On the square

[Silverlamp]

Does anyone here know about masonic regalia? I think that this is a photo of my great grandfather. Are there any clues to his status from what he's wearing?

Thanks, Simon.

[Treetotal]

Hi Simon....Lovely photo...do you know which Lodge/Order he belonged to...it looks like there is a thistle on his apron fringe?...This might help:

http://www.masonic-lodge-of-education.com/masonic-emblems.html

Hope this helps.
Carol

[Silverlamp]

Thanks for replying Carol. I don't know which lodge (or order) he belonged to. He lived in Tunstall (now Stoke-on-Trent) and later in Fenton, so I suppose he was in one of the Burslem lodges. There seem to have been quite a few in the area.
Simon

[Michael J]

Rather a puzzling picture, because he is wearing an Installed Master’s Jewel (medal) on his left lapel, an Installed Master’s jewel on the collar together with Installed Master’s gauntlets but is wearing an ordinary Master Mason’s apron, which has the seven metal tassels each side, rather than an Installed Master’s apron which has ‘levels’ instead of tassels.

The collar and apron are rather different to those in normal English freemasonry, so he might belong to another Order – possibly Scottish because of the thistle emblem.

Michael.

[Michael J]

On further investigation I believe that he is a member of a Scottish Lodge. If you look at the website of the Grand Lodge of Scotland you will see their Master's apron is very similar, if not the same:

http://www.grandlodgescotland.com/

Look under 'Museum & Library' and click on the top-left item 'Grand Master Mason'.

The lapel jewel should have the lodge name and number on the top and bottom bars, but the photo may not be clear enough to see them.

Michael.

[Treetotal]

Simon It might be a good idea to scan the lapel jewel only..... if you can at a resolution of 300-600 dpi to see if we can make out any numbers...worth a try.
Carol

[Silverlamp]

Thank you Michael, that's just the sort of information I was hoping it would be possible to get from the photo. It seems, however, to mean that I may have misidentified my ancestor.

Michael, does the fact that he is wearing Scottish regalia mean that he was likely to have belonged to a Lodge in Scotland? Also, how does 'Installed Master' relate to 'Master Mason'? Is it a different degree?

Carol, I have looked at the original photo under magnification and I can't make anything out on the lapel jewel, so we won't get it from a scan. However, here's one anyway in case other clues emerge.

Many thanks to you both for your informative replies.
Simon

[Michael J]

Simon,

I don't know much about Scottish masonry, but I would think a lodge doesn't have to be in Scotland to be under that jurisdiction - just as there are English lodges all over the world which are under the United Grand Lodge of England.

In English freemasonry an Installed Master is a Master Mason who has been installed as Master of his lodge for that year. He has a different apron from then on, with three 'levels' on it instead of the tassels.

The Master wears gauntlets and the collar only whilst in office, once his year is up he is known as a Past Master (meaning he has passed the Chair) and has a Past Master's collar and lapel jewel.

Michael.

[Silverlamp]

Michael - thanks for explaining that for me. The photo makes more sense now; presumably this was an official portrait on the occasion of him becoming Master of his lodge. A copy may even be on the wall in a masonic hall somewhere.
Many thanks, Simon.