Minerva Mark 12TI

The introduction to the early by-laws of the Minerva Mark Lodge begins with the following sentence:    ​​"The Minerva Lodge of Freemasons held at the Minerva Masonic Hall, Prince Street, Dagger Lane, Kingston upon Hull founded in A.D.1782, had, by immemorial custom, from time to time in its existence, conferred the Mark degree upon its members".

The early minutes of the Minerva Craft Lodge, in which Mark records are reported, are conspicuous by their brevity, and according to Grand Mark Lodge statutes there is only one other Mark Lodge under the English Constitution whose records are older than our own that being the Phoenix Lodge No.2TI founded in A.D.1769 in the Province of Hampshire & Isle of Wight. It is therefore not surprising that little can be gleaned from these records of the working of the Mark degree.  ​However it is acknowledged that the Minerva Lodge of Mark Masters No.12TI is the second oldest Mark Lodge in the World (under English Constitution).

One item of notable interest, being that on the 20th November 1805, nineteen candidates were advanced into the Mark degree, our Lodge. interestingly still retain its own individual ritual for the working of this degree. So unique that on the 19th July 1994 Grand Mark Lodge recognised it as such and a copy of our workings is now registered with them in London, we are also occasionally invited to visit other Lodges and Provinces to give a demonstration of our workings.

With the restructure of Craft Masonry in England the Mark degree became an order within its own right hence the formation of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons' in 1853 and it is for similar reason's that the following dates 1862-1962 appears on our centenary jewels and subsequently 1862-2012 on our sesquicentennial jewels worn by many of the Brethren of the Minerva Lodge of Mark Masters No.12TI.  

As our history and working of the degree stems back to 1782 and in recognition of this, on the 22nd February 1982 we were authorised by Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons' to add "Time Immemorial" after our number.

Worshipful Brother James P Bradshaw