Lord Chancellor accepts Freemasonry is not a ‘secret society’

A chance find of records pertaining to the Duke of Windsor has led to the Lord Chancellor stating he is perfectly prepared to accept that Freemasonry is not a secret society and adding he has never expressed a view that it is.
    The statement is in a letter from the Chancellor’s department to William D Patrick, District Grand Secretary of the District Grand Lodge of Bahamas and Turks, who lives in Nassau.
    W Bro Patrick wrote to the Lord Irvine (plus MP Chris Mullin and the Clerk of the Home Affairs Select Committee) regarding holders of judicial office registering whether they were Freemasons or not. After explaining he was writing “in the hope of throwing fresh light on the subject of Masonry as being a ‘secret society’ and indeed, perhaps, of dispelling that false notion once and for all” he told of the discovery of a long-lost history of the lodge which included a chapter on a visit to the lodge by the Duke of Windsor in 1941, as the then the Governor of the Bahamas.
    The history, compiled by a Past Master, W Bro TA Thompson, includes the Duke’s reply to the formal welcome, in which he said: “...it might interest you to know that my connection with Masonry was almost severed when I became King in 1936, as it was a principle that a ruling monarch should not be a member of a secret society. I referred this matter to the Grand Master and the Lord Chancellor who ruled that while Masonry has its secrets, it is not a secret society. It is one of the most loyal societies that exist.”
    W Bro Patrick’s letter adds: “In view of the charges levelled against the Fraternity by the media in general and by the Home Affairs Committee and others alleging that Freemasonry is a secret society, I consider that that statement, made by a former Monarch of the Realm based upon a ruling by your then predecessor as Lord Chancellor and long before the subject of Masonic secrecy became a public issue, is of extreme relevance at the present time. I am confident in assuming Your Lordship will agree that such a statement made by a former King of England is one the veracity of which cannot be called in question.”
    The DGS’s letter continued that, given the facts upon which that decision was based remain unchanged, they must assuredly result in an identical ruling today. He added that it was perhaps ironic to discover that the oft-quoted phrase: “While Masonry has its secrets it is not a secret society” which critics of the Order have seized upon as being an example of masonic ‘double talk’, may well have originated in a ruling by one of Lord Irvine’s predecessors, or at the very least was quoted with apparent approval by him.
    W Bro Patrick went on that on his accession to the throne at the end of 1936, the Duke’s successor, George VI, would have been fully cognisant of the royal policy prohibiting membership of a secret society by a ruling monarch. He wrote: “That Freemasonry cannot be a ‘secret society’ was fully borne out by the fact that King George nevertheless maintained a close and active association with Freemasonry.” He listed him being installed as Past Grand Master, and later installing the Duke of Kent, the 6th Earl of Harewood and the Duke of Devonshire as Grand Masters. He also quoted historical precedence of King Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, being Grand Master until, as King, he followed the precedence established by George IV and became ‘Protector’ of the Order.
    His letter concluded: “Having amply shown that as each of the three Kings of England who were Freemasons and who reigned during the 20th century maintained an active association with the Order subsequent to their respective accessions to the throne, taken in conjunction with Royal policy quoted, it must therefore be proven beyond any doubt that Freemasonry cannot be a ‘secret society’ within the popular meaning of that term.” He further wrote that the Duke of Windsor’s statement was of itself the most compelling substantiation, from an impeachable source, of the verity of the assertions by the United Grand Lodge of England that Freemasonry “is not a secret society - it is one of the most loyal societies that exist.”
    In reply, Bruce Eadie of Judicial Division 4, Lord Chancellor’s Department, wrote: “I am grateful to you for putting before the Lord Chancellor the information which you had discovered in the records of your Lodge. In fact, however, the Lord Chancellor has never expressed the view that freemasonry is a secret society, and he is perfectly prepared to accept that it is not such a society. It is true that this issue arose during the deliberations of the Home Affairs Committee, but the Government has not accepted that point of view, nor relied upon it as a basis for the actions which it has subsequently taken in relation to freemasonry. Rather, the Government has taken action to promote greater openness about membership of the freemasons amongst those working within the justice system because it belies that this will be the best way to allay the suspicions which some people hold about the possible influence of freemasonry; and, thereby, to maintain public confidence in the justice system.”

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has overruled environment minister Nick Raynford, and the Chief Planning Inspector, by ordering the abandonment of a ban on masons seeking jobs in the planning inspectorate.
    This is a retreat from a policy his ministers had previously approved.
    It came after pressure from Freemason and MP Tom Baldry, a former Conservative planning officer, who was quoted as saying the ban had been part of a “witch hunt imposed out of pure prejudice”. This was, he said, the only one of its kind imposed on Freemasons.
    An advertisement for inspectors had stated that as those taken on would need to be seen to be impartial, fair and open at all times, this meant members of “certain organisations” were excluded. One example given was the Freemasons.
    In a written answer to a question from the MP, Mr. Prescott said: “The policy was incorrect and has been withdrawn.”

