It was as a guest of one of the Lodges in the Province of Derbyshire that I first met H.W. (Bert) Marks in 1992. He had just been formally appointed Librarian of the Province and his enthusiasm and warm sense of humour were as apparent then as they are today. In just a few months Bert retires, giving up what has been a labour of love for some two decades and he was rightly awarded the Provincial Grand Master’s certificate of Merit in April 2003. His imprint on the Library and Museum will remain a permanent feature.
    The growing library has albums of photographs by Bert, both thematic, such as banners and furnishings, as well as historic, recording events of importance in recent years. They will serve future historians well. The system classification and organisation now being fully computerised was set up by Bert in the same Museum room now bustling with seven volunteers and occasional visitors.
    A watershed in the history of the Museum and Library was the fire that devastated part of the Provincial building on the 2nd of September 1990. The whole of the East wing, the oldest part of the building, was destroyed. It comprised the administrative offices, library room and the grand staircase leading to the upper floor. Security doors prevented the fire spreading to the Lodge rooms and to the new section of the building. As a result, Lodge meetings were not interrupted. It took two years and £400,000 to return to normal. From the ashes arose a few benefits: a new staircase and lift with a large reception area and a dedicated Museum room. But many paintings and items of furniture were burnt beyond recovery.
    The Museum lost much of its small collection and budding library although some items were salvaged. Damaged copies of Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076 together with a group of beautifully bound Provincial Royal Arch registers were retrieved and successfully restored. A small display of three paired jewels entitled Before and After show badly burned Sussex, Mark Grand Lodge and Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee jewels next to the identical items in perfect condition. Similarly displayed are the remains of two commemorative medallions originally encased in an acrylic display block. The first was presented by Edward Prince of Wales, Grand Master, to Spencer Compton, 8th Duke of Devonshire and Provincial Grand Master, 1858 – 1908, and the other presented by the Duke of Connaught, Grand Master, to Victor Christian William, 9th Duke of Devonshire, Provincial Grand Master, 1908 to 1938.
    A library for the province was first proposed in April of 1907 but by 1921 it was clear that there had been no progress in organising the collection and a new appeal was made to the Brethren of the Province to contribute Masonic books, pamphlets, manuscripts, interesting cuttings from newspapers, china, curios and other objects. The result was that sufficient books had been accumulated by 1923 to justify the production of the first catalogue. When Bert Marks was approached in the early 1980s, soon after his retirement from full time employment, he found several volumes of Masonic books and pamphlets kept on the floor in the Grand Secretary’s office with a handful of Masonic jewels. He built upon this modest start, with minimal resources, concentrating on the Library. By the time of the fire in 1990 a display cabinet with a number of artefacts and a reasonable sized library had been established.
    Two events following the fire were to ensure the resurrection of a Library and Museum. These were the formal appointment of Bert as Librarian and the generous donation of a collection, mostly of artefacts, by the Provincial Grand Master for the Mark Province of Bedfordshire, Allan Alvey, a Derbyshire Mason. Alan’s contributions gave the newly established Museum a standing recognised by the Province whose full support was finally attained.

Museum Displays

Many of the objects presented by Alan Alvey are on prominent display. On the first floor corridor leading to the Lodge rooms is an exceedingly rare floor cloth dating to the first decade of the nineteenth century. The cloth has a centrally placed triangle with the letter G and seven blazing stars. On either side are two pillars and an open volume of the sacred law upon which rest the Square and Compass. Seven steps lead to the
    East and three candle-stands and a coffin rest upon the chequered carpet in the foreground. The only other known example of this most interesting item is exhibited in the East Kent Masonic Museum in Canterbury.
    The interesting aspect of the print is the varied detail it gives us of contemporary customs and mannerisms. The aprons are elongated and the use of the waistcoat buttonhole is curious. The firing glasses and pipes are early representations of these artefacts. The clay pipes depicted on the print are reminiscent of the old time traditions of the Masons at the festive boards in early days. These are still preserved by some Lodges who present a clay pipe to the new candidate on his initiation with his name engraved on the stem. The old Tyrian Lodge, No. 253, in Derby, the most senior of the Lodges, smoke the clay pipes at their Christmas meeting and the Museum has several examples, some recently decorated, in their collection.
    The ever-increasing Library has an excellent range of recent publications and a complete set of the important transactions of Quatuor Coronati, Leicester and Manchester research lodges. There also are several examples of early books. They include a Anderson’s second Constitutions of 1738, several copies of exposures including an 1801 edition of Jachin and Boaz. The most important volume in the Library collection is Albert Pike’s personally autographed copy of The 2nd Lectures on Masonic Symbolism, published in August 1875. Pike, Grand Commander of the Ancient and Accepted Rite of USA among many other titles, is known as the ‘uncrowned king of the High Degrees’. He was a prolific, if controversial, author. The volume in the Derby Museum is from a limited edition of only 100 copies because, as Pike stated in his introduction,
    ‘...not many more than one hundred Masons in the United States, I think, would want to have and to read it. The mass of Masons are little inclined to read works on Masonry, also to place these works in a few hands, forbidding further multiplication of copies, and let what truths they may contain be communicated orally to others by the few who read them.’
    The pièce de résistance in the Museum is hidden away in the Grand Secretary’s office: a unique and superlative piece of Royal Crown Derby china commissioned by the Brethren of the Province for presentation to Edward William Spencer, 10th Duke of Devonshire. He was Provincial Grand Master for Derbyshire from 1938 to 1948 and was appointed Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1947. It took the factory several years to complete this unique and exceptional item, which is thought to be part of a set. Sadly by the time the Province was ready to make the presentation in 1950, the Grand Master had passed away. Thus the priceless gift has remained in the Provincial office. The presentation text is highlighted in 22 carat gold on the face of the casket with the coat of arms of the Province.
    There are a few more items outside the confines of the small Museum rooms. An early nineteenth century decorative Master’s chair and an original grandfather clock by John Whitehurst is on loan to the Museum, It was made in 1834, by a direct descendent of the well known family of Derby clock makers. As was the custom, the attractive Masonic emblems and symbols drawn on the face of the clock were added on commission after the clock was manufactured.
    An unusual item, property of the Tyrian Lodge, No. 253, is a set of three early 20th century safes patented by Samuel Whithers of West Bromwich. The names of the Lodge and that of the Chapter of Justice, No. 253, have been prominently painted on the safe doors. The handle consists of a hand holding a scroll. The Lodge only opens the safes once a year and their contents remain a secret. It is ‘thought’ that the remainder of the Royal Crown Derby set commissioned for presentation to the Grand Master may be stored in them. The Museum personnel and members of the Tyrian Lodge are presently conducting negotiations for the Museum to display, on behalf of the Lodge, these priceless items.
    Terry Askew will take over as Librarian in October and John Lane will be appointed the Museum’s first Curator. They will be assisted by Peter Bagley. Anne Askew, Terry’s wife and a Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of the Order of Women Freemasons, will continue to act as Secretary, Treasurer and general assistant to the Library and Museum. In the knowledge that Bert will always be available for consultation and advise, the future for the Derbyshire Masonic Library and Museum looks bright.