1717. The first Grand Lodge was formed on June 24, in London, by four lodges of the city. It was not the Grand Lodge of England at that time but of "London and Westminster."
1719. Reverend John T. Desaguliers elected Grand Master of the Mother Grand Lodge of England.
1720. Charles Montesquieu made a Mason while on a visit to London.
1721. The Grand Lodge of England, on June 24, adopted the regulation requiring all regular lodges to secure a charter.
Masonry introduced in to Turkey.
John, Duke of Montagu, became The Grand Master attendant publicity brought the Craft much prestige.
Dr. Stukeley recorded in his diary that he was made a Mason.
1722. Reads Weekly Journal published the Enter' D ‘Prentice Song, December 1.
The Old Constitution belonging to the Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons was published.
1723. The Flying Post, on April 11-13, printed "A Masons' Examination," the earliest known printed catechism of the Craft.
Dr. James Anderson publishes first edition of "The Constitution of the Free-Masons."
The Grand Mystery of Freemasons Discovered was published. It contained a Masonic catechism.
Death of the great architect Sir Christopher Wren, the operative and speculative Freemason who designed the current St Paul's Cathedral in London, and many other edifices.
The Gormogons, anti-Masons, made their appearance.
The Committee on Charity founded by the Grand Lodge of England.
1725. Grand Lodge of Ireland formed.
A lodge was known to exist in Paris.
1728. Edward Oakley, then Senior Grand Warden in south Wales, delivered an oration on December 28, so good that is was printed in the Benjamin Cole edition of the Book of Constitutions published 1731.
Masonic activity in India first began in Calcutta.
The Chevalier D'Eon was born in paris. He became a mason in 1768 and a better controversy arose as to whether "he" was a man or woman. Upon his death, it was determined that he was a man though in his later years he wore the clothes of a woman.
1729. Gotthold E. Lessing born at Kamenz, Germany, Lessing became famous for two books with Masonic meaning: Ernst and Falk and Nathan the Wise. He was a Mason.
1730. Prichard's Masonry Dissected was published. It was the first expose of the ritual. Today in is of value in studying the development of the ritual.
Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, John Pennell, published his version of the Book of Constitutions.
Martin Clare published his Defense of Masonry, an answer to Prichard's book.
The Pennsylvania Gazette published by Benjamin Franklin, on December 3 and 8, mentioned several lodges meeting in Philadelphia.
Lord Baltimore mad a Mason in England.
The Grand Lodge of England, on June 5, issued a deputation to Daniel Coxe to act as "Provincial Grand Master of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in America.
Grand Master of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in America."
Lodge No72 in Calcutta was established by Masons of the East India Company.
Baron von Steuben born.
1731. Libre B is evidence of Lodge in Philadelphia.
1732. A lodge in Paris was formed under the English constitution.
First traveling Military Lodge formed by Grand Lodge of Ireland.
George Washington born.
1733. Freemasonry appeared in Italy and persecution followed in Florence, Italy.
On April 13, Henry Price received a Deputation as "Provincial Grand master of New England and Dominions and Territories thereunder belonging." He returned to America the same year and for some years thereafter was active on behalf of the Craft.
On July 30, Henry Price organized the Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
1734. Henry Price's authority extended in August to cover all North America.
First Masonic Temple in America erected in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
First lodge in Georgia formed in Savannah by James Oglethorpe. The charter from England was received the following year.
Benjamin Franklin reprinted Anderson's Book of Constitutions. This was the first Masonic book published in America.
On November 28, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter as Grand Master for the Province of Pennsylvania.
1735. A lodge was formed in North Carolina.
Masonry established in Portugal under an English charter.
Grand Lodge of England issued a warrant to Solomon's Lodge at Charleston, South Carolina.
Hammerton received deputation as Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina, April 15.
Paul Revere born in Boston.
