Provincial Grandmaster Swalwell Lodge Durham 1735

[dutch46]

Joseph Laycock Esq. from Wetherby-Yorkshire, was appointed as the first Provincial Grand Master of Swalwell Lodge-Durham- in 1735 by the Earl of Crawford.
According to W.Bourne a local historian, who wrote the history of Ryton in County Durham, he moved from Wetherby  to become the manager of Crowley Works at Winlaton in the early part of the 18th Cent.
Joseph Laycock died in 1739.
Does anyone know if records of the Lodge of this time exist and if so, where to find them?
Is anything known about him and his family?
All help appreciated.
Dutch 46

[stanmapstone]

Why not contact the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham http://www.durhamfreemasons.org/contactus.html

Stan

[dutch46]

Thanks Stan, I will do so.

[johnd]

You might also try the Library & Museum at Freemasons Hall in London. They have a website and an email to them quoting name of the mason and details of the lodge should elicit an answer.
I visited a few weeks ago after such an approach and was shown original documents etc from the Lodge of Industry at Swalwell of which my g.g.g.g.grandfather James Davison (1774-1851) was a life time member
Regards
John Davison

[dutch46]

Thanks John,
I wrote to the library & museum of Durham for information about my ancestor Joseph Laycock and they kindly sent me a lot of copies of original documents. This indicated that prior to going to Durham he was the right hand of Ambrose Crowley in London and must have been a member of the Lodge in London too.
So on my to do list for my next trip to London, hopefully next summer, I will visit them not just to find out more about him, but also to find out if there is any truth in the story that my grandfather AS Perry was a Freemason in London.
Bye
Dutch 46