Through the years many Masons have had the pleasure if initiating their son into Freemasonry. Very few Masons have had the honour of initiating two sons into their lodge. One such Mason who has had that immense honour is Paul Ashton Both sons were initiated aged 18 years, thanks to dispensations from two  Provincial Grand Masters – Peter Hosker and Tony Harrison.

The current worshipful master of William Fleetwood Lodge No.2814, Lesley Neville, kindly agreed to allow Paul, who is a past master of the lodge and currently the lodge’s senior deacon, to take the chair for the initiation ceremony.

Paul is a construction site manager. He is married to Karen and they have four children, two girls: Michele is a medic in the Royal Navy and Hayley is a physiotherapist. Paul’s eldest son Daniel was initiated by his father in April 2014. He is currently studying Aerospace engineering at Loughborough University and has just been accepted to take his Master’s Degree in Aerospace engineering when he completes his degree in 2017. James is currently in his last year at sixth form college and has applied to study Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University. James is a keen sportsman and plays hockey for England.

Lesley opened the lodge and efficiently worked through the initial business before asking Paul to occupy the chair of King Solomon. James was formally announced and escorted into the lodge by the junior deacon, Brian Carrier to start his journey through the first degree to become an entered apprentice Freemason. James was ably conducted throughout the ceremony by Brain who kept James at ease and on the right course at all times.

The ceremony conducted by Paul, was word perfect and was an absolute pleasure to witness. Daniel delivered the working tools of an entered apprentice to his brother in a faultless and sincere manner. The charge after initiation was superbly delivered by lodge director of ceremonies, Jim Thomason, who has known Daniel and James since they were born.

At the end of the ceremony Paul thanked Lesley for allowing him to initiate his son. He also said: “Bringing my sons into Freemasonry has been the proudest moments of my life. Both my sons are now my brothers.”

One more special moment was to mark this special meeting when the lodge secretary announced that he had received a grand Lodge certificate for Daniel, which Lesley duly presented to Daniel after he had signed it at the secretaries desk.

The festive board which followed the ceremony was enjoyed by everybody. After an excellent meal and the formal toasts to grand and Provincial grand officers Paul had the pleasure of proposing the toast to James. Paul said: “James has always ben keen to help others and had spent his summer holidays last year, working for the National Citizen Service (NCS). James worked with 15 to 17 years old children in need at a summer camp where the children made lasting friendships, embraced the outdoors and learned the skills they don’t teach in the classroom.” Pauls toast to James was received with loud acclamation by the brethren.

James responded by thanking his ‘Brother Dad’ for proposing him and and senior lodge member  Don Kelso for seconding him and all the members of the lodge for welcoming him into the lodge. James concluded by saying: “It was a very interesting ceremony and I found it very interesting, I have been looking forward to joining Freemasonry for a long time - in fact since I first remember watching my Dad leaving for the lodge in a smart suit and carrying his black case. After Daniel was initiated I was more determined to become a Freemason. I will try to be a good member of the lodge”

George Skarratts a frequent visitor to the lodge and in-fact had stood in at short notice as JW during the ceremony read out Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘The Lewis’.

St Helens and Prescot Group Chairman, Colin Rowling welcomed James into the group and explained that he is not only a member of William Fleetwood Lodge but also a member of a worldwide fraternity. Colin then presented Daniel with a welcome pack containing information about the first degree, the St Helens and Prescot Group and other useful information, including the meeting dates of all the lodges in the group – explaining the benefits of visiting other lodges.

The Black Country Heritage Lodge No. 9702’s demonstration team was at Cleobury Lodge No. 6972 in the Province of Shropshire recently – and a ‘bosting’ time seems have been had by all!

The ritual was a little different from Cleobury's normal fare, but the team was clearly spot-on with their choice of candidate: W Bro Kevin Gwilliam, the Lodge DC. Eagle-eyed brethren will also note ‘frowtsy gaffer’ W Bro John Williamson (DepGSupt) underneath a cloth cap!

A feature of the evening was the involvement of all masons who were present – 69 in all – and questions were fired at the audience by W Bro Pressde and his merry men. Those who got the answers wrong – or were even just a little too slow – were duly fined. We can assure our readers who were not there, however, that the blood you can see in the group picture was not real!

The demonstration team received a donation of £100 plus half the raffle proceeds, and everyone left well ‘chuffed’.

Glossary for those not familiar with the Black Country dialect:

bostin(g): good, super
chuffed: happy
frowtsy: dishevelled
gaffer: boss

Eureka Lodge No. 3763 having been consecrated on 18 February 1916, held at the Litherland Masonic Hall, by dispensation, an extra special meeting in the lodge’s history, that being its centenary meeting, 100 years to the day of its consecration.

In the lodge room, full with the brethren and the many guests for the evening, the WM Don Fraser opened the lodge and requested the secretary Iain Beckett to read out the special dispensation as the first order of business.

The lodge members and their visitors were then most pleased to receive an expected knock on the door from the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Keith Kemp, announcing that the Provincial Grand Master Tony Harrison was without and demanded admission.

The lodge room rose and were immensely pleased to receive Tony who was accompanied by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Philip Gunning, the Assistant Provincial Grand Masters Derek Parkinson and Tony Bent, accompanied by Ian Gee the Bootle Group Chairman and the grand officers, along with his Provincial team entering the temple in a magnificent, colourful procession.

Keith introduced Tony to Don and acceded to Don’s request to accept the gavel of the lodge and he took his place in the chair of King Solomon.