He was Monty’s (other) double

Sergeant Keith Demer “Tex” Banwell, who has died aged 81, was one of two “doubles” of Field Marshall Montgomery used by allied forces in the second world war. However, because of the former guardsman’s height, he could only be used as an impersonator of the Field Marshall whilst sitting in vehicles. The other Monty lookalike was immortalised in the John Mills film “I was Monty’s Double”. But this apart, he escaped captivity at Tobruk, Heraklion and, after Arnhem, joined the Dutch Resistance and survived Auschwitz.
    A founding member of the Pegasus Forces Lodge No 9373 (Hants and Isle of Wight), consecrated in 1990, he was initiated in the Kensington Battalion Lodge No. 3624 in December 1984.
    “Tex” Banwell began his military career with the Coldstream Guards and transferred to the Royal Hampshire Regiment (1st Battalion). In 1938 the regiment moved to Palestine and he was engaged in counter-terrorist activities. He became a physical training instructor to the French Foreign Legion. It was said of him: “The French were tough but Banwell was tougher.”
    Afterwards he joined 52 Middle East Commando and operated closely with the SAS. He was captured in a raid on Tobruk but with a friend stole a German vehicle and escaped. During a subsequent raid on Crete he was captured at Heraklion and placed under the personal supervision of former world heavyweight champion Max Schmeling who was a serving German soldier.
    He and a few comrades escaped, stole an assault landing craft and were adrift for nine days before reaching the African coast. He was in hospital for 12 weeks as a result, and after recovering, someone noticed his resemblance to General Montgomery and it was decided he should participate in deception ploys, touring the Middle East to confuse the enemy.
    Being confined to a car because of his height, he found the exercise boring and requested a return to action, joining the 10th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. In September 1944 he flew into Arnhem in a Dakota which was hit by enemy fire. He landed safely but was wounded and imprisoned again. He subsequently escaped by jumping from a train and linked with the Dutch Resistance to whom he became an instructor in weapons and explosives.
    He was again captured by the Germans who took the view that as he was with the Resistance he should be court martialled and sentenced to death. He was told he would be reprieved if he gave names of the Resistance members but refused and was placed in front of a firing squad which was given all the orders except the one to fire. The following day the ritual was repeated, this time the squad firing blanks.
    Banwell was then taken to Auschwitz, kept in a cage and starved. On liberation by the Russians and after becoming fully fit again, he joined 11 Para TA. After one jump he was pronounced dead and taken to the mortuary, but a flicker of an eyelid showed him to be alive. He was awarded both the BEM and Netherlands Silver Cross.

Brother Jim entertains Dorset

Chelsea Lodge’s celebrity Freemason Jim Davidson’s presence at Dorset Freemasons’ gala dinner at Bournemouth International Centre was said to be a major contributory factor to £31,000 being raised during the evening.
    Almost 1,000 Dorset Freemasons, wives and friends were entertained by the television star for an hour. He concluded with what was described as “a humorous insight into the ‘secrets’ of Freemasonry.” Dorset’s Provincial Grand Master RW Bro KH Barnes paid tribute to the entertainer not only for his performance that evening but also for his generosity and support and “for sharing with all present his deep affection for the Craft, his profound respect for Freemasonry and his strong convictions as to what Freemasonry has to offer the world at large.” This, he said, was something for us all to ponder upon. He also thanked organisers and everyone who had contributed.
    During the evening, held in support of the 2003 Grand Charity Festival, a lottery (first prize a Florida holiday) raised more than £11,000; a tombola brought in more than £2,600 and a ‘Kings and Queens’ event brought in a similar amount.

Craft praised after £405,000 grant

Grand Charity has approved a grant of £405,000 over three years for the charity CRISIS.
    Ms Shaks Ghosh, chief executive of CRISIS, a charity working for homeless people, wrote an article for her own house newsletter after the Grand Charity approved the grant. In it she wrote of her experience at Harrogate when she accepted the cheque from the Rt Hon Lord Farnham, Deputy Grand President of the Grand Charity, in front of 2,000 masons and their families, and her day with Freemasons “which widened my horizons enormously, made me feel extremely warm towards them and reminded me that I lived within a country where ordinary people care deeply about their communities.” Ms Ghosh told of meeting and talking with Freemasons after the formalities, and continued: “These people were vets, small businessmen, nurses, landlords, accountants, who dug deep into small incomes for CRISIS.
    “I know many people talk about the exclusivity of masonic society. Others refer to corruption and mutual backscratching, expressing doubt at their goodwill. In my own Asian community, however, we have rituals which seem strange and exclusive. Some individuals appear to be corrupt on face-value and ‘mutual aid’ is seen as something to celebrate! I believe that much cynicism comes from a lack of understanding, a ‘suspicion of the unknown’. Personally, I am quite convinced that what I witnessed in Harrogate was a group of ordinary people genuinely engaging with a major national problem and helping in very practical ways.”
    Anyone wishing to offer support to CRISIS can contact Sean McFadden on 020 7655 8308. To help as a volunteer contact Mike Jones on 020 7655 8308 or write to CRISIS, Challenger House, 42 Adler Street, London, E1 1EE.

