
member’, therefore not required to pay
subscriptions. He became a joining
member of Egyptian Lodge, No. 27,
London in 1847, where he served as
Worshipful Master in 1850; Secretary
from 1851 to 1874 and Treasurer in
1877. He became a Founder of
Canonbury Lodge, No. 657, London in
1856, where he served as Secretary;
Rose of Denmark Lodge, No. 975,
London in 1863, where he served as
the first second Secretary of the Royal
Albert Lodge, No. 907,[R.W. Little
was the first Royal Albert Lodge
secretary] London, where he served as
Secretary for fourteen years.
Member of Villiers Lodge, No.
1195, Hampton Court, Middlesex in
1867; Burdett Lodge, No. 1293,
Hampton Court in 1869, where he
served as Secretary, and Mizpah Figure 5 Henry Gustavus Buss
Lodge, No. 1671, London in 1876,
where he served as Secretary.
He became involved with the foundation of the Provincial Grand Lodge of
Middlesex and was appointed Provincial Grand Secretary in 1870, serving until
1875; Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 1876 and Provincial Grand Treasurer in
1877, serving until 1884.
He became a clerk working in the Grand Secretary's Office of the United
Grand Lodge of England in 1855. He was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary by
the United Grand Lodge of England in 1877, serving until 1884. In Royal Arch he
was exalted in Domatic Chapter, No. 177, London where he served as First Principal

12
in 1856. He became a joining member of Rose of Denmark Chapter, No. 975,
London in 1877. He served as Provincial Grand Treasurer of the Grand Chapter of
Middlesex from 1872 to 1883. He was appointed Grand Standard Bearer by the
Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England in 1878 and Assistant
Grand Scribe E in 1880. He supported the Masonic charities and he became a Life
Governor of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and the Royal Masonic
Benevolent Institution, and an Annual Subscriber to the Royal Masonic Institution
for Girls. He died on 6 July 1893.
Photograph of Henry Gustavus Buss in Masonic regalia, photographed by
Haigh and Hemery, 213 Regent Street, London. Masonic Rank: Assistant Grand
Secretary. Masonic Regalia: Grand
Officer's apron, gauntlets, gloves and
collar with jewel of an Assistant Grand
Secretary, with four breast jewels.
[UGLE M & L]

GB 0006 – Alfred Albert Pendlebury.

Pendlebury was the first 3rd
Ancient in June 1867 and carried on in
office for two years. He received his
Grade II in November 1867 and his
Grade VII in October 1868 before the
significant January meeting when Little
proclaimed himself S.M. he attended
rarely the last time in 1868, although he
was nominated to form committee to
prepare the bylaws.
Pendlebury (1840-1898) [UGL]
started as a junior clerk at UGLE, Figure 6 Alfred Albert Pendlebury
progressed to cashier, then accountant.
On the retirement of Brother Buss in 1886, Pendlebury was appointed Chief Clerk
and was invested as Assistant Grand Secretary (1887-1894) serving until 1894.
Alfred Arthur Pendlebury was born at Tower Hill, London in 1840 and was
baptised at St. Dunstan’s Church, Stepney on 10 May that year. He was the son of
John Calton Pendlebury, a die turner at the Royal Mint and later a medallist and his
wife, Ann. He had obtained an appointment in the Indian Navy by 1859, serving in
Bombay, India. When the Indian Navy and Royal Navy were amalgamated he was
granted a pension and soon afterwards became a junior clerk in the Grand
Secretary’s Office, United Grand Lodge of England and was later appointed Cashier
and Accountant. On the retirement of Brother Buss in 1886, Pendlebury was

13
appointed Chief Clerk and was invested as Assistant Grand Secretary the following
year, serving until 1894. In the Lodge petition for Victoria Lodge, No. 1056, London
he is recorded as living in Hackney in 1865 and for Loyalty and Charity Lodge, No.
1584, Kew Bridge, Middlesex as being a clerk and cashier, living at 15 Courtney
Road in 1874.
He married Louise Juliane Charlotte Olga Helene von Meien, the daughter of
Frederick von Meien of Tufnell Park Road on 15 June 1878. In the English census he
is recorded as living at 15 Courtney Road, Islington, London and as being a clerk,
Grand Secretary’s Office, Freemasons Hall, with his married sister Ann Mayhew,
wife of a surgeon and their son, Edward Mayhew, a commercial clerk in 1871; a
cashier, living at 38 St. John’s Park, London with his German wife, Helene, and their
daughter, Margarita C. E. Pendlebury in 1881 and living at 20 Birchington Road,
Hornsey working as an Assistant Secretary, Society of Freemasons, with German
wife, L. J. O. H. Pendlebury and two daughters in 1891.
On his retirement as Assistant Grand Secretary in 1894 he was granted a
retirement allowance of full pay. He retired with his wife and two daughters to
Bournemouth, Dorset. He was initiated in Lodge of Sincerity, No. 174, London by
special dispensation on 19 January 1859. He was passed and raised in a Lodge
working under the Scottish Constitution in Bombay, India. He became a Founder of
Victoria Lodge, No. 1056, London in 1865, where he served as Worshipful Master in
1866 and Secretary from 1870 to 1896 and Loyalty and Charity Lodge, No. 1584,
Kew Bridge, Middlesex in 1874, where he served as Worshipful Master in 1889 and
Treasurer from 1876 to 1888.
He was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary by the United Grand Lodge of
England in 1887, serving until 1894. In Royal Arch he was exalted in Denmark
Chapter, No. 975, London on 30 September 1865. He became a Founder and First
Principal of Victoria Chapter, No. 1056, London in 1867, where he also served as
Scribe E from 1869 to 1895. He was appointed Assistant Grand Scribe E by the
Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England in 1887, serving until
1895.
He died at Bournemouth on 30 June 1898. Scope and content: Cabinet print
of Alfred Arthur Pendlebury in contemporary dress, photographed by Edward
Lancaster, 235 High Holborn, London. Dimensions: Print: 108 mm x 163 mm.
Image type: Photograph Image colour: b & w Location of originals: Print
Room, A4 Box Subject: Pendlebury, Alfred Arthur, 1840-1898 Prints Subject:
Photographs Freemasons England 1890-1899 Date of description: 02/08/2010
[UGLE]

14
GB 0003 – William George Robert Woodman.
2nd Supreme Magus 1878-1891(13 years)
S.SM. 1878
J.S.M. 1876-1878
[Grand Senate – Grand Assistant Recorder R.C.R&C]
A learned Kabbalist and a Hebrew scholar. S.R.I.A. Motto: Sit Lux Et Lux
Fucit.(Is the light and the light beams). The second minute book shows that
Woodman was made J.S.M. in 1876 and then a year later S.S.M in a letter from
R.W. Little, who was clearly on his death bed and was appointing his successor. The
previous S.S.M at the time was W.H. Hubbard a senior Freemason who had not
turned up to a meeting since his
appointment as S.S.M and through
correspondence between R.W. Little and
W.G.R. Woodman, it seems to have
expected a payment for £30, which he
did not receive.
To Woodman - 4th January 1878
“You will hear of a pretty affair about
Buss refusing to sign Power of Attorney
to sell Ros X stock so that poor Hubbard
cannot have his £30 unless, I advance it
– but I leave this until we meet.” R.W.
Little. (PS - J.S.M. soon I hope S.S.M.)
The January letter is one of
three important letters written by R.W.
Little concerning the succession. The
two others are mentioned in the 2nd
Society Minute Book. There was never a
sealed envelope with the name of his
successor, as has been quoted in several
Histories.
Figure 7 W.G.R. Woodman
To Woodman -18th March 1878
“confirming appointment as S.S.M &
tells him he will succeed by right as S.M.”
Woodman was the nominal head of the 1888 Golden Dawn and died suddenly
aged sixty-two after a brief illness at 38 Christchurch Avenue, Brondesbury on 20th
December 1891 and was buried on 24th December at St. Marys Church, Willesden
Cemetery, Middlesex. The Royal Horticultural Society donated a memorial.

