history

OF SHOPPOLIS ISLANDS

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The Story Begins

    This story begins with the founding of organized Freemasonry, reputed to have been established on the 24th of June 1717 in London, England by a group of men gathered together at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House, St Paul’s Churchyard on the 24th of June of that year. At that time, they agreed to found a Grand Lodge from the already existing four lodges. Published dates as far back as 1646 are on the books, and the actual establishment of masonry has been lost in history. It is assumed that, in some manner, the masons of old, who built in stone, were the real founders. These original artisans, some of whom hailed from Druidry, organized themselves peacefully to avoid hostile competition in favor of parceling out professional areas, so competition would be healthy and not harmful. In turn, they combined some of their collective resources to take care of those, who in their time, could not take care of themselves, a noble gesture, at least.

    The first official Grand Master was an Apple-Tree Tavern Lodge gentleman named Anthony Sayer. For the most part, the new combined Lodge appeared to be an operative mason organization comprising mostly working masons and artisans. In 1721 John, Duke of Montagu, was elected Grand Master which insinuated that those of higher rank were also involved. In 1723, the Constitutions of Masonry, was published, and William Cowper, Clerk of the Parliaments, was appointed Secretary to the Grand Lodge to keep minutes of its meetings. Within seven years, the Grand Lodge had over 100 lodges in England and Wales and had spawned Freemasonry abroad, particularly in Madrid and Calcutta. Grand Lodges were formed in Ireland in 1725 and in Scotland in 1736. It was only a matter of time before Europe, the West Indies, North America and India were participating lands. Those masons of old could now begin to settle comfortably in their graves knowing that, in some small way, their mission was being realized. The Druids, those third-level intellectuals and perpetual students, those who talked with their minds and created gods for Celts, could begin to rest their tortured souls and watch as one-by-one, they would begin to live again to finish successfully what they had so miserably failed to do so many centuries ago. Guilt is a terrible burden.

   In the Spring of 1752, the influential family of a reputed Freemason since 1730, living in London, England, at Soho Square, Sir Addison Bales Shopp, a man of 52, added one more to the list of potential members with the birth of a boy named Everett Lynn Shopp. The boy's formal birth date was April 15, 1752. The father, a man of letters and acute education in details and who knew so much about so many, found Freemasonry an alluring pasttime, since he was not only altruistic, but enjoyed the company of those who found fun and frolic a gentile way of passing the time. Being a close friend of many members, he had been asked to join. It was, and still is, tradition and policy to be "invited to join." It was frowned upon to request a membership.

   Addison Shopp became a very productive member and was instrumental in "quietly" growing the ranks of the Lodge and participating in the forming of the Grand Lodges in Ireland and Scotland even though their founding was somewhat reactive to perceived segregation. His prior close connections to the group of members of the Rummer and Grape Tavern and its "noble" character, in Channel Row, Westminster, didn't hurt his becoming a member in the first place. He was continually supportive of the Lodge even through its decline and eventual recovery around 1750. He personally "arranged" influence for the first official Grand Master, Anthony Sayers, who found himself in a questionable situation and attended his funeral in 1741. A rumor existed that Sayers actually was associated with Shopp in some dealings near to the 1730s, but nothing was ever provided to make that link.

   It would be assumed that a gentleman's son would follow in his father's footsteps, but not in this case. All through Everett's childhood, in their family townhouse and young life in Cornwall, Plymouth and London, the taller-than-others male stressed travel and adventure by insisting upon taking "trips" that took him away from home for days, then weeks, then months, then years, then finally forever. The social caste in which he lived, held nothing of enchantment for him, and as he later pointed out, "It was my family's lifestyle that permanently embedded my wanderlust." He was successfully entered into Eton and was an excellent participant in Eton Fives, but this was not enough. His tenure did not last long, since he was a young man of travel rather than of study. To augment his universal approach to self-education, he talked his father into enlisting the services of tutors in the various subjects of the time and excelled at each of these sessions. Eventually, he declared himself "graduated," and entered into the life of business and commerce.

     The elder Shopp, a wealthy long-term participant in the English East India Company, a former commercial ship's officer, a dynamic man of inordinate attractiveness and style, attached himself to a distant branch of the royal family by marrying well. He found his only son to be entertaining and though his wife, Lydia, complained constantly, he financed many of his son's early ventures including his rather unorthodox ways of learning, which he did not bestow on his daughter.

