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In the following few pages, I have compiled a brief history of the Earlham Lodge which includes detailed information appertaining to the Foundation, and Consecration Fifty years ago, through to the present day.
I have only been involved with the Lodge since 1980 consequently, I have had to primarily rely on information gleaned from various publications of that time, and some of the older Brethren’s memories, to which they all admit to “slight lapses” on specific details.
Nevertheless, I believe the contents to reflect accurately, and I hope interestingly, a true facsimile of our Beloved Lodges History.
Let us pray that in the next fifty years, the Earlham Lodge continues to flourish and prosper, with the same inspiration of its present members, as that of our Founder Members, and that the next five generations of members continue to uphold the Honour, Prosperity, and Reputation of our Earlham Lodge, and Freemasonry in General.
W. Bro Gerald Chevin, PProvAGStB LGCR Secretary
January 2003.
Acknowledgement:
I would like to thank all the members of the Lodge for their contributions. They were gratefully received, and I hope faithfully applied in compiling this booklet.
What’s in a Name??? EARLHAM takes its name from the village of that name on the banks of the River Yare near Norwich in Norfolk.
Earlham Hall, the family seat of the family of Earlham (forebears of the Gurneys) stands above the River Yare, flowing under an old stone bridge outside Norwich, winding under overhanging trees and round the park of the Hall. Since 1925, this has been the property of the Norwich Corporation.
The original family of Earlham were squires of the village, churchgoers and one member of the family became incumbent of the parish. A decade or so later the Gurneys became owners of the Earlham Hall, a family of Quakers, philanthropists and City bankers. Earlham Hall was the family home of the Gurney family for some time. However, they never owned it, but only leased it. It is now used by the School of Law at The University of East Anglia. The Gurneys were unlanded gentry in Norwich who were Quakers from very early days. The family had been grain wholesalers. They began financing farmers, and by 1800 were primarily bankers. They were also active in social welfare concerns. The family of John and Catherine Gurney stood out among the plain Friends (Quakers) of Norwich Meeting because of their bright coloured clothing, fashionable manners, visits to the theatre and to operas, and other practices frowned on by most Friends of that era. But two of their children, Elizabeth Gurney Fry and Joseph John Gurney, became among the most prominent Friends of the 19th century. Both of them became plain Friends, were recorded as ministers rather early in their lives, became evangelicals, travelled widely in the ministry, and were active in social reform causes. Elizabeth Gurney married Joseph Fry of Upton House, Plashet, near Epping, and later became famous for her championship of the cause against slavery in which she allied herself with William Wilberforce. She is best remembered, perhaps for her work as a prison reformer, particularly with regard to Newgate Prison. She also became very widely known in the wider society. Her evangelical zeal and Christian compassion led her to work with prisoners, the insane, and the homeless. She was internationally renowned for her work, and even today there are Elizabeth Fry Societies devoted to prison work. She was also an eloquent evangelical preacher. An example of her sermons is “What owest thou unto thy Lord”? Both she and her brother Joseph John Gurney were born in West Ham in 1788, and Joseph Gurney died at Earlham Hall in 1847. Joseph John Gurney is little known outside Friends, but played a key role among Quakers, with one wing of Friends becoming known as Gurneyites. He was perhaps the most prominent Friends' minister of evangelical views in the 19th century. He travelled widely in the United States, and had a tremendous (and sometimes divisive) influence among Friends there. Gurney was an early supporter of the Indiana school which eventually was named Earlham College, in honour of Earlham Hall. Another brother, Samuel Gurney, in whose memory an obelisk drinking fountain was erected in Stratford Broadway, lived at Ham House, Upton, near Plashet, upon his marriage to Elizabeth Sheppard. Sprowston Hall in Forest Gate became the home of Samuel Gurney’s grandson, John Gurney who, it will be remembered, was instrumental in the conveyance of West Ham Park to the Corporation of the City of London for the benefit of the people of West Ham. The estimated value of this Park at the time was £25,000 of which sum John Gurney generously gave £10,000. The Park is under the control of a committee of fifteen persons, four of whom are nominated by the Gurney family. It seems in the order of things that West Ham Park, so long the residence of two such people as Samuel Gurney and Elizabeth Fry, whose names were for a long period household words for deeds of pure philanthropy, should be dedicated forever to the healthful enjoyment of all classes of people and thus be preserved as a blessing for all time. The association of Earlham with the actual Lodge is that a School of Instruction originally met in Earlham Grove, and at that time many of its members lived in the vicinity (Earlham Grove, Norwich Road, Sprowston Road, Upton Lane, etc) all of course associated with the Earlham and Gurney Family. John Gurney (1749-1809) (Son of John Gurney, of Keswick and Elizabeth Kett) Born 10 November 1749 Died 28 October 1809 Buried Gildencroft, Norwich Married 26 May 1775 Tottenham Catherine Bell, Daughter of Daniel Bell, of Royston and Katherine Barclay Died 17 November 1792 Buried Gildencroft, Norwich As a boy he had bright red hair and it is recorded that, one day in the streets of Norwich, a number of boys followed him pointing to his red locks and saying, "Look at that boy; he's got a bonfire on top of his head", and in disgust John Gurney went to the barber's, had his head shaved, and went home in a wig. However, he grew up a remarkably attractive-looking young man. He was tenant of Earlham Hall, near Norwich, of which he took a lease in 1786 from Bacon Frank. Subsequently he purchased an estate in the parish of Earlham. In 1803 he was admitted as a partner---together with his brothers, Richard and Joseph---in the Norwich Bank by his cousin, Bartlett Gurney.
