The Library and Museum’s first exhibition of 2010 marks the 350th anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Society in 1660. Today, the Royal Society is the UK’s national academy for natural science. Election as a member or “Fellow” is one of the most prestigious awards available to British scientists (and a small number of scientists from overseas).
     Two of the original members of the Royal Society – Sir Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole – were already Freemasons by the time the Royal Society was formed, although Freemasonry was not then organised under a Grand Lodge system (which was to be introduced in 1717). The first President was Sir Christopher Wren.
     As membership of masonic lodges grew after 1717, Freemasonry’s tolerance of religious differences and non-political stance seems to have been attractive to other Fellows of the Royal Society. Several were closely involved in promoting new lodges and developing the constitutional basis of the new Grand Lodge.
     Early lodges were sometimes a forum for lectures on scientific subjects. John Theophilus Desaguliers was both an important publicist for Newton’s scientific ideas and a leading Freemason. The Grand Master from 1724-5, Martin Folkes, who published papers on astronomy and meteorology, was later President of the Royal Society.
     By the end of the 1700s, particularly during the long Presidency of Sir Joseph Banks, himself a Freemason, membership of the Royal Society had become a mix of working scientists and wealthy amateurs. They were potential patrons and could help finance scientific research at a time before the government considered doing so itself. Several of these patrons were also Freemasons and would have met with scientists both at meetings of the Royal Society and in lodges.
     As the professionalisation of science developed in the nineteenth century, Fellows began to be elected solely on the merit of their scientific work. New types of science developed and science education expanded with the growth of university science degrees and medical schools.
     Freemasonry attracted these scientist Fellows, often in the growing number of new lodges whose membership was drawn from particular universities, hospitals or other specialist groups.
     The exhibition will explore these links between Freemasons and the Royal Society over the course of its history. Amongst more than 350 Fellows who have, to date, been identified as Freemasons, was the physicist Thomas Allibone (1903-2003). Born in Sheffield and educated at Cambridge University Allibone became involved with the development of radar in the Second World War, and formed part of the team of British scientists sent to the USA in 1944, to work on the Manhattan Project which developed the world’s first atomic bomb.
     Allibone was initiated in University Lodge No. 3911 in Sheffield in 1923 and later joined the University of Manchester Lodge No. 5683 whilst working at Metropolitan-Vickers research laboratory at Trafford Park. His membership of that lodge is recorded in a calligraphic list of members recently donated to the Library and Museum by the lodge, which will be on display for the first time during this exhibition.
     Another Sheffield Freemason and Fellow was Robert Hadfield, inventor of special steels and metallurgical improvements. He first became a member of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 1779 and was later one of the founders of Industries Lodge No.4100, the lodge associated with the then Federation of British Industry.
     The Library and Museum will be publishing a biographical list of Freemason Fellows on its website during the exhibition. The Library and Museum would like to thank the Royal Society for their assistance with the exhibition and Bruce Hogg for his work on the biographical list of fellows.

Exhibition Dates/Times 11th January - 28th May (Monday to Fridays only) Open: 10am to 5pm Admission free See www.freemasonry.london.museum for further information The Royal Society’s website (www.royalsociety.org) includes a complete list of Fellows

C’EST LA BON VIE! The winner of the readers’ competition for a night out for two at the Covent Garden restaurant Mon Plaisir is John McConnell of Warrington, a member of Travellers Lodge No. 4679. The Library and Museum of Freemasonry teamed up with the restaurant and In and Around Covent Garden magazine. John correctly answered the question: What date in 1799 did the Hall Committee of the premier Grand Lodge meet and decide to send a delegation to the Prime Minister, William Pitt, to discuss the government’s proposed legislation on unlawful societies? The answer: 30 April 1799.

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