Documents extant reveal that Simon Solomon was expelled from the Masonic Lodge but ably and adamantly protested his dismissal.

...from the minutes of St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, dated 14 January 1806, 28 January 1806 and 4 February 1806. Extracts relate to the situation that lead to Simon Solomon being excluded from the lodge. Minutes copied and sent by Cornelius Quirk, Secretary of the Lodge to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary to present before Grand Lodge as evidence against Simon Solomon...

...from the minutes of St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, dated 11 March 1806, Extract concerns a ballot taken in the lodge to decide whether Simon Solomon should be excluded. Minutes copied and sent by Cornelius Quirk, Secretary of the Lodge to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary to present before Grand Lodge as evidence against Simon Solomon....

...Copy letter of Simon Solomon to Lionel Chancey, Master of Lodge No. 186, dated 8 April 1806, stating that the lodge has been to hasty in its actions and has not given his opportunity to defend himself. Also asking whether the Lodge will drop the claims made against him and if not requesting that he is forwarded a copy of the minutes showing the charges laid against him so he can defend himself. Copy sent to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, by Simon Solomon with others papers so Grand Lodge can investigate his case....

...28 June 1806 Letter of Cornelius Quirk, Secretary of the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, stating that Simon Solomon has been erased from the lodge due to unmasonic conduct....

...19 December 1806 Letter of Simon Solomon, formally of St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, requesting that Grand Lodge will consider the enclosed papers in his defence. Also stating that he does not wish to rejoin lodge No. 186 but just regain his privileges as a Mason and rescue his character....

...19 December 1806 Memorial of Simon Solomon to the officers of Grand Lodge giving his side of the events that have lead to him being expelled from the lodge and requesting that they will consider his case and restore to him his privileges as a Mason....

...19 December 1806 Petition of the Magistrates and principle Inhabitants of the town of St. John stating that they know Simon Solomon and he is a respectable member of the society and Post Master for the Island....

...1 September 1807 Draft letter of Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, to the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, stating that he cannot remove Simon Solomon from the Grand Lodge Books, as they have not related any of the circumstances of the case. Therefore he requests a transcript of the lodge proceedings....

...1807 - 1808 Draft letters of Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, to Simon Solomon and St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland concerning the dispute between them....

...5 January 1808 Letter of Simon Solomon to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, stating that the treatment he has received from Lodge No. 186 is harsh and unprecedented and asking whether his memorial has been put before Grand Lodge. Includes annotated draft reply by Robert Leslie dated 17 March 1808....

...14 June 1808 Letter of Cornelius Quirk, Secretary of the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, giving an account of the Simon Solomon behaviour in the lodge and enclosing extracts from the Lodge minutes, marked 1 to 4 and other correspondence to be put before Grand Lodge as evidence against Simon Solomon's appeal....

...c June 1808 Copy correspondence sent between Simon Solomon and the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, concerning the dispute between them and the involvement of Grand Lodge. Original letters dated 14 and 15 June 1808. Letters copied and sent by Cornelius Quirk to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary to present to Grand Lodge as evidence against Simon Solomon....

...c July 1808 Copy letter of Simon Solomon, sent to St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland concerning a letter sent to the Lodge by Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary. Original letter dated 14 June 1808. Letter copied by Simon Solomon and sent to Grand Lodge as evidence, marked No. 1....

...15 June 1808 Letter of John Brophey, Master of St. John's Lodge, No. 186

erased], Newfoundland, to Simon Solomon stating that he must refer to the Grand Lodge, as the lodge proceeding are now to be addressed by them. Letter forwarded to Grand Lodge by Simon Solomon as evidence, marked No. 2....

...20 June 1808 Letter of Lionel Chancey, Master of the lodge of the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland at the time when Simon Solomon was expelled, giving his account of the dispute between the lodge and Simon Solomon. Letter forwarded to Grand Lodge by Simon Solomon as evidence, marked No. 3....

...19 July 1808 Letter of Simon Solomon, formally of the St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland, to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, giving his account in order to defend himself against St. John's Lodge and enclosing documents No. 1 to 3 for Grand Lodge so they can make a judgement on the case....

...2 April 1810 Letter of Simon Solomon, to Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary, stating that he has been told that Grand Lodge has settled his dispute with St. John's Lodge, Newfoundland in his favour but he has received no official communication from Grand Lodge, therefore requesting that an answer may be given to him. Includes annotated notes of reply by Robert Lesley.

xxxxxx

Thomas Cole

Notes One wonders what Solomon's behaviour was to warrant this punishment! He was a Jew. Was this the crime?

Given the Vatican stance against these Masonic gatherings, my brain will be completely addled if Brophy is of the same staunch Roman Catholic families we're apt to encounter nowadays while travelling the Irish Loop!