Tony then appointed his Provincial team in readiness to open Provincial Grand Lodge. For that purpose, Philip Gunning was requested to assist in continuing in the role of Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Derek Parkinson was requested to assist by continuing in the role of Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Michael Threlfall continued in the position of Provincial Senior Grand Warden and Peter Schofield as Provincial Junior Grand Warden, Rev Canon Godfrey Hirst as the Provincial Grand Chaplain, Peter Taylor as Provincial Grand Secretary, Keith Kemp as Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Gordon Ivett as Provincial Grand Tyler, along with other acting officers David Thomas (Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies), William Kilmurry (Provincial Senior Grand Deacon), Edward Harrison (Provincial Junior Grand Deacon), John Houlding and Stephen Lyon (Provincial Grand Standard Bearers), Arend van Duyvenbode as acting Provincial Grand Sword Bearer, Peter Maxwell (Provincial Grand Pursuivant), Stephen Derringer (Provincial Grand Organist), all in their respective positions for the purposes of the centenary ceremony.

Tony opened Provincial Grand Lodge and called upon the Provincial Grand Secretary Peter Taylor to read out the centenary warrant to the brethren. After which a blue bow was tied around the rolled certificate before Tony presented the warrant to Don. Tony then presented and placed the centenary jewel on Don, with the brethren of Eureka Lodge then being told that they could now show their centenary jewels.

Tony then called upon the Provincial Grand Chaplain Godfrey Hirst to give an oration to the lodge. Godfrey started his oration by a reference to the lodge’s name ‘Eureka’, reminiscing to science lessons when being told that the exclamation 'Eureka!' is famously attributed to the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes reportedly proclaiming 'Eureka! Eureka!' after he had stepped into a bath and noticed that the water level rose whereupon he suddenly understood that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. Godfrey mentioned that the founding brethren of the lodge must have also cried ‘Eureka!’ when they formed the lodge in 1916. With brief exhorts from the lodges history and the connections to the lodge’s name,  in 1941 the secretary and treasurer even named their homes Eureka, Godfrey then went on to give a detailed explanation of the lodges banner, with the image of Archimedes between the two pillars from its dedication to the lodge in 1931.

Once Godfrey had finished his oration, he gave a prayer, before all the brethren sang the national anthem. Tony then closed Provincial Grand Lodge, handing the gavel back to Don, who said: 'It was an honour and a privilege to see the Provincial team conducting the ceremony this evening.' Don also said: 'It was a privilege to hear the oration by Godfrey.' The Provincial officers where then replaced with the officers of the lodge with Don commenting that: 'Normal service will now be resumed.'

Don then called upon and asked Ron Lofthouse and Shaun Lavery of Eureka Lodge to deliver a reading of the lodge’s history. Ron gave the first part of the history starting from when Eureka Lodge was consecrated on 18 February 1916 at the Bootle Town Hall by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Louis S Winslow, with Mark Wilkinson being installed as the first WM.

Stating the reasons given to form this new lodge were that three lodges at Bootle are getting unwieldy on account of the large membership particularly Bootle Lodge No 1473 and there has been no new lodge stationed in Bootle for over a period of 21 years in which time the population has nearly doubled.

The lodge meetings held in Merton Hall, Merton Road apart from the installation which was always held in Bootle Town Hall. Numerous candidates were admitted, always in two's, but with dispensation up to four. The lodge flourished and although the war was still in progress there seem to be no problem in attracting candidates. During the early years the working of a number of degrees on the same night, often conducted by the WM occurred, even being a first and second degree on the same night with multiple candidates. Every meeting from the beginning of the lodge’s history had a degree worked, until February 1929 when no degree was performed.

The lodge moved after the installation in September 1930 to the Masonic Hall in Balliol Road, the Bootle Group’s former home. One thing that had been missing from the lodge was a banner, so on 23 January 1931 a banner for the lodge was donated by J V Thompson Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer and J H Howard.

Ron continued with the history until the 1940s when he handed over for the second part of the history which was taken over by Shaun.

Shaun continued to inform the brethren, mentioning that in February 1959 the lodge held its 300th meeting, with a double second degree being held on that night.

The current secretary's father Gordon Beckett was installed in September of that year and with Iain himself being initiated in January 1976 by his father and was subsequently installed as junior warden, senior warden and into the chair by his father, a unique occurrence.

Also of note, Les Lownds proposed and initiated in November 1959, left a legacy to the lodge to be used for the centenary celebrations.

The 50th anniversary of the lodge was held in 1966 when Geoffrey Carr was initiated.

Arrend Van Duyvenbode Snr was installed in the chair in September 1989 and a team from Holland gave a demonstration of the first degree in October of that year according to the Dutch ritual.

A story from the lodge’s history which occurred in Balliol Road, on one occasion the acting senior deacon Fred Glover was introducing the candidate to the senior warden when he came to that part of the ceremony, which mentioned, 'By an ear of corn near to a fall of water', the ceiling above them decided to give way to the weight of water above their heads, the candidate thought it was all part of the ceremony and was not impressed.

Due to the compulsory purchase of Balliol Road hall, the lodge moved to its current home in Litherland in September 2007.

Arend van Duvyenbode Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary was promoted to Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in April 2012. Meaning the lodge now has two Grand Lodge officers. Due to his service over the years to the Province of the Isle of Man, Fred Wright was made a Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in that Province. A further promotion was awarded to Fred in April 2013 when he was promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon together with a promotion in Provincial Royal Arch.

