For all students of Freemasonry, there are certain standard sources of reference in the form of books, pamphlets (can anybody please find me a Pritchard’s?), manuscripts etc that are deemed essential working tools of research.
    These literary "must haves" facilitate the gleaning of those elusive pieces of information that serve to prove/disprove one’s theories and theses of the intricate historical windings of the Craft.
    Some of them, although now known to be based more on fantasy than fact – Anderson’s Constitutions being as good an example as any – still nevertheless form the foundations of any self-respecting masonic researcher’s library, provided that one has a spare £1,600 in the case of the latter!
    Some, however, despite their antiquity, may still be relied upon for their unswerving ability to provide as near as one can get to sources depending on solid, grassroots fact.
    Towards the close of the 19th century, several brethren came to sojourn together with the joint intention of separating the factual wheat from the fantastic chaff – Sadler, Hughan and Gould to name but a few. Together they founded the Quatuor Coronati Lodge of Masonic Research No.2076.
    One other member of that august order of light, although the author of several other important works, will forever be principally remembered for his magnus opus, Masonic Records. Who, in their right mind, would nowadays even begin to contemplate taking on such a Herculean labour as this?
    The first edition was published in 1886, but the second, more accurate, and therefore more desirable edition followed in 1895.
    In this edition, the author, John Lane, corrected, expanded and updated the former to include the latest information then extant, up to 18 December 1894.
    It is an absolutely indispensable record of all Craft bodies operating under the various Grand Lodges, which catalogues, in a simple and logical format, the different appellations, enumerations, meeting places and honours of each and every lodge.
    You can, if exceedingly lucky – the going rate for a Lane’s is around £80-£100 – find the occasional original. But, if it has been used for the author’s intended purpose, then it will have suffered from over a century’s fervent and zealous fingering of the pages, with copious ramblings having been scribbled into the tattered margins.
    Many of the other "must haves" has since been the object of facsimile reproductions, but for whatever reason, John Lane’s masterpiece has somehow eluded the attention of the re-publishers.
    That is until now.
    Bro. Bernard Williamson of Strong Man Lodge No. 45 is to be commended for his foresight and arachnid tenacity in being responsible for once more bringing this essential working tool back into Masonic light. It has been re-published by Ian Allan Publishing, and costs £45.
    Recreated in its original entirety, this stand-alone monolith of masonic reference will, I feel sure, sneak its way onto the Christmas stocking list of many a Masonic historian.
    The purists may feel it would have been prudent of the editor to have taken the marginal scribblings of Grand Lodge Library’s own tattered photocopy version into account, but hey, nothing was stopping them from taking up the gauntlet.
    And, of course, we will now all have to await, with baited breath, the sequel: Masonic Records 1717-2000, compiled by B. Williamson.
    Brought up to date, it could be published in true 21st century CD ROM format, upgradeable annually. Take heart Bernard, you’ve only got to sift through the details of the other seven thousand-plus lodges consecrated since, but at least you won’t have to worry about re-numeration, unless.......
    And then, what about the Royal Arch, and you can’t really leave out the Mark. Oi! What about the Rose Croix? comes a plaintive cry from the back .....
    Alan Trotter