Making a Mason at Sight is unknown in English Freemasonry, although up to the end of the First World War many examples are known where to do so was regarded as a ‘landmark’ by most American Grand Lodges. It is intriguing therefore that in the museum of the Province of the Isle of Man we have minutes recording how a Manx ship’s captain came to be Made a Mason at Sight while in port in Mississippi.
    On 1 June 1894, JL Spinks, Grand Master of Mississippi, together with five other brethren, had been invited by JF McCormick, Inspector of Customs for the Port of Biloxi and himself a Past Grand Master, to accompany him to Ship Island, a transit port for goods to be shipped up-river. The island was some 12 miles offshore from Biloxi. On board the tug, which took them across the Mississippi Channel, was Captain George Maddrell, Manx born, of the steam ship County of York. He was returning from a shore visit. Unable to land at Ship Island due to the weather - while the tug could not return to Biloxi until night - Captain Maddrell invited everyone to spend the day on board his vessel. Having spent the forenoon looking over the County of York, they then dined with him. “The menu was excellent and so was the cognac and wine, at least so said the brethren”, said the Grand Master who, along with the captain, refrained from imbibing.
    While on board the party had been introduced to the first mate, GJ Lewin, also Manx. Lewin was a member of St Trinians Lodge in the Isle of Man. Captain Maddrell had already expressed his regret that he was not a mason himself, since his trade prevented him from becoming one, never being in one place long enough. Lewin urged the Grand Master to exercise “his highest prerogative” and make Maddrell “a Mason at Sight”. Furthermore, Lewin described the captain as “the most pious I have ever known in the business... none would ever utter an oath in his presence... nor would he or the second mate say anything indecent or smutty in his presence”.
    On inspecting Maddrell’s cabin, the Grand Master had found “many beautiful mottoes and scriptural quotations” which Maddrell himself described as “my coat of arms”. Having been assured by all he had heard and seen, the Grand Master agreed to make Maddrell “a Mason at Sight” and an Emergency Lodge was formed. The “Square and Compass” of New Orleans, a journal devoted to the interests of Freemasonry, records how “the carpenters’ chest and engineers’ room were ransacked for the working implements of the Craft.”
    The minutes of the meeting are written on the letterhead of the Grand Master A F and A Masons Grand Lodge of Mississippi, and read:

Steam Ship County of York. In Latitude 30° 14’ North, Longitude 88° 58’ West. At Sea, in Ship Island Harbour near Biloxi Miss. June 1st 1894. By Dispensation granted by JL Spinks, Grand Master of Masons, in and for the State of Miss., a Lodge of A F & A Masons was Convened on board the Steam Ship County of York this day with the following members present:

    JL Spinks M.W.G.Master as Worshipful Master
    EE Clement (McLeod #424) Sr. Warden
    AJ Peck (Lauderdale #308) Jr. Warden
    Jno. F McCormick Past G.M. (J.L.Power #414) Sr. Deacon
    SI Solomon P.M. (Lauderdale #308) Jr. Deacon
    JU McCormick P.M. (Lauderdale #308) Secretary
    GJ Lewin 1st Mate County of York (St Trinians #2050) Tyler

A Master Masons Lodge was opened in due form. Captain George Maddrell of said Ship having expressed a desire to be made a mason and all present consenting thereto labor was dispensed with Masters Lodge and an Entered Apprentice Lodge opened, when George Maddrell who was in waiting was introduced and initiated as an Entered Apprentice and rec’d the Lecture.
    Entered Apprentice Lodge closed and Fellow Craft Lodge opened, when George Maddrell was passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft receiving the Lecture &c. Fellow Craft Lodge then closed and Labor resumed in Masters Lodge when George Maddrell was introduced and raised to the Sublime degree of Master Mason receiving the lectures. There being no further business the Lodge was then dissolved.

The minutes are signed by JL Spinks, Grand Master as Worshipful Master and JU McCormick P.M. and D.D.G.M. 8 District as Secretary.

A newspaper report of the time reads: “This we understand is the second time in the history of Masonry in the United States, and the third time in the world that the ‘prerogative’ has been exercised”. Maddrell subsequently went on to become a member of Magnolia Lodge No.120 in Biloxi, a Companion of Tabernacle of St John’s Royal Arch Chapter No.57 Newport News Virginia, a member of San Felipe Lodge of Perfection No.1 A&A S A 14° Galveston Texas, a member of LM Oppenheimer Chapter of Rose Croix No.2 Galveston Texas, while in the Isle of Man he joined the Lord Raglan Lodge No.3685, becoming Worshipful Master in 1921.

John Ward is the Curator of the Masonic Museum of the Province of the Isle of Man.