15
GB 04 - William Henry Hubbard.
S.S.M. 1876-1878
J.S.M. 1869-1876
[[Illustrious Grand Treasurer R.C.R&C.]
Motto: NE SUTOR ULTRA CREPIDAM. Declared as second Ancient in his
absence, attended the third meeting, 2nd Ancient in Jan 1868, 1st Ancient in May
1868, D.M.G. and J.S.M. April 1869, (J.S.M. 1867-1876) S.S.M. effectively for one
meeting only in Oct 1876 (1876-1878). Woodman mentions there was a problem
with Hubbard in one of his letters but was not specific, although appointed to S.S.M.
Hubbard never attended a meeting again, he resigned because he was owed £30 and
Woodman takes over briefly as S.S.M. just before R.W. Little’s death.

GB 0005 - James Brett (18XX - 1898)

Third Ancient 1867
Attended as third Ancient in Oct, Nov 1867, and first Ancient April 1869
dropping out in 1870. James Brett was initiated in Domatic Lodge, No. 177 in 1854.
He was advanced to Junior Deacon, in 1855 and to Senior Warden, in 1856. In 1858
he was elected Worshipful Master. The probable reason for him dropping out of the
Soc. Ros. Was his promotion in the craft. In 1869 he was appointed Assistant Grand
Pursuivant and in 1870 Grand Pursuivant. He was Grand Director of Ceremonies for
Grand Chapter. He was a Senior Vice-
President of the Board of Benevolence.
He died in 1898.

GB 0008 – Francis George Irwin.

(1828-1892)
J.S.M. 1878 - 1885
(See SRIA History)

GB 0009 – Henry Charles Levander.

(1826-1884)
S.S.M 1878-1885
Professor at University College,
London, was a learned member; and
took great interest in the mystic lore of
the Society. Figure 8 Francis George Irwin

16
GB 0016 – James Lewis.
Treas. Gen. SRIA (1885-1904)
P.M. Campbell Lodge No. 1415, P.A.G.D. Wm. 1880

GB 0024 – Samuel Henry Rawley.

The 2nd Secretary General 1867-1868,
The first three sets of minutes were written by R.W. Little, one by Rawley
and then the distinctive hand of Woodman.

GB 0026 Sir Frederick Martin Williams, Bart.

(1830-1878) SRIA Vice President 1868.
[Most Eminent Grand Viceroy Grand Eusebius R.C.R&C]
32°, P.G.W. England; Rep. Grand Lodge of Portugal; D.P.G.M. Cornwall;
Prov. Prior K.T. and Prov. Grand Mark Master, Cornwall; Past Grand Sovereign.
Thus has passed away from amongst us to the better land, a Brother whose
loss we all especially deplore, who most faithfully discharged ds duties, and to
whom we looked for many a year of active life, and many a year of zealous service,
as a leader in the Craft, as a member of ’parliament, and in the front rank of our
ablest men in the West of England.
He was the successor to Lord
Bective as Most Illustrious Grand
Sovereign of the Red Cross of
Constantine, and many will remember
ds presence among us, when, shortly
after his sad accident—which, we ear,
led to his premature and sudden death—
he attended the Grand Conclave, at
considerable inconvenience, to hand
over his high office to .is successor,
Colonel Francis Burdett, the present
Most Illustrious M.P., for Truro, Of the
Red Cross Order in England; Vice-
President of the Rosicrucian Society in
Anglia. Died September 3rd, 1878, aged
48 ye Thus has passed away from
amongst us to the better land, a Brother
whose loss we all especially deplore,
who most faithfully discharged ds Figure 9 Fredrick Martin Williams
duties, and to whom we looked for

17
many a year of active life, and many a year of zealous service, as a leader in the
Craft, as a member of ’parliament, and in the front rank of our ablest men in the
West of England.
He was the successor to Lord Bective as Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign of
the Red Cross of Constantine, and many will remember ds presence among us, when,
shortly after his sad accident—which, we hear, led to his premature and sudden
death—he attended the Grand Conclave, at considerable inconvenience, to hand over
his high office to .is successor, Colonel Francis Burdett, the present Most Illustrious
Grand Sovereign of the Red Cross Order of England, and since then, Scotland also.
His kind and genial manner endeared him to the Order; as well as to all with whom
he was brought into contact, who remember him in the years to come.
Sir Williams was an Honorary Vice President of the Rosicrucian Order, and it
is as such that we now especially deplore his loss, and regret his absence from our
M…………C………….. His memoir, with an excellent portrait, has already
appeared in our ROSICRUCIAN of January last, written by the hand of one who was
soon after removed from amongst the number of our Fraternity, and: whose own
portrait and memoir, “ In Memoriam,” alas, appears in the following number.
We, therefore, shall not now recapitulate his many good works; surf ice it to
say, that in all the Orders of Masonry he took high position, much as we may deplore
his loss as Rosicrucians, as Masons, we lose him one who would have most ably
filled the chair of a Provincial. Grand Master, had his services been required in the
future, but we well say “In the midst of life we are in death.”
The man who thinks of nothing but his own welfare, either here hereafter, is
not to be imitated, but the man who is most mindful o: i: lives of others, he will
himself be cared for by the Almighty Father of all. In conclusion, we may add that
our departed Frater never forget the necessities of others, and was a liberal supporter
of our Masonic Charities. [Obituary and picture in the ROSICRUCIAN Magazine,
October 1878]

GB 0027 – Sir Cuthbert Edgar Peek - (1855-1901)

J.S.M. 1885/6
Sec. Gen. 1881-1883
Chief Adept (Cambridge 1878)
The astronomer educated at Eton was of Pembroke College Cambridge. He
made extensive journey through little known parts of Iceland in 1881 and came home
to Wimbledon and worked with a 3 inch equatorial telescope. In 1882 he travelled to
Australia to view the transit of Venus through a 6.4 inch telescope, he made
observations of the Southern Celestial Objects, like double stars and clusters, which
were little known in the Northern hemisphere. He was admitted a Zelator with
Robert Roy in 13/1/76 (Roy later became J.S.M.) The SRIA Cambridge College was

18
founded by John O. Oxland on 20th April 1871 that college seems to have ceased
working in 1875. However in the minutes of the society Cuthbert E. Peek was made
Chief Adept of Cambridge [Minutes 11/04/1878]. He was Secretary General from
1881 – 1883. In 1885 he became J.S.M. His obituary can be found on :-
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1901Obs....24..306G

