Masonic Connections to Belleek Pottery by V.W. Bro. Jim Wilson

Major J. C. Bloomfield

Major J.C. Bloomfield J.P. was also a member of the Masonic order, Lodge 891, and was W.M. in 1861. In fact he got his master degree in Lodge 129 Belleek on 28th May 1859. He is reputed to be related, through the Caldwells to the late Sir Robin Kinahan, one time Lord Mayor of Belfast. W. Bro. Bloomfield travelled throughout the world and he also built Bleanalong House around 1858 - 59. He attempted to enter politics but he was an unsuccessful candidate for North Fermanagh.

He lobbied for the railway to come to Belleek and other neighbouring towns and villages. In fact he gave the railway company 3 miles of the track of his estate free of charge and had a branch track to the pottery constructed. He invested money with the contractor constructing the railway, who went bankrupt. Mr Bloomfield suffered a very high financial loss, as indeed did other investors. However the railway was completed by another investor and the track finished at Bundoran. Hence the name of the train from Dublin was known as the" Bundoran Express".J.C. Bloomfield invested in other business ventures with a view to giving work to his tenants, but these were all unsuccessful. Finally the estate was wound up and David McBirnie bought some of the townlands around Belleek.

Ruined church in Castlecaldwell forest

Bloomfield died penniless on the 20th March 1897 and is buried in the family vault at the little ruined church in Castlecaldwell forest. His wife died in Dublin on 11th Dec 1903. Part of the Castlecaldwell estate is now owned by the forest service, it is open to the public for bird watching, walking, etc.. At the entrance the famous fiddle stone is erected.

The fiddle stone is an usual commemorative sculpture. A local fiddle player named Denis McCabe was often hired by Sir James Caldwell to entertain guests on the Caldwell barge, while cruising on Lough Erne. Sir James always treated his guests with good food, wine and music. Denis is reputed to have helped himself to the wine and having drunk too much, fell overboard and drowned.

Entrance to Castlecaldwell Forest

Sir James decided to erect a memorial to Denis which is in the shape of a fiddle. This stone was erected at various locations around Lough Erne shore and it was finally erected at the entrance to Castlecaldwell forest against the wall of the disused railway bridge.

The inscription on the fiddle stone reads:-

To the memory of Denis McCabe Fiddler,
Who fell out of the
St. Patrick's Barge belonging to
Sir James Caldwell, Bart, and Count of Milan
And was drowned off this point August Ye 15 1770

Beware Ye fiddlers of ye fiddlers fate,
Nor tempt ye deep lest ye repent to late;
Ye ever have been deemed to water foes,
Then shun ye lake till it with whiskey flows,
On firm land only exercise your skill,
There you may play and drink your fill.

D. D. D.
J. J

There is some controversy about the three letters DDD, as to what the abbreviation relates. Would it be Latin or some other language? The two letters J.J are thought to be the initials of the carver of the stone.

Fiddler's Stone

David McBernie, as mentioned before was a wealthy public merchant, who owned a business in Aston Quay in Dublin and provided much of the finance for the founding of the pottery for which he received no return. When the Castlecaldwell estate was been wound up, McBernie bought part of the village of Belleek and some surrounding townlands. In the "Impartial Reporter" of June 1880 there is a report of David McBirney presenting the Roman Catholic population of Belleek free of charge, the ground on which to build a chapel and had made a substantial contribution to the cost of building it. David McBirnie died in October 1882,which created a serious crisis to the running of the pottery.

Wor. Bro. Robert Williams Armstrong was a founder member of Belleek Masonic Lodge. He joined Phoenix Masonic Lodge No. 202 (now 173) in London in 1855 and received all his degrees there. On the 17th June 1858, along with Edward Atthill, John Irvine, Rev Benson Tuthill, - rector at Belleek, and John G Irvine, Wor Bro Armstrong founded Belleek Lodge No 129.

Bro Rev Tuthill was also a member of two lodges, - Lodge 215, now known as United Services 215, Newbridge Kildare and Lodge 891, now in Enniskillen. It is also noted that Lodge 220 also met in Belleek, now meets in Pettigoe, Tullyhommon, and is known as Barton Masonic Lodge 220.

Wor Bro Armstrong was the first Worshipful Master of Belleek 129. He was also treasurer of the Lodge in 1862 & 1863. I have in my possession, a photocopy of a letter (1860) to the Grand Master, the Duke of Leinster, requesting that Wor Bro Armstrong be permitted to service as WM for the third consecutive term, even though it was contrary to law 93. This letter has the Belleek Lodge affixed. Bro Armstrong also joined St Johns' Masonic Lodge No 819 Ederney in 1875/76.

R. W. Armstrong

The history of the warrant 129 is interesting. Although there are no records in the register, the warrant was issued to some lodge in November 1742 and it was erased 0n 5th Nov 1801. It was issued to a Lodge in Staid, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, on 7th June 1810, and cancelled on the 2nd August 1849. It was then issued to Belleek, Co. Fermanagh on 17th June 1858. The Lodge meetings were held in Wor Bro Armstrong's house in Rose Isle on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Sometime later the Lodge tried to find suitable premises in Belleek, but were not successful. They then met in the Belleek Fort, which is across the river in Co. Donegal.

On the 30th April 1866, Grand Lodge received a letter from the WM Capt. R. W. Jenkins asking was it right to have meetings in Co. Donegal without obtaining sanction. He was informed he had no right to change place of meeting without permission from Grand Lodge. The Lodge (129) was removed to Bundoran Co. Donegal in 1868, and moved again to Ballyshannon on 3rd Dec 1880, and was known as the "Industrial Lodge". The warrant was surrendered on 10th October 1905, and issued to a Lodge in Durban, Natal, South Africa on 11th June 1908, and titled, St Finnbarrs Lodge.

Wor Bro Armstrong, as mentioned previously was an architect by profession. He designed and supervised the building of Belleek Pottery. He continued to practice as an architect designing Rockfield House, - The Irvine Family mansion, now known as the Manor House Hotel, Killadeas Church of Ireland, and Ballyshannon Presbytrian Church. He also furish plans and specifications for the Belleek Roman Catholic Chapel free of charge.

Bro Armstrong was a Church Warden for many years in Bellek Church of Ireland, which at that time was in the townland of Oughterdrum, about 4 miles from Belleek. This church is now closed.

On 27th January 1884 Bro Armstrong died and is buried in Belleek graveyard. In November 1978, Mr T. Campbell, Pottery manager erected a copper tablet at the grave with an inscription composed by Mr Jim Flangan a pottery worker as follows:-

Here lies Robert Williams Armstrong, C Engineer Architect, inventor and ceramic historian.
Through his zeal and endeavour the name Belleek is renowned throughout the world. The people of the locality own much to this great man.
The first manager of Belleek Pottery born London 1824 of Co. Longford parents. Died 1884

His wife was formally Annie Lagley Nairn was a watercolour artist and reputed to be responsible for some of the pottery designs and probably designed the ware for Queen Victoria. Her father George Nairn was a famous portrait, landscape and animal painter. Annie's ancestors were the Beauforts of Herfordshire. Armstrong's daughter married a James Elliott of Gortnalee House Belleek. Mrs Armstrong is also buried in Belleek Church of Ireland graveyard.

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