FREEMASONS AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY Alphabetical List of ...

Fellows of the Royal Society who are or were Freemasons, listed alphabetically
Webb, Philip Barker, FRS [25 Mar 1824], FSA, FLS [1818], MGS (10 Jul 1793–31 Aug 1854), botanist, eldest son
of Capt Philip Webb Smith (1764–1799) and his wife Hannah Barker, dau of Sir Robert Barker, Bt, and greatgrandson
of Philip Carteret Webb, FRS [qv, below].
Educ at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, matric 17 Oct 1811 (BA, 1815), where he studied languages, botany,
and geology, the last under William Buckland, FRS [26 Feb 1818] (1784–1856) Travelled to Italy, Greece, and the
Troad (the region surrounding ancient Troy, in North-West Asia Minor), and rediscovered the ancient rivers known as
Scamander and Simois, 1817–18. Collected natural history specimens in Spain, 1826, Portugal and and was the first
person to collect in the Tetuan Mountains, Morocco, 1827, the Canary Islands, where with Sabin Berthelot (1794–
1880), who had lived on the islands for some time, he collected specimens 1828–30. The results can be seen in the 9volume
L’Histoire Naturelle des Iles Canaries, the text of which took 14 years to complete; specialists such as Pierre
Justin Marie Macquart (1776–1855), the French entomologist, wrote appropriate parts. Later, he visited Italy 1848–50
and Ireland, 1857. His herbarium was bequeathed to the Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze in Florence.
Initiated, 26 May 1824, then of Davies Street, Berkeley Square, an Esquire, L. of Antiquity No. 2, London,
membership ceasing 1827.
Webb, Philip Carteret, MP, FRS [9 Nov 1749], FSA [1747] (1700–22 Jun 1770), lawyer and antiquary.
Webb’s knowledge of records and constitutional precedents made him a useful lawyer for the government. MP for
Haslemere, 1754–67; Solr to the Treasury, 1756–68; much involved in the trial of John Wilkes [qv, below]. Collector
of coins, medals and bronzes were sold after his death. His 2 nd wife inherited his property including land in 60 Great
Queen Street, London, which was subsequently acquired by the PGL as the site for its first FMH.
Member, L. No. 23, at Sun, South Side, St Paul’s Churchyard, Charing Cross, London, named 1768 Globe L., now
No. 23.
Wellcome, Henry Solomon, FRS [26 May 1932], later [1934] Sir Henry Wellcome (21 Aug 1853–25 Jul 1936),
scientist, businessman, philanthropist, archaeologist and collector.
His ancestors in the 17 th century were Huguenots, French Protestants, named Bienvenue, who fled religious
persecution to seek asylum in England, changing theior name to Wellcome. In 1640 they emigrated to New England
and settled in Massachusett. His parents were married in 1850 and he was the 2 nd son, born 21 Aug 1853 in a log
cabin in Wisconsin. In 1880, aged 27, he left the United States to join his Coll friend, Silas Burroughs in London and
form the pharmaceutical coy, Burroughs Wellcome, that was to become world-famous. It flourished from the start
marketing and later manufacturing American compressed tablets. Naturalized 1910, knighted 1934, and died 25 Jul
1936, in London.
Initiated, 11 Feb 1885, L. of Fidelity No. 3, London, and passed and raised, 1885, Eastes L. No. 1965, Bromley,
Kent, WM, 1892; Founder SD, 19 Mar 1891, Columbia L. No. 2397, London, WM, ? 1894, resigning 1904. Hon
member, 1890, Savage Club L. No. 2190.
Treas, unattached, Kirby, formerly Clarence, L. of Instruction, 1893–1904; 1893, presented an ancient Assyrian
pogniard, mounted in silver, for use in the first Degree.
Exalted into RA Masonry, 4 Apr 1892, Old King’s Arms Chapter No. 28, MEZ, 1897; Founder H, 1897,
Columbia Chapter No. 2397, London.
Advanced into Mark Masonry, 25 Mar 1893, Hiram L. of MMM No. 13, London, WM, 25 Mar 1896, resigning
1904.
Perfected into the A & A R, 9 Nov 1894, Tuscan Chapter Rose Croix No. 129, London; 30° Jul 1898, MWS, Aug
1906, resigning 1920.
Installed KT, 1893, KM, May 1895, in unnamed ? London Preceptory.
Wellesley, Arthur, 1 st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS [25 Nov 1847] (29 Apr 1769–14 Sep 1852),
3 rd son of Garret Wesley, later Wellesley, 1 st Earl of Mornington, PC (I) (1735–1781), first Prof of Music at Trinity
Coll, Dublin, 1764–74, GM, Ire, 1776–1777, whose eldest, 2 nd , 3 rd , and 5 th and youngest sons all became peers, the 4 th
becoming a clergyman.
Educ at Eton, Brussels and the Academy at Angers, later L’École de Cavalerie, Saumur, and was commissioned as
an Ensign in the 73 rd Foot in 1787. Thereafter he had a most distinguished military career. Changed his name to
Wellesley, May 1788.
Chiefly remembered for having beaten Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo, 21 Jun 1815, aided by the
Prussian Field Marshal, Prince Gebhardt Lebrecht von Blücher (1742–1819), an active Freemason and a member of
L. Archimedes, at Altenburg. Later, became the Br Prime Minister, 1830 and again in 1834. Whe he died his name
was used for the eponymous apple, Barracks, boot, capital of New Zealand, school for officers’ sons and a species of
sequoia tree. 548
Initiated, as ‘A. Wesley’, 7 Dec 1790, King John’s L. [as then designated], No. 494, Trim, Co Meath (IC). 549
548 BP, 1999, 2973.
549 As were his father, Garret [Garrett] Wesley, 1 st Earl of Mornington (1735–1781), in 1775, raised 29 Jul 1775, GM, Ire, 1776–77, and his
eldest brother, Richard (Colley) Wellesley, 2 nd Earl of Mornington, later 1 st and last Marquess Wellesley, KG, KP (1760–1842), in 1781, raised 31
Jul 1781; GM, Ire, 1782–83.
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