GB0038. - Earl of Bective, Lord Kenlis (1844- 1893),

SRIA Hon. President 02.01/1868
[Rt. Hon. The Lord Kenlis Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign R.C.R&C.]
This eminent Freemason was
admitted into the society as a Zelator on
the 2nd January 1868. Page – 170
Rosicrucian Magazine. Viscount Kenlis
was admitted into Mark, 1863 in
University No. 55, E.C. Oxford, G.S.W.
1866
Thomas Taylour, Earl of Bective
(1844- 1893), Lord Kenlis until 1870,
was born on 11 February 1844, the son
of Thomas Taylour, third Marquess of
Headfort and Amelia, daughter of
William Thompson of Underley Hall,
Cumbria. He was educated at Eton
College, Berkshire and Christ College,
Oxford. He married Lady Alice Maria,
the only daughter of the fourth
Marquess of Downshire, on 9 October
1867 and they raised two daughters. He
became Honorary Colonel of the fourth Figure 10 Lord Kenlis
Battalion, Border Regiment; Justice of
the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of Westmorland; High Sheriff of Westmorland in
1861 and Member of Parliament for Westmorland, serving from 1871 to 1892. He
was initiated in Apollo University Lodge, No. 357, Oxford in 1863.
He became a Founder of Underley Lodge, No. 1074, Kirby Lonsdale,
Cumbria in 1865, where he served as Worshipful Master for the first two years. He
became a joining member of Westminster and Keystone Lodge, No. 10, London in
1869. He was appointed Provincial Grand Master of Cumberland and Westmorland
in 1867 serving until his death. In Royal Arch he was a Founder and First Principal
of Bective Chapter, No. 1074, Kirby Lonsdale in 1877. He was appointed Grand
Superintendent of Cumberland and Westmorland in 1877, serving until his death. In

19
Mark Masonry he was advanced in Cumberland Lodge, No. 60, Carlisle,
Cumberland. He was appointed Past Senior Grand Warden by the Grand Lodge of
Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas
and Provincial Grand Master of Cumberland and Westmorland, serving from 1872
until his death. He was a member of the Order of Rome and the Red Cross of
Constantine and was appointed the Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign. He also served
as Honorary President of the Rosicrucian Society. He supported the Masonic
charities and became Vice President of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and
Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls and the Royal Masonic
Benevolent Institution. He died on 15 December 1893.

HISTORY OF SRIA Page 335-366 HONORARY & ASSOCIATE

MEMBERSHIP and BENEFACTORS
From the commencement, our Society has bestowed Honorary
Membership on noble and distinguished Freemasons, the first being Lord
Kenlis (later The Rt.Hon. The Earl of Bective) who was invited to accept the
Honorary Presidency of the Society. This was followed by the election of
several esteemed Freemasons as Vice-Presidents. It would appear that all of
these were admitted to a full knowledge of the Society, some of the Vice-
Presidents taking grade ceremonies and becoming full members. We do know
that Lord Kenlis conferred the Zelator grade on Aspirants in one College,
and that Col. Burnett took the Chair on some occasions as well as presiding
at the subsequent banquet. He also was chairman of the first Meeting of the
High Council, which implies that he then held full membership.

THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FREEMASONRY,

Part 2 by Albert G. Mackey,
H. L. Haywood pp. 841-2, explains the Order of "St." George:

"In 1870 the Order had been but recently revived and some question
regarding its true history and Grand Mastership were discussed in a book
published that year by a Macedonian prince, a naturalized British subject
living in London, Demetrius Rhodocanakis. This work, entitled the ‘Imperial
Constantinian Order of Saint George, a Review of Modern Impostures and a
Sketch of Its True History,’ denies any pretension in the Masonic Red Cross
Order to be derived from the Imperial Constantinian Order of Saint George
and also denies the sale of the Grand Mastership to the Duke of Parma, and
the author claims to be himself the Grand Master because of his descent from
the ancient Dynasty of Byzantium.
The claims thus made had the effect of evoking an announcement by
the officers of the Grand Imperial Council of England disclaiming any

20
interference in the organization of Prince Rhodocanakis and, on May 29,
1871, issued the following proclamation:
To all members of the Masonic Order, known as the Order of the Red Cross
of Constantine, and to all others whom it may concern. Whereas, The
Masonic Order, now known as the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine,
hereafter concisely called the Red Cross Order, has been recently revived in
England, and occupies a prominent position as a chivalric branch of great
fraternity of Freemasons; and,
Whereas, Discussions have arisen whether the Red Cross Order has or
has not any alliance with the ancient Chivalric Order known as the
Constantine Order of Saint George, and as it is expedient that such
discussions shall be terminated by a declaration of the claims of the Red
Cross Order: Now, Therefore, I, Thomas Taylour, commonly called Earl of
Bective (Lord Kenlis), the Grand Sovereign of the Red Cross Order, do
hereby, for myself and on behalf of the Council of the said Order, signify and
declare as follows: That the Order of the Red Cross does not claim, or
propose to have, any connection with the ancient public Order of Knighthood
known as the “Imperial Constantinian Order of St. George.” That the Red
Cross Order claims to be a revived branch of the Masonic Brotherhood which
formed part of the system of the Baron Hund in or about the year 1750 and
which has since been working in England under various auspices until the
establishment of a Grand Council of the Order in or about the year 1796.That
the Order as now conferred is, with certain modifications, the same as that
over which the late Duke of Sussex presided from 1813 to 1843.That the Red
Cross Order claims to be a Chivalric Institution of Freemasonry for reception
into which the degree of a Master Mason is a necessary qualification."

Figure 11 First Golden Book

21
GB 0054. – Rt. Hon. the Earl of Jersey Victor Albert George Child-Villiers,
(1845- 1915) Seventh Earl of Jersey
SRIA Vice-President, elected 8/10/1868.
[very illustrious Grand Junior General R.C.R&C.]
The Earl of Jersey was elected SRIA Vice-President, on 8/10/1868, see Page
7 Rosicrucian Magazine. Victor Albert George Child-Villiers, address: Middleton
Park, Bicester, Oxford. Motto: Dulce Refrigerium (sweet relief)
He was born on 20 March 1845 in Berkeley Square, London. He was the son
of George Augustus Frederic Child-Villiers, sixth earl of Jersey and his wife, Julia,
the daughter of Sir Robert Peel, second Baronet and prime minister. He succeeded to
his father's titles and estates in 1859
while still at school at Eton College,
Berkshire. He entered Balliol College,
Oxford, in 1864, leaving in 1867
without taking a degree. He was an
enthusiastic athlete and represented
Oxford in the mile race at the first
Oxford versus Cambridge athletics
meeting in 1865, coming second. He
married Margaret Elizabeth, the
daughter of William Henry, second
Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh, on 19
September 1872 and they raised two
sons and four daughters. He became
Lord-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria,
serving from 1875 to 1877.
The Prime Minister, Lord
Salisbury appointed him Paymaster-
General in his government in 1899. He
was appointed Governor of New South
Wales, Australia in 1890, arriving in Figure 12 Earl of Jersey
Sydney, Australia in January 1891 but
resigned as Governor on the grounds of urgent business affairs in November 1892.
He returned to England, where he was appointed by the Prime Minister, Lord
Rosebery [1847-1929] as Her Majesty's Government’s representative at the
Intercolonial Conference held at Ottawa, Canada in 1894. He maintained substantial
estates and was active in the counties where they were located. He served on
Oxfordshire and Middlesex county councils and from 1887 he served as Lord
Lieutenant of Oxfordshire and President of its Territorial Force. He was prominent in
athletics administration; was chairman of the Light Railways Commission from 1896
to 1905 and was an honorary member of the Surveyors' Institution. He enjoyed horse
racing but financial difficulties forced him to sell the contents of the library at his

