The Establishment of the Royal Order of Jesters

aboard the S.S. Wilhelmina

A male fraternal organization with nearly a century of history behind it, the Royal Order of Jesters was initially established by Shriners aboard the

S.S. Wilhelmina in 1911. The founding members were part of an Imperial Council that had

embarked on a visit to the Aloha Temple in the Hawaiian Islands. The chartered Wilhelmina

sailed from San Francisco on February 15, 1911, with nearly 70 Shriners on board.

During the voyage, past Illustrious Potentate George Filmer and other leaders organized a

variety of games and activities to pass the time at sea. After an evening of dancing and merriment, a

midnight meeting commenced in the smoker, which led to historian A.M. Allison’s suggestion of

creating the new order. With George Filmer enthusiastic about the idea, a Ritual (or Book of Play) was prepared and the details of initiations hashed out. With the motto "Mirth is King” as its

guiding principle, the original cast of Jesters consisted of 13 members and a director.