Canononbury Hosts Major Event

From 24-25 October, Canonbury Masonic Research Centre (CMRC) will hold its 11th annual conference at the Canonbury Academy in Islington, north London, with the theme The Origins of Freemasonry.
     Delegates can hear 16 lectures, including three keynote addresses delivered by three giants of masonic historiography: Dr. Margaret Jacob, Distinguished Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Professor José Ferrer Benimeli, founder and director, Centro de Estudios Históricos de la Masoneria Espanola (CEHME), Zaragoza University, and Dr. David Stevenson, Professor Emeritus of Scottish History, University of St Andrews.
     Conference