Both Ron Lofthouse and Shaun Lavery delivered their readings in a clear and concise manner, keeping the brethren enthralled with the lodge’s history. Don thanked Ron and Shaun for their readings and also gave special thanks to Stan Edwards for his hard work in compiling the lodge’s history for the evening.

Don then presented Tony with the Cheques for various charities, with total amount totalling £3,763, as it was the centenary the lodge wanted donate the same amount as the lodge number. Tony then read out the donations with the money going to; West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity £282.30, The Linda McCartney Centre (Breast Cancer) £232.30, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital £232.30, Myaware (Myasthenia Gravis Association) £232.30,Merseyside Society for Deaf People £232.30,Head and Neck Cancer £232.30,Bootle YMCA £232.30, Alzheimer’s Society £232.30, Woodlands Hospice £232.30, Claire House £232.30 and theLitherland Masonic Hall £1,390.                                                                                             

Tony thanked the lodge members on behalf of all those who would eventually benefit by such kind generosity with the donations to the charities and was equally pleased to see the same generosity given towards the Litherland Masonic Hall.

Keith Kemp then commandeered the proceedings with excellent precision and the Provincial team exited in the same inimitable, magnificent colourful procession. The lodge having closed, the celebrations were continued at the festive board and there was an exceptional event of joviality and concord.

Tony in his response to the toast to his health congratulated the lodge members and commented in saying he was delighted to attend as principal guest this evening and with being accompanied by Philip, Derek and Tony for this special evening in your good company and amongst friends.

Eureka is a cry of joy and satisfaction, Litherland is part of Bootle, Bootle has its own motto: ‘respice, aspice, prospice’ which translates into ‘look to the past, the present, the future’, which the founders achieved when they founded the lodge. Tony gave congratulations to all the brethren of Eureka Lodge for the wonderful evening, congratulations were also given to all the brethren who have recently received letters informing them of their appointment and promotion in Provincial Grand Lodge. 

Tony again said he was delighted at the amount the lodge members had donated to the various charities and towards Litherland Masonic Hall. Giving special thanks to Freddie Wright and Arend van Duyvenbode for the many hours they have given to the our Province, but others further afield saying: 'Freddie you’re a legend'. Tony thanked Arend for the amount of time he has devoted to Masonry, saying he hopes he enjoys his retirement from the role and continues to enjoy his Freemasonry in the future.

Tony also mentioned John Moore saying he has learnt a lot over the years from him and the Bootle Group are honoured to have him as a member.

Tony concluded his response by informing the brethren about 2017, the 300 anniversary of Masonry in Lancashire asking all the brethren to help support the celebrations and events that are going to happen in 2017. Hoping to see an increase in the number of the brethren joining Masonry, stating we are quite fortunate at the moment as we are seeing an increase in joining members.

Derek Parkinson then proposed a toast to the brethren of Eureka Lodge, starting the toast with the information of the period of when the lodge was formed, when Britain declared war on 4 August 1914 and with English Freemasonry facing unprecedented circumstances. Freemasonry was, and remains non-political, but during this period the United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body for Freemasonry in England, Wales and across much of the British Empire, had to deal with the impact of global war.

Eureka Lodge was created, formed and consecrated during the dark days of the First World War, and much credit is due to the founders who persevered in its formation, in spite of innumerable difficulties. There were other difficult times to follow but due to the tenacity and fortitude of its members over the years the lodge continued and in fact increased popularity and membership when other lodges were struggling.

On such an occasion as this centenary meeting it is important to emphasise the importance of the efforts and work put in by our forebears and those who are members of the lodge to look forward to the future with a similar positive frame of mind, to rededicate yourselves to those Masonic principals which are so close to our hearts and to ensure that those who follow will be encouraged to celebrate not only the 150th but also the bi-centenary of the lodge, Derek said: 'To which of course, I and my immediate colleagues around the table would be delighted to receive an invitation.'

Derek finished the toast by saying: 'The future begins today WM and we are certain that under you leadership Eureka Lodge will continue to be a leading light in Freemasonry in the Province of West Lancashire and that with the guidance and support of your past masters and brethren the lodge will continue to serve not only Freemasonry in this area but the wider community.'

Don responded on behalf of the lodge and the brethren for the toast, saying: 'It is a privilege standing here today and hope the lodge will continue to go from strength to strength, it’s been a tremendous night.' Don gave thanks to Gary Adamson the lodge treasurer, who had organised the centenary and presented a gift to him from the lodge members for his hard work. Thanks were also given Iain Beckett and Howard Jones.

Don mentioned that Jeff Carr’s golden anniversary should have been held on this evening and that he generously moved the celebration to next month.

As it was a special occasion a fruit cake with the lodge name was made to commemorate the event by Cathy Bousfield, the wife of the lodge DC Stephen. It was brought to the top table with four candles on, which Don blew out before cutting, this was later distributed amongst all the brethren and guests. 

As a treat for the guests the members of Eureka Lodge sang the visitors song, with Michael Threlfall responding on behalf of the guests, commented that he will tell his wife that he sitting next to and was sung to by John Lennon, John is the current senior warden of Eureka Lodge.

A raffle was held on the night, raising £455, which will be given to the Litherland Masonic Hall. With the evening being drawn to a close, Don on behalf of the lodge members presented Tony with a special bottle of single malt whisky to commemorate the evening, also presenting flowers to be given to his wife Maureen on behalf of the lodge members.

The evening finished with the Provincial team leaving, after an enjoyable evening with much celebration in good company and jovial fun.

It seems hard to believe that thirty years have passed since the Chernobyl Disaster shocked the World.


