CHESHIRE-L Archives

From: Neil <>
Subject: [CHESHIRE-L] Early Freemasonry
Date: Sun, 02 May 1999 10:03:39 +0100

[Extracts from:-]
Transactions of Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire. Vol XV
p. 96

Extracted from 'Freemasonry in Cheshire & Lancashire.'

>From a document by Randle Holme III, Heraldic Painter, whose house is now
The Olde King's Head in Lower Bridge St.,Chester

WILLIAM WADE W.t giue to be a Freemason
translated as:-
"William Wade, what he shall give to be a Freemason."

Then follows a record of marks followed by sums of money from 20 shillings
down to 8.
Translated as:-
"Records the votes of 19 persons who had scratched against the money quoted
in the document and 2 who had not"
To the right of the votes are 5 names:-
ROBERT MORRIS
WILLm STREET
JOHN HUGHES
SAM PIKE Taylor
WILLm WADE

Thought to be the men applying to join.
Then follows a list, thought to be the members present[not all the membership]

WILLm HARVEY20
MICH HOLDEN20
PET DOWNHAM20
THO FFOULKES10
WILL HUGHES8
JO FFFLETCHER10
SETH HILTON10
RAN HOLME10
RIC RATCLIFFE20
WILL WOODS5
JO PARRY10
THO MORRIS10
THO MAY10
WILL ROBINSON20
JAMES MORT20
JO LLOYD20
GEO HARVEY20
WILL JACKSON10
ROBT HARVEY20
JOHN MADOCK10

[Here the writer tries to identify the above names by quoting Wills or
Bonds from the Court of Probate at Chester.]

Proved
Robert Morris Chester, Glazier1708
and his son, ROBERT MORRIS, Glazier
JOHN HUGHES Chester, Slater1683
JOHN HUGHES Chester, Husbandman17081713
SAMUEL PYKE Chester, Tailor1698
WILLIAM WADE Chester, Mason1716
WILLIAM HARVEY Chester, Aldm16841687
THOMAS FOULKES Chester, Carpenter17121713
WILLIAM HUGHES Holt, Gent.1693
**JOHN FLETCHER Chester,Clothworker1665

[** later thought by the writer NOT to be the Freemason, although retains it.]
'Inclined to think that the JOHN FLETCHER of RANDLE HOLME's list was the
Mason or bricklayer who worked at the church of St.Mary on the Hill'

RANDLE HOLME Chester17041707
RICHARD TAYLOR jun. Chester,Merchant1693
RICHARD TAYLER Chester, Button Maker17101714
RICHARD RATCLIFFE Chester, Gent.1682/31685
WILLIAM WOODS Handbridge,
Chester, Mason16991706
WILLIAM ROBINSON Chester, Lab16801685
JAMES MORT Chester, Mason16841685
JOHN LLOYD Chester, Mason1674/51675
WILLIAM JACKSON Chester, Aldm1699
JOHN MADDOCK1680

[Further pages [106-123]contain transcriptions of Wills &
Bonds,and other references. I list the main ones below.
In some cases where there are several people with the same
name, all are given with whatever information was to hand. N.H.]

JOHN MADDOCKE, ALDERMANwill1680
ROBERT HARVEY, ALDERMAN will1669
WILLIAM JACKSON, TANNERwill1677
THO. MORRIS.freedom1660
THOMAS MAYno reference found
WILLIAM ROBINSON, LABwill1680
JAMES MORT, MASONwill1684
JOHN LLOYD, MASONwill1675
GEORGE HARVEY, MILLERreferences
RICHARD RATCLIFFE, GENT.will1682
WILLIAM WOODS, MASONwill1706
JOHN PARRY, CARPENTERreferences
WILLIAM FLETCHER, MASONwill1705
SETH HILTON, MASONfreedom1672
RANDLE HOLME IIIfreedom1656
RANDLE HOLME IVfreedom1696
RICHARD TAYLOR Jun., MERCHANTinventory1693
RICHARD TAYLOR, BUTTON MAKERwill1710
WILLIAM HUGHES, GENT.will1693
JOHN FLETCHER, CLOTHWORKERwill1665
THOMAS FOULKES Sen., CARPENTERwill1712
PETER DOWNHAMfeeedom1668
MICHAEL HOLDENno reference found
WILLIAM HARVEY, ALDERMANwill1684
WILLIAM WADE, MASONbond1716
SAMUEL PYKE, TAYLORbond1698
JOHN HUGHES, HUSBANDMANwill
JOHN HUGHES, SLATERinventory 1683
WILLIAM STREET, ALDERMAN,
SHERRIFF & MAYORreferences
ANNE MORRIS, WIFE OF
ROBERT MORRIS, GLAZIERappoints proctor 1708