Earlham Hall
River Yare
Born 21 May 1780 Norwich, Magdalen St. Died 12 October 1845 Ramsgate, Kent Buried Barking, Essex. Married 12 August 1800 Norwich, Meeting-house Joseph Fry, of Plashet Born 1777 Died 28 August 1861 The fourth of eleven children of the rich banker, John Gurney, she grew up as a Quaker more out of tradition than conviction. They attended regular services but also went to balls and parties and mixed with Unitarians and Catholics. In 1798 she wanted to escape the country life and was allowed to go to London. At Quaker meetings she met William Savery and was impressed by him. She asked his advice and he warned her against gay companions, as well as pointing out the ideal of religious peace and power. On her return home, they were suddenly visited by one of Betsy's new London friends, Joseph Fry. He was shy and, lacking the polished manners of the Gurneys, was regarded as uncouth and, worse, a "plain" (strict) Quaker who condemned dancing, music, cards and theatre. However, he belonged to one of the richest Quaker families and William Savery was of the opinion that riches and Quakerism didn't go together, though most Quakers thought differently. Like the Gurneys, the Fry’s were bankers and their estate at Plashet, near Epping Forest, was described as "sumptuous" by Savery. The Fry’s were involved with the importing of tea and spices with their headquarters in London at St. Mildred's Court. Having at first rejected the "plain" Quakers attitude, she adopted the Quaker dress at the turn of the century. Realising her new found religious direction, her father invited home the "plain" Quaker, Joseph Fry who had been regarded as a dull outdoor man with no great indoor ease. In July 1799 Joseph Fry formally asked for Elizabeth Gurney's hand. His own father had already approved but Elizabeth had hardly given that "young fry" a thought, at first rejected him. However, after a period of indecision, she changed her mind and in May 1800 the marriage was announced, taking place on 12 August 1800. They then became the parents of eleven children. For the first nine years they lived in St. Mildred's Court in London, then for the next twenty at Plashet near Epping Forest, and their last sixteen years together at Upton Lane. In March 1811, a month after the birth of her seventh child, Elizabeth was recorded as an approved minister among the Quakers. However, this did not allow her to preach, though it approved of her speaking out. This practice of "recording ministers" was later dropped by the Quakers. In 1813 Stephen Grellet (Etienne de Grellet du Mabillier), a Frenchman but also an American Quaker and preacher, had been visiting London's down-and-outs when the Chief Police Magistrate kindly offered to collect all London's "scum" for him, but Stephen Grellet preferred to visit the prisons and so went to Newgate prison. However, he was not allowed to see the section set aside for women. Profoundly shocked by what he had seen, he described his findings to Elizabeth Fry. Together with a few other Quaker women, she set to in making children's clothes from flannel and the next day went to Newgate to deliver the clothes for the naked children kept there with their mothers. However, once having visited the Newgate women's prison, Elizabeth Fry embarked on her life's work, the improvement of the prison conditions. She started with the establishment of a school inside the women's prison. Within a short period her name became known all over the country and she was in correspondence with most of the crowned heads of Europe. After the school was established mainly for the children, a matron was appointed and, under her supervision, the women were taught to sew. First they made clothes for themselves and their children; then they made patch-work and their quilts were much in demand, especially in the remote colony of New South Wales. Most of the money earned was saved for the women for either when they were released or transported to the penal colonies.
