Antient Grand Lodge of England

The Antient Grand Lodge of England or "Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England, according to the Old Constitutions" was a rival Grand Lodge to the Premier Grand Lodge of England. It existed from 1751 until 1813 when the United Grand Lodge of England was created. They called themselves the "Antients". The Grand Lodge was also informally called the "Atholl Grand Lodge" because the Third and Fourth Dukes of Atholl presided over them as Grand Masters for half of its 62-year existence.

History

The grand Lodge was founded in 1751 mainly by Irish freemasons, which were disillusioned by the way freemasonry had been changed by the freemasons of the Grand Lodge of England. On 17 July 1751, representatives of five Lodges gathered at the Turk's Head Tavern, in Greek Street, Soho, London - forming a rival Grand Lodge of England According to the Old Institution. They accused the Grand Lodge founded in 1717, which they called the "Moderns", of not adhering to the old customs of freemasonry and claimed that only themselves upheld the Craft's old customs.

Constitution

Laurence Dermott wrote a constitution for the Antients, the Ahiman Rezon, as an alternative for the Constitution of the "Moderns" which was written by James Anderson.

Grand Masters

* 1753, Robert Turner
* 1754-1756, Edward Vaughan
* 1756-1760, William Stewart, 1st Earl of Blessington
* 1760-1766, Thomas Erskine, 6th Earl of Kellie
* 1766-1770, Hon. Thomas Mathew
* 1771-1774, John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl
* 1775-1781, John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
* 1783-1791, Randal MacDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim
* 1791-1812, John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
* 1813, Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn

Grand Secretaries

* 1751, John Morgan
* 1752-1770, Laurence Dermott
* 1771-1776, William Dickey
* 1777-1778, James Jones
* 1779-1782, Charles Bearblock
* 1783-1784, Robert Leslie
* 1785-1789, John McCormick
* 1790-1813, Robert Leslie.

ee also

* History of Freemasonry
* Masonic Manuscripts

ource

* [http://www.grandlodge-england.org/ugle/the-history-of-grand-lodge-1.htm The History of Grand Lodge - the Two Grand Lodges - Unification - consolidation and growth]
* [http://www.wasatchlodge.org/publish/brief-history-of/ Brief History Of Freemasonry]
* [http://www.atholl.netfirms.com/ Antients today]