[Included with this discussion:-]

MASTER MASONS, MASTER CARPENTERS, AND SURVEYORS OF WORKS.

(Ormerod, Cheshire, new edition, vol. i, pp. 87-88.)

1327-1329, 1 and 2 Edward III.-JOHN DE ESSHEBY, parson of the Church of
Pleymundestowe, surveyor of the King's works in the county. See
Chamberlains, 3 Edward III [1329-1330], p. 59, where the following occurs :
JOHN STONEHALL, parson of Plemistow. A note says that he is called John de
Essheby Parson of the Church of Pleymondestowe in Recognizances
acknowledged before him 3 May, 3 Edward III [1329].

1377, 51 Edward III, 20 April.-WILLIAM DE NEWHALL, master carpenter in both
counties during pleasure.
. . . Richard II ....WILLIAM HULPESTAN, master mason. 1396, 19 Richard II,
18 June.-MASTER ROBERT FAGAN, mason of the county and North Wales for life,
vice WILLIAM HULPESTAN
1398, 21 Richard II, 11 April.-ROBERT FAGAN, the same in both counties and
North Wales.
1398, 21 Richard II, 8 April.-ROBERT SCOT, carpenter of both counties for
life.
1399, 1 Henry IV, 20 October.-MASTER WILLIAM DE NEWEHALL the same. [Cf. 1377.]
1400, 1 Henry 1V, 13 February.-ROBERT SCOT the same, in reversion on the
death of Newehall.
1412, 13 Henry IV, 1 February.-ROGER DREWRY, master carpenter of the castle
of Chester and in both counties for life. 14I4, 2 Henry V, 6
October.-THOMAS DE HOLDEN, mason in both counties during pleasure.
1416, 4 Henry V, 22 August.-JOHN ASSER, the same.
1432, 10 Henry VI, 26 May.-HENRY BALFRONT, carpenter for life.
1433, 11 Henry VI, 1 March.-JOHN ASSER, junior, mason in both counties and
North Wales, for life, on the resignation of John Asser, his father.
1438, 16 Henry VI, 8 May.-HENRY BALFRONT, carpenter in both counties for
life. (He was afterwards one of the sheriffs of the city.) [1494, Henry
Balfront, John Walley, sheriffs ,p. 212 .
1439, 17 Henry VI, 10 June.-JOHN ASSER, master mason, surveyor of the walls
of the city of Chester.
1446, 24 Henry VI, 2 July.-JOHN CAMPTON, mason in the county of Chester and
North Wales for life, vice John Asser deceased.
1461, 1 Edward IV, 24 July.-JOHN SAVAGE, armiger, surveyor of castles,
manors, &c., in both counties and Denbigh for life.
1461, 1 Edward IV, 20 December.-WILLIAM REDICHE, master mason of the city
for life.
1461, 1 Edward IV, 30 December. WILLIAM FRANKELEYNE, alias TEMPLE,
carpenter of the castle of Chester for life.
1463, 3 Edward IV, 12 April. WILLIAM FRANKELYN, alias TEMPLE, carpenter in
both counties for life.
1467, 7 Edward IV, 8 March. The same.
1484, 1 Richard III, 10 Apiil.-HUGH HURLETON, surveyor of works in both
counties for life.
1484, 2 Richard III, 1 September.-WILLIAM FRANKELYN, alias TEMPLE,
carpenter., confirmation of last appointment for life.
1485, 1 Henry VII, 1 November.-WILLIAM [FRANKELYN, alias] TEMPLE the same.
1494,9 Henry VII, 12 March.-OLIVER BOLTON, the same office during pleasure.
1495, 11 Henry VII, 24 September-.-SETH DERWALL, mason in both counties
during pleasure.
1503, 18 Henry VI 11 April.--The same.
1509, 1 Henry VIII, 18 September.-RICHARD HURLESTON, surveyor in both
counties during pleasure, vice HUGH HURLETON, his father.
1516, 8 Henry VIII, 10 September.-SETH DERWALL, mason in both counties.
1516, 8 Henry VIII, 30 December.-NICHOLAS HURLE, surveyor of works in both
counties for life, vice RICHARD HURLETON.
1525, 17 Henry VIII, 1 August.-SETH DERWALL and GEORGE DERWALL, his son,
masons-for life in survivorship on the surrender of the grant, 10
September, 8 Henry VIII [1516].
1527, 18 Henry VIII, 5 March.-OLIVER BOLTON, master carpenter of the works
of Chester Castle.
1537, 29 Henry VIII, 14 May.- JOHN BRERETON, master in both counties.
1537, 29 Henry VIII, 21 December.-HUGH BOLTON, carpenter in the same.
1552, 6 Edward VI, 8 August.-WILLIAM BOLTON, the same for life.
1558, 4 and 5 Philip and Mary, 26 March.-HENRY BOLTON the same during
pleasure, vice WILLIAM BOLTON, his father.,
1592, 34 Elizabeth, 13 January.-MILO MATHER, carpenter, on resignation of
HENRY BOLTON.
1601, 43 Elizabeth, 14 November.-HENRY FLETCHER, mason in both counties
during pleasure.

