Andrew Tucker, Assistant Curator, and Emily Greenstreet, Assistant Librarian, Library and Museum of Freemasonry London, look at the career of a London mason. Researching the exhibition to mark the centenary of London Grand Rank, which is at the Library and Museum in Great Queen Street until early May, it was a surprise to find that the Library and Museum had very few photographs of Freemasons wearing London Grand Rank regalia. One particularly good image was finally selected, but there was a problem: we didn’t know the identity of the man in the photo.      Obviously he was a holder of London Rank, which narrowed the field somewhat, and an examination of a distinctive lodge jewel he was wearing allowed us to identify him as a member of Leyton Lodge No. 2626.      Furthermore, comparing that jewel to one in the collections, his was a Founder’s Jewel, leaving us with a small list of names from which to choose. One name in particular stood out, that of Edwin John Davey, and a search through the archives furnished us with his masonic career.

John Davey wearing his London Rank regalia and jewels

     Edwin John Davey was initiated into Confidence Lodge No. 193 on 8 November 1880. Aged 36 years, he was a printer, although in later membership registers his profession is also listed as publisher. Davey was a longserving member of both his lodges, holding the office of Master for Confidence Lodge in 1890 and for Leyton Lodge in 1905.
     He was also secretary for a notable 25 years for Confidence Lodge, with their Minute Books recording that Davey was ‘presented with a testimonial and a cheque for 100 guineas in appreciation of his service’. As a petitioning member for Leyton Lodge No.2626, Davey was Founding Secretary from 1897-1904, and then from 1906-1912. He received London Rank in September 1910, and was made an Honorary Member of Leyton Lodge in 1912. He remained a member of both lodges until his death in January 1922.

Jewels and Medals

With this in mind, we took a closer look at the jewels in the photograph. The topmost is the commemorative jewel for the 1917 bi-centenary of Grand Lodge. Below that is the large oval of the 1919 Peace Medal. The row of three jewels beneath are the commemorative jewel for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, a Centenary jewel, and then an unknown jewel.
     The row of three below these appear to be a 1918 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Steward’s jewel, an unidentified Chapter jewel (possibly a PZ), and a 1910 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls Steward’s jewel. The final row of four jewels consists of the Founder’s jewel for Leyton Lodge, two Past Master’s jewels, and a round jewel with a secretary’s device below it and a PM’s device on the ribbon.
     From the date of the Peace Medal, the photo must have been taken in 1919 at the earliest. Could it possibly show Davey receiving his testimonial from Confidence Lodge in 1921 and wearing a special jewel awarded to him for 25 years of long service? Is this the face of a man of 77 years? One problem is the Chapter jewel, as we have not yet found any record of his Chapter membership.

London Rank Register

We are still not certain if this is indeed a photograph of Edwin John Davey. Another object from the collections on display in the exhibition is the London Rank Membership Register for 1908-1920, listing the brethren awarded London Rank (as it was then) by Lodge name and number, according to year. Edwin John Davey’s details appear in the entry for Leyton Lodge in 1910.
     In the end we decided to place these objects together in one case, tied together with the life and masonic career of Edwin John Davey. It is a poignant thought that, if this is indeed him in the photograph, he died not long after it was taken.