On 26 April 1986 an explosion at at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in The Ukraine released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These spread over much of the western USSR and Europe, even reaching parts of the UK.

The effects on the people and environment were devastating and remain hidden behind a wall of secrecy. In fact the full impact may never be totally revealed.

Those hit worst were the young children in the surrounding areas, forced to grow up and  to live in the highly toxic environment left behind. Even those being born today will suffer from the effects of radiation and social depravation caused by the accident.

Last year we published an article about Herne Bay, East Kent Freemason, Daniel John, whose wife Charlotte runs the local branch of the Chernobyl Children’s Life Line. This is a charity that seeks to help families in Ukraine that were affected by the 1986 nuclear disaster.

Click here to read more about the Chernobyl Children’s Life Line (Herne Bay Link).

In February, Charlotte, Daniel and their youngest son Alfie, returned to Borodyanka in Ukraine loaded with cases full of equipment to distribute over there. Included in their baggage were eight large cases, musical instruments, clothing for hospital staff and a double buggy, much of which had been generously donated by people who were touched by the plight of the people still suffering from the after effects of the disaster.

Click here to read an account of the trip in Daniel and Charlotte’s own words.

With the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster approaching in April, a service will be held at Canterbury Cathedral on Tuesday 26th April 2016, at 7.30pm with Guest Speaker Lt Colonel Igor Pismenskij.

Chernobyl Children’s Life Line invites you to attend the service to mark this significant anniversary. Please RSVP by 7th April 2016 with the number of reserved seats required by post or by using the contact form.

Chernobyl Children’s Life Line 30th Anniversary Service, 33 Station Road, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5QJ

On the 21st December 2015 West Norwood Lodge No. 3598 was delighted to receive W. Bro David Nunn, SGD, PAGSoj, to honour W. Bro Bill Stern, PGstB, with a certificate marking his 50 years in Freemasonry. During that time, Bro. Stern has been Master of the Lodge twice, once in 1975/6 and again in 2000/1, and held nearly every office within the Lodge, in particular Lodge Almoner. In addition, Bro. Stern was a founder member of Mandalay Lodge No.9383 as well as a member of our daughter lodge, Thurlow Park Lodge No. 5476.

Outside of Freemasonry, Bro. Stern has been awarded the Silver Wolf, the highest honour in scouting after a career spanning in excess of 60 years. Bro. Stern has also been a Trustee of several charities, both Masonic and Non Masonic.

On Saturday, 19th March 2016, E. Comps Derek Lester, PAGDC, and Edward (Ted) Williams, LGCRE, will receive their 50 year Certificates in Borough of Finsbury Chapter No. 3901 at Free Masons Hall to be followed by lunch at Parkers.

E. Comp Williams, E. Comp Lester's Business Partner initiated him into Freemasonry in May 1963 into St John's Lodge No. 167 where E. Comp Williams had joined previously in October 1955, and then in March 1966, E. Comp Williams Joined and E. Comp Lester was Exalted into Borough of Finsbury Chapter No. 3901 (E. Comp Williams having previously been a member of Forest Gate Chapter No. 4153 since April 1959).

E. Comp Williams achieved SLGCR in 1974 and moved to Scotland in 1979 but still remained a member of both St John's Lodge and Borough of Finsbury Chapter, returning South in 2014.

E. Comp Lester achieved LGR in 1978, LGCR in 1982, GL Active Office SGD in 1984, and RA Grand Rank PAGDC in 1986. He has also been a very active VGO in both Craft and Chapter and has been instrumental in setting up and assisting various Lodges and Chapters.

AMetGM VW Bro. Ian Currans received a cheque for £4,000 on behalf of the Metropolitan Masonic Charity in support of the appeal to raise £2m towards the cost of a 2nd Air Ambulance for London in the "Your London, Your Helicopter" campaign. The cheque was presented to him by Kynaston Studd Lodge No. 5416 on his visit to the Lodge as part of a "Talking Heads –The Next Step: Into The Royal Arch" presentation (see Freemasonry Today Autumn 2015).

WM Mike Binsted said "London Freemasons are well over half way to raising our target of £2m to put a second Air Ambulance in the sky over London and so extend the flying hours and capability of the London Air Ambulance advanced trauma team. I am both pleased and tremendously proud of our Lodge members in raising and donating the £4,000 presented today, which forms part of this Lodge's support for the appeal."

Congratulating the Lodge, Bro. Currans said "I am stunned by the generosity of Kynaston Studd members in supporting this appeal which has captured the imagination of London Freemasons. The additional Air Ambulance will be of great benefit to the populous of London and will be a very visible sign of the charitable efforts and community commitment of all London Masons."

On Saturday 28th November 2015, W. Bro Professor David Lawrence Hamble received his 50 year certificate from Senior Visiting Officer W. Bro Bill Robinson at the meeting of Faraday Lodge No. 4798. Among the many guests were RW Bro. Rex Thorne, PMetGM, and members of Telephone Lodge No 3301, Faraday Lodge's Mother Lodge.

Bro. Hamblen was Lecturer in Orthopaedics at Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, University of Oxford (1967-1968) before becoming Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Edinburgh (1968-1972) after which he became Honorary Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon to South East Regional Hospital Board Scotland (1968-1972) and then Honorary Consultant in Orthopaedic Surgery to the Army in Scotland (1976-99).

On 27th January 2016, Fidentia Et Lutine Lodge No. 6272 was pleased to receive VW Bro. Robert Grant, Metropolitan Grand Inspector, who presented a 50 year Long Service Certificate to W. Bro Michael Roberts, PAGDC.