     Lydia Shopp, formerly Lydia Brereton Gant, married Addison in 1748 when she was 18; he was 48. She was a documented descendant of a nobleman whose name was never officially confirmed. This flower of a woman flowed when she walked and was the epitome of grace and beauty, but neither of these positive characteristics subtracted logic and common sense from her approach to life, either as a wife nor as a mother. She did not approve nor condone her son's whimsical ventures into the wilds of the streets or woods. Many times, her table was populated with individuals that Everett "accumulated" during his latest sweep of the countryside, villages, towns or cities. She had to admit that these individuals were, more times than not, amusing and interesting, but she often found herself either apologizing for them to peers or explaining her son to others.

     The senior Shopp, on the other hand, was always amused and taxed these visiting individuals with pointed questions and guided them cleverly into controversy. He was in his glory when the young men began to fidget and squirm as they attempted to maintain their tempers and decorum. They would fuss and fizzle, puff and wheeze, as Shopp drove them to distraction. As a result, more men came to his gracious home to take on the challenges he set forth, but one-by-one they fell by the wayside and eventually succumbed to the gentleman's persuasive ways, rock-solid logic and bases of truth. As these wanderers became older, a growing respect replaced frustration, and in the gentleman's later years, he enjoyed the company of these other younger men of business, politics and warfare, now successful and influential in their own rights. Such was the man who fathered Everett Shopp.

     Everett's father was prone to a degree of wanderlust himself but restricted his world travels to local municipalities, particularly those that appealed to his romantic side, the side that enamored him to Lydia. He shied away from estates of grandeur anywhere, thinking of them as nothing but cold, drafty mausoleums too early to occupy. It was no wonder his son moved about. The senior Shopp carriaged his family from Cornwall to London, to Plymouth and even favored shorter trips to various places just for the fun of it. As a captain of ships, he traveled, but not very far. His longest trip was to the colonies in America, which made him want to stay home. He did not enjoy the openness of America and preferred the closeness of England. He never stepped foot on the continent, and was content with his occasional shipboard ventures around the British Isles, especially the Channel. He was a man who enjoyed his moments, was even-tempered and, for the most part, was a guiding light to his son and daughter. Unlike most families of six to twelve children, he and his wife were fortunate to have two healthy children and no more.

     Home was an enjoyable experience for all involved, and everyone got along rather well. There was a steady traffic of people through the homes, because each family member had a following. Everett, because of his continued traveling, was the only missing link on many occasions, but no one held it against him, because, when he was home, the personalities that had attached themselves to him during a given journey were most interesting and sometimes fascinating, particularly one man, the independent architect, John Nash, from whom Everett learned much about architecture, building and design, a prevailing interest of his. In return, Everett encouraged Nash's independence and fed him profusely. His friendship with Nash, and another contemporary architect, Sir John Soene, led to Everett's eventual construction of his own estate, Evenlee, on Shoppolis Islands.

     Everett was quite close to his sister, Madelaine. who managed to talk him into various affairs and interests on the lady side. He was always apologizing for something he did, which just served to amuse his amiable sister into planning more "dates." Madge was two years older than he, being born in 1750. After their mother passed away in 1790, at 60, she and her husband intended to join Everett on Shoppolis Islands, but her husband's untimely death in a carriage accident in late 1790, made her think twice. She married again in 1805, and accepted the responsibility of her husband's one child, named Forest Dinsmore. Her second husband, The Honorable Markham Dinsmore, an attorney in London, was not prone to island life, therefore she remained in England. She and Everett corresponded moderately over the years, but never saw each other again. This fact remained one of his greatest regrets.

     Everett made friends all over England and surrounding countries, which put him in good stead regardless of many of the political storms that blew through the influential families of the world. He fought in various conflicts with friends of other nations, and actually participated in a dual over a woman in the Spring of 1770. The dual was somewhat influenced by the young Everett, because he arranged for the pistols to be empty of shot. After the other man recovered from his wounded ego, the group retired to the local inn for a hearty breakfast which lasted into the wee hours of the next day. His Second, Beauford Bland married Everett's sister a year later. His opponent in the dual, Count Alexander Bressler of Darmstadt, became his best friend. The young lady, the object of the dual, eventually married a homely preacher and became the large mother of eight.

