Friendly Society Project Launched Through Supreme Grand Chapter Funding

A unique database is to be set up of regalia, jewels, certificates and ephemera relating to friendly societies and other mutual benefit organisations.
    The Committee of General Purposes of Supreme Grand Chapter has agreed to provide £11,000 to fund a pilot project that will seek to record and identify friendly society regalia, jewels and certificates.
    There will be a searchable database of all the items, including a visual record. The project will involve linking with the Friendly Society Research Group – based at the Open University – and other museums.
    The Library and Museum at Freemasons’ Hall, London and provincial masonic museums, probably have between them one of the most sophisticated collections of such material relating to friendly societies.
    Mark Dennis, Curator of the Library and Museum of Freemasonry said: "We would be interested to hear from any lodge or individual that has a collection of friendly society or similar material and would like to be included in the project."
    Freemasonry Today plans to publish a feature on the Friendly Societies later in the year, using material provided by the Library and Museum of Freemasonry.
    Mark adds that it is not necessary to provide originals – illustrations will be very acceptable. He can be contacted on 0207 395 9251.

Full of Eastern Promise for Youngsters

Beneficiaries of the Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys took part in a two-week tour of China and Hong Kong. The group comprised 38 girls and boys between 16 and 19.
    The tour began in Beijing, visiting such historical sights as Tian’anmen Square and the Great Wall. Then followed an overnight journey to Xian, home of the famous terracotta army.
    Then the group went by plane and boat to Hong Kong, staying overnight in Canton en route. The group were guests of the District of Hong Kong and the Far East.
    A special evening was held, hosted by RW Bro Peter Wong, District Grand Master. There was a full tour of Zetland Hall, followed by questions and answers in the main temple.
    Each year the Trust organises a foreign educational trip for the more disadvantaged of its beneficiaries. This year children between 14 and 15 will tour America’s west coast.
    The Trust has also launched its own web site at www.mtgb.org. It offers advice and guidance for families in need of assistance and explains how masons can help the charity fulfill its objectives.

Strong Man Lodge Continues to Grow its Family Throughout Essex and London

A remarkable Millennium Family Cluster of Lodges was held at Ingatestone, Essex to celebrate the special fraternity enjoyed by a large group of Essex and London lodges.
    Some 91 lodges are now related either in direct descent or as cousins, almost all of them relating back to Strong Man Lodge No. 45 through its daughter lodge of True Friendship No. 160 at Rochford.
    Over 50 lodges - 36 members of the family and the others as guests - were represented at the event, including RW Bro Sir Neil Thorne, Provincial Grand Master of Essex, Assistant PGM Peter Holland and Provincial Grand Secretary W Bro Ken Harvey.
    The family goes back 267 years. Strong Man Lodge No. 45 was constituted in London in February 1733, and is believed to be the 19th oldest lodge in the English constitution.
    In 1766, a group of senior brethren of Strong Man helped to found Lodge of True Friendship No. 160 in London. Whilst Strong Man has remained a London lodge after several moves, ever eastwards, but always in London, True Friendship moved to Rochford.
    Subsequently No. 160 ‘mothered’ six other lodges, five of them still going strong. These are Priory Lodge No. 1000, Trinity Lodge No. 1734, Thundersley Lodge No. 5225, Hornchurch Lodge No. 5790 and Hockley Lodge No. 6204.
    Priory Lodge has been prolific in ‘mothering’ ten other lodges. Gradually a huge family of lodges has evolved in the southern part of the Province.

Big Boost to Leicester Cathedral Funds

Leicester Cathedral’s appeal fund has benefited with grants of £15,000 from masonic charities handed over to Bishop Bill Down.
    There was £10,000 from The Grand Charity and £5,000 from the Leicestershire and Rutland Provincial Grand Charity.
    The object of the cathedral appeal is to provide a new visitor centre as well as to extend the work of the church into both schools and the community generally.

