Many provinces have built up, over the years, a collection of portraits, engravings and photographs of their Provincial Grand Masters. In some cases it can be a challenge to find an image of some of the early PGMs. This was certainly so in Essex where, prompted by the publication of a Provincial history and the opening of a Provincial museum, much effort was spent trying to develop such a collection.
     One early Provincial Grand Master, William Wix, seemed to have eluded all efforts and no known image had been located either in national collections such as the National Portrait Gallery or from local sources. Then, one day this summer, during yet another search of the internet by Brian Cattermole, Assistant Librarian and Curator of the Essex Provincial Museum, a portrait miniature of Wix came to light, offered for sale by a specialist dealer.
     Unfortunately, the price was somewhat higher than local resources could meet, but Brian alerted the staff at the Library and Museum at Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street.
     Further investigation revealed Wix’s importance not just in Essex, but in Freemasonry generally at the end of the 1700s, and director Diane Clements felt that there was strong case to be made for the miniature being purchased for the Library and Museum.
     The London Grand Rank Heritage and Educational Trust agreed to finance the purchase of the miniature so as to preserve it for the Craft and to mark the start of the centenary celebrations of London Grand Rank. The miniature went on display for the first time as part of the Recognising London exhibition which opened at the Library and Museum in December.
     William Wix (1768-1849) was an attorney and Fellow of the Royal Society and was Provincial Grand Master of Essex from 1801-1824 (and Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch from 1801-1846).
     He was a member of Shakespeare Lodge (now No. 99), Somerset House Lodge No. 2 (now Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. 4), Chapter of St James (now No. 2) and a Grand Steward in 1800.
     In 1809 he was elected a member of the special Lodge of Promulgation, established to ascertain the landmarks and ceremonies of the Order.
     The artist, Henry Spicer, who has signed the piece on the reverse, was a noted miniaturist and enamel painter. He was a member of the Royal Academy and his other sitters included Nelson, Edmund Burke, Joshua Reynolds and the Earl of Moira, Acting Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge from 1790-1813.
     He was painter in enamels to the Prince of Wales, later George IV, and his miniatures of both the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Moira are in the National Portrait Gallery.
     Henry Spicer, a “gent”, aged 34 and living in Great Newport Street (where the artist lived) was made a Freemason in Tyrian Lodge No. 5 (now Westminster and Keystone Lodge No. 10) on 13th January 1785.
     Described as a portrait painter, but with no age or address details given, he joined the Lodge of Concord (now Old Concord No. 172) on 9th January 1786.
     The following year John Spicer, living in Newport Street, described as a limner (another term for painter) also joined this lodge. As the records are incomplete, it is not possible to ascertain whether these Freemasons called Henry Spicer were the same person or can be identified with the artist.
     Alongside the miniature, the dealer also sold a presentation wooden box with an inscription indicating that it was presented by Wix to the Earl of Moira.
     The box is decorated and made from wood taken from a yew tree in the grounds of Loudoun Castle (the family estate of the Countess of Loudoun, Moira’s wife) and is decorated with pink agate, a local stone.

LGRA Centenary

Recognising London, the latest exhibition at the Library and Museum (until May 2008) will examine the history and development of London Grand Rank and will look at the role played by individuals such as the journalist Sir Alfred Robbins.
     The formation of the London Grand Rank Association (LGRA) in 1909 and its subsequent history will also form part of the exhibition.
     In 1983, to mark the 75th Anniversary of the LGRA, the Association set up the Heritage and Educational Trust which aims, firstly, to provide funds for the advancement of Masonic education, knowledge and learning and also to purchase Masonic memorabilia and books so as to preserve them for the Craft for all time.