Bro. Roberts was Initiated into Fidentia Lodge by his father-in-law on 2nd November 1965 at The Piccadilly Hotel and has been Worshipful Master of the Lodge three times including presiding at the Amalgamation meeting in 2009 when the Lodge became Fidentia et Lutine.

Bro. Roberts is also involved in Chapter, Mark and Rose Croix and is the current Worshipful Master of Neasden Lodge No. 3695.

At the meeting of the John Evelyn Lodge No. 5518 held at Mark Masons Hall on 24th October 2015, Visiting Officer W. Bro John Blackman, SLGR, took the chair to Initiate his son Christopher into the Lodge.

Bro. Blackman is also a member of Verity Lodge No. 4870 in Eastbourne and ten members from Verity travelled to London to witness the ceremony with W. Bro Jamie Allen presenting Christopher with a Masonic Bible.

It was a very emotional day for Bro. Blackman as it also marked his 33rd year in masonry, for it was at the October meeting in 1982 that he had been Initiated into the Lodge.

It was a good end to a very busy year for Bro. Christopher who at the start of 2015 became a Karate and Kickboxing Instructor and then graduated from university with a degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.

Bro. Christopher said "It was a fantastic day, having grown up with masonry, I had been keen to join for a long time and being surrounded by brethren I have come to know over the years from both London and Eastbourne made it even more special. But the highlight was of course having my dad carry out the ceremony; it was a day I will remember for a long time".

The evening was rounded off by the Brethren being treated to the excellent carvery at Mark Masons' Hall for their Festive Board, during which, not only did Bro. Blackman propose the toast to his son but also sang the Initiates song.

At a meeting of Oak Lodge No. 190 on Wednesday 17th February 2016 at Freemasons' Hall, W Bro Nigel Penn, PGSD, MetGInsp, presented not one, but two 50-year certificates in masonry to W Bro Fred Harris and W Bro Doug Woodmansee, PProvGAlm (Norfolk) respectively, both of whom had been initiated in 1965.

On the same evening the lodge presented a magnificent cheque for £11,000 in aid of the London's Air Ambulance Appeal to the Metropolitan Grand Charity Steward, Tony Shields, PGStB. Bros Harris and Woodmansee received many congratulations and the lodge was warmly thanked by Bro Shields for its generosity. Bro Penn was escorted by W Bro Graham Cottington, LGR, MetGD, and two MetGStwds.

The 50th anniversary meeting of Falcon Lodge No. 8062 took place on Monday, 8th February 2016 at Freemasons' Hall

W Bro Paul Norton, PAGDC, a Founder of the lodge, was installed as Worshipful Master and W Bro Philip Belchak, PGStB, the only other living founder and an honorary member acted as Senior Warden for the meeting. Honorary members, Assistant Metropolitan Grand Master VW Bro David Wilkinson, PGSwdB, and VW Bro David Taylor, PGSuptWks, attended the meeting which was officiated by Metropolitan Grand Inspector VW Bro Stratton Richey.

The lodge presented a donation to the MMC Air Ambulance Appeal for £5,000 which was gratefully accepted by Bro Richey on behalf of Metropolitan Grand Lodge. The lodge, already a Grand Patron of the RMBI, presented a further donation of £500 to VW Bro James Newman, President of the RMBI, who was also in attendance.

A lecture on the history of the lodge, written by the Lodge Mentor, W Bro Neil Mills, PAGPurs, was delivered by a new Master Mason in the lodge. The history highlighted the lodge's origination from the 'Arts and Circles' Class of Instruction held on Sunday mornings at the Albion, Ludgate Circus which provided a school of instruction for members of the theatrical profession whose only free day was a Sunday.

Following the lecture, Bro Richey presented two Grand Lodge certificates to new members after which Assistant Metropolitan Grand Master VW Bro Stephen Fenton, PGSwdB, presented a letter of congratulations, signed by the Metropolitan Grand Master RW Bro Sir Michael Snyder, to the Worshipful Master.

More than 100 members and their guests dined afterwards at the Grand Connaught Rooms. All attending received a pair of white masonic gloves, suitably inscribed, as a gift.

In the largest gathering of its kind for a decade, over 500 rugby fans and Freemasons filled the Winter Gardens in Margate on Monday 29th February to witness the founding of a new masonic lodge dedicated to the spirit of rugby

Spirit of Rugby Lodge, No. 9922 was formed by a group of over 50 East Kent rugby enthusiasts who recognise and value the strong connections between rugby and Freemasonry.

Medway Rugby Football Club member and founding Master of the lodge, Roger Waltham explained: 'Rugby Union has significant parallels with the core values of Freemasonry – in particular with respect to integrity, cooperation, and of course, benevolence and charity. Thus it’s hardly surprising that many rugby players also find their way into Freemasonry.'

Roger, who is also an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the Province of East Kent, added, 'These links go back to the very roots of rugby. William Webb Ellis was himself a Freemason.'

The lodge was consecrated at a special meeting of East Kent’s Provincial Grand Lodge, by a team presided over by the head of East Kent Freemasons, Provincial Grand Master Geoffrey Dearing. He said: 'This was a very special occasion. I was absolutely delighted to meet so many rugby fans and Freemasons from across the UK and Europe, who came to join in the celebrations. An event like this shows the increasing value of Freemasonry in everyday life.'

The event was quite a spectacle as observers had the chance to witness the pageantry of Freemasonry combined with the fun and camaraderie of rugby football. The founding members sported especially commissioned rugby caps along with their traditional masonic regalia.

