George Jennings was initiated into the Freemason Lodge of Hope on 2 February 1835 at 32 while serving as a Sub-Conductor in the Bombay Presidency.[i] His membership is recorded as a single-line entry in the register, noting that he resided in Ahmednuggur (modern Ahmednagar). Supporting evidence from military records indicates that, as of 6 August 1833, George Jennings was employed in the Ordnance Department at Ahmednuggur Arsenal.[ii]
Freemason records confirm that he remained a member as late
as 1841, during which time the Lodge of Hope was meeting in the Barrack
Rooms, The Fort, Ahmednuggur, Bombay Presidency.[iii]
Geographical Context: Ahmednuggur and Aurungabad
John Lane F.C.A.’s book, Masonic records, 1717-1894: Page 268
John Lane F.C.A.’s
book, Masonic records, 1717-1894: Page 260
The reference to Ahmednuggur (Ahmednagar) and Aurungabad as
connected locations in the Masonic records appears to stem from a clerical or
interpretive error found in the original documents and later repeated in John
Lane F.C.A.’s book, Masonic Records, 1717–1894. These two places were
geographically and administratively distinct:
- Ahmednuggur
(Ahmednagar): A town with a significant military cantonment and fort
within the Bombay Presidency.
- Aurungabad
(Aurangabad): A city associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad, but
occasionally linked to Bombay Presidency activities due to colonial
military overlap.
The mention of these two separate locations as one entity
likely resulted from an error by a registrar unfamiliar with the local
geography.
Insights from Lodge
Registers
The original register pages where George Jennings is listed
provide additional context:
- Folio
112: Marked with the heading “[No.532B/802A], Lodge of Hope, Poonah,
the Deccan, East Indies.”
- Folio
113: Marked “[No.532/802], Lodge of Hope, Ahmednuggur, Bombay.”
The lodge numeration reflects the
historical renumbering process after the union of the Antients Grand Lodge
and the Premier Grand Lodge in 1813, which reorganized lodges under the United
Grand Lodge of England (UGLE).
“This records the numeration
of a lodge. … After the Union of the two
Grand Lodges[Antients or Athol Grand Lodge & The Premier of Moderns Grand
Lodge] in 1813 a new list was created of lodges under the United Grand Lodge of
England. This merger and renumbering was published in 1814. The United Grand
Lodge of England renumbered in 1832 and in 1863. Lodges that were created after
1863 are allocated a number from the 1863 re-numbering. … In the
numeration section a Lodge Number (A) heading indicates that the
lodge was originally part of the Antients Grand Lodge.”[iv]
Key Sources
Military
Records
·
George Jennings, military record,
attestation: 25 November 1822, Middlesex. Registers of Bombay Army European
Soldiers, 1793–1839, A–K, India Office Records, L/MIL/12/109. Accessed via
FIBIS website, “Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers” database (no
images), https://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=2290703
(accessed 16 April 2020).
Masonic
Records
1.
George Jennings, membership entry
(1813–1836), Lodge of Hope, Lodge #802A/#532B, initiated 2 February 1835,
Bombay, India, The Register of Admissions 15th unnumbered entry folio 112. Born
1803, age at initiation: 32, profession: Sub Conductor. United Grand Lodge
of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751–1921; citing Register of
Admissions: Country and Foreign 'G', #745–865, fols. 1–276, Library and Museum
of Freemasonry, London, England (accessed via Ancestry.com, [database on-line
with images, images 123–124 of 292])
2.
George Jennings, membership entry
(1840/1841), Lodge of Hope, Lodge #532, initiated 1835, Bombay, India,
folio 152, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers,
1751–1921, citing Register of Admissions: Country and Foreign 'E',
#452–585, fols. 1–293, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, London, England
(accessed via Ancestry.com, [database on-line with images, image 162 of 329]).
Background Resources
·
Lane’s Masonic Records, "Lodge of
Hope," lodge number 802 (1814–1831) / 532 (1832–1862). Accessed via The
Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield. Lane’s Masonic
Records website, version 2.0,
URL: http://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane (Accessed : 14
January 2025)
·
Lane, John, F. C. A,
Masonic records, 1717-1894:
being lists of all the lodges at home and abroad warranted by the four grand
lodges and the "United Grand Lodge" of England, with their dates of
constitution, places of meeting, alterations in numbers, &c., &c. ...
also particulars of all lodges having special privileges, centenary warrants,
&c., &c :
Accessed via Internet Archive
o
Page 260
: https://archive.org/details/cu31924030274165/cu31924030274165)
o
Page 268 https://archive.org/details/cu31924030274165/cu31924030274165
)
(Accessed: 14 January 2025)
·
Gould, R. Freke.
A Library of Freemasonry (1906):
comprising its history, antiquities, symbols, constitutions, customs, etc., and
concordant orders of Royal Arch, Knights Templar, A. A. S. Rite, Mystic Shrine,
with other important Masonic information of value to the fraternity derived
from official and standard sources throughout the world from the earliest
period to the present time.
Twentieth century edition de
luxe. London: John C. Yorston..
o
page 139 https://ia801603.us.archive.org/3/items/libraryoffreemas04goul/libraryoffreemas04goul.pdf
(Accessed: 14 January 2025)
·
How to read a lodge record, Accessed via
The Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield. Lane’s Masonic
Records website, version 2.0,
URL: http://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane (Accessed : 14
January 2025)
Useful links for background
WikiTree profile for
Related Posts
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Endnotes Linked to Key Sources
[i]
George Jennings, membership entry (1813–1836)
[ii]
George Jennings, military record
[iii]
George Jennings, membership entry (1840/1841)
[iv] How to read a lodge record