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History
William Harvey (1578 – 1657) is famous for his description of the circulation of the blood (De motu cordis) which altered forever the concepts of physiological processes within the human body held by his contemporaries. The Harveian Society of London was founded in 1831 and continues to this day as a learned medical forum. It was hardly surprising then that a group of doctors from six London teaching hospital Lodges should be the successful petitioners for a new William Harvey Chapter. The Lodges involved were: Rahere No. 2546, Sancta Maria No. 2682, Middlesex Hospital No. 2843, Royal London Hospital No. 2845, Chère Reine No. 2853 and Cheselden No. 2870. The founders chose to use the arms of the Harvey family of Chigwell, Essex on the Chapter summons, a dexter hand apaumee, and over it a crescent reversed.
 However, the founders had some difficulty in deciding which hospital Lodge should be the founding Lodge. The first petition sent to the Grand Secretary in December 1902 was from Rahere, but this was withdrawn in January 1903. The letter of withdrawal stated that it was proposed to ask the Middlesex Hospital Lodge to father the new Chapter. Evidently this proposal did not progress for in March 1903 the Secretary of Sancta Maria received a letter asking whether the Master, Wardens and brethren would be willing to sign a petition for the William Harvey Chapter and allow it to be attached to the Lodge. This was readily agreed and a new petition was signed and sent to Grand Lodge. On 28th May the Grand Scribe E received a cheque from Vincent Cottrell the first Z designate, for nine pounds and six shillings to cover the fees required and the consecration was held one week later on 4th June at the Criterion Restaurant, Piccadilly.
This was described by the Masonic Illustrated as the consecration of the first exclusively medical Chapter which would draw candidates from the hospital Lodges of the Metropolis, the author of that article having overlooked Æsculapius Chapter No. 2410 which had been consecrated some nine years earlier. The ceremony was performed by the Grand Scribe E who expressed his great pleasure at launching the new Chapter as he had been involved in the consecration of many of the hospital Lodges represented so fully by the founders.  The first principal officers of the Chapter were C. Vincent Cotterell, as Z (2843), W.J. Walsham, as H (2546), J. Ernest Lane, as J (2682), Clemont Godson, as IPZ (2546), and R.J. Probyn-Williams, as Scribe E (2845).
The by-laws adopted at the meeting provided for membership from members of present or future Lodges in London attached to general hospitals which had a medical school attached. The annual subscription of two guineas was to include the cost of three banquets but excluding wine. In addition to the consecrating officers honorary members were to be the MEZs of Apollo University Chapter No. 357, Euclid Chapter No. 859, Public Schools Chapter No. 2233, and Æsculapius Chapter No. 2410.
During its first ninety years the Chapter enjoyed a relatively constant membership of around forty members drawn principally from its founding hospital Lodges and provided a Royal Arch home for many eminent members of the medical profession. Although strictly a closed Chapter for doctors only, one non medical member was George Shedden, a retired banker, who became a joining member in 1981. George was for many years preceptor of St. Luke’s Medical Lodge of Instruction and as such had become well known and much revered by generations of medical masons. He had been given the title of “Honorary Doctor” by the members of Sancta Maria Lodge and then invited to join the Lodge. As a member of Sancta Maria he was then entitled to join William Harvey. He continued teaching doctors in Craft and Royal Arch rituals in the Lodge of Instruction and at his home until his death in 1994.
The past ten years has seen a decline in membership to some thirty members of which perhaps half are active. This is in line with the trend in memberships of many Lodges and Chapters in London and many factors are operative. However the recent moves towards more openness and welcome publicity about Masonic activities in the community will undoubtedly help to improve recruitment of candidates to our Lodges and we hope that they will then enter Chapter and enjoy the ritual and fellowship of the Royal Arch.
The Chapter celebrated it centenary on 14th July 2003 at 10 Duke Street, St James’s and dined at the Royal Overseas League.
On 12th March 2002, the Sancta Maria Lodge amalgamated with Gihon Lodge, No. 49 to become Gihon Sancta Maria Lodge, No. 49 whilst The William Harvey Chapter retained its number 2682. After a resolution by the Chapter and subsequent approval in 2014 by Metropolitan Grand Chapter, The William Harvey Chapter became attached to the Gihon Sancta Maria Lodge No. 49 and adopted the number 49, thereby maintaining its heritage. |
