The Lodge of Industry No 48
Gravestone of Bro Ralph Arthur, WM 1788
The gravestone of Bro Ralph Arthur, Worshipful Master of the Lodge of Industry No 48 (then No 56) is situated in St Mary’s Churchyard, Gateshead. St Mary’s is now closed as a place of worship but is open as St Mary’s Heritage Centre and if now owned by Gateshead Council. St Mary’s Lodge No 4864 is named after the church and is a daughter lodge of the Lodge of Industry. Bro Arthur was also a member of Union Lodge, Gateshead whose membership erected his gravestone.
Lane’s Masonic Records list two Gateshead Lodges with similar names: Union Lodge, Gateshead. Warrant of Constitution dated 16 October 1733 which was constituted on 8 November 1773 and Gateshead Union Lodge, formerly Prince Edwin’s Lodge which was constituted on 2 April 1813. Prince Edwin’s Lodge was a Ancients Lodge and it united with Lodge of Union, No. 376 (Moderns) on 24 November 1817. The Lodge numbers below are for Union Lodge.
Lodge Number (1770): |
456 |
Lodge Number (1780): |
363 |
Lodge Number (1781): |
364 |
Lodge Number (1792): |
295 |
Lodge Number (1814): |
376 |
Lane’s Masonic Records states that information of the merger apparently not having been communicated to the United Grand Lodge of England both lodges remained on the Register until 5th December 1827, when they were erased.

This Stone was erected
by the Union Lodge
GATESHEAD
In Memory of
RALPH ARTHUR
who departed this life 2nd July 1801
Aged 61 Years
SUSANNAH ARTHUR
his Wife departed this life 9th
July 1802 Aged 63 Years
Another Daughter departed
this life March 1807
? Years

THE LODGE OF INDUSTRY No 48