arena As well as the displays, Library and
Museum staff also provide an enquiry service for historical questions on freemasonry and can help with material for lodge and chapter histories. There are over 55,000 books in the collection which sounds a bit daunting but the online catalogue can help one search for information on particular subjects and the staff are always ready to assist. Spending even just a couple of hours using the Library or archive resources can help you prepare a personally tailored talk for your lodge, perhaps about the lodge itself. Why not? As perhaps a somewhat prosaic example of the museum's role as the collective memory of Freemasonry, look at the "then" and "now" pictures of Temple No. 1 - now used as a lecture room, catwalk or conference venue and compare it with how it looked when it was a lodge room. Who remembers? Who will remember in 25 years time? The Library and Museum also
answers all sorts of enquiries from members and the general public. Diane explained that they range from the standard, “we have started to build up a detailed family tree and we think that our great, great grandfather was a Freemason. Can you help?” to “we have a silver spoon with a square and compasses logo and lodge number X on it – is it for Masonic secret ceremonies?” In fact the staff deal with over 2000 family history enquiries each year! Having noted that London has
played such a large part in the Masonic life of England, arena asked what the library's plans were for the future and what sort of part does London play in them?
SPRING 2013 25 “When our current exhibition on
artists and Freemasonry (covered by Bro Canonici in the last edition of Arena) ends in October, we open a new exhibition called Excellent Companions: Celebrating the Royal Arch. Towards the end of 2014 we will be marking the centenary of the start of the First World War with the first in a series of exhibitions on that subject over the next four years. The role of London lodges and chapters will feature in both.” As an example, perhaps, of what we have been talking about, see the Companion’s jewel by Thomas Harper shown alongside. This was presented to Daniel Beaumont, a gentleman of Great Russell Street, in 1800, the year he was exalted in the Chapter of St James (now Chapter No. 2). It is exactly this sort of "forgotten", detail about a man living locally to Great Queen Street that will add an extra dimension to your historical enquiries about your own Chapter or Lodge Our view is that it’s worth taking
the time to check out the Library and Museum, especially, as Diane mentioned, Londoners tend to underuse it. You could even think about bringing friends and family for a side visit to/from walking around Covent Garden. In any case, it's a good feeling to see exhibits from London Lodges and Chapters that you may have visited - a real link to the past!
A Companion’s jewel by Thomas Harper. Presented to Daniel Beaumont, gentleman of Great Russell Street, in 1800, the year he was exalted in the Chapter of St James (now No 2).
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