Stephen Barton Wilson JGD was the consecrating officer from the United Grand Lodge of England who conducted the ceremony that saw the Foundation of the Lodge, a task he performed “most ably and effectively“.
He was born in 1796. He married Elizabeth Barton Wilson (née Gardener) and they had two children Stephen Barton Wilson (Jr) and Hannah Sarah Foley. His son was a member of the Lodge and the Regiment.
He was an architect and surveyor.
He became a joining member in January 1861, but was speedily appointed an Honorary Member of the Lodge on 7 March 1861. Clearly the Brethren knew a good thing when they saw it, and Wilson revised the Bye-Laws which were quickly adopted.
He performed a third significant service for the Lodge when he gained support from Grand Lodge to assist the Lodge’s removal from Kilburn to Freemasons’ Hall.
A distinguished ritualist, he learnt his Craft from Peter Gilkes, being his last surviving pupil, and was the mentor of many Lodges of Instruction. Gilkes initiated him into Royal Athelstan Lodge No 19. He also joined St Michael’s Lodge No 211, another Lodge which numbered Gilkes among its number, and he also joined Cadogan Lodge No 162, then called Blackfriars Lodge No 188 which he is credited with reviving and remodelling. He was also a member of Prince Edwin’s Lodge No 125, London Lodge No 125 (now No 108), Temple Lodge No 816 (now No 558) and
He was Director and President of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement for many years and Past Treasurer. He was not only gifted but stern in his tuition, known to utter “Bah! Stupid!” to those erring, irrespective of rank as Lord Monson discovered. He was so highly regarded that an edition of the Freemasons Quarterly Review was deducted to him and three brethren under the title “to four of the most distinguished Freemasons of the present day” in 1849. The cover is reproduced below.
He was appointed a grand Warden for Essex and PPGSuptWks for Kent and the Isle of White. Grand Lodge appointed him Junior Grand Deacon in 1857. He published a collection of “Essays On Various Masonic Subjects” in 1864.
He was Deputy Master of the Thistle Lodge of Mark Master Masons and a Companion of the Royal Arch.
He died in 1866.