The Grand Charity has also agreed the following millennium grants: an amazing £500,000 to Colo-rectal Cancer Understanding and Screening; £446,000 to Sargent Cancer Care of Children; £400,000 to Help the Aged; £50,000 to the District Grand Lodge of Madras for the Cornwallis Masonic Senior Citizen’s Village, and £50,000 to the District Grand Lodge of South Africa Western Division for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

Meanwhile, the British Red Cross Society has received £25,000 from the Grand Charity in response to the appeal for help with Turkish earthquake victims. The money enabled the purchase of 50 large tents to be used as field hospitals or field kitchens or to house more than 900 people whose homes were destroyed.

Aussie Masons’ Credit Union

Australian Freemasons are discussing the provision of financial services to masons and their families through the establishment of a Freemasons’ Credit Union.
    The credit union would be able to offer competitive rates on savings and investment products, as well as secured and unsecured loans to its members, as profits generated would be reinvested as benefits to its members. Management would be vested in directors elected from its members, subject to state and federal regulations.

PM visits former hermitage

The Rt Hon Dr Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, visited an historic Warwickshire building, now a much-loved masonic centre.
    His purpose was to see the home of the Greathead family, who had established plantations on St Kitts in the 18th century. The home, at Guy’s Cliffe near Warwick, is managed by a company of Freemasons. It was originally an ancient hermitage dating from pre-Saxon times. The chapel, part of the estate and now converted into a masonic temple, dates back to 1430 when it was built by Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. Samuel Greathead, of French or Dutch origin, who acquired the property in 1751, had been an MP for Coventry and he built a mansion on the estate.
    The prime minister, although not a mason, showed considerable interest in, and knowledge of, the Order, and praised the contribution Freemasons had made for the good of society. RW Bro Stanley Lates, Warwickshire’s Provincial Grand Master, explained Freemasonry’s origins and development.
    Nine lodges currently meet at Guy’s Cliffe, together with other orders.
    Masonic and non masonic visitors are welcome to visit. Contact Graham Howse on 01926 497365 or Ray Gardner on 02476 675098.

Bikers revving up for charity

Three motor-cycling masons rode 315 miles around Cornwall in just under 15 hours and raised £2,600 for the 2002 Festival.
    The enthusiastic bikers, from the Essa Lodge at Saltash, handed over a cheque at Bodmin to the Provincial Grand Master Nicholas Barrington - and brought along their motor bikes and log book for the occasion.
    On their sponsored ride on probably the worst Sunday for weather all year, Terry Martin, Ken Baylis and Dave Thomas visited 27 lodge temples, beginning at Saltash, then on to St Germans and through Cornwall to Penzance, starting at 7 am and returning at 9.45 pm.

Shooting stars

Cheshire is looking for masonic “big guns” to help celebrate a special birthday next year.
    The oldest Province will have 275 candles on its cake this year and its clay pigeon shooting society is throwing out a challenge to other Provinces to take them on in a gun battle at the National Trust’s Tatton Park on Sunday, 10 September.
    The society’s chairman, David Patton, said: “This will be a 100 target sporting shoot and all proceeds from it will go to the 2005 festival. We are looking for teams of six at a cost of £30 a gun and the shoot will be followed by a dinner for 250 at Leicester-Warren Hall in Knutsford. Tickets for this are £20.”
    He explained: “We believe this will be a very special event in what is a very special year for Cheshire and we hope as many Provinces as possible will take up the challenge, although I should warn them we have some pretty good shots in Cheshire.”

Texas Home Centennial Year

The 100th anniversary of the Masonic Home and School of Texas in Fort Worth (founded in 1899) has been celebrated. The Home and School has served thousands of boys and girls throughout its existence. During the year-long centennial observance, it directed attention towards a special appeal for funds, supported by Texas masons.
    The school gives emphasis to athletic and recreational programmes on its football field, tennis-courts, swimming-pool, playground and gymnasium. Many ex-students have served as Masters of Texas lodges, and almost 800 have become Master Masons. 120 of the ladies have served as ‘Worthy Matrons’ of an Eastern Star Chapter, and over 300 have become members of that Order.
    There have been at least nine US judges from its ranks and the US Army boasts four generals who were students of the school.

