The first recorded preliminary meeting of the Founders took place at the "Liverpool Street Hotel" on the 16th January 1907, when Bro. C. Eggleston occupied the Chair and Bro. W. Batkin acted as Secretary. The other Founders present on that occasion were Bro. C.R. Hall, Bro. H. Capsey, Bro. W.J. Prior, and Bro. H. Bagot.
It was agreed to limit the number of Founders to twenty (actually there were sixteen) and the Founders' fees were not to exceed 5 guineas, of which £2 was to be deposited to cover the initial expenses.
The names which were considered for the proposed Lodge were (a) The Earl Amherst Lodge, (b) The Halsey Lodge and (c) The Vaughan Morgan Lodge. The M.W. Pro Grand Master was approached and kindly consented to allow his name to be used to designate the Lodge.
The proposed Petition to Grand Lodge was read on the 2nd February, 1907. It was signed by the Master and Wardens of the Lodge of St. John No. 1306 and, at a meeting on 20th March, a letter was read from the Grand Secretary "intimating that the M.W. Grand Master had sanctioned a Warrant being granted in answer to our Petition".
W. Bro. P.M. Wilford was to be the first Master but later withdrew and W. Bro. A.S. Jennings became the W.M. Designate. W. Bro. J.S. Pointon, the great Preceptor whose name distinguishes the Working adopted by the Lodge, consented to be the first I.P.M., and it was agreed that he should be elected an Honorary Member. W. Bro. G. Shearman, P.M. of the Lodge of Temperance in the East No. 898, was offered, and accepted, the position of Tyler at 10/6d. a Meeting.
Bro. G.A. Harris presented the Officers' collars and jewels to the Lodge and, at a future date, when an Assistant Secretary was appointed, the collar and jewel of that Office was presented by W. Bro. W. Batkin, the Secretary. The Founders undertook to provide Working Tools for the Lodge, but decided "to dispense with gauntlets for the time being".
The offer of Messrs. Spencer & Co. to supply the Founders' jewels at a cost of 30/- each, and the Lodge die, in the design of the jewel, for 2 guineas, was accepted. The jewels were distinguished by a bar for the Consecrating Master, the Consecrating Officers and the Founders. The jewel presented to the Consecrating Master can be seen in the Sir Edward Letchworth Collection on display in the Museum at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, W.C.2.
The selected dates for the Lodge Meetings were the third Saturdays in February, April, September (Installation) and November. It was agreed that Champagne should be served at Installation Banquets only, and that Hock and Beaune, followed by Whisky and Apollinaris, would suffice at the banquets after the Ordinary Meetings. The Initiation fee was to be 7 guineas, the Joining Members fee 4 guineas and the annual subscription 2½ guineas.
The suggestion of the W.M. Designate that he should provide the Concert at the Banquet following the Consecration was received with grateful thanks and the "offer of Bro. H. Nelthorpe, of 20 Holborn, E.C., to provide an Organist and four voices for the Consecration Ceremony, under his own supervision, for 5 guineas", was accepted.
Draft By-Laws were prepared, one hundred Consecration Programmes were purchased from Messrs. Toye & Co. for £4 7s. 6d. and invitiations to be present at the Ceremony were extended to the Earl Amherst and to the Masonic reporters of the "Daily Telegraph", "The Freemason" and "The Freemasons' Chronicle".
The first rehearsal of the Ceremony (Grand Lodge does not now favour such a procedure) was held at "The Three Tuns", Jewry Street, E.C., on Monday, 25th March, and the final preliminary meeting of the Founders took place on the 4th May, 1907, when a small Committee was formed to arrange and carry out the rest of the business for the Consecration.
It should perhaps be mentioned that, although the Minute Book claims sixteen Founders, subsequent printed lists omit the name of W. Bro. Pointon, presumably on the grounds that he was an Honorary Member.