Elizabeth Fry was asked to give evidence before a committee of the House of Commons on the Prisons of the Metropolis. However, the Government was not keen on building reforming prisons, death and transportations being the preferred remedy. Soon she also realised that many of the women were to be prepared for transportation. The night before she stayed with them and accompanied them to the ship which remained for six weeks in the river. She kept on visiting the women, establishing a school on the ship and providing those women who arrived from other prisons with the materials for the making of patch-work during the voyage. From then onwards Elizabeth Fry visited and organised every convict-ship that carried women prisoners, a total of 106 ships and 12,000 convicts. In 1821 Elizabeth accompanied her husband on one of his business journeys and visiting prisons in Nottingham, Lincoln, Wakefield, Sheffield, Leeds, York, Durham, Newcastle, Carlisle, Lancaster and Liverpool. In 1828 financial disaster struck when, together with many others, Joseph Fry was declared bankrupt and, sadly, was disowned by the Quakers. As a result only one of their children, Richenda Reynolds, remained a Quaker. However, at the end of 1829 Elizabeth Fry was happy in the knowledge that all Joseph's private debts had been paid. Joseph and his sons continued in the tea business which was still solvent. In 1840 Elizabeth Fry was called to have an audience with Queen Victoria. Shortly afterwards she went to the continent with her brother, Samuel Gurney. All through the years she kept up her prison work until shortly before she died on 12 October 1845, while Joseph Fry survived until 28 August 1861.
Conceived in the minds of a few Brethren meeting as a School of Instruction at the Synagogue in Earlham Grove, Forest Gate, around the beginning of 1936. The Earlham Lodge was born on the 30th April 1953 taking its name from that School of Instruction. Consecrated at Freemasons Hall by the Assistant Grand Master, R, W.Bro, Maj-Gen. Sir Allan Adair assisted by a team of Grand Officers, The Earlham Lodge was duly recorded as No. 7266 on the Register of the United Grand Lodge of England. Over Fifty Years, the Lodge has experienced trials and tribulations, joys and sadness :and has been moulded in the cast of Freemasonry so as to reflect the original design planned so long ago by its Founder Members.
The 100th meeting was marked with the acquisition of a splendid Banner which embellishes the furnishings of the Lodge. and to mark the Silver Jubilee, the Earlham Lodge of Instruction presented a Silver Loving Cup to the Lodge, when Bernie Robbins was in the Chair.
During its first half century, The Earlham Lodge, by its charitable donations, has become a Patron of the Royal Masonic Hospital, Vice-Patron of the Royal Masonic Institution for boys, and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, and Vice. President of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. Regular charitable donations are also made to many non—Masonic Institutions.
The Lodge Register records over 50 subscribing Members, and the waiting list of several candidates proves it’s enormous popularity. The enthusiasm for the ritual work reflects itself in the Temple which, together with the congeniality of the Dinners following the Meeting’s, attracts many of our Masonic Friends as our guests at each Meeting.
The echoes of 50 years ago sound in the ears of the younger Members of the Lodge who eagerly press forward to make their mark on the record of progress, each adding to the Illustrious reputation already achieved by its past Members and Officers. For many years hence the torch of Freemasonry will he held high in the Earlham Lodge, and on the foundations so firmly laid in 1953, a superstructure is emerging as a Credit to the Craft and with honour to its builders.
So what of the future? The Founders laid A Foundation strong, broad and well compacted. Upon that Foundation we have erected a superstructure perfect in its parts and honourable to it’s builders. Like the Masons of old, none of us will see the completion of that stately and superb edifice, that we, and our predecessors have designed, but with due care and judgement, by zea1, assiduity, and being conscious of the aid of T.G.A.O.U. we know that success will attend our efforts
As each year passes by, and each new Master is installed, the Lodge starts a new era with all it’s possibilities and pitfalls. Perhaps the greatest risk is that something may happen to break or mar the traditions of the past, but I must point out that the future of the Earlham Lodge rests on those that come after us, They will be people whom you the present members introduce. No man should be proposed as a member unless you have strong grounds to believe that he will be worthy.
To succeed, all institutions must live by their intake of the right men, young men who, while happy to absorb our traditions, must insist on making their own personal contribution to the fabric of our organisation
We are fortunate, the last few years have been a period in which young men of ability and sincerity have been Initiated into our Lodge, and it is pleasing that several of these young Masons are related to some of our older members.
It is into the hands of these young Masons that the future of the Earlham Lodge is firmly placed. We older members are happy to have it so, and when the history of our first 100 years comes to be written, it should make splendid reading.
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