HISTORY OF THE GRAND LODGE
Prince Hall Masonry in the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana can trace its birth to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of California.This beginning was under unique and interesting circumstances. In 1960,Mr G. Halley Marville,a Barbadian educator, while on a training course in Illinois, visited California where he met Brother John Hardee.Brother Hardee introduced Mr. Marville to M.W. Herbert Greenwood of Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California.It was surprising to brother Hardee that Mr.Marville had never heard of Prince Hall,so he related the story of the life and work of another Barbadian,Prince Hall, to Mr.Marville.Mr.Marville was so excited to have received such enlightening information,that he immediately expressed his interest in becoming a Prince Hall Mason,and having a lodge established in Barbados,the country of Prince Hall's birth.As a result of this meeting and interest expressed by Mr. Marville,he was made a "mason at site" on January 21 1960 at 7.30 p.m,when Grand Master Greenwood conferred on him the First Degree of Masonry. Finally on Thursday January 28,1960 at 7.30 p.m.Grand Master Herbert A.Greenwood,assisted by the Worshipful Masters and Past Masters in attendance and in the presence of a representative body of many subordinate lodges of the jurisdiction,conferred on Brother Marville the Second and Third Degrees of Masonry.Brother Marville was now a full fledged Master Mason and a member of the Prince Hall Family. Brother Marville on his return to Barbados on March 7,1960, immediately set about preparing the groundwork for a Prince Hall lodge, having received authorization from the Grand Lodge of California to proceed in that direction. The Masonic Club was organized and the first series of meetings were held at Brother Marville's residence,every Sunday preceding the full moon.The club continued to hold its monthly meetings and steadily its membership increased.Communication between the club and Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California continued at a very slow pace,until it finally collapsed.This prompted Brother Marville,to dispatch correspondence to M.W.Richard H.Stitt, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of New York and Jurisdiction, seeking his assistance and the transfer of the Barbados Masonic club from the supervision of the Grand Lodge of California to the Grand Lodge of New York. Grand Master Stitt agreed,on August 31,1961 he appointed Past Master Euston R.Matthews,a member of Doric Lodge #53,Long Island,New York and at the time resident in Barbados, as Special Deputy Grand Master to assist in advising,charting and planning the course of this Masonic Club.A meeting was convened by Brother Marville on July 17 1961,with sixteen members present,and included Past Master Euston R. Matthews.At this meeting Brother Marville introduced a Special Guest , Past Master Brother Caspert A.Ramsey of Tuscan Lodge #58,who was visiting Barbados and was requested by Grand Master Stitt to investigate the members of the club.A list containing the names of thirty-nine members of the club was prepared and a copy was sent to the Grand Master.It was also agreed by the members present at this said meeting that the lodge when instituted would be named Prince Hall Memorial Lodge.On his return to New York Past Master Ramsay reported to Grand Master Stitt on his finding, The long period of inactivity which followed-November 1961 to March 1963- was a critical and trying experience for the Club.This resulted in a decline of membership of the club.A change in administration of the New York Grand Lodge,saw Brother Jas. H.Johnstone being installed as Grand Master.It was Brother Courtney A. Weekes,Past Master of Progressive Lodge #64 while on holiday in Barbados met the members of the Club,and reported to Grand Master Johnstone on the wishes of the members of the club.This report by Past Master Weekes re-opened the door for discussions between the New York Gand Lodge and the members of this Masonic Club. Grand Master Johnstone hearing of an intended visit to Barbados of R.W. Daniel O.Brathwaite,Past Master of Sampson Lodge # 65,and a member of the Grand Master's cabinet,requested him to investigate the members of the club.R.W. Brathwaite arrived in Barbados on April 7 1963,and met with Brother Marville and the other club members,and was brought up to date as to the progress of the club.On his return to New York he reported to the Grand Master on the progress of this Masonic Club. The Grand Master appointed him the Chairman of a " Committee on Dispensation for the Barbados Lodge" with the specific task of organising a Prince Hall lodge on the island of Barbados. As a result of the work of R.W.Daniel O. Brathwaite and his committee, Prince Hall returned to his birthplace Barbados,when in 1964 thirty-six (36) brothers and Brother Marville,as Worshipful Master, were granted a dispensation from the Most Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of New York and Jurisdiction to practise Prince Hall Masonry. In 1965 this lodge was chartered as Prince Hall Memoral Lodge #100 by the Most Worshipful E. Harrison, Grand Master and officers of the abovenamed Grand Lodge. As the interest in Prince Hall Masonry
grew in the Caribbean the following lodges were subsequently
chartered under auspices of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall
Grand Lodge of the State of New York and Jurisdiction:- The abovenamed lodges continued their allegiance to and enjoyed very amicable relations with the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of New York and Jurisdiction for over two decades. In the final years of this relationship several meetings and discussions on the formation of a Caribbean Grand Lodge were held by these lodges, culminating in a conference convened in Barbados on December 14 to 15 ,1991,at which a declaration was signed by all lodges represented, supporting the formation of a Grand Lodge. Another conference was convened in Sint Maarten, on September 25 to 26,1992, when an Interim Administration was elected by the lodges represented, and a draft constitution approved. The Interim Administration was mandated to oversee all matters pertaining to establishing a Grand Lodge. On April 24 1993 the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Caribbean and Jurisdiction was inaugurated, with the following subordinate lodges: Prince Hall Memorial #1,Mt.Ayangana #2,Adrian C.Richardson #3,King David #4, Tamrin # 5,Daniel O.Brathwaite Memorial # 6,Celestial # 8 and M.W. F.Harcourt Thorne as Grand Master. M.W. Thorne having served as District Deputy Grand Master of the 9th. District (New York jurisdiction) for several years. Since the inauguration of this Caribbean Grand Lodge, Mt. Hermon Lodge # 9 has received its charter and Fraternite des Caraibes #10(Martinique),Immanuel #11(Barbados),Mt. Roraima #12 (Guyana) and King Court #13(Antigua) have been chartered as new lodges,by M.W.Desmond Whitehall. P.M.Brother G.Halley Marville through whose initiative Prince Hall Masonry was brought to the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana,was later to become a minister in the Methodist Church.He was also appointed a Honorary Past Grand Master(Caribbean Jurisdiction) in recognition of his devotion to Prince Hall Freemasonry. Researched and Scripted by R.W.Brother Hermon Gaskin |
