The Crest, Seal and Motto of Lodge of Friendship No44
Straying into the area of heraldic symbols risks being sternly corrected by those more knowledgeable for using the wrong terms, in the wrong way in the wrong place... however, the designs of the crest or logo of the Lodge which appear to have changed over the years are intriguing.
The earliest seal from Lodge No39 uses the motto 'Grip Fast the Light' but with conventional masonic images. Interestingly, on the seal the Lodge is referred to as Friendship Lodge No39 rather than Lodge of Friendship
The Lodge was renumbered to 59 in 1813 and renumbered again to 52 in 1835 and finally to No44 in 1863 so this seal may have been in use from 1835-1863.

In the original seal above, as used prior to 1863 (when the Lodge was renumbered 44) the arm was vambraced (armoured) though the motto was identical. It is a left arm and is holding what might appear to be an arrow or a spear but it is short and has a knob on the end. The design is simplified in later versions.


This design was used on headed notepaper by Nathan Heywood in 1903. The arm is no longer armoured but the arrow or spear still has a knob on its end though perhaps less pronounced. Why the armour was removed from the design is unknown.

Another design was used at the Installation in 1937 (Norman Pointer) and this was re-used in 1953 at the Sesqui-Centenary (150th) celebrations. This design has lengthened the shaft, sharpened the point and removed the knob from the end of the shaft.


From the position of the fingers and thumb it can be clearly seen that this is a left arm.
This new design was first used in 1916 and still shows a spear or an arrow. This design continues to be used into the 21st century.

The later drawings would suggest an arrow rather than a spear as the length is quite short and that the arrow is held in the left hand (note the position of the fingers and thumb). If it is to be launched it would be backwards over the left shoulder. Has the arrow been caught and held up in triumph? Why in the left rather than the right hand? Where is the knob on the end of the shaft? Is it meant to represent some masonic tool?
Paul Ridgway in his paper for the Manchester Association for Masonic Research in 1945 titled Further Notes on the "Antient" Lodge No39 suggests that the number of Irish names amongst the members suggest that they were attracted to the "Antients" perhaps on account of Laurence Dermott who was the Grand Master of the Antient or Athol Grand Lodge and was also Irish.
It would seem likely that there is a strong Irish influence in the design of the seal. The Grand Lodge of Ireland decreed in 1769 that the design for lodge seals shall consist of a Hand and a Trowel. Lodges in Ireland complied with this decree and a variety of designs can be found so it seems likely that the logo of the Lodge of Friendship has been corrupted over the years as the significance of the trowel in Craft Masonry has been lost.
This is an image of a proposed Lodge Crest with an arm holding a trowel which is closer to the old seal of the Lodge though the arm is not vambraced.


Where is the only reference to a trowel in Craft Freemasonry?
Further reading on the Trowel here

The only reference so far found for the motto is from a black chapter in Northern Ireland who share the motto Grip fast the light. The members continue to witness for the Protestant Faith, in order to ensure that all shall “Grip Fast the Light” of God’s precious Word.
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