No Enigma for this Bletchley Ceremony

Bletchley, in Milton Keynes, part of north Buckinghamshire, may be the home of the highly secret wartime code breakers and the captured German Enigma decoding machine, but it is very much open as far as freemasonry is concerned.
    It was an unusual occasion in that non-masons, including ladies, came into the lodge for the dedication of the banner of the Eric Deung Lodge No. 9695, consecrated in 1999.
    Eric Deung, the former Provincial Grand Master of Buckinghamshire, after whom the lodge is named, was in attendance with 120 masons and non-masons, including his wife and nine-year-old son Sam.
    The ladies turned out in force, including those of VW Bro Joseph Small, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Assistant PGMs W Bros Dr Eric Hall and James Parkin and Assistant PGM Donald Varney.
    RW Bro Eric Deung, in his address to the meeting, thanked Mrs Margaret Parsons, a resident of Milton Keynes Village for the banner.
    He also defined the purpose of banners, as well as explaining the symbols and colours used in this particular banner.

And That on the Right Was Named...

Saucy seaside postcards have long been part of English humour. Fat ladies and double entendres have often titillated those who have received such cards. But freemasonry and post cards? That is something quite different – or is it. Above is an example of humour and freemasonry from a bygone age. Was this typical of a ladies festival of the time, one wonders?

Derbyshire Find the Target Before a Capacity Crowd in Pride Park Presentation

The Mark Fund of Benevolence made a donation of £2m to the St. John Ambulance to mark the millennium and assist them in replacing their ageing fleet of 600 ambulances.
    The presentation by Derbyshire’s Mark Master Masons of these specially designed ambulances, named the 900 Crusader, was made at Pride Park, home of Derby County Football Club.
    At least one such vehicle is being purchased for each Province.
    The Crusader, which will be used all over Derbyshire, has the Mark crest and the words "Donated by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Derbyshire" on each door.
    RW Bro Tom Bailey, Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree, handed over the Crusader 900 ambulance to the St. John Ambulance at the Princess Anne Training Centre, Derby.
    The County Chaplain then dedicated it for the St. John Ambulance in Derbyshire. Also present were the Chief Commissioner (Operations) from St. John Ambulance headquarters and the mayor and mayoress of Derby. More than 50 Mark masons or their families were also present.
    The Crusader was formally handed over to the St John Ambulance by the Provincial Grand Master on the pitch at Pride Park before a crowd of over 30,000 before the Derby County v Liverpool game.
    Sky television was in attendance, and a suitable announcement was broadcast to the crowd, while local radio also reported the occasion.

Surrey Mark Celebrate Millennium with Impressive Musical Festival Evening

The Surrey Mark Millennium Festival, held in the delightful surroundings of Cranleigh School, proved a major success and two cheques for £20,000 each were handed over to two deserving charities.
    The concert was under the direction of Jim Davidson, while television personality Richard Baker compered the event. The entire Army Air Corps band played in front of the Crecian Speech Hall.
    The beneficiaries of the £20,000 cheques were the Children’s Trust, Tadworth, for their Hand of Hope Appeal and Macmillan Cancer Relief for their Butterfly Appeal.
    The concert began with an appreciation of the Provincial Grand Choir giving a spectacular rendering of The Lord’s Prayer, specially composed and conducted by W Bro Dr Keith Salmon, a member of Dorking Mark Lodge.
    RW Bro Rev Dr Michael Morgan delivered an oration, bringing together the religious meaning of the millennium and the charitable efforts of Surrey Mark Masons.
    He explained the message that masonry brings to a divided, spoilt world, and of bringing together men in peace, love and harmony, who rise up to care for those in need.
    He particularly spoke of Mark masonry having a special message, challenging men to stand and be counted, and to choose a Mark by which they will be known.
    Around 400 people attended the event, and 266 sat down to dine – the largest catering task that had befallen the chef and catering staff of Cranleigh School.
    Among those present were the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Brynley Bevan, the Deputy PGM, VW Bro Bert Davis, and the AGMs, W Bros Murdoch Skelly and Ted Melber.
    The Rt Hon the Lord Swansea was among the distinguished guests present.