So called ‘special interest’ lodges have become increasingly popular over recent years and are helping Freemasonry to remain relevant and develop as an integral part of modern society. Sporting connections are a natural ally for those formed in a masonic lodge and rugby in particular is leading the way, with several lodges already formed across the UK.

Also present was Colin Broughton, Master of the oldest lodge in East Kent, the Royal Kent Lodge of Antiquity, No. 20.

Following the meeting the attendees shared a celebratory meal and raised over £2,500 for charity.

Among those visiting were representatives of rugby lodges from other part of the UK. Alan Hurdley, from the Province of Yorkshire, West Riding, commented: 'I must congratulate everyone involved in setting up the Spirit Rugby Lodge for making this initiative a reality. It was a wonderful ceremony and most convivial festive board, all conducted in the true spirit of rugby!'

And a spirited success it seems to have been, with prospective members already lining up to join.

Titan Lodge No. 6002 has donated £10,000 to the MMC Air Ambulance Appeal.

The donation came from the generosity of Lodge members and a contribution from the Lou Rose Memorial Fund. The Lou Rose Memorial Fund was created in September 1986 shortly after the death of W. Bro Lou Rose who was a founder and the first installed Worshipful Master of the Lodge, and was set up as a permanent memorial to his memory with an initial £2,000 being donated by his son to which a further sum of £2,000 was added by the then Brethren. Subsequently £5,000 was added to the fund on the death of W. Bro Bernard Summers who left the sum to the Lodge in his will and who, like Bro. Rose, was a founder of the Lodge. Having consulted with the families of the late Bros. Rose and Summers, the families and the Lodge agreed that such a magnificent donation to such a worthy cause as the MMC Air Ambulance Appeal was a fitting tribute to their memory.

Bridging the gap

The Iron Bridge Lodge in Shropshire is attracting younger members with a blend of social media, streamlined ceremonies and core masonic values, as Peter Watts discovers

On 1 February 2016, something happened in Shropshire for the first time in more then a century. At a meeting room in Telford town centre, three new members were initiated into Freemasonry at one lodge on the same day. This was so exceptional it required a change in the rules. ‘The laws say you can only initiate two at once,’ says Andy Delamere of the meeting at The Iron Bridge Lodge. ‘We had to seek special dispensation from the Provincial Grand Master.’ 

What makes it more extraordinary is that one of those new masons was only 20 years old. 

Could the future of Freemasonry be blossoming in this corner of England?

It has been an impressive first 12 months for The Iron Bridge Lodge, No. 9897, which is named after a local landmark and created specifically to cater to the preferences of younger masons. In January 2015, The Iron Bridge Lodge became the 34th lodge to be consecrated in Shropshire and the first new lodge anywhere to join the Universities Scheme. 

Launched in 2005, the scheme was created to attract students into Freemasonry, an idea inspired by the existing lodges at Oxford and Cambridge. While The Iron Bridge Lodge is not affiliated with any university, it welcomes all students to join its meetings.

One of The Iron Bridge Lodge’s new masons is student Tom Perring, 28, who says he has been ‘interested in Freemasonry for as long as I can remember’ – an interest nurtured by reading copies of Freemasonry Today donated to him by an elderly mason. Tom explored various options until he heard about The Iron Bridge Lodge being set up. 

‘I followed them on Twitter and they followed me back, saying thanks for the follow and if I was interested in Freemasonry I should ask,’ recalls Tom. ‘I told them I was, and it went from there.’

Finding new channels

Embracing social media is just one way that The Iron Bridge Lodge is trying to appeal to a younger generation. When Shropshire’s Deputy Provincial Grand Master Roger Pemberton found that 27 per cent of new masons in his Province resigned within five years, he knew that making changes to recruit and retain young masons was key, but wanted to do so without diminishing the gravitas of the ceremony.

Roger was among those trying to find a way to marry the procedures of Freemasonry with the responsibilities of contemporary life. ‘We want to make Freemasonry attractive to young men and students in Shropshire, and one way to do that is to make it possible for them to be there,’ he explains. 

‘Society is very fast and unstable; Freemasonry offers a strong, decent core that can help people.’ Tom Perring

Lodges traditionally meet at 5pm, when many people are still at work or looking after children. ‘We therefore start at 7pm and finish by 9.45pm so people can get home at a reasonable hour. We’ve also made it a more attractive, simpler ceremony,’ says Roger.

Proceedings have been streamlined by circulating reports and minutes by email before the meeting, rather than reading them out. A buffet-style Festive Board has also replaced formal meals. This is more relaxed and provides an opportunity for masons to socialise. 

Roger was convinced that these measures would bear fruit. ‘If you have a market stall and you put it where people can’t see it then nobody will buy anything,’ he explains. ‘But if you have something attractive that’s easy to see, then people will be interested. It’s about presentation – making sure people feel welcome when they join and that this welcome is maintained. None of it affects the central tenets of Freemasonry, which are brotherly love, relief and a personal journey to truth.’

Ray Dickson, The Iron Bridge Lodge Secretary and a member of the founding committee, explains the journey that Shropshire Freemasons have been on. ‘We could see younger people live in a very busy environment where everything is needed yesterday, so finding time simply to attend meetings is difficult. We looked at how we could a provide a meeting place that accommodates modern life.’

Student recruits

As well as identifying ways to simplify the ceremony, the lodge founders contacted the Universities Scheme. ‘It sat with our ideals – bringing in young people, embracing and encouraging them,’ says Ray. ‘It seemed to be a good match with the principles we had started to build at The Iron Bridge Lodge and how we were organising and structuring things.’ 

