“In all cases of difficulty and danger, in whom do you put your trust? You may phone a friend, or ask the audience." No, don’t worry, this isn’t a radical departure from the ancient landmarks, it’s just my own feeble attempt at masonic humour, a genre I’ve never felt very happy with, and which is only partly satisfied by this anthology, painstakingly put together by Stewart Titchener.
    One of the problems with masonic humour is that it is only comprehensible to the cognoscenti. The other is that it relies heavily on cliché and innuendo, both rather crude implements with which to put the joke across. Then again, I cannot see the point of bowdlerizing the ritual, as in "Laying the Foundation Stone" which is intended to be a humorous account of the activities of Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Clerks of Works etc. set to the words of the opening of the lodge.
    Having said that, this small volume does have some redeeming features. One of these is a hilarious account of the doings in a lodge in Cumberland where Sam and his five brothers were said to be dispersed two in the Grand Lodge above, two in Provincial Grand Lodge and "two still alive". Richard Tydeman also displays a ready wit with his explanation of how the Grand Stewards came to have red (wine-stained) aprons.
    It’s alright I suppose. It may serve to prevent us from taking ourselves too seriously, and after all it does raise money for the Staffordshire 2002 Samaritan Fund Festival.
    Julian Rees