New Chapter Consecrated for Middlesex

A new chapter has been consecrated in Middlesex, the Mowbray Chapter No. 7689, formed from members of the Mowbray Lodge. The consecration was one of the last engagements for E. Comp. The Rev. David Bonner as Grand Superintendent, before he stood down from office. He was assisted by the Deputy Grand Superintendent and the Grand Superintendent-Designate, E. Comp. David Williamson, Assistant Grand Master-Designate. The Chapter has started with five exaltees and two joining members.

Master Proposes to Girl Friend During Portugese Ladies Night

The hot sun of the Algarve has certainly had an effect on bachelor Tony Romano, Worshipful Master of Prince Henry the Navigator Lodge No. 9360.
    At the lodge ladies night held in Vilamoura, in the Portuguese District, he caused a sensation when he publicly proposed marriage to his girl friend, Karin Schuler.
    Responding to a toast, he pointed out that he was the first Portuguese national to be Master of an English Lodge in Portugal. He was also the first bachelor to preside over the lodge ladies festival.
    He added that this was a situation he intended to "remedy forthwith". He then produced a solitaire diamond ring, went down on one knee and asked Karin to marry him.
    Karin herself had no idea the proposal was coming, but accepted to cheers from those present.
    The event went on to raise 352,000 escudos for two local orphanages.

Cornwall Lodge Notches up its Double Century in the True and Faithful Style

There is one lodge at least in Cornwall that has more than lived up to its name – True and Faithful Lodge No. 318 - which meets at Helston in Cornwall.
    For the lodge has now celebrated its bi-centenary at the town’s masonic hall as the Province of Cornwall moves towards its own 250th celebrations next year.
    The Warrant commemorating the 200 years was presented to the Worshipful Master, Gordon Watson, by the Grand Secretary, VW Bro Jim Daniel, who was returning to his native Cornwall for the occasion.
    A brief history of the lodge was given by the secretary, W Bro Ivor Jones, with an Oration from the Provincial Grand Chaplain, the W Bro The Reverend James Wilson.
    The guests were led by the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Nicholas Barrington, accompanied by the Deputy PGM, VW Bro Frank Crewes and Assistant PGMs W Bros James Kitson and John Davy.

French Comedy Given an Airing at London's Old Sessions House

Freemasons at the Old Sessions House, the London Masonic Centre at Clerkenwell, hosted a ladies' luncheon at which the principal guest was Cllr Mary Powell, the Mayor of Islington with her son John as Mayor's Consort.
    Afterwards, guests were entertained to a 30-minute performance of the French farce, Notre Futur (Ladies' Man) by Georges Feydeau,
    This popular French comedy, first performed in 1894, features two ladies meeting in a fashionable Paris salon prior to an impending soiree, and discovering that that they are both the object of affection of the same man.
    The Belle Epoque Theatre Company, under the direction of Catherine Bird, staged the production. The cast was Jackie Skarvellis (Angelique), Tara Hendry (Valentine) with Jeremy Eden as Baptiste the Butler.
    During the lunch, John Reeve, Chairman of the London Masonic Centre, presented a second cheque for £500 to the mayor in support of her fund-raising efforts for the Stroke Association.
    He added that this was but a further instalment in the fund raising by Clerkenwell freemasons, who would be arranging another presentation towards the end of the mayor's year of office.
    Thanking the guests for surprising her with another cheque, the mayor spoke of her special interest in the Old Sessions House, particularly as her three sons are all active freemasons, who meet there as members of Brixton Lodge No. 1949.

Guide Dogs Make Life Easier for Blind and Deaf

Despite their small numbers, Mark Masons in the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland have raised £15,000 for the purchase of specially trained guide dogs for the blind and the deaf.
    A cheque for £5,000 was presented to the Guide Dogs for the Blind for two dogs called Warden and Deacon. At another event £12,500 was given to the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Association. This was for five dogs, one of which, called Enya, is being sponsored for life.
    The cheques were presented by the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro William Henry Conchie at a dinner in Carlisle attended by around 200 brethren, wives and friends.
    Before the presentation dinner, brethren as well as representatives from the two guide dogs associations, attended an evensong service at Carlisle Cathedral with The Very Reverend Graeme Knowles, Dean of the Cathedral.