George Payne

Who is George Payne?

George Payne was a Freemason and the second Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England in 1718. After being succeeded by John Desaguliers in 1719, he was again Grand Master in 1720. During this time he compiled The Constitutions of the Free-masons, which was printed in 1722 or 1723. He was deputy Master in 1725, when the Duke of Richmond was both Master of the Lodge and Grand Master.

George Payne of the Exchequer - appointed Secretary to the Tax Office 20 July 1732, Head Secretary 8 April 1743 - was the son of Samuel Payne of Chester and Frances Kendrick or Kenrick. George Payne and his wife Anne Martha Batson had no surviving children. They lived in St Stephen's Court, New Palace Yard, Westminster.

His brother Thomas Payne was rector of Holme Lacy Herefordshire for Frances Scudamore wife of Henry Scudamore, 3rd Duke of Beaufort and later the wife of Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore. Thomas's nine recorded children included Frances Compton Countess of Northampton and Catherine Seymour, wife of Lord Francis Seymour Dean of Wells.