22
home, Osterley Park, Isleworth, Middlesex in 1885. He was appointed to the Privy
Council in 1890. He was installed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Malta and
St. George in 1890 and as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1900. He
was a prominent banker and an owner of Child’s Bank, Fleet Street, London but
became incapacitated by a stroke in 1909. He was initiated in Apollo University
Lodge, No. 357, Oxford on 25 October 1865, where he was passed on 29 November
the same year, raised on 2 February the following year but his membership ceased in
1869. He became a joining member of Churchill Lodge, No. 478, Oxford in 1865,
where he served as Worshipful Master in 1868; Indefatigable Lodge, No. 237,
Swansea, Wales in 1885, where he was elected an honorary member in 1891 and
Jersey Lodge, No. 2334, Bicester, Oxfordshire in 1890. He was appointed Provincial
Grand Secretary of Oxfordshire in 1866 and Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire
in 1885 serving until 1914.
He was appointed Senior Grand Warden by the United Grand Lodge of
England in 1870. In Royal Arch he was exalted in Alfred Chapter, No. 340, Oxford
on 7 March 1867, where his membership ceased prior to 1903. He became a joining
member of Apollo University Chapter, No. 357, Oxford in 1869. In Mark Masonry
he was advanced in Oxford University Lodge, No. 55, Oxford in 1866. He became a
joining member of Leopold Lodge, No. 235, Oxford, where he served as Worshipful
Master in 1879. He served as Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire and Oxfordshire
from 1879 to 1889. He became Past Grand General in Orders of Rome and the Red
Cross of Constantine and Honorary Vice-President of the Rosicrucian Society of
England. He supported the Masonic charities and became a Life-Governor of the
Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and
Life-President of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. He died at Osterley Park
on 31 May 1915 and was buried on 4 June at All Saints' Church, Middleton Stoney,
Oxfordshire. A full biography can be found in the Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography.

GB0057 - Colonel Sir Francis Burdett (1813-1892)

SRIA Vice-President (1869)
[Illustrious Grand High Chancellor R.C.R&C.]
Colonel Sir Francis Burdett was admitted Zelator ceremony on January 14th
1869. Colonel Sir Francis Burdett was born on 23 November 1813.
He was educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge. In
1834 he enlisted in the army and was commissioned in the 13th Light Dragoons. He
was posted to India. In 1837 he transferred to the 17th Light Dragoons and returned
to England with them. He retired from the army as a Colonel, in 1849. While in India
he was initiated in the 13th Dragoons Lodge, No. 400, Irish Constitution in 1836,
being raised in 1837. However, due to his Mother Lodge failing to send the required

23
returns back to Dublin, it was necessary for him to submit a petition with supporting
documentation to the Grand Lodge of Ireland in order to register his raising, which
was granted in 1848. In 1849, he was appointed Junior Grand Warden of the Grand
Lodge of Ireland. In 1869, he was promoted to Past Senior Grand Warden and was
selected to be the representative to the United Grand Lodge of England. Under the
English Constitution, he was a joining member of Lodge of Harmony, No. 255,
London in 1867. Two years later he became a Founder and the first Worshipful
Master of Burdett Lodge, No. 1293, Hampton Court, Middlesex.
When the Province of Middlesex was created later that year he was appointed
Provincial Grand Master. In 1871 he was installed as Provincial Grand Master of
Mark Master Masons of Middlesex and Surrey and in the same year was appointed
Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch
Masonry in Middlesex.
In the Ancient and Accepted
Rite 33° he was Inspector General of
Middlesex.
He was Most Illustrious Grand
Sovereign of the Order of Rome and
the Red Cross of Constantine, Chief
Intendant-General for Middlesex,
Essex and Surrey in England and Past
Grand Sovereign in the same Order in
Scotland. He was also an honorary
member of the Supreme Council of
the Rite in Ireland and one of the
Honorary Vice-Presidents of the
Society of Rosicrucian in England.
He was a supporter of the
Masonic Charities and served as a
festival Steward in 1888 and 1891. In Figure 13 - Colonel Sir Francis Burdett
1890 he became Chairman of the
Annual Festival. He succeeded to his
title as seventh Baronet Burdett, shortly before his death on 31 May 1892.
Masonic Regalia: Provincial Grand Officers collar and chain with jewel of
Provincial Grand Master of Middlesex. Six breast jewels. Royal Arch collarette and
jewel of Grand Superintendent of Middlesex. [UGLE – M & L]

24
GB 0060 – Eliphas Levi, (1810 – 1875)
Honorary Member 24/4/73
Alphonse Louis Constant (Zahed) A Frenchman trained for the Roman
Catholic priesthood, known as Eliphas Levi. He was known to have visited Edward
Bulmer-Lytton in 1853, who was allegedly a member of a minor Rosicrucian Order.
At the fifth meeting of the society, on the 02/01/1868 and recorded in the
minute book:-
…were admitted to the 3° and W. Frater A. L. Constant. Hon. Member.
Bruce Wilson in his “Early History of the SRIA” seems to think Constant was
admitted into Grade III° then made a honorary member of the society. If he was that
would have been a strange grade to give
with that honour and the only such case.
It is more likely that he was made just
an honorary member in 1868. The title
W. Frater is also very interesting,
probably in recognition of his
Rosicrucian knowledge.
Alphonse Constant on the
24/04/1873 was made the first literary
Honorary Foreign Member of the
Society, two years before his death. K.
Mackenzie delivered his certificate to
him personally in Paris in 1873, as
recorded in the Rosicrucian Magazine
of that date.
'THE ROSICRUCIAN' 1873
page 25. Proposed by Fra Mackenzie,
seconded by Fra Rosenthal - "That M.
Alphonse Louis Constant, (occult name,
Eliphas Levi) of Paris is elected an
Honorary Foreign Member of the Figure 14 Alphonse Louis Constant
Society, and Fra Mackenzie be Zahed, Eliphas Levi
requested to transmit a notice of the
fact.
Bruce Wilson seems to think the society forgot that they had made Constant
an honorary member in 1868. But the two entries are ‘Hon. Member’ and ‘Honorary
Foreign Member’ in 1873. The first three Hon. Members were, C. Purton Cooper,
A.O. Haye, and J.M. Bairnsfather 31/10/1867. Then Constant, the next being David
Murry Lyon in 1869. Hargreaves Jennings and Rt.Hon. Lord Edward Bulwer Lytton
on the 14/07/1870 then Constant as a literary foreign Hon. Member.

