Sir Watkin Lewes was the first Master of The Lion & Lamb Lodge when it was consecrated on Christmas Eve, 24th December 1789. He was a Member of the Joiners' Company, an Alderman and Sherrif in 1772, Lord Mayor of London in 1780 and Member of Parliament for the City of London. He was initiated on 5th November 1781 in the Lodge of Emulation No. 12 on the register of the Premier Grand Lodge, (i.e. the Moderns.) On 20th June 1788, he was described as "modern remade in Lodge No. 1" which was the Antients Grand Masters Lodge No. 1. His transfer of alegience, as well as his high standing probably accounted for his rapid promotion and he became Junion Grand Warden Elect in 1789.At his remaking as an Antient the year previously, the three degrees were conferred upon him in one meeting, but he had never been installed as a Master of a Lodge. The Antients Grand Lodge must have valued his high standing enough to appoint him Junion Grand Warden Elect but the problem they encountered was that he had not served in the office of Master of a Lodge.
So by resolution of Grand Lodge he was to be "Passed to the Chair unless in the meantime he was installed Master of a Lodge".

The necessity for him to be 'installed in the chair' with some haste rather than being 'passed' through the chair probably explains the alacrity with which the Lodge was formed.