Viscount
Ranelagh
Caelitus mihi vires
When Thomas Heron Jones was born on the 9th of January 1812, war reigned over Europe. Napoleon retreated from Moscow in that memorable year, and war and rumours of war have persisted until the present era. Soldiering was, and still is, the order of the day.
But whereas in this year of Grace we hear so much of National Service, it was the Volunteer who figured as the hero of the 1860s. Soon there were to be found sufficient masons among the citizen soldiery, that they were able to form lodges of their own. The “Victoria Riffles” founded Lodge No. 822.”Ranelagh” eventually became 834, and the “South Middlesex” 858.
Today we honour our noble Viscount Ranelagh, who had served as a volunteer in the Carlist camp under Sir De Lacy Evans in the Spanish War of Succession. Later he became an officer of the 1st Life Guards, and we find recorded – in “The Complete Peerage” – that he was in the forefront of the Volunteer movement, being Lieutenant Colonel of the South Middlesex Volunteers from 1860 to 1885.
In Grand Lodge Records, his name appears under the heading of “Ranelagh Lodge 1136 (now 834)”, and in our own Lodge “minutes” of the same time the first Lodge Secretary writes that Brother Viscount Ranelagh “joined” on the 13th of November 1860 from Brussels (Philanthropic Lodge).
He became a K.C.B. in 1861 and the peerage became extinct at his death in 1885, on the 13th Nov.: on the 13th Nov. 1885, exactly a quarter of a century after the Consecration of the Ranelagh Lodge.
We treasure Viscount Ranelagh’s armorial bearings to the present day; and the motto beneath the crest; which reads –to you, dear reader—“Strength cometh to me from the Heavens”.
Caelitis mihi vires
RANELAGHS CONSECRATION MEETING
Consecration of the Ranelagh Lodge (No, 1136).
This new Lodge was formally consecrated on Tuesday 13th November 1860 at the Windsor Castle, King Street, Hammersmith.
The business of the was as follows: Consecration at 2pm; Installation at 3pm; Initiations at 3.30pm followed by a festive board banquet at 6pm.
The business of the day was performed by Bro William Watson, assisted by Bro. Matthew Cooke who presided at the harmonium. On Bro Watson assuming the chair he requested Bro. Henry S Cooper to undertake S.W. and Bro Farmer, Asst. G. Purs., the J.W duties. The oration was duly given by Dr Hinxman of the Grand Stewards Lodge.
The list of petitioners was duly read out and the consecration was closed to the satisfaction of all present. The Installation was then commenced and as the master had recently left the chair of another lodge no board was formed. All the officers of the lodge were duly appointed and the charges delivered.
There then followed the initiation of five candidates which was also taken by the Bro William Watson who had performed all the days ceremonies, and it is minuted that he did this with ease for which he was well known; unfortunately the W.M H.J.Purbrook, who was reputed as an excellent worker , having the misfortune to sit quietly by owing to such a frightful attack of hoarseness that it was painful to hear him endeavour to do anything.
CONSECRRATION TO TODAY
The second meeting of Ranelagh Lodge No.1136 took place on Tuesday 11th December at the Windsor Castle Hotel, King Street, Hammersmith. The five EAF were passed to the second degree and five new candidates were initiated into the Order.
This is how the lodge steadily grew from meeting to meeting with passings, raisings and initiations.
The lodge was at its strongest through the 1950s, 60s and 70s and even in the 1990s records showed upwards of 60 members - however meeting attendances had been in decline due to a large proportion of country members on the books.
Membership numbers dropped and from 2000 and the lodge was only kept going and survived due to past masters occupying the required officers.
Since this low point Ranelagh lodge has been steadily growing with the regular injections on new younger members as well as members joining from other lodges
The members of the Lodge feel that it is onwards and upwards for Ranelagh as we look towards out 175 year and beyond