The History of Mark Masonry has been studied and written about by many eminent Masonic Historians, but none have ever found the true origins of speculative Masonry. Some say it originated from Scotland, others from America. Wherever it originated it was an integral part of Craft Masonry between the Fellowcraft and Master Masons Degree. When the two Grand Lodges finally united in 1813 the Mark Degree was excluded and only the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, Master Mason including the Holy Royal Arch Chapter were worked. Explanation for the reasoning can be found in other books but here we will concentrate on the Mark Degree in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
Records of the Mark Degree date back to 1st September 1769 when the Provincial Grand Master Thomas Dunckerley made six Brethren of The Royal Arch Chapter of Friendship (originally No. 3 now No. 257) Mark Masons. They were taught how to make their marks and were then made “Mark Masons and Mark Masters”.
A record of this account was found in the first minute book of The Chapter of Friendship when W.Bro Howell discovered that a sheet of paper stuck to the front cover of the Minute book was indeed a record of the meeting on the 1st September 1769 in Masonic cypher. The Chapter of Friendship continued to work the Mark Degree until 1855.
Mark Grand Lodge was formed in June 1856 and the Companions of the Chapter of Friendship, who had taken the Mark Degree, gave allegiance to that body. On the 7th July 1856 a Warrant of Constitution was granted to them from Grand Lodge under the name of The Phoenix Lodge of Mark Masters No 2. Unfortunately the Warrant was not changed to one of confirmation, so the former Warrant had no detail of the Degree having been worked in the Chapter from 1769 until the original minutes of the first meeting were discovered. “Phoenix Lodge No2 Time Immemorial” is now recognised as “Oldest Lodge in the World.”
The first Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire and Hampshire from 1857 to 1873 was the Rt. Hon. William Bramston Beach. MP. In 1873 Hampshire and Isle of Wight became a Province in its own right and the Reverend Canon George Raymond Portal appointed Provincial Grand Master. He served in that office for 16 years.
On Thursday 26th October 2006, a celebratory meeting was held at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and the five Foundation Lodges were presented with new Banners in celebration of the occasion, one of them being Phoenix Lodge No 2 (T.I). The others were Bon Accord, Old Kent, Royal Cumberland & Northumberland and Berwick upon Tweed’
We are also very proud of the fact that we have a Mark Lodge, Portsmouth No 17. T.I. which has also celebrated its 150th year of existence in December this year and a special mark token was presented to those the Members and those who attended the Meeting
Today the Mark Degree in Hampshire and Isle of Wight is flourishing with 48 Mark Lodges with an average membership of 40 per Lodge.
The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners, more commonly known as RAM or Mariners, has been under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons since 1871 and governed by the Grand Masters Royal Ark Council.
Lodges are moored to Mark Lodges and assume the same name and number. To be a member the candidate must have been advanced as a Mark Master Mason. In chronological terms it precedes the Mark by hundreds of years because it relates to the building and voyage of Noah's Ark and the Great Flood and its characters are unique in Freemasonry. There are 26 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges in our Province and membership is on the increase.