The founders visited three Universities Scheme lodges in Leicester, Oxford and Nottingham to see how they operated, and contacted others via Twitter and Facebook. The results have been impressive. The Iron Bridge Lodge had 70-odd attendees at each meeting in 2015 and initiated seven new masons, some attracted by social media. 

The Iron Bridge Lodge was the first Shropshire lodge on Twitter, with its young members eagerly sharing information with their friends. ‘It puts it out there, the good we do, and that sparks an interest and shows this is a vibrant lodge,’ says Andy.

The younger masons have also brought ideas of their own and new members into the fold. 

‘Young people bring other young people. They bring enthusiasm and they also bring innovation,’ says Ray. ‘We don’t have a physical banner or tracing boards, we use projections – little things like that come from having younger people around. They are very enthusiastic with social media. That’s good for the lodge, Shropshire and Freemasonry in general.’

Tom is a fine arts student with an interest in film, so he’s made reels for the lodge and plans to make another for the Universities Scheme. He feels Freemasonry has much to offer men of his generation: ‘Society is very fast and unstable; Freemasonry offers a strong, decent core that can help people,’ he says.

For Tom, Freemasonry provides young men with the opportunity to give something back. ‘We’re learning confidence and manners, becoming better people and meeting people we’d never otherwise rub shoulders with. It makes you want to return the favour, using whatever talents you’ve learnt at work and university.’

Tom is just one of the new recruits who will take Freemasonry forward. Harvey Greatrex is a 21-year-old student who discovered The Iron Bridge Lodge via the website. He is looking forward to finding out more about the Craft and its values. ‘Some of the older masons tell us that we are still going to be in Freemasonry in 20 years,’ he says. 

Harvey’s journey in The Iron Bridge Lodge is something that Roger hopes will be emulated elsewhere in Freemasonry. ‘A lodge needs experienced people to start it off and run the main office until you get a cohort of masons who understand what it is about. We are two or three years away from that, but in about five years, this lodge will be entirely run by new young men.’

‘Young people bring other young people. They bring enthusiasm and they also bring innovation.’ Ray Dickson

At the meeting of Wednesday 27th January 2016 held at Mark Masons' Hall, the members of May Fair Lodge No. 8294 were treated to a double Initiation of two 21-year-old Lewis', witnessed by 25 members of the Lodge and 24 visitors.

The Worshipful Master, W. Bro Gary Sumption opened the lodge, W. Bro Jatinder Singh Dhanjal, LGR PZ, took the chair and Obligated his son, Dilip Singh Dhanjal. W. Bro Paul Flynn then occupied the chair and Obligated his Son, Matthew Flynn. Bro. Sumption resumed the chair for the entrusting, W. Bro Leslie Deadman gave the Charge in the NE Corner, the Junior Warden, Bro. Frazer Callingham gave the Charge after Initiation and Bro. Dhanjal presented the 1st Degree Tracing Board. All retired to enjoy a happy Festive Board where W. Bro Mark Every (the Worshipful Master's son) sang the Entered Apprentices song. All in all, a fabulous, unique, family Masonic event which was enjoyed by all present.

May Fair Lodge has a strong family history having had no less than 13 Father/Son relationships in its short 46 year history, three of which were sons initiating their fathers! The last time the Lodge initiated two Lewis' on the same day was when W. Bro Christopher Burgess and his brother, Bro. Alan Burgess, were initiated by their father, W. Bro Alf Burgess, Founder Senior Deacon, in May 1986. The Lodge also has its first third generation member, with the current Junior Warden, Bro. Callingham being the son of the current Secretary and grandson of the Founder Junior Deacon.

Craft brewing

Members of Thorpe Bay Lodge in Southend have been making and selling their own bitter to raise money for charity. Imogen Beecroft raises a glass to Lest We Forget

People couldn’t believe it when we told them what we were doing, but I don’t see why it’s surprising. We’ve got so much experience between us – maybe not with brewing beer, but definitely drinking it!’ Gordon Goodall, then Charity Steward of Thorpe Bay Lodge, No. 4803, smiles as he explains how his charity fundraising plan grew into something much larger. Last February, he decided the lodge should brew beer to sell at their Poppy evening in November to support military charity SSAFA and the Royal British Legion. 

Unsurprisingly, the plan was an instant hit and lodge members Andy Rogers, Stephen Bateman and Paul Bates jumped at the chance to get involved. However, as none of the team had ever brewed a beer before, they knew they would need some expert help. Gordon approached several microbreweries in the area, but finally struck gold with Wibblers Brewery, based in the Essex countryside. 

Wibblers head brewer Phil Wilcox says, ‘I have an understanding of Freemasonry through my godfather and have always appreciated the charity work they do. These are both fantastic charities, so we were very happy to help.’

Wibblers on board, the four men headed to the brewery for a hard day’s work. With Phil’s guidance, the masons finalised their recipe and set to work creating their drink: a classic English bitter with a malty taste and nutty finish. By all accounts, the day passed cheerfully, aside from a slight tussle over who would climb into the hot, cramped mash tun and shovel 300kg of grain out of it. 

‘We told our friends and they told theirs, and suddenly we were selling out.’ Gordon Goodall

Laughing, Andy says: ‘As soon as this job came up, Gordon said, “Oh my back, I can’t go in there.” Steve said he wasn’t feeling up to it, and Paul started complaining about his arm. So muggins here got lumbered with the job of getting into the tun.’

