This Silver and Ivory trowel used to lay the foundation stone for the Victoria Tower, which this year sees the 175th anniversary of this occasion. The trowel was presented to Doyle’s Lodge of Fellowship in 1848 it was made earlier that same year in London.
At eight o’clock on the 27th May 1848 members of the three Masonic Lodges of the Island met at the Assembly-rooms, to arrange the form of their procession.
At about half-past nine o’clock music announced the approach of the Masonic procession, which, having left the Assembly-rooms, proceeded along Market-street, Fountain-street, High-street, Smith-street, Grange-road and Doyle-road, through an immense crowd of spectators, who had placed themselves on all points to witness a sight which few of the present generation had ever seen in Guernsey. The procession was particularly splendid from being chiefly composed of persons high in Masonic honours, and as such entitled to wear the gorgeous paraphernalia of the Royal Arch and other grades of the craft.
The following is the order of the procession: –
The Band of the East Regiment.
A Seargeants Guard of honour of the 10th Depot
2 Tyler’s, With drawn swords
Banner Entered Apprentice’s, in twos. Banner
Fellow Crafts, in twos
Master Masons, in twos
Two Deacons of Loyalty Lodge.
Two Deacons of the Mariner’s Lodge
Two Deacons of Doyle’s Lodge
Secretaries
Treasurers
Corn, Wine, and Oil, in cups, borne by Brothers
Senior and Junior Warden of Loyalty Lodge.
Senior and Junior Warden of the Mariner’s. Lodge.
Senior and Junior Wardens of Doyle’s. Lodge.
Royal Arch Masons.
R.A. Banner. The Principals. R.A. Banner.
Treasurer with Trowel
Bible, borne by Past Master
Banner Past Principals Banner
The Masters of the Lodges
Brother the Rev. Wood, master of Doyle’s Lodge
Renier, Master of the Loyalty Lodge; and Brother Morris
Master of the Mariner’s Lodge
Tyler with large banner
Tyler with drawn sword
Masters of the Ceremonies, Bros. Annesley and Armstrong.
At precisely 10am his Excellency Major General John Bell, Lieutenant-Governor along with other Island dignitaries and guests arrived and the site of the tower and the ceremony commenced.
Brother Colonel Annesley invested his Excellency with a masonic apprentice’s apron, and Brother, Colonel Lane presented to him a silver trowel, addressing his Excellency as follows :” General Bell in the name of our most ancient order of Freemasons, and the fraternity of this locality, I have the honour to present you this implement of our craft to lay the foundation stone of the tower to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria to her Norman isle; ,and may ,the Great Architect of the Universe prosper the; ‘building and shower down blessings on our most gracious Sovereign and her loyal people.” After this Mr Carey handed to him, in a glass cup, the coins to be deposited, together with a brass plate for covering the, same, on which was the following inscription, which was read aloud by Mr Carey:
The Foundation Stone of this Tower, erected to commemorate the visit to this Island of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, and of Her Royal Consort Prince Albert, on the 24th of August, 1846, was laid on the 27th day of May, 1848, by His Excellency Major-General John Bell, G.B, Lieutenant-Governor.
A mallet having now been delivered to the Lieutenant-Governor, his Excellency placed the coins in the foundation stone, covering them with the inscribed plate, and having spread some mortar on the upper stone which was held suspended, the stone was lowered to its place, and the General, striking it three times with the mallet, said, “I declare the stone just laid to be the foundation stone of the tower to be erected in honour of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria.
Proceedings finished shortly after one o’clock, and from that time until night islanders rejoiced and at Renieirs Crown Hotel a numerous party of Freemasons gathered for an excellent dinner.
As permission had to be sought to allow the procession to the site in Masonic regalia from the M.W. Grand Master at Freemasons Hall and was granted on the 19th May 1848, and during this correspondence came to light that the Lieutenant Governor Major-General John Bell C.B was himself a Freemason having been initiated into a Scottish Lodge and affiliated to a Lodge in the Cape of Good Hope, under the constitutions of the UGLE. R W Bro Bell was Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1848-1854.
The building works were completed by Guernsey Builders Matthieu and Jaques Tostevin, the tower cost around £2000 to build and is largely built of red granite from Cobo and overall it stands 100 feet high.
