The articles of Union signed between the two English Grand Lodges on 1st December 1813 were a momentous step forward in the creation of the United Grand Lodge of England. It also was a landmark in the start of a determined attempt to regularise the position of the other orders in freemasonry – and this is set out in the book itself. However it seems useful to offer the three key documents of interest so that any curious brother may read the original texts. They are listed below as PDFs.
Signatories to the Articles of Union
Note the signature of De La Gardie at the bottom
The Articles off Union were signed on the left by the Duke of Kent and on the right by the Duke of Sussex
In the presence of the Count Lagardie who then signs and titles himself GM of the Lodge of the North.
Duke of Kent
Duke of Sussex
Count Lagardie
The original Articles were handwritten and then signed by the Dukes of Sussex and Kent and witnessed by the Count de la Gardie Articles of Union 1813 manuscript. They are somehow rather more personal than the easier to read printed version which can be downloaded here Articles of Union 1813 Printed text
The offical proceedings are again printed in the 27th December St John’s Day 1813 proceedings but of rather more interest are the personal recollections of the Count de la Gardie and the research by Brothers Bo Akkeren and John Heron Lepper and are covered in more detail in the book.