Yorick’s time

The Assistant Grand Master, RW Bro the Most Hon the Marquess of Northampton officiated at the centenary meeting of the Yorick Lodge, No 2771 at Freemasons’ Hall, at which a most interesting and inspirational oration was given to the assembled members and guests by VWBro the Rev Dr Michael Morgan, PG Chaplain.
    Yorick’s mother lodge is Drury Lane No 2127 which is also mother to Chelsea No 3098 and several other Lodges. The WM of Drury Lane and two other theatrical lodges Green Room No 2957 and Savage Club No 2190 were among the guests.
    Like many London lodges, Yorick has had what has been described as “a very thin time” in recent years but, following an influx of joining members, a steady stream of keen initiates has been forthcoming.
    As part of the centenary celebrations of the lodge, which has received its centenary warrant at Freemasons’ Hall, a booklet has been prepared by Martin Gear, which highlights the lodge’s history. One notable event was the special ceremony of 15 September 1931, which marked the first meeting of a private lodge in the newly completed Freemasons’ Hall.

Olde Tyme on the Island

All lodges on the Isle of Wight combined to present an ‘Olde Tyme Music Hall’ which raised the magnificent sum of £10,000 to be divided equally between the New Masonic Samaritan Fund and the Apollo Theatre appeal.
    All the artists, musicians, helpers, etc., were volunteer masons, their families and friends. The five performances proved to be a smash hit with everyone. Our photograph shows five Worshipful Brethren, including three Grand Officers, suitably attired for a sketch entitled ‘March of the Grenadiers’.

Masons on TV

West Riding masons and Yorkshire TV have combined to produce a programme on Freemasonry.
    Produced under the auspices of the West Riding Media Panel, it showed a carefully managed re-enactment of part of a lodge ceremony, plus the filming of an open evening, news items of local masonic activities and a debate on Freemasonry - with the participation of Martin Short, a well-known critic of Freemasonry.
    Media committee member Keith Walton said the filming of the re-enactment in the lodge only went ahead after a great deal of heart-searching, the support of the Provincial Grand Master and guidance from Grand Lodge. He said the aim was to get across the sincerity of Freemasonry and its fundamental beliefs, to present an open stance through perhaps the most important medium of mass communication without revealing, to potential candidates, the unique and shared experience of being made a mason. He commented that confirmation of this had been achieved and was displayed “by the subdued performance of Martin Short when he took part in the debate on Freemasonry, filmed after he had seen the rest of the content. In fact, Mr. Short went on to say the programme was a vast step forward and could only help the image of Freemasonry.”
    A potential candidate from the filmed open evening who has now become a member, said of his initiation: “The ceremony far exceeded my expectations and the television programme did not reduce any of the enjoyment of the experience.”
    The media committee, again in conjunction with Yorkshire TV, has produced a video financed by voluntary subscription, with any profits to charity. Entitled A View of Freemasonry, and not a repeat of the programme, it is endorsed by Grand Lodge. Copies can be obtained by sending £19. 95p plus £2 p&p made out to “The Province of Yorkshire, West Riding” addressed to the Masonic Hall, Spring Bank Place, Bradford, BD 7BX

Webmaster

The London Lunchtimers have redesigned their web site at http://www.net-tech.co.uk/lunch/ They were formed in 1995 “to extend the hand of welcome and fellowship to all those with a genuine and positive interest in Freemasonry regardless of creed, sex or any other limitation”. If you are in London, you could even attend one of their informal meetings at the Players Theatre on Villiers Street.
    Two useful masonic guilds for webmasters are operated internationally. They have a variety of resources, including graphics and web page design tips. By joining such a guild, you can proudly display a graphic on your web site to advertise your membership.
    International Guild of Masonic Webmasters: www.chaumont.com/igmwwr.html
    Operative WebMason Guild: http://www.owmg.org/
    Five more English Craft Provinces and two District Grand Lodges have developed web sites. They are

• Provincial Grand Lodge of East Kent: http://www.btinternet.com/~ekp/
• Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire: http://www.eastlancsmasons.org.uk/
• Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire: http://www.pglherts.org.uk/
• Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire: http://www.btinternet.com/~wl/
• Provincial Grand Lodge of Yorkshire (West Riding): http://www.wrprovince.co.uk/
• District Grand Lodge of Eastern Archipelago: http://web.singnet.com.sg/~masonry/eastarch.htm
• District Grand Lodge of Jamaica and Cayman Islands: http://geocities.com/ Heartland/Hills/4155