Edmund Reid

Sir Charles Warren
Over the years, there has been much speculation about those involved in the
Ripper investigation and whether they were freemasons. Many of the characters
involved were, their freemasonic histories being well publicised and freely
acknowledged in their obituaries. The masonic careers of Sir Charles Warren
(1840-1927), Prince Albert Victor (1842-1892) and Dr Thomas Horrocks Openshaw
(1856-1929) are widely known. Indeed, Openshaw's vast and impressive collection
of masonic medals have been on display for many years in the Royal London
Hospital Museum as he was a founder of the London Hospital Lodge No. 2845,
being initiated 14 March 1901. Openshaw was a member of several Masonic
Lodges, including Hotspur Lodge No. 1626 (Initiated 1882), Old Concord Lodge No.
172 (Initiated 1890), Lancastrian Lodge No. 2528 (Initiated 1894), The University
of Durham Lodge No. 3030 (Initiated 1904), Foxhunters' Lodge No. 3094 (Initiated
1908) and Robert Thorne Lodge No.3663 (Initiated 1913). 2
At various times many researchers, including
myself, have enquired at the United Grand Lodge Library & Museum about
membership of some of those involved in the Ripper investigation. Thankfully,
for all us historians, in November 2015 the United Grand Lodge of England finally
released their Freemasonry Membership Registers after a huge digitisation project,
and these are now searchable via ancestry.co.uk.
These revealing records cover membership records in England 1751–1921 and
Ireland 1733-1923, alongside various lodges in Commonwealth countries. There
are now over two million records available, allowing us to explore and uncover
membership details.
Several times over the years I had enquired whether Sir William Gull had been
a Freemason; the response was always negative, although the United Grand Lodge
did say that not all their records had been properly indexed. I had always believed
through my own research and meeting with his descendants that Gull had not been
a Freemason, and a search in the new database confirms this. I can also confirm
that neither was alleged Ripper coachman John Netley nor Prime Minister Lord
Salisbury, proving Stephen Knight’s claims about these men were wrong.
Det. Inspector Frederick George Abberline (1843-1929) was a Freemason,
Dr Thomas Horrocks Openshaw
however, and so was Sergeant George Godley (1857-1941), although they were not in the same lodge.
Abberline was a member of Zetland Lodge, Lodge No. 511. The Register 3 entry showing Annual Dues paid from
1888-98 informs us of the following:
Date of Initiation: 1889 Dec 4th
Passing: Feb 5 1890
Raising: April 2 1890
Surname: Abberline
Christian Names: Frederick George
Age: 46
Residence: Scotland Yard
Profession: Insp. Crim. Inv. Dept.
Certificates: 11.4.90
Abberline’s Date of Initiation in 1889 coincides with him finishing working on two of the biggest investigations
in his career: the Whitechapel Murders (1888) and the Cleveland Street Scandal (1889). As a Candidate Abberline
would have met most of the active members of his chosen Lodge before he was initiated, typically having been
introduced by a friend within the Lodge, or at a Lodge open evening or social function. To become a Freemason,
Abberline would have filled out a petition requesting that the Lodge admit him into its membership. After a
2 Search results from Freemasonry Registers at www.ancestry.co.uk.
3 Freemasonry Membership Registers via www.ancestry.co.uk.
Ripperologist 147 December 2015 15