     Everett was highly regarded as a business person and became quite wealthy and influential, in part, because of his father's feeble attempts to overload him with duties, which he deftly avoided by paying someone else to do his work. Then, he could be off again. He was many times at odds with his father over issues such as how family money was accumulated through trade during the French and Indian War, through slave trade involving the South Indies Company and other "interesting" commercial involvements during the Robert Walpole years. When his father cut his funds to reign him in and "correct" his point of view, Everett, in his early twenties, informed his father that his end of the business had made him independent, and that if he wanted to control him, his efforts would fail. His father was so impressed with this, he continued the funding, which served to make him even wealthier.

     In 1775, he became interested in the Colonies, which he visited frequently. He was pleased to have met with Benjamin Franklin, who introduced him to the finer sides of science, politics and venery. He also enjoyed the company of Captain John Paul Jones, who once remarked that he liked Shopp enough to risk his friendship and meet him offshore ship-to-ship in a raging battle to the waterline; Shopp politely declined the offer. The Captain was flattered at this unique compliment from so controversial and commanding a man as Jones. Everett thought about this some time later when he was entertaining the idea of privateering.

     Eventually, Everett had more money than he needed, so he began to concentrate on the sea and its adventures. He signed on to one of his father's ships and went to sea. By twenty eight, he was a master and owner of a ship, the Queen, an 800-ton Indiaman with 4 extended commercial voyages under her keel. She was 13 years old at the time and was ready for retirement, but Master Shopp, put her in for a quick refit and was profiting again.

     There were many individuals he enjoyed who were not of his station. This interesting man of commerce and adventure, idealism and philosophy enjoyed the company of the street people, the men of the docks and the women of the evening. He was often seen in the company of those who would sooner cut your throat than look at you. He was a formidable person, even in his favorite city, Philadelphia, because he could call together a motley selection of diverse individuals for any given occasion. He was not a man to be underestimated, and the influential people of Philadelphia knew this. He was also well connected in England and had the respect of those who conducted commerce and warfare on the seas.

     In Philadelphia, just before sailing his company ship to the islands for the last time, before he purchased his own ship, he was asked to a home a few blocks from the waterfront and introduced to George Washington and his wife. He accompanied them and his hosts, the Samuel Powels, via carriage, to a farm in the nearby countryside for a dinner and an overnight. In the morning, the General and his wife were gone, and the hosting family saw him back to Philadelphia and his ship. He had been asked a favor by the General, and he had agreed. It was a year later, that the Captain made good on what was requested of him through the noted Mr. Lear. Everett often stated through his life, that if a man could be like General Washington, he deserved to be king, and that if that man were General Washington, then he deserved to refuse the post.

    When it came to ladies in his life, he did manage to attend a number of events that proposed a selection of young ladies, but none took his fancy until he met Ms. Sophy Streatfield of Chittingstone Castle in the Weald of Kent during the summer of 1778. For a time, there was a kindling of some warmth until she came in contact with Mr. Henry Thrale of Thrale's Brewery, with whom she became enamored. The embers quickly sputtered out, but not until young Everett had been to the Thrale's estate, Streatham, near Tooting. At this beautiful home, Everett met the likes of Dr. Samuel Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds and the marvelous Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu. His relationship with Sophy would remain friendly, and he would always attribute a certain amount of his social, political and commercial movement to her. He continued to frequent the Anchor in Southwark, until his exit from English society in 1783. He never formally became a Freemason, because he felt he had always been one.

     Being an avid participant in evening entertainment, he had the dubious pleasure of meeting the impressive ship's Master, William Bligh, late of Cook's Resolution. Bligh, unemployed at the moment, had taken a position as an "enforcer" or "keeper of the peace" at the Cornish Arms public house in St. Tudy. On the 14th of January of 1780, the two men got an opportunity to talk about items of the times and ended a short time later not liking each other. Shopp, two years older than Bligh, and a popular figure in Cornwall, frequented the various inns in the area and spent many hours at "Margaret's." He asked if Bligh had ever been to the popular port for sailors of the Royal Navy, and he said he hadn't. Shopp suggested that he do so, and shook hands with the man. He had no idea that in nine years, he would be walking a distant Pacific beach with a man who called himself Fletcher Christian, or that he would be sitting at dinner in New South Wales with the then Governor William Bligh and his family some time later.