1736. On May 29, born at Studley, Verginia, was American Revolutionary leader and orator Brother Patrick Henry. History remembers Brother Henry for his speech on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Verginia calling for the arming of the Virginia militia. That's when he said: "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." Records are lost but he was believed to have been a member of Tappahannock Lodge of Virginia.
The South Carolina Gazette of Charles reported a Masonic meeting on that city.
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts established a lodge Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Grand Lodge of Scotland was formed.
1737. John Hancock born in Braintree, Massachusetts. His name was the first affixed to the Declaration of Independence. He was a Mason.
Warrant issued by Lord Derwentwater for the formation of a lodge in Sweden.
First lodge met in Germany on September 6.
The New York Gazette of March 28 indicated that a lodge existed in New York at the time.
1738. Dr. James Anderson published the Second edition of The Constitution of the Freemasons.
A new edition of Masonry Dissected, by Prichard, was published.
Pope Clement XII issued his Papal Bull in Eminenti, April 28. This is the first official edict of the Roman Catholic Church against the Craft.
Creation of the first Grand Lodge of France, June 24.
Edward Oakley, on December 31, delivered a speech in which he commended the giving of lectures in lodges on the subjects of architecture and geometry.
1739. July 26, in Little Britain, New York, was born Brother George Clinton, the Mason who was to become America's fourth Vice President. He was Governor of New York from 1777 to 1786 and from 1801 to 1804. He became Vice President of the United States from 1805 to 1812. He appears to have been a member of Warren Lodge No. 17, New York City. (Source: Chase's; 10,000 Famous Freemasons)
Dr. James Anderson died.
Masons persecuted in Florence.
New York Gazette announced a lodge meeting in the city.
Committee met in London to discuss Freemasonry. It eventually developed into the Ancient Grand Lodge.
1740. During the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic Wars (1740 to 1814), approximately 200,000 members of the French Army were taken prisoner and held in captivity in England. In the eight land prisons they established five Lodges; in the 50 parole towns, 32 Lodges; and, impossible as it may be to conceive, in the 51 prison hulks, where anything like a normal life was virtually if not completely impossible, there were six Lodges established.
Members of a lodge in Madrid were imprisoned.
1741. Masonry introduced in Austria.
William Preston born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1742. June 17, in Boston, Massachuetts, was born Brother William Hooper, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He was a member of Masonboro Lodge in Masonboro, Nother Carolina, which ceased to exist in 1787. He died in October, 1790. (Chase's)
Joseph Brant, Mohawk Indian Chief, born in Ohio. He was a Mason.
1743. John Coustos questioned and tortured by the Inquisition in Portugal because he was a Mason.
Masonry introduced in Denmark. A duly constituted lodge, however, was not started until October 25, 1745, when a warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of England.
Joseph Balsamo born. He later took the name Count Cagliostro and organized an Egyptian rite of Freemasonry for men and women. He became the most notorious "Masonic" charlatan. He was imprisoned on Rome for the "crime" of being a freemason and died in prison.
1744. Fifield Dassigny published A serious and Impartial Inquiry into the Caus of the Present Decay of Freemasonry in the Kingdom of Ireland. It contains the oldest printed reference to Royal Arch Masonry.
1746. John Coustos published The Sufferings of John Coustos for Freemasonry. It was a first hand report on the methods of the Inquisition.
John Paul Jones born.
1749. First lodge formed in Canada.
Thomas Oxnard, Provincial Grand Master, issued charter to St. John's Lodge. Newport, Rhode Island. This was the first lodge in that State.
Franklin appointed Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania.
1750. Freemasonry introduced in Poland.
Thomas Oxnard, Provincial Grand Master, issued charter to the first lodge in Maryland.
On January 17, Joseph Torrubia secured permission of the Pope to become a mason. He was a Roman Catholic priest living in Spain and wanted to find out who were the Masons. As a result of his joining the Craft he learned who belonged to the order and he caused their arrest and punishment by the Inquisition.
Back to Masonic History Previous Next
