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A Masonic Brother’s 5th Degree (Past Master) medal from the Polish Masonic Lodge in London. Crafted in London in 1847 by the goldsmith William Eaton for Brother Major Karol Szulczewski, a veteran of the November Uprising who was awarded the Virtuti Militari.
The reverse bears full British silver hallmarks and an engraved dedication: “Br. Szulczewski PM, Polish National Lodge No 778.” The condition is very good, as shown in the photos.
Karol Szulczewski, born on May 18, 1813, in Kutno, and deceased on either October 18 or January 1, 1884, in London, was a prominent figure in the Polish November Uprising and an active emigration activist. He was an esteemed friend of Prince Adam Czartoryski, with whom he co-founded the Polish Masonic Lodge in England.
Education and Military Career:
Karol Szulczewski received his education at the Cadet Corps in Kalisz. In August 1830, he enlisted in the army of the Kingdom of Poland as a non-commissioned officer. He actively participated in the November Uprising of 1830–31, where he was awarded the Virtuti Militari War Order for his bravery.
Life in Exile:
In January 1832, Szulczewski emigrated to France and later moved to the United Kingdom in 1838, continuing his collaboration with the Hotel Lambert. In December 1847, he obtained British citizenship and became a civil servant at the Ministry of War. During the Crimean War (1853–56), he served as a liaison officer between the British War Office and the Polish division under General Władysław Zamoyski, which was integrated into the Turkish army.
During the January Uprising of 1863–64, Szulczewski supported Zamoyski’s efforts to gain British support for the Polish cause. He also worked tirelessly to secure favorable press coverage in Britain for Poland. From 1842 to 1884, he served as the secretary of the Literary Society of Friends of Poland in London, a branch of the Historical and Literary Society based in Paris.
Masonic Involvement:
In the politically charged atmosphere leading up to the Spring of Nations, the Polish National Lodge was established in London on October 28, 1846, with Szulczewski as one of its founding members. The lodge was one of the rare national lodges permitted by the United Grand Lodge of England. Its founding members included notable Polish figures such as Bertold Wierciński, Leon Jabłoński, Napoleon Feliks Żaba, and others.
Szulczewski, along with Prince Adam Czartoryski, played a significant role in the lodge’s establishment and activities. The lodge attracted Polish expatriates and supporters of the Polish cause, including prominent individuals such as historian Walerian Krasiński. Although internal conflicts and the anglicization of the lodge reduced Polish membership over time, Szulczewski’s contributions to its founding and early success were invaluable.