The 2nd Marquess of Salisbury

27 September, 2016

1831 – 1844

James Gascoyne-Cecil was born on the 17th April 1791. His Masonic career began when Francis Crew, WM of the Hertford Lodge No. 849, later 578 and now 403, wrote to the Grand Master, the Duke of Sussex, asking to be allowed to Initiate the Second Marquess of Salisbury with thirteen other Initiates. This was on the 1st October 1829. The Duke of Sussex replied, via the Grand Secretary ‘granted to the number of Ten’. Hertford Lodge had been consecrated less than a month before on the 8th September 1829.

The Second Marquess was initiated into Freemasonry in the Hertford Lodge on the 6th October 1829, aged thirty-eight years. He was passed on the 3rd November 1829 and raised on the 1st December 1829. The Lodge at this time met at the Salisbury Arms in Hertford. In the following year, 1830, the Second Marquess was appointed Senior Grand Warden in the United Grand Lodge of England. He was elected a Vice President of the Girls’ School in 1830 and Vice President of the Boys’ School in 1832.

In 1831, he was appointed Provincial Grand Master, but was not Installed until 7th November 1833, in the Shire Hall, Hertford. The Essex and Herts Mercury reports the following:-

‘The members of the Hertford Lodge had the satisfaction to celebrate not only the installation of a Master of their own Lodge for the ensuing year, but also the unusual occurrence of the installation of a Provincial Grand Master for Herts. After the business appertaining to the Hertford Lodge and some other Masonic business had been concluded, a Provincial Grand Lodge was held, at which several brethren from London, distinguished in the Craft assisted, and the Most Noble the Marquess of Salisbury, who had been previously appointed Provincial Grand Master by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, was installed into that honourable office with the usual ceremonies, after which he proceeded to appoint and invest the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year, who were selected from the three lodges in the County’.

(These would of course have been Hertford Lodge now No. 403, Bamborough Lodge No. 851 which in 1832 became No. 580, in 1833 changed its name to Watford Lodge and in 1863 became No. 404, and the Stortford Lodge now No. 409 which was consecrated on the 27th December 1831.)

‘The Provincial Grand Lodge being closed, the brethren to the number of 60, sat down to a sumptuous banquet, at which the Marquess of Salisbury presided. Amongst the brethren present were William Stuart, Esq., MP for Bedfordshire, S.G.W., P. Clutterbuck, Esq., P. Prov. DGM, Rowland Alston, etc. Brother Crew, P.M., as usual, delighted the company by his vocal talent, and Brother Blewitt and several others contributed their aid in the musical department. The miserable state of the weather throughout the day prevented many from attending who were anxious to be present; but the brethren took care that none of the gloom of a November day should penetrate the recess of the Lodge, where nought was suffered to enter but harmony and good cheer. Mrs. Pollard of the Dimsdale Arms provided the dinner on the occasion, and Mr. P. Young the dessert, which gave great satisfaction’.

On the 6th May 1834, the second Lodge in the Second Marquess of Salisbury’s Provincial Grand Mastership was consecrated at the George Inn, Hockerhill, and was called the Lodge of Friendship No. 604, this Lodge was erased in 1851. It seems Bro John Davies, Deputy Provincial Grand Master consecrated the Lodge, but that the Second Marquess was present. He never consecrated a Lodge during his time as Provincial Grand Master.

On the 7th May 1835 he attended the Hertford Lodge and after the meeting he presided over the Provincial Grand Lodge. From a report in the Freemasons’ Quarterly Review, a large number of brethren were present, ate their dinners with a punctuality and dispatch which would have done honour to a corps of veterans. In acknowledging the toast to his health, the Noble Marquess is reported to have ‘expressed his sincere gratification at the large meeting he then addressed; to have suggested that it was an indication of the high station the Craft held in the Province and to have declared that nothing on his part should be wanting to increase its importance by any possible means in his power.’

On the 27th November 1835, a fire broke out at Hatfield House and the venerable Marchioness of Salisbury, mother of the Provincial Grand Master, perished in the fire. There were many resolutions of sympathy from the Province and below is the one from his mother Lodge after an emergency meeting called on the 9th December.

To the Most Honourable the Marquess of Salisbury, Grand Master of Masons for the County of Hertford, etc. etc. etc.

Most Honourable and Right Worshipful Lord and Brother, We, the Master, Past Masters, Wardens and Officers, and members of the Hertford Lodge No. 578, in the Registry of England, beg to express our deep sorrow and regret at the melancholy calamity with which your lordship has lately been visited. As Grand Master of our Ancient Order in this Province, you are justly entitled to the first consideration of our Lodge; but your claim to our regard is still stronger than that arising from the high and distinguished rank which you hold in the Craft. By the urbanity and kindness which you have ever shown towards us, both as a Lodge and individuals, and the friendly and social manner in which you have always mixed amongst us, you have rendered yourself an object of our warmest respect and esteem. We, therefore, no less as friends than as Masons, claim the melancholy privilege of expressing our deep sympathy in the sufferings of a Brother, for whom we feel so sincere and affectionate regard. In condoling with your lordship on the loss of a venerable and most respected parent we venture to express a hope that it will be some alleviation to your grief to reflect that, owing to the charitable and other virtues which eminently distinguished her career through life, her memory will be long cherished in the grateful remembrance of all who knew her. That the Great Architect of the Universe may prove a Comforter to you in the hour of affliction, and that he may pour down the dew of His blessing upon your lordship and family, is the sincere and fervent prayer of the Brethren assembled at this Lodge.

Signed and sealed in the name and on behalf of the Lodge, this ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty five – A.L. 5835’.

