Grand Stewards in England

The History of Freemasonry in England is clouded in the mists of time but there is some positive evidence of the existence of speculative as distinct from operative Masonry in the 17th Century. Lodges of Freemasons at this period were largely occasional in the sense that they were summoned at irregular intervals and according to circumstances. Nevertheless the making of Masons continued in London and the Provinces with sufficient regularity so as to preserve knowledge of the procedures and tenets of the Craft. The upsurge in speculative masonry, giving rise to the as yet unidentified events which led to the formation of a Grand Lodge, took place in London. It is accepted that four Lodges, then meeting in taverns in London, came together and agreed to establish a Grand Lodge. The process by which agreement was reached is unknown but it is known that the premier Grand Lodge was established on 24 June 1717, St John’s Day, when a feast was held at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House in St Paul’s Churchyard.

The four Lodges involved met at the Goose and Gridiron, the Crown Ale House in Parkers Lane (near the present building in Great Queen Street), The Apple Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Garden and the Runner and Grapes Tavern in Channel Row, Westminster. Three still survive and are now known as Lodge of Antiquity No 2, Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge No 12 (originally No 3) and Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No IV. These are known as “time immemorial lodges”. They, together with Grand Stewards’ Lodge, have the ability to operate without a warrant.

The feast held every year on St John’s Day was initially based at the Goose and Gridiron but in 1721, when the first noble Grand Master John, the second Duke of Montagu was elected, the numbers attending meant that Grand Lodge met at Kings Arms Tavern and the Brethren afterwards marched in procession to the Stationers Hall in order to dine.

Management of the Feast at the Goose and Gridiron was in the hands of the Wardens and the staff of the Inn. Now that the meeting was much larger it was suggested that stewards be appointed. The first known Steward was a Mr Josiah Villeneau who organised the feast with the assistance of some waiters. In 1728 a motion was moved “That a certain number of Stewards should be chosen, who should have the entire care and direction of the said feast (together with the Grand Wardens), pursuant to the printed regulations”. This motion was carried when the Deputy Grand Master invited all those willing to accept the said office of Steward, to advance to the Table sign their names before the Chair. In the event, 12 Stewards were appointed. In the early years stewards were individuals who had volunteered for the position and who personally nominated their successors. It was not until the union of the two Grand Lodges that the position was regularised. The nominations were made by specific Lodges, rather than from one individual to another.

In March 1735, Grand Lodge proposed to re-print the Book of Constitutions. It was decided to print the names of all the Grand Masters together with those of all Deputy Grand Masters, Grand Wardens and Brethren who had served the craft in the capacity of Stewards. All future Grand Officers were to be selected from that list. This resolution was of extreme importance since it rendered the office of Steward not only desirable, but also essential to those seeking preferment in the Craft.

In June 1735, at the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge, an Address was presented by the body of Gentlemen who had served as Stewards seeking certain privileges in consideration of their services.

These were as follows:

1. That they might meet monthly or otherwise as a Lodge of Master Masons (under the denomination of the Stewards’ Lodge) and be enrolled among the number of the lodges as usual with the times of their meeting.
2. That they might be so far distinguished (since all the Grand Officers are for the future appointed to be chosen out of their number and in order to qualify themselves to the right discharge of those offices, when called to the same) send a deputation of twelve from the whole body of Stewards to each Quarterly Communication, all twelve to have voices and all that come to pay half a crown a piece towards the expense of that occasion.
3. That no person, who had not served the Society as a Steward might be permitted at a Quarterly Communication or elsewhere to wear their coloured ribbons or aprons but that such as had been stewards might be indulged with wearing a particular jewel by way of distinction, suspended in their proper ribbon wherever they appear as Masons.

So began the history of Grand Stewards’ Lodge which celebrates its 275th Anniversary in 2009.
In April 1792, it was ordered to be placed at the head of the List of Lodges without number and to be known as The Grand Stewards’ Lodge and this position of honour continues to the present day.

Constituted as a Master Masons lodge, the membership is restricted to those who have served the office of Grand Steward subject to proposal and election. The Lodge has no power to initiate, pass or raise masons. The Lodge meets before each Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge.

Today Grand Stewards’ Lodge has more than four hundred members. Each year there are up to nineteen new joining members these being Grand Stewards from the nineteen lodges with the privilege of nominating a Grand Steward.

Garter Blue is the colour specified for Grand Rank regalia, except that of Grand Stewards which is crimson. It is generally considered that crimson follows the usage of the Order of the Bath, revived in 1725. The earliest surviving reference to the stewards’ crimson appears in the Minutes of Grand Lodge of 17 March 1731. There, it was proposed that those Brethren that are Stewards should wear their aprons lined with red silk and proper jewels pendant to red ribbons and that all those, who have served the Office of Steward, be able to wear aprons lined with red silk.

A Grand Steward is invested at the Annual Investiture, after nomination to Grand Lodge and acceptance by the Grand Master.



from "The Grand Stewards and Red Apron Lodges", an original text written by Michael Green, edited by Brian Parkins, sourced from http://grandstewards.org/