[Frodsham Church Books.-14 November, 43 Elizabeth, 1601, the Queen granted
to HENRY FLETCHER the office of Master Carpenter of all her works in the
county of Chester, with the usual wages and fees. All work at the castle
would be done under the oversight of the bailiff, Sir JOHN SAVAGE, the son
and successor of the late Sir John of the same name.-Frodsham, by WILLIAM
BEAMONT, Esq.,p. 118.] 1602, 44 Elizabeth, 9 November.-JOHN NICOLSON the same.
[9. November, 44 Elizabeth, 1602, the Queen granted to JOHN NICHOLSON the
office of Master Mason of all her buildings and works in Cheshire and
Flintshire, with the fees and wages to the same belonging.-Frodsham Church
Books. Frodsham, by W. Beaumont, p.119.]
1660, 12 Charles II, 29 August.-JOHN SHAW, mason in the county.
1663-1664, 15 Charles II.-The same, surveyor of works.
1765, 5 George III, 2 August.-JOSEPH WINKLES, surveyor of all castles, &c.,
in the county during pleasure.

The following apprentices ..[from Cheshire].. it must always be remembered
that there are no. records of the Company earlier than 1620:-

1663, 30 June.-JOHN TAPLEY, son of WILLIAM TAPLEY, of Chester, yeoman,
apprentice to JOHN MARTIN, Citizen and Mason of London, for 7 years.
1670, 28 June.-EDMUND HOLINES, son of RALPH HOLINES, of Widford, co.
Chester, Taylor, apprentice to JOHN MARTIN, C.& M. of London, for 7 years.

extracted from:-
Vol.14
'Freemasonryin Lancashire.'

ELIAS ASHMOLE'S DIARY

1646,. Oct: 16. 4-30 PM. I was made a Free Mason at Warrington in
Lancashire, with Coll. HENRY MAINWARING of Karnicham in Cheshire. The
names of those that were then of the Lodge [were] Mr: RICH PENKET Warden,
Mr. JAMES COLLIER, Mr: RICH. SANKEY, HENRY LITTLER, JOHN ELLAM, RICH: ELLAM
& HUGH BREWER.

N.Harris

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