I would like to touch briefly on the origin of Tracing Boards.
The books I have used for reference are Freemasons Guide and Compendium by Bernard E. Jones and, Tracing Boards and Other Selected Papers delivered before the Research Lodge of Wellington No 194 by members of the Lodge.
From early days in the speculative lodges – so early probably that the custom is lost in the mists of antiquity, unless by chance it came from the French lodges quite early in the 1700’s – brethren used to mark out on the floor the actual form of the lodge and at the end of their meetings they effaced the marks.
With the passage of time the custom gave way to the use of painted cloths on the floor or wall, which in their turn were generally discontinued in favour of the Tracing Board.
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2002 - A BRIEF LOOK AT THE ORIGINS OF TRACING BOARDS - Bro Merv Gollan.