25
 Zahed - Sufi sheikhs often initiated disciples by conferring on them the name
Zahed, which is popular with pious Muslims, who wish to symbolically preordain
their offspring to a life of virtues, similar to an ascetic's. [Wiki]

Books in the High Council Library

Baphomet MS, 'Fragments from the Unpublished Works of Abbe

Constant,' Historie de la Magie No Date
Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magi Vol.1 1861
Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magi Vol.2 1861
La Clef des Mysteres, 8vo. 1861
Fables et Symboles avec leur explication 1862
Le Science des Esprits 1865
Le Sorcier de Meudon 1876
Le Livre des Sages 1911
The History of Magic, trans A.E. Waite 1913
La Grand Arcane, Ou L'Occultisme Devoile 1921
Transcendental Magic, trans A.E. Waite 1923

GB 0063 – David Murray Lyon. (1819-1903)

Hon. Member of Rosicrucian Society of England April 1869
Hon. Scottish Representative of SRIA
1876
SRIS J.S.M. 1876
Scottish Grand Secretary (1877-1900)
See SRIA History
His Father was Robert LYON
(1794-1821) Mother: Janet MURRAY
(1798?- ) Birth 9 Aug 1819 St. Quivox
and Newton, Ayr, SCOTLAND. Death
1903 (age 83-84) Liberton, Edinburgh.
As an occupation he was a
Printer and Publisher, one of his most
famous works is the’ History of the
Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel)
No.1’ (1873) (L.1, SC), which also
features ‘The Rise And Progress Of
Freemasonry In Scotland.’ Many of the
plates of Scottish Freemasons, like the
Figure 15 David Murray Lyon
one on the right, come from his book.

26
Murray was also editor of Scottish Masonic historical Directory. His second
occupation was that of Grand Secretary of Scotland (SC) (1877-1900) when he was
only (age 57-58.)
Murray took over the role as Grand Secretary (S.C.) from the disgraced John
Laurie IX° S.S.M. who had allegedly embezzled £6,000 while Grand Secretary
(1873 – 1876). Laurie was the first Chief Adept of the East of Scotland College and
became the S.S.M. when it turned into the SRIS. Irregularities were mentioned in
‘The Freemason’ Grand Lodge minutes
David Murray Lyon also became
In 1869 – April, David Murray Lyon, from Ayr, was made an honorary
member of the Rosicrucian Society of
England.
He appears in the Victorian
Rosicrucians photograph below now
believed to be taken in 1866. Standing
between John Laurie and W.J. Hughan
and was one of the named members of
Anthony Oneal Haye’s, non-Masonic
Scottish Rosicrucians. This is
mentioned in the Freemasons’
Magazine and Masonic Mirror article
on 12th December 1868 (see next page.)
The SRIS was not created as a
separate and distinct body until
24/10/1876. It was formed out of the
members of the only Rosicrucian
Freemasons in Scotland in the East of
Scotland College, Edinburgh, which
was itself consecrated by R.W. Frater
C.F. Matier on the 24/10/1873. Figure 16 D. Murray Lyon
Edinburgh College and that was 31st December 1866
three years after the foundation of the
first English Rosicrucians Freemasons, East of Scotland College, Edinburgh on the
24/10/1873. R.W. Frater C.F. Matier becomes S.M., John Laurie became S.S.M. and
Lord Inverurie was made J.S.M. The honorary member of Rosicrucian Society of
England was David Murray Lyon. He became J.S.M. in 1877 after the resignation of
Laurie.

An article written by A. O’Neal Haye describes in his words what he thought the
Scottish Rosicrucian society was and can be found in the Freemasons’ Magazine and
Masonic Mirror article on 12th December 1868

27
THE ROSICRUCIAN SOCIETY.

The Rosicrucian Society has nothing whatever to do with the Rose Croix, or
Freemasonry in any of its degrees. The Supreme Council, with the exception
of myself, is composed entirely of non-Masons.
Among the members of the first grade upon the roll are the names of the
following Masons: - S. Bairnsfather, J.H. M. Bairnsfather, Dr. Dickson,
Frank L. Law, and R. W. Little. Bros. W. J. Hughan and D. Murray Lyon
have been promoted to the second grade.
As there appears to be a considerable amount of misunderstanding
existing relative to this society, perhaps I may be allowed to make the
following explanations: The Society is purely philosophic and scientific, there
are no fees exigible [exacted demandable; requirable], the numbers never
having at any time necessitated more than an interchange of letters among
the members. There is no restriction as to numbers. There might be two; there
might be two thousand. At least a year must elapse before advancing a step,
but very few ever attain the fourth grade, and 11 years [1857 – 18 years old]
elapsed before I reached my present position. The Rosicrucian doctrines
being only of interest to the members, I do not j think necessary to notice
here.
The Rosicrucian Society must not be confounded with its German
bastard of the 17th century, which had its exponent in the ludicrous “Fama,”
and gave birth to the present Royal Arch Degree.
The searches for the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life were
perfectly legitimate, and the celebrated Sir Humphrey Davy told the elder
Disraeli “that he did not consider this” (the making of gold) “Undiscovered
art as impossible; but, should it ever be discovered would certainly be
useless.” Of course, if gold could be made, and the diamond has been made,
the metal might sink in value below iron and lead. A. very esteemed friend of
mine, an eminent chemist, is decidedly of opinion that man’s life could be
prolonged to the age of the patriarchs, barring accident and disease, by
supplying the waste which produces old age, but he confesses that to discover
this waste would occupy so much time that old age would come before the
remedy was ready.
The Rosicrucian Society has other matters to attend to than to take up
such eccentricities of its ancient members, it has no wish to be known beyond
its small circle of initiates, and as the sole end it aims at is for their good,
and, by extension, the good of all they come in contact with, its ambition of
outer appearance is very modest.
I am not certain that £100 would be accepted for the collection of
MSS. of one of the members, and I even think £1,000 would be refused. My
principal object, however, in writing this note is to disabuse the minds of the

28
 brethren that there is any connexion between the Rosicrucian Society and
Freemasonry; and if anybody of men calling themselves Rosicrucians
maintain the existence of such a connexion, they must be descendants of the
bastard aforesaid .— A. O. HAYE.

I believe that this article written by A.O. Haye proves a number of issues.
That Haye’s Scottish Rosicrucian Society was always non-masonic. This means that
the SRIS cannot be a Masonic continuation. This article names future SRIS
members. That F.G. Irwin’s comment that Walter Spencer was the most senior
Rosicrucian in England, may have been true, but of a non-masonic society and that
Haye was admitted in the same year as Spencer and not by Haye. That Haye’s
ceremonies were not based on the 17th century “bastard” German ‘Golden und
Rosicrucians.’ That R.W. Little after first agreeing to adopt the Scottish Ritual on the
condition that certain changes and omissions be made to the Haye ritual on
30/10/1867, decided to revert back to the rituals he had found in the vaults at UGLE
(Zelator, Grade II, V and VI) according
to W.J. Hughan note. This newspaper
article is written after Haye’s response
to the London masons, who then went
about setting up the first English
Rosicrucian Freemasons Society.
[A.Mc.G. Lees 2013]

GB 0063 - Benjamin Cox

See SRIA History
Bristol College Secretary
The SRIA archives contain
several letter from Cox to Westcott on
a number of different matters.

