The Union of the Ancients and Moderns

Meanwhile, after nearly 63 years of argument, the two Grand Lodges merged on 27 December 1813 to form the United Grand Lodge of England. This union led to a considerable standardisation of ritual, procedures and regalia, operating under the core values of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.

This was long before the days of the telegraph, telephone and Internet – transport was largely limited to horse-drawn vehicles; it was a while before official guidance reached the northern Masonic Provinces (at this time the whole of Yorkshire comprised one Province) and it wasn’t until March 1815 that the Articles of Union of the two Grand Lodges were received. On Christmas Eve 1817 Minerva Lodge “was attended by Bro Samuels who had been deputed by the United Grand Lodge to instruct the Brethren in the new system of initiation enjoined by that body.” Bro Samuels was consequently made an honorary member.

Humber Lodge first opened in 1809. In 1817 the Phoenix Lodge 368 was opened. There was talk of the Phoenix and Minerva Lodges uniting, but they could not agree about premises, Minerva insisting at staying at Dagger Lane. The Phoenix Lodge experienced financial problems and closed after the sudden death of the WM in 1831, having lasted for fourteen years. 

It was in 1817 that the Masonic Province of Yorkshire was divided into two - Yorkshire West Riding and Yorkshire North and East Ridings. The PGM was the Rt Hon Lawrence, 2nd Lord Dundas. On Christmas Eve that year the Minerva Lodge performed the first initiation ceremony under the new system of the United Grand Lodge of England.

To celebrate St John the Evangalist's Day on 28th December 1818 (winter solstice) the Minerva Lodge held another procession, and on this occasion the Minerva banner was carried - an elegant blue silk flag depicting Minerva in a horse-drawn chariot. The banner had been made by Miss Sarah Crompton, the Lodge Treasurer's daughter. The whereabouts of the original (if it has survived) is unknown, but an exact copy was made in 1923 and another one subsequently.

Another silk flag story relates to one painted by Bro Jno Willoughby (or possibly his wife) and presented by the Senior Deacon Bro Lieutenant William Crow RN "as a memento and in the memory of the late Bro Horatio, Viscount Nelson who fell in the moment of victory off Cape Trafalgar 21st October 1805."

The official Minerva Lodge history expresses some doubt as to whether Nelson was a Mason and it seems unlikely that he and William Crow ever met. In fact, there is no record of Nelson becoming a Mason in UGLE records, though an article in a Freemasons Quarterly Review from 1839 stated, without proof, that both Nelson and his servant Thomas Allen were both Freemasons.

William Crow had been initiated into the Godolphin Lodge 235 in the Scilly Isles in 1806. He joined Minerva in 1819. He was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and was familiar with discipline and man management and he liked getting his own way, which was probably why his application to join Phoenix Lodge in 1821 was blackballed. He became Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1823 but resigned after a fall-out in 1827. He proposed at a meeting that Bro Northern, a jeweller and watchmaker, be raised to the Third Degree. As the hour was late, the WM, Samuel Talbot Hassell, suggested that the ceremony be deferred until a later occasion. "Crow went into a rage, made a great nuisance of himself and was finally excluded from the Lodge for the evening. He then staged a walkout with Bros Feetam, Leonard, Walton and others including Bro Northern. Ultimately this culminated in the defection of seventeen or more Brethren to the Humber Lodge." (Hovell)

There was further trouble in January 1830, and the Minerva minutes record that Crow had attempted to enter the Minerva Lodge, but the Junior Warden and the Junior Deacon objected, saying they could not remain in the Lodge if Crow was admitted. The WM tried to effect a reconcilliation, which failed, and WIlliam Crow made a nuisance of himself in the lobby, preventing the meeting going ahead, "but owing to Bro Crow persisting in annoying the Lodge it was resolved to proceed no more with working but the brethren were called from labour to refreshment in the course of which Bro Secy had occasion to retire from the Lodge for a short time, on his return he found Bro Stark and Ridgeway had been in the lobby and by force had taken Bro Crow out and were on the steps of the Lodge, Bro Crow resisting them with all his might and declaring if they would have him away they should drag him for he would not walk with them. When Bro Secy knocked at the door of the lobby for admittance Bro Crow again attempted to force himself, the Tyler and Bro Secy resisting him by attempting to shut the door against him but he burst open the door and struck at Br Secy."

Interestingly Crow became a significant mover and shaker in the Humber Lodge, which had been failing, and is honoured as one such on the L57 annual Founder's Night. 

MInerva Lodge was very much affected by the split in 1827 and had a lack of candidates. The initiation fee, which had been £5/5/- was reduced to £3/3/-  in 1833. This was the Centenary or Jubilee year, and Bro Frank Appleyard was elected as WM, having previously held that Office in 1818. (See page 2 for picture.) But the Lodge now had less than twenty members, and the following year the Secretary misappropriated some of the funds and the WM disappeared with the remainder. By 1835 the rent couldn't be paid; matters were so desperate that the Lodge furniture was put up for auction.

Whether the sale took place is uncertain, but that things had come to this pass showed the Lodge was at its lowest ebb. J R Ellerby dismisses the following decade thusly: "Fortunately there still remained a small remnant of stalwarts who were determioned to keep the flag flying and who subscribed money to wipe out the debt and alter and repair the Lodge premises, and whilst this was being done the Lodge had temporary headquarters at the Coach and Horses Inn Mytongate.

It was the following year that Brother James Henderson was appointed Tyler, in which capacity he acted for twenty-five years, and for which service he never received more than £6 per annum. Quite how much of the Lodge furniture remained is uncertain, but it would have been Bro Henderson's task to endure all was in order for every ceremony, and to clear up afterwards.