On the 8th June 1836, when Salisbury Lodge No. 630 was consecrated at the Falcon Inn, Waltham Cross by Bro John Davies, Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master, the Provincial Grand Master was present.

The Founders, with his lordship’s sanction, had done him the honour to bestow his title, and in responding for the toast to his health he again expressed his attachment to the Craft in the following terms, as reported in the Freemasons’ Quarterly Review:-

‘’I have endeavoured as far as in my power to promote Freemasonry, but I regret I have not been enabled to perform my duty in the Province as I would wish. But it is gratifying to my feelings and flattering to my official character to know that Masonry is advancing in the county. Another new Lodge has this day been started; may it prosper and extend the usefulness of our Craft, and may I never disgrace the Province which so nobly supports our principles’.

On the 29th July 1836, the Provincial Grand Master was present at the Opening of the Masonic Hall, Watford, by the Watford Lodge No. 580. There were one hundred and twenty present. Provincial Grand Lodge was also held on this day.

At the regular meeting of Hertford Lodge on 6th October 1836, Bro Millar, a Doctor at Enfield, was elected Worshipful Master. He declined, especially because of his professional duties. At a Lodge of Emergency on 21st October 1836 a further vote was taken for Worshipful Master. Bro Crawley was elected, there being eight votes for him and seven for Bro Lord Salisbury. The Secretary (Bro Stephen Austin) wrote to the Grand Secretary on the 30th October 1836 to say that

Bro Crawley had been elected W.M. and I am in hopes that this Lodge will harmonise again. The Marquess of Salisbury intends to be there, as perhaps his presence may tend to heal the wounds inflicted during the past year’.

On the 2nd November 1837, Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Hertford, under the auspices of Hertford Lodge.

On the 19th May 1838, Lord Salisbury attended the Sun Hotel, Hitchin for the Consecration of Cecil Lodge No. 657 now No. 449. Bro John Davies was again the Consecrating Officer.

On 3rd November 1838, Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Watford. The Provincial Grand Master was present, as were other prominent Members, including The Editor of the Review and the Honorary Secretary of the Girls’ School, J.B. Gore, who wrote:-

‘Bro W Stuart, (next Provincial Grand Master), in proposing the toast to the Provincial Grand Master, laid especial stress on the great increase which had taken place in Freemasonry in Hertfordshire under his lordship’s rule, and the Noble Marquess in his reply, modestly ascribed the success, which undoubtedly attended the Province, to the valuable assistance he had at all times received from the Brethren. On this occasion, but after Lord Salisbury’s reply to his health, the ladies, to the number of about sixty, were admitted to the gallery, and remaining toasts were given as at an ordinary gathering of gentlemen’.

In 1839, the St. Albans Lodge No. 678 was consecrated, again by Bro John Davies, in the presence of the Provincial Grand Master. It was consecrated at the Town Hall, St. Albans and met at the Turf Hotel. It hosted Provincial Grand Lodge in 1843. It was chiefly instrumental in founding the Senior Lodge in Bedfordshire, the Lodge of St. John the Baptist, now No. 475, which was consecrated on 29th July 1841 at the George Hotel, Luton. Sadly this St. Albans Lodge was erased on 1st June 1853. Also in the year of 1839, the wife of the Provincial Grand Master died, and there was no Provincial Grand Lodge due to her death.

In 1840 Lord Salisbury was appointed Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, and he remained in that office until he resigned from Freemasonry. In July 1840 a Provincial Grand Lodge was held, but where is not known. In November 1841, Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Shire Hall, Hertford, no other details are known. As to 1842, all that is known is that Provincial Grand Lodge met in June. On 19th April 1843, a Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Town Hall, St. Albans and Bro W. Stuart, the Deputy presided, as the Provincial Grand Master was unable to attend. There are no Provincial records before 1844.

The Minutes of Grand Lodge held on Wednesday 6th September 1843 show the RW, The Most Hon, The Marquess of Salisbury, KG, Deputy Grand Master, as Grand Master. The Minutes for Wednesday 6th December 1843 show the Right Hon, The Earl of Zetland, MW, Pro Grand Master on the Throne; The RW The Most Hon The Marquess of Salisbury, KG, as Deputy Grand Master. At this meeting both the Earl of Zetland and the Marquess of Salisbury allowed their names to be nominated as Grand Master, due to the death earlier in the year of the Duke of Sussex, Grand Master.

Sometime between this date of the 6th December and early January 1844, a matter of some thirty days at the most, the Marquess of Salisbury resigned from the whole of Freemasonry. There had been politics in Freemasonry. By the Reform Act 1832, Lord Salisbury lost the pocket borough of Hertford. But the Hon. W.F. Cowper of a Whig family, residing at Panshanger, and who sat continuously for the Borough from 1835 to 1868, was initiated into Hertford Lodge on 7th January 1836, so this appears to have been resolved at Lodge level despite Lord Salisbury’s failure to be elected WM later that year.

The Marquess of Salisbury’s resignation was read and approved at the Lodge meeting on 7th November 1844. A subsequent note in the Lodge records states:-

‘Undoubtedly at this time this Lodge was profoundly affected by the politics of the day. Sir Robert Peel had just commenced to repeal the Corn Duties and the Conservative Member for Hertford, Viscount Ingestre, and other prominent townsmen followed him. The then Marquess of Salisbury remained a protectionist and very virulent political feeling resulted’.

At the Grand Lodge meeting of Wednesday 6th March 1844, the Earl of Zetland stated that he had a letter of resignation from the Marquess of Salisbury; he read the letter but the contents are not reported and the date of the letter is not shown.

The Marquess of Salisbury was made a Knight of the Garter in 1842, he became Lord Privy Seal in 1852 and Lord President of the Council from February 1858 to June 1859. He died at Hatfield House on 12th April 1868.

Back | Next