I am researching 3 areas of Sir Charles Warren's facenating masonic career.

Gibraltar - where he came under the influence of Robert Freke Gould and FG Irwin.

Palestine - where he uncovered various archaelogical leads and surveyd the caverns below the Temple Mount.

Singapore - where he was sent after the Ripper debacle and became District Grand Master.

I hope that some brother may be able to assist as I have managed to uncover some original souce material along the way.

All of these areas lead to further research topics

"Palestine - where he uncovered various archaelogical leads and surveyd the caverns below the Temple Mount. "

I am sure that Bro. Colinmac is aware that (then) Capt. Warren is mentioned in an 1872 book on "Freemasonry in the Holy Land" by Bro. Robert Morris, PGM of Kentucky, who describes convening a "Moot Lodge" in Jerusalem in Zedekia's Cave, one of the quarries underneath Jerusalem, in 1868. Bro. Warren is mentioned a number of times in this volume and his archeological activites in and around Jerusalem and the Dead Sea are noted in this book.

If Bro. Mac needs more detailed references here I shall be happy to furnish them .

S & F

Bro. Doug Banin.

Dear Bro Doug,

Thank you for your reply. I am aware of the following events:

Warren was sent to Palestine (with Cpls Birtles,Phillips, and Hancock) in 1867 by the Palestine Exploration Fund as one of the three groups (Wilson, Warren and Conder).

Their ostensible aim was to accurately map and illustrate the biblical locations, however as many of their surveys were carried out by military entities, there was also the side benefit of gaining military intelligence of the country occupied by the Turks (Ottomans).

The PEF was established by Sir George Grove (who may have been a mason-I am still investigating) and Sir Walter Besant (mason). (Also a founding member of Sir Charles Warren's Quatuor Coronati Lodge)

Warren's excavation under the Temple Mount was not authorised and he was only able to excavate via methods of subterfuge and cunning. Besides establishing Warren's Shaft and Warrens Gate, he carried out many abortive excavations around the perimeter of the Temple but also managed to uncover the base of the Temple foundations.

There were many excavations going on at the time by many parties (Prussian, American, French etc) and there was great speculation as to whether there would be a masonic room (temple) found under the Temple. Many of the caves and passages were taken as "masonic" but merely on conjecture.

A "Moot" masonic Lodge was convened under the Temple Mount in one of these caverns on 17th February 1873 by Dr Robert Morris PGM GL of Kentucky and various other masons.

Warren heard or the existence of the Maobite Stone and traveled to see it, but as it was due to be broken up for sale to the various countries, he offered, on behalf of the British Government to purchase it outright. This lead him to be branded as trying to obtain the stone illegally and returned to London in disfavour.

The outcome of his actions in Palestine enabled the completed Survey of Palestine by Wilson to be published. It also lead to the further speculation of the form of Solomon’s Temple (of which there are many forms) but also did not define any of the Masonic, Royal Arch Chapter or Cryptic parts referring to the Temple.

I have not been able to get hold of the book "Feemasonry in the Holy Land" but will try online in due course.

Dear Bro. Colin ,

Thank you for your most informative post in reply.

I have however one small observation if I may, with the utmost respect, point out a possible chronological conundrum ..........

I quote: "A "Moot" masonic Lodge was convened under the Temple Mount in one of these caverns on 17th February 1873 by Dr Robert Morris PGM GL of Kentucky and various other masons." (including Capt. Charles Warren).

In Bro. Rob Morris's book "Freemasonry in the Holy Land", a journal of his travels to the area in 1868 , which I have to hand, on page 462 he specifically mentions convening his "Moot Lodge" on Wed May 13 1868.

As Bro. Morris only published his book in 1872 it seems reasonable that the 1868 date is the more accurate, as by 1873, he had returned to the USA.

With kind fraternal regards,

Bro. Doug Banin.

Daer Bro Doug,

Yes the date is my mistake (just recovering from pnuemonia and taking too many anti-biotics!)

The afternoon of the 13th May 1868 is the date when the first Lodge was held and the 17th February 1873 refers to the date of the issue of the Charter for the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge No.293 by the Grand Lodge of Canada.

Fraternally

Bro Colin

Dear Bro. Colin,

I am sorry to hear that you have not been well, I do hope that you are back to form by now !

I am sure that YOU are aware, (but others reading this post are not), that Sir Charles Warren was the first Worshipful Master of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge No.2076, generally accepted to be the premier lodge of Masonic research in the world. The Warrant was granted on 28 November 1884, but as Sir Charles had to go to South Africa on a "mission", the lodge was not in fact consecrated until 12 January 1886.

With kind fraternal regards,

Bro. Doug.

Dear Bro Doug,

Thanks for the kind thoughts and I have stopped most of my spluttering by now and back on my feet!

The influence of FG Irwin and Robert Freke Gould (from Gibraltar) ran deep in Sir Charles. He tried unsucessfully to establish a masonic archaelogical group, and debate group, so it was inevtable that he would be involved with Irwin and Gould in setting up a Lodge of Research.

When he came to Singapore he was responsible for setting up The Lodge St Michael (of which I am pesent Master) which is a research lodge, and the Singapore Pilosophical Society (limited to 20 men of literary standing).

His involvement with Masonry was in-depth and not (as per some of the leading members) on a superficial level.

I am going through some of his findings in Jerusalem (which has influenced a lot of masonic understanding around the turn of last century) but I feel that through many obstacles which he brought upon himself (diligence in carrying out tasks, but unable to get support when things went wrong, as he preferred to work independently) he never finished analysing the findings...

F & S

Colin

Hi Brethren,

I have published my biographical book "Warren! The Bond of Brotherhood" and it is available via the following website:

http://www.lodgestmichael.org/Booksite/index.html

Fraternally

Colin

The book is reviewed at:

http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/warren_freemason.html