Godfrey West and the Freemasons

From the membership records of the Downpatrick Grand Lodge of Freemasons, Godfrey is no. 15. Note that a Thomas West is no. 7.

The 1765 by-laws for the Downpatrick Lodge demanded a joining fee of just over eight shillings, and presumably subsequent dues thereon. It is recorded that a continuing issue was the difficulty some members had meeting these obligations, and it is a realistic guess that Godfrey West would have been amongst their number.

For all the mystique, secrecy and arcane ritual associated with Masonry, The Masons were committed to charitable work as well as acting as a kind of mutual support system. 

But of course ideas were shared and exchanged through the Lodge, and although loyal to the English Crown, they were also disposed to increased rights for the Catholic population, hence their attraction presumably to the likes of Thomas Russell, with his view that a United Ireland would provide a brighter and better future for all. Such a perspective may also have had a certain resonance to the likes of somewhat down-on-their-fortunes characters such as Godfrey West. It seems highly likely that Godfrey hoped that membership of the Masons would somehow help restore his flagging fortunes. It was not be though, and Godfrey at some point felt it necessary to escape his debts, leave his wife behind him, and make his way to Liverpool never to be heard of again.

We do know however that he was a Churchwarden in the Church of Ireland in 1766.