     One of the more important parts of their discussions was about Joseph Banks and his methodologies. Bligh mentioned a number of interesting instruments that were applied including a type of telescope for viewing the bottom of the sea and the paraphernalia necessary for fishing on coral reefs. Bligh told him of the unusual striped sharks they had seen and more details on the types of fish that could be found. He described many land features and more. For this information, Shopp paid for the drinks they consumed.

     On May 5, 1781, during one of his visits to Philadelphia, just before leaving for a trip to Scandinavia, he was invited aboard a unique frigate, the Feenicks, a privateer that had a most interesting personality. The gentleman in his company said that he wanted Everett to meet "the most-interesting Captain Sweet." The ship had arrived in Philadelphia on April 30, 1781 and was advertising quietly for a roll as a privateer. Shopp was introduced to the frigate's captain, a delightfully robust young man of wit who was awaiting the birth of his first child. Sweet described, in great detail, that his ship contained the rag-tag survivors of a fateful fire in Quickly Bay on September 11, the year before. Many of the resident parties of an establishment known as Margaret's were aboard awaiting news of potential employment.

    Shopp showed particular interest in this situation and was led through the ship to meet some of the colorful folks, one of whom smiled demurely at the tall man. Obviously, the two had met before. Captain Sweet made no mention of the observation, and neither Shopp nor the young lady pursued their meeting any further. Shopp was conveyed through the ship to a woman who was sitting next to a man who seemed miles away from his seat of coiled rope. He bowed and kissed the hand of his old friend, Margaret, who mentioned that the man next to her was her long-lost husband, Ezra, who was thought lost at sea so many years before. She said that they had found him wandering the bases at Antigua when they stopped for provisions. Her eyes were full of joy. Shopp leaned forward and whispered something in her ear. She nodded to the affirmative and smiled. The captain left the compartment and moved on deck.

    At the top of the companionway, a tall, gaunt man oddly effeminate, sauntered over to the two captains. Sweet introduced the prancing individual to Shopp. The ill-fitting gentleman was a certain Robert Augustus Sleighton, self-proclaimed author of a work he had been developing for some years. He was also an employee at Margaret's. It was more of a dramatized history of the ship on which they were standing and the strange events that led to a point of the voyage where John Paul Jone's Ariel was met, he explained. The man coughed politely and handed a tube to Captain Shopp. He explained that he would be dead the next day, and that if the dark gentleman in the shadows of the poop deck was right about the good captain, the manuscript would be safe with him. He added that perhaps, he knew of someone who would continue the work while all were aboard the ship. Shopp reached out to hand the tube back, but the strange tall man had withdrawn into the darkness the same way he came in, silently and carefully. Two other characters, who were obviously waiting, moved off with him.

    Captain Shopp tried to divest himself of the tube, but Captain Sweet coaxed him into keeping it. It was true, the man would be dead the next day, because he was suffering from water in the chest, and that he was lucky to have lasted this long. A doctor had told him that it would be only days. Since there were no more authors aboard, he should keep the manuscript just for the sake of the man's peace of mind. He agreed. To this day, the manuscript has been unchanged, and resides in the SI library. It is a most unusual document, disjointed in many ways, but clearly produced with wit and concern for those depicted. It is also reasonably known that Captain Shopp never read the piece, and that he gave it to the young lady whom he had met below some time before. She kept it for years until it made its way back to Shoppolis City, a place so far in the future. This young lady did read the document, and unknown to many, finished the document from her own experiences.

    At the gangplank, when leaving the ship, Shopp told Sweet that he would send some "trusted" individuals in the next few days to "arrange" for opportunities including a potential crew for the Feenicks. Sweet was quite grateful and conveyed a quick story of meeting John Paul Jones and the Ariel on the high seas on September 25 of the prior year, and the fact that the notorious captain married Sweet to his now-very-pregnant wife in a ceremony aboard the frigate.

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