GB 0071 – John Morant Hervey

(1805-1880)
Grand Secretary [UGLE] (1868-79)
Admitted to SRIA 14/7/1870
John Hervey was not an active
member of the society, probably due to
his other masonic duties; he was made
an honorary member in 1870, but is
best known as the uncle of K.R.H.
Mackenzie.
Figure 17 John Morant Hervey

29
 At the Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement, Held At
Freemasons Hall On The 24th November 1876. The Right Hon. the Earl of
Carnarvon M.W. Pro. Grand Master presiding. Bro John Hervey, Grand Secretary.
Who had entered on his thirtieth year of office as treasurer of the Emulation Lodge
of Improvement, occupied The Chair of the Lodge and the Sections were locked by
the Following Past Grand Officers. Bros. L.A. MURTON, P.G.D. - H.I.P. DUMAS,
P.G.D. - I.A.P. RUCKER, P.G.D. - I.C. PARKINSON, P.G.D., T. FENN, P.G.D., R.
GREY, P.G.D., C.C. DUMAS P.A.G.D.C. and HYDE PULLEN P.G.ST.B. To
commemorate the event and as a token of sincere respect and esteem .This Ink stand
designed by Bro. JOHN GIBSON, Deputy Master of the Prince Of Wales Lodge was
Presented by the Stewards To Bro. John Hervey, Grand Secretary. The Grand
Superintendent of Works 1872-82, which was presented to John Hervey, Grand
Secretary by the Stewards for the festival of Emulation Lodge of Improvement in
1876 in appreciation of his 31 years of service as the Lodge's treasurer. Hervey
bequeathed it to his friend and successor Thomas Fenn who, in turn, lent it for the
use of the Grand Master, The Prince of Wales, at the Jubilee Meeting in 1887. Fenn
presented the inkstand to the Grand Lodge in 1890.' Hervey retired from Grand
Secretary from ill health in 1879 and died the following year, 2nd July 1880.
John Morant Hervey (1805–1880), the owner of an iron foundry in east
London, was the Grand Secretary, or Chief Executive, of the United Grand Lodge of
England, the governing body of Freemasonry in England and Wales, from 1868 until
his death. In this portrait he is wearing the regalia of the Grand Secretary, whose
emblem is a pair of crossed quills. He is also wearing a number of Masonic medals,
known as jewels, some of which were awarded to him for his charity work or for
attending specific Masonic events.[Picture U.G.L.E.]

GB 0088 - Charles Fitzgerald Lecale Wilson Matier (1840-1914)

Deputy Provincial Grand Master Lancashire Mark M.M.
Chief Adept Grade VIII° of Northern England 1871
Chief Adept of Lancashire 1871 (Manchester College 1871-91)
Founder Edinburgh College of ‘East Scotia’
Hon 9° (SRIS) 1873
Edinburgh College becomes Metropolitan College of 1876
First Supreme Magus of SRIS 1876
Resigned Chief Adept of Northern Anglia 1877
Hon. IX° of Rosicrucian Society of England 1877
Enthrones W.R. Woodman 2nd Supreme Magus 1878
Resigns as Supreme Magus SRIS 1879
Grand Secretary Mark (1889-1914)
Enthrones W.W. Westcott 1892

30
 We first hear of Charles Fitzgerald Matier, in SRIA circles in a small
paragraph in the ROSICRUCIAN MAGAZINE page 152. Where it states that, at a
special meeting the Zelator grade was conferred on C.F. Matier and authority given
to form a College in Manchester. “On Tuesday the 28th. February, (1871). Brother
Charles Fitzgerald Matier was received as a Zelator by M.W. Fratres R. Wentworth
Little and W.H. Hughan, (W.J. Hughan) P.M.G.’s and Magi, assisted by R.W. Frater
W.R. Woodman, M.D., Secretary-General, and authority was granted to Frater
Matier to found a College of Rosicrucians in Manchester.”
Charles Fitzgerald Lecale Wilson Matier was born in Ireland on 7 March
1840. He was the son of William Thomson Matier, a civil engineer. Matier became a
commercial traveller and later a commission agent. He was probably a lodger at 33
Clipstone Street, London, the home of Samuel Leggett, a clerk at the Bank of
England, and his wife, Hannah. He married their daughter, Elizabeth Sarah Ann, at
St. Marylebone Church, London on 5 July 1863 and they raised four daughters and
two sons, one of each sex dying in infancy. His new family set up home in Clipstone
Street, where his first two daughters were born. He is recorded as living in Stretford,
Manchester, probably a temporary address, by December 1866.
He became a commercial
traveller in fancy goods, taking up
permanent residence at 1 Norfolk Street,
Cheetham, Manchester by 1871, where
his son Percy was born. The family
returned to London in 1877, living
firstly at 82 Mayfield Road, Dalston,
Middlesex and then moving to 9
Fountayne Road, Stoke Newington by
1890. He was initiated in St. Clare
Lodge, No. 34, Edinburgh working
under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, on
15 April 1863, where he received all
three craft degrees on the same night.
He became a joining member of several
other Scottish Lodges including St.
Andrew Lodge, No. 48, Edinburgh;
Canongate and Leith Lodge, No. 5,
Edinburgh; Rifle Lodge, No. 405;
Caledonian Lodge, No. 392; Union and
Crown Lodge, No. 103, Glasgow; St.
Mungo’s Lodge, No. 27, Glasgow and
Figure 18 Charles Fitzgerald Lecale
Glasgow Lodge, No. 3, Glasgow. He
Wilson Matier
was elected an honorary member of the

31
five latter Lodges. He became a Past Master of a Lodge, although there is no record
of him having been a Master of a Lodge. However, he was appointed Provincial
Grand Junior Warden of Aberdeenshire and served as a Grand Steward from 1869 to
1877.
He became a joining member of Derby Lodge, No. 1055, Cheetham,
Manchester, working under the United Grand Lodge of England, in 1868; Humphrey
Cheetham Lodge, No. 645, Manchester in 1873, where he served as Worshipful
Master in 1875 and Shadwell Clerke Lodge, No. 1910, London in 1881, where he
served as first Treasurer and Worshipful Master in 1887. He became a Founder of
Pegasus Lodge, No. 2205, London in 1887.
He was appointed Past Grand Standard Bearer by the United Grand Lodge of
England in 1889 and Past Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1899. In Royal
Arch he was exalted in Edinburgh Chapter, No. 1, Edinburgh, working under the
Grand Chapter of Scotland on 19 November 1868, where in accordance with
Scottish Masonic custom he was advanced to the Mark Degree and Past Master and
Excellent Master on the same night. He received the Red Cross (or Babylonish Pass)
degree on 8 April 1869. He served as Proxy Second Principal of Frazerburgh
Chapter, No. 38, Frazerburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1869.
Under the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England he
became a joining member of St. John Chapter, No. 221, Bolton in 1880 and a
Founder of Grafton Chapter, No. 2347, London in 1900. He was appointed Past
Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies by the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons of England in 1887. In Mark Masonry he became a Founder and the first
Worshipful Master of St. Andrew’s Lodge, No. 22, Manchester, working under the
Grand Chapter of Scotland in 1869, where he was made an honorary member in
1880. He was appointed Deputy Grand Master of Lancashire by the Scottish Grand
Chapter in 1870.
The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales formed a
Province in Lancashire the same year and following discussions Lodges from the
Scottish Grand Chapter transferred their allegiance to this Province. Matier was
appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Master on the formation of the Province. He was
appointed Junior Grand Warden by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of
England and Wales in 1872. He became a joining member of St. David Lodge, in
1877, where he was elected an honorary member in 1886; County Palatine Lodge,
No. 146, Audenshaw, Lancashire; Grafton Lodge, No. 415, London; Old Kent T. I.
Lodge, London and Davison Lodge, No. 331, London; Empress Britannic Lodge,
No. 533, London. He became a Founder of Grand Master’s Lodge, London in 1881,
where he served as Deputy Worshipful Master in 1884; Rose and Lily Lodge, No.
354, London in 1885 and Scots Lodge, No. 406, London in 1889. He served on the
General Board of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales
and as Secretary of the Mark Benevolent Fund. He was appointed Assistant Grand
Secretary in 1887 and Grand Secretary in 1889.

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 In Royal Ark Mariners he was elevated in Edinburgh Chapter, No. 1,
Edinburgh in 1869. He became a joining member of Mount Ararat Lodge, No. 158,
Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire in 1873. Biographical history:
In the Ancient and Accepted Rite he was perfected in Lodge of St. Clair, No.
349, Edinburgh in 1869, receiving 30º the following year. He became a joining
member of St. Peter’s Chapter, No. 31, Bolton, Lancashire when it was consecrated
on 19 July 1871, where he served as the first Captain of the Guard and Most Wise
Sovereign in 1874. He became affiliated 30º under the English Constitution of the
Rite in 1872 and received 31º in 1880, 32º in 1887 and 33º in 1902.
He was installed as a Knights Templar in Priory of Lothians, Edinburgh under
the Scottish Grand Priory in 1869, who promoted him a Knight Commander of the
Order of the Temple in 1873. He became a joining member of St. George’s
Preceptory, No. 318, Stockport, Lancashire, working under The Great Priory of the
United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St. John of
Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta of England and Wales and its Provinces
Overseas in 1886, where he served as Preceptor in 1891. He was installed a Knight
Commander of the Order of the Temple in 1893, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order
of the Temple in 1902 and served as Grand Vice-Chancellor in 1896.
In the Allied Masonic Degree he was admitted in Escurial and Gridiron
Council, Bolton in 1879. In the Holy Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Newcastle
upon Tyne, he was admitted a Priest of the Tabernacle in 1882. He was installed an
honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order in 1902 and later became an honorary
Past Most Illustrious Grand Master. He was appointed Deputy Grand Master in 1885
and Grand Secretary in 1884.
He was admitted to the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine in St.
Andrew’s Conclave, No. 15, London in 1869. He was appointed Intendant General
of Lancashire in 1881; Past Grand Viceroy the following year; Grand Recorder in
1891 and Knight of the Grand Cross of Constantine in 1901.
In the Royal and Select Masters he served as Grand Recorder in 1884. In the
Royal Order of Scotland he became a Past Deputy Grand Master of Lancashire. He
became a joining member and Grand Secretary of the Provincial Grand Lodge of
London and Metropolitan Counties.
In Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia he was admitted in London on 28
February 1871 at a special ceremony of three. On this date he was authorised to
found the Manchester and Northern Counties College and immediately appointed
Chief Adept VIIIº. The new college was opened eleven days later and he served as
the Provincial ruler or Chief Adept until 1877. In 1873 he received an honorary 9 º in
Scotland and was commissioned to form the East of Scotland College at Edinburgh.
He was appointed the first Supreme Magnus of the now independent Rosicruciana in
Scotia in 1876.
Along with Shadwell Clerke, he received the basic degrees of the Order of the
Secret Monitor from an American brother in 1865. They then developed the Order in

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England and were later appointed Past Supreme Grand Rulers. [NOTE: the first use
of the OSM ritual in England was in the first revised Rosicrucians of England ritual
dated 31st October 1867, Frater W.R. Woodman’s handwritten ritual has that part of
the ceremony crossed out in green ink.]
He became a member of the Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati
Lodge, No. 2076, London, the leading English research Lodge in 1888. He died at
his home in Stoke Newington on 24 February 1914, aged seventy-three and was
buried in Highgate Cemetery, London.
[‘Sketches of Distinguished Freemasons’ By G. Blizard Abbott; FRINGE
MASONRY IN ENGLAND, 1870-85 By BRO. ELLIC HOWE and AQC references
to Matier]

GB 0101 – Rt. Hon Lord Lytton,

Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873.
Hon. Member 1870 - 14/7/1870
English novelist author of Zanoni, poet, playwright, and politician. He was
immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling novels
which earned him a considerable fortune. He coined the phrases "the great
unwashed", and "pursuit of the almighty dollar", "the pen is mightier than the
sword", as well as the infamous opening
line "It was a dark and stormy night".
The S.R.I.A. or more accurately Robert
Wentworth Little claimed Bulwer-
Lytton as their 'Grand Patron', but he
wrote to the society complaining that he
was 'extremely surprised' by their use of
the title, as he had 'never sanctioned
such.
This occurred when John Yarker
as Provincial Secretary of Manchester
and Northern Counties Province, invites
Lord Lytton to the Lancashire
obligatory meeting on the 14/12/1872
the then Grand Patron of the Society.
Unfortunately for Yarker, Lytton was
unaware of his exalted status and once
made aware expressed his extreme
annoyance.' The original Golden Book
contains a normal entry for member 101 Figure 19 Edward Bulwer Lytton
with a capital letter ‘H’ next to it for

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Honorary and no other comment. The minutes show nothing out of the ordinary
Lord Lytton died a month later on 18/1/1873.
.

GB 0105 - Demetrios (Prince) Rhodokanakis (1840 - 1902)

Metropolitan College member 1872
Supreme Magus of Greece 1876 (SRIS Warrant)

Life and Writings of Constantine Rhodokanakis, 1873

It was claimed by Prince Demetrius Rhodokanakis that Robert Wentworth
Little, had appropriated the signs and
symbols for the ‘Red Cross of Rome
and Constantine’ from an ancient Greek
Order called the ‘Constantinian Order of
St. George’ In the high Council Library
we have a sumptuous copy of his
defence of the order and history with
images of his order that would confirm
his case. ‘The Imperial Constantinian
Order of St.George’ published in 1870.
In the SRIA History page 132:-
In the cases of Prince
Rhodokanakis and Frater W.H.B.
McLeod Moore, there is far more
information available, some of which
can be confirmed from different
sources. Prince Rhodokanakis has
already been mentioned in connection
with the Red Cross of Constantine,
when Bro. Ravenshaw referred to him Figure 20 Prince Demetrius
as "Prince or Grocer". Rhodokanakis Rhodokanakis, IX° S.M. Greece
became a naturalized British subject on
24th December 1867; was admitted to St. Andrew's Lodge No.48 in Edinburgh in
October 1869; in April 1870 he was admitted to A.A.S.R., being made a 33° Mason.
He came into our Society in London in July 1871, and his name was duly recorded in
the Golden Book. There is no record of his having taken any other grades, or indeed
of his having attended in London, neither is there evidence that he was 'declared' in
any higher grade in either London or in Manchester where he was elected an
Honorary Member. Yet in a letter addressed to Frater Albert Pike of the U.S.A.
dated 14th July 1880, he wrote:
"When I was in London in 1871, I was created an Honorary Magus of the
Rosicrucian Society of England, whose founder was the late Brother Little, and

35
whose Honorary President was the Earl of Bective, with powers to establish a
Supreme Lodge of that Society for the Kingdom of Greece. On my arrival here I
established one. I announced the fact to London, and I was acknowledged in due
course. A few years later, I nominated our friend, Colonial [original spelling]
McLeod Moore as Honorary Member of this Supreme College and a Magus, IX°,
and granted him a Warrant to establish a Supreme Council in Canada; this he has
done."
There exists no record of this in the archives of High Council, although it is
quite possible that he actually did so, as he appointed Professor Emmanuel Gellanis
as Secretary-General. What is certain is that he became acquainted with Fratres
Yarker and Moore through the Manchester College, and that it was at the instigation
of the former that he granted a Warrant for Dominion College No.1, dated 19th
September 1876, and that the College met at Maitland, Ontario.
Prince Rhodokanakis is in the first Golden Book as being admitted in July
1871 and was allegedly later warranted in 1876 Supreme Magus of Greece by the
SRIS. Rhodokanakis then warranted Canada, both would have been approved by the
SRIS, who were headed up at the time by C. F. Matier their Supreme Magus. Both
Prince Rhodokanakis and Matier were admitted into several orders together in
Scotland. Prince Rhodokanakis was initiated Lodge of Edin. St, Andrews No.1
20/10/1869, (the same Lodge that Matier was a member) [ARS 106 p.176] Also
Knight Templar of Preceptory of the Lothian’s No.1 together on the 20/10/1869. D.
Rhodokanakis was perfected in the Prince Rose Croix, Edin. Sovereign Chapter No.
1 20/10/1869 [ARS] but no obvious link here.
According to H. Voorhis in his history of the ‘Masonic Rosicrucians’ Prince
Rhodokanakis S.M. Greece, appoints Col. McLeod Moore honorary 9° and S.M.
Canada 30/06/1876.
John Yarker received the order of ‘Constantinian Order of St. George’,
granted 1874 by His Highness Prince Demetrius Rhodokanakis, Hereditary Grand
Master and Prince of Rhodes, descendant of the Emperors Constantine and the
Paelologi, actual heir of the Byzantine Empire.
As you will see on the right an Uncle of Demetrius was Dr Constantine
Rhodokanakis (1635 - 1689) a Royalist supporter who became a physician to King
Charles II probably after writing his famous poem for the returning King in 1660
after the civil war. "Carmina Grasca rythmica gratulatoria de reditu Serenissimi,
Saoratissimi et Theopliulakton Principis Caroli II., Magna Brittanias, Galliae et
Hibernire Regis," &c. (Oxoni, MDCLX, in 8vo.) ["Songs of a return to thank Grasca
rythmica of the most gracious, the Prince Charles Theopliulakton Saoratissimi and
Great Britain, France and Ireland, king,"] In 1676 about one hundred families from
the islands of Samos and Melos under the bishop Joseph Gorgerin migrated to
England. Assisted by Constantinos Rhodokanakis they were welcomed by the then
Duke of York. They were granted settlements in Crown Street, Soho, later renamed
to "Greek Street.". In fact Dr Constantine was a true Rosicrucian and wrote two

36
alchemical books, one a very interesting book on the Virtues of Antimony or A
Discourse In Praise of Antimony. See picture above with the same red Cross of
Constantine star 200 years before the order was resurrected by R.W. Little.
Whatever the story there is more research to be done here. In fact K.R.H.
Mackenzie below features an extract from Dr Constantine Rhodokanakis in his
Swedenborg magazine Page 151, 158, 171, 177 the Kneph, written by John Yarker
1882.

GB 0114/0 – Kenneth Robert Henderson Mackenzie (1833-1886) 31/10/33,

34 years old in 1867.
Proposed an Hon. member 11/4/72
Zelator Grade 17/10/72
1st Assistant Secretary General 8/1/74
Mackenzie attended Scottish College
1875
Mackenzie, resignation accepted
reluctantly after only three years.
30/4/75
Died Hon 9° 1886
He was born at Deptford, in
south-east London, on 31 October 1833,
but was raised in Vienna where his
father held a medical appointment. It is
probable that Mackenzie's education in
Austria continued after his parents had
returned to England in 1841, for he had
a remarkable command of the German
language. He began his journalistic
career in 1851 with contributions to
Notes and Queries, following this with Figure 21 Kenneth Robert
an English translation of Lepsius's Henderson Mackenzie
Discoveries in Egypt (1852). Over the next ten years he wrote, edited and translated
extensively in a variety of ethnographical and esoteric fields, but produced nothing
of great note. And then came one of the most significant events in his early life: his
meeting with Eliphas Levi in 1861.
K.R.H., Mackenzie, proposed as an honorary member in his absence on
11/4/72, he missed the July meeting and was admitted a Zelator 17/10/72 in due
form. He was declared in 4° Grade for ‘Hermetic Cross’ paper delivered 9/1/73 [G]
declared Grade IV 9/1/73, (J. L. Thomas declared in Grade V 24/4/73, possibly
Mackenzie also but it is not recorded) declared Grade VI for another paper delivered

37
10/7/73. When he died in 1886 he had become a Hon 9°. The changed number
designation in the Golden Book from 114 to ‘O’ is not explained.
The S.R.I.A. archives contain many letters to Westcott on a number of
matters, many concerned with John Yarker’s Ancient and Primitive Rite and the
Swedenborg Rite as its secretary. We also have his correspondence from Fredrick
Holland on the Society of Eight. The cipher manuscript did not come from him.

My final note here is on someone who toiled quietly in the background to

make the SRIA cogs turn with efficiency.

GB0115 - John Gilbert

First Acolyte 31/10/67 (Tyler)
John Gilbert was admitted into the Rosicrucian Society of England in 1873
six years after attending the first Rosicrucian meeting in 1867 as Acolyte. He
obtained his Grade II, on the 14/10/1915, some 42 years later! He was the
Metropolitan College Acolyte from 31/10/67 until 1919 some 52 years!!!
Now that is an interesting person from the Golden Book, he died
13/04/1919.

Alistair
12/05/2013

The MSG Study Group meets at 2.30 p.m. at STANFIELD HALL, 88

HIGH STREET, HAMPSTEAD, on the THIRD Saturday each
months, excluding May & December, when we meet at Mark Masons
Hall, St.James’s’, London. Please contact the Secretary for further
information, R.W. Fra. Alistair Lees VIII/9°, of 30 Poulett Gardens,
Twickenham, Middx. TW1 4QR (Telephone: 020 8891 1662 –
Mobile - 07500 893 634) inluminluce@googlemail.com

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