But it wasn’t all hard graft. As Stephen says: ‘The great thing about brewing is that at a certain point you just have to let the beer do its thing. So we got the barbecue out and decided it was time to try some of Phil’s other beers.’ Once the beer was fermented and sent away for bottling and labelling, all the team had to do was sell it. 

Aptly named Lest We Forget in honour of fallen servicemen, the bitter was promoted by the brewers in the lead-up to their Poppy night, which they opened up to non-masons. As a result of their campaigning, more than 80 people attended the event, and pretty soon they were receiving regular orders for cases of the beer. 

Social brewing

The four masons used their lodge’s social media accounts to sell the beer, crediting the Master of the lodge with reaching out to his connections in the pub trade. But, as Gordon says: ‘It was mainly word of mouth – we told our friends and they told theirs, and suddenly we were selling out.’

Indeed, Lest We Forget has been a success by almost any measure: they’ve sold 2,000 litres so far, over half of their stock, and are planning on heading back to Wibblers to brew a second batch soon. They have raised £3,000 for the armed forces charity SSAFA and the Royal British Legion, and expect to net at least £4,500 in total. 

So are the masons surprised by how successful the beer has been? Paul certainly isn’t: ‘Freemasonry is a very sociable pastime, and we do like a beer – so I knew we’d have a reasonable audience to sell to. We’ve been well looked after by Wibblers, and we’ve got a good network of contacts, so I’m not surprised it’s done so well, really.’ Andy is quick to add, ‘I’m not surprised how well it’s sold, but I am surprised that we managed to make such a nice beer!’ 

‘Making the beer has solidified the foundations of our lodge for the future – we’re going onwards and upwards.’ Andy Rogers

It seems that the quality of the beer is something everyone can agree on. Andy loves it, although acknowledges, ‘it’s not great for my waistline’, while Gordon gives it perhaps the ultimate accolade: ‘Even my wife, who doesn’t particularly like beer, says she thinks it’s quite tasty.’ And Phil, the expert brewer, admits that he has to keep putting money aside to give to the masons for the bottles he’s sampled.

Although the ultimate aim of this project was to raise money for charity, the team have noticed that it’s had a more far-reaching positive effect for Thorpe Bay Lodge. Gordon explains: ‘We’ve had some struggles as a lodge in the past, but this has really galvanised our members and pushed us to try new things. Of course, the serious message behind the beer is that we must not forget the people who fought for us in conflicts, but there is also the aspect of having fun and trying something different.’ 

Andy agrees: ‘Making the beer has solidified the foundations of our lodge for the future, and we’re just going to go onwards and upwards.’

New batch

As well as uniting the current members of Thorpe Bay Lodge, Lest We Forget has also secured some new recruits: ‘As a result of this project, and people seeing what Freemasonry is all about, we’ve got four people lined up to join our lodge next year, which is great,’ explains Stephen. 

Although they’ve nearly sold their entire first batch, Gordon reassuringly explains that this won’t be the end of Lest We Forget. ‘Because it’s been so well received we’re going to do it again on a bigger scale. We’re hoping to brew it in barrels now we know how quickly it’s selling. It seems like this beer might be the ideal thing to centre our 2022 Festival around, and hopefully some of the other masonic centres will pick it up too.’

With talk of selling at a few masonic centres and even going national one day, the project is a triumph. As Paul says: ‘It speaks for itself: it’s a damned good beer at a damned good price and it’s for a good cause.’ What’s not to like? 

Phil Wilcox explains the art of brewing

Malted barley and warm water are mixed in a mash tun. It sits for an hour and a half while the starch in the grain turns into sugar. The grain is removed and the solution is boiled with hops, for bittering. At the end of the boil, more hops are added for flavour and aroma. The liquid is chilled and placed, with yeast, in a fermenter: it’s left while the sugar turns into alcohol. After a week (lager takes around seven weeks to ferment, while cider can take up to three months) the beer is ‘crash chilled’ and bottled.

Bromley in step at Royal hospital

Two members of the Chelsea Pensioners – Audrey Merton, 85, and Douglas Hassell, 98 – are sleeping easier after Bromley Freemasons from Mandalay Lodge, No. 9383, Mandalay Chapter and the Mandalay Club dug deep into their pockets to buy two special £3,000 beds for the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Mandalay’s Master, Ron Warren, presented the cheque to Col Laura Bale, director of care services at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

The Provincial Perambulator

Clive Jones, a Past Master from Shropshire, has walked 11 miles in aid of a masonic charity. The former Welsh Guardsman lost his sight in an off-duty assault, and heard that brethren from his lodge, St Mary’s, No. 8373, were walking from Whitchurch to Market Drayton as part of a series of walks connecting all the lodges of Shropshire. 

Dubbed the ‘Provincial Perambulations’, the walks are designed to raise funds for Shropshire’s Grand Charity Festival over the next few years, and will culminate in a final ‘grand walk’ from Shrewsbury to Great Queen Street, London in 2019.

Classic car club’s record signings

Described by many as the most beautiful racing car ever built, a 1958 Maserati 250F featured on the Masonic Classic Vehicle Club’s stand at the Classic Motor Show at the Birmingham NEC. 

The car, owned by Berkshire mason Gerry Hann, had a big teddy as the driver as part of a special display for the Teddies for Loving Care charity. 

This prestigious Formula One car, the first model of which made its debut in 1954 with world champion driver Juan Manuel Fangio behind the wheel, attracted a large number of visitors to the club stand. During the three open days, a record number of 40 new members were signed up.