One of the earliest records of Freemasonry in England is contained in the diary of Elias Ashmole, the Antiquarian (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford), wherein under date October 16th, A.D. 1646, is written: "I was made a Freemason at Warrington in Lancashire".

The First Grand Lodge of England was formed in A.D. 1717, but owing to differences of opinion a rival Grand Lodge was formed in A.D. 1751, thereafter calling themselves the "Ancients" and the original Grand Lodge the "Moderns".

Humber Lodge Room

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A warrant of Constitution, Numbered 53 (picture above), was issued to a Lodge in Liverpool by the Duke of Atholl, Grand Master of the "Ancients", May 19th A.D. 1756.

This Lodge apparently lapsed, and the warrant used in AD 1775 by another Lodge in Liverpool, which Lodge was eventually suspended.

In AD 1809 this warrant was transferred (by endorsement) to Hull, to a Lodge known as the "Ancient Knight Templars", whose meetings were held at the Fleece Inn in the Market Place.

On July 2nd AD 1810, the name of the Lodge was changed to that of the "Humber".

In AD 1813, the Two Grand Lodges, the "Ancients" and the "Moderns" became united under the title of the United Grand Lodge of England; the Humber Lodge became No. 73 on the Register therof, and was so recorded until AD 1832 when, upon a renumbering of the Lodges under the Constitution, it was reduced to No. 65, and in AD 1863 this was again reduced to No. 57, which number it still remains.

William Crow Liet. RN

Humber 57 WM 1825
and 1830
and 1831

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Thomas Feetham

Humber 57 WM 1827
and 1850

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The Installation Meetings of the Humber Lodge were originally held on St. John the Baptist's Day, June 24th, but since AD 1843, the Installation has been held on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 27th.

However, in later years, the Humber Lodge has shared a Lodge building with other Lodges, the Installation meeting is held on the 2nd Tuesday of December.

The Humber Lodge, in AD 1938, was one of the largest private lodges with a subscribing membership of 286.

The photographs on this page were extracted from the History of the Humber Lodge book and the text above is extracted from the Humber Ritual book.

The picture of the Lodge Room (above) is the Humber Lodge room in Osbourne Street\Anne Street, Hull, here photographed before it was destroyed by enemy action on the night of 7/8th May A.D.1941. Temple was destroyed but the most important of the few artefacts which survived, was the original ‘Warrant’ which hung on the only surviving wall of the destroyed building.

Jeremiah Stark

Humber 57 WM 1838

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John P. Bell MD

Humber 57 WM 1842
and 1843

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William Crow Liet. RN;
Worshipful Master in the year of 1825, 1830 and again in 1831:

Thomas Feetham;
Worshipful Master in the year of 1827 and again in 1850:

Jeremiah Stark;
Worshipful Master in the year of 1838:

John P. Bell MD;
Worshipful Master in the year of 1842 and again in 1843:

William Tenneyman;
Worshipful Master in the year of 1871: