We were in the Province of Cornwall at the south-eastern end of St Ives bay, six miles from Penzance, to visit Hayle, a town with a rich industrial heritage, coming into importance in the mid eighteenth century as did Freemasonry itself in the area. I could not avoid thinking how tough such a journey would have been in the mid-1700s when contact with Grand Lodge in London was accomplished on horseback or in uncomfortable coaches. The moment we entered the Hayle Masonic Hall we were confronted by an enormous stone fireplace scattered with masonic emblems; we knew the long trip would be worthwhile.
    We were warmly welcomed by Peter Everest, who spent the day with us and enthused with great pride on the achievements of the private Museum. The Henry Mitchell Museum officially came into being on 7 November 1989 when it was launched by the Provincial Grand Master, the late Hon. Robert Eliot. It was the culmination of the earlier efforts of the first curator, Henry Mitchell, Provincial Grand Secretary from 1978 to 1989. It was to be part of, and owned by, the Cornubian Lodge, No. 450, consecrated in 1838. The Museum is housed within the complex of the original White Hart Hotel and is still attached to the main building in which Michael Baigent and I stayed overnight. In 1922 the original White Hart was purchased by the Cornubian Lodge, No. 450, and now accommodates six lodges, practising all the major orders in two Temples. A second Temple and extension were added in 1979 allowing dining facilities for over one hundred Brethren and guests.

The Masonic Library

Though the museum is relatively new, a library on the first floor was run by John Coombe, a masonic book collector whose extensive library was gifted to the Cornubian Lodge on his death in 1884. Some one thousand books, pamphlets, documents and magazines of masonic interest, several of exceptional importance, are housed in shelves and are readily accessible. The library has a well balanced content of all the major masonic publications, many purchased when they were first published.
    There are several early books including the first three editions of Anderson’s Constitutions of 1723, 1738 and 1756 respectively; editions of William Preston’s Illustrations of Masonry, including a first edition of 1772; and a number published by the Reverend Dr. George Oliver, the prolific, if somewhat unreliable, masonic scholar of the early nineteenth century. There are also various examples of exposures and complete runs of bound volumes of the early masonic magazines together with the Transactions of all the major research Lodges: Quatuor Coronati, Leicester, and Manchester.
    A unique collection of correspondence in the library is titled the John Knight Books and consists, inter alia, of correspondence between Thomas Dunckerley and John Knight. Dunckerley was Grand Superintendent over the Province between 1793 and 1795 and John Knight, the leading active Cornish Freemason very much involved in the various degrees beyond the Craft, had been appointed the First Grand Principal of the Province by Dunckerley himself.
    The John Knight Books comprise fifteen volumes of manuscript annotations, minutes and a curious and innovative system devised by him, incorporating twelve more degrees. The current Librarian, Len Davies, is in the process of cataloguing the remaining documents.
    On the way down to the first floor Museum we visited the handsomely furnished Cornubian Temple: Lodge Warrants and name plaques were on the walls and two pillars an imposing presence in the centre of the room. The Royal Arch carpet on the floor was merely coincidental as a total of six different orders meet in the very same temple. Among the striking pieces of furniture are the three principal chairs attributed to the Yorkshire born Thomas Chippendale, the most famous of all furniture makers of the eighteenth century.
    These are the property of the Cornubian Lodge, originally gifted to Ship Lodge of St Ives founded in 1765 by the 4th Earl Sir John St. Aubyn, whose son by the same name was to become Provincial Grand Master in 1785. When the Ship Lodge was dissolved in 1780 the furniture and all other Lodge property, including the accounts, attendance and minute books went into store until 1821 when they were purchased by The True Friendship Lodge which had been consecrated in 1815 and sadly was dissolved in 1848.
    Once more the furniture and books went into storage and the story is then recorded in the Cornubian Lodge minutes: the furnishings were acquired by the Lodge and remain in use to this day.
    A curious and remarkable manifestation of this handing down of property from one lodge to the next is reflected in the well-used minute book. Each of the three Lodges involved, in a gesture of thriftiness, used the same minute book from 1765, when it was started by Ship Lodge of St Ives, continued, after a few blank pages, by the True Friendship Lodge and finally taken up by the Cornubian Lodge in 1848. It thus records the events and activities of three Lodges during the course of a whole century.
    One more most attractive brightly coloured item that drew our attention before leaving the beautiful Cornubian Temple was a recently restored nineteenth century single tracing board incorporating, on two sides, designs for all three Craft degrees, combining the first and second on one side and the coffin and acacia leaf, on the other. In the four corners are representations of the four virtues: Temperance, Prudence, Courage and Justice. The board is encased in its frame and hinged to the wall. It was discovered in the attic of the building and its peculiar design can only be attributed to artistic licence of a local painter. In the centre of the lower section of the front side is a vignette, beautifully executed, of a panoramic view of St Ives harbour.
    The Museum room has colourful stained glass doors comprising the names of Lodges and Chapters meeting in the Hall. We were engulfed by the enormous quantity of material, numerous small objects in glass cabinets and wall mountings that crowded the room. It is a very user-friendly Museum; every item is clearly labelled with extended captions that make interesting reading. A great number of the items were from the personal collection of Henry Mitchell, and when Cornubian Lodge nominated Peter Everest Curator he took over the mantle of Mitchell and emulated him, donating his own collection. These have since been enhanced by many donations and occasional acquisitions.
    Peter’s love for masonic artefacts is evident. The collection is extensive and wide ranging with items representative of every genre. One wall is dedicated to the Provincial Grand Master. It has on display the outstanding 1872 silver jewels still worn by the acting Grand Officers today and which replace the original 1793 set, also on display and on loan from the Museum of Freemasonry at Great Queen Street. Both sets are splendid examples of the early craftsmanship of our Craft jewels. A very new addition to the jewels collection is an outstanding example of the Hogarth centenary jewel in pristine condition and in its original box. It was literally salvaged by Peter, who purchased it from a jeweller minutes before it was about to be scrapped and the genuine diamonds used for other pieces of jewellery. The limited number of the magnificent Hogarth jewels were produced in 1835 to commemorate the Centenary of the formation of the Stewards Grand Lodge in 1735.
    Also outstanding, albeit modern, is the 1979 jewel for members of the Jewels of the Craft, an association of collectors who attempted in vain to gain permission from Grand Lodge to officially wear it. Permission was denied because it held various emblems and symbols appertaining to orders beyond the Craft. Peter, since taking over some five years ago as curator, has successfully collected a Past Master’s or Founder’s jewel of every single Lodge in the Province of Cornwall - with the exception of the Cornish Links Lodge, No. 9481 and the Robert Elliot Lodge, No. 9483, who appear not to have issued a Founder’s or Past Master’s jewel... or have they? If you see one, do be sure to inform Peter.
    It is always a delight and sometimes a surprise to find ordinary everyday utensils, which have been adopted for use by Freemasons. Here we found masonic desk clocks, bells, lamps and shades and a masonic shoe horn with elaborate Royal Arch emblems on the handle and an unusual masonic gold seal. Each of the glass cases has its own theme, including earthenware, Royal Ark Mariner jewels, masonic Orbs, miniature tracing boards, Royal Arch jewels, miniature mauls used in place of firing glasses at festive boards - and the 1793 Sketchley tokens, the only known masonic money which actually circulated as a penny coin in taverns at the time. We found too considerable emphasis on the Order of the Knights Templar, which included several genuinely rare jewels.
    Peter is making arrangements for an extension to the Museum and continues to appeal for greater contributions by the Brethren in the Province. At present the Cornubian Lodge holds an annual raffle the proceeds of which are contributed to the Museum and Library. Peter would like to see each one of the 70 Lodges in the Province do the same.

Peter will open the Museum for a private visit: Peter_everest@msn.com Telephone 07768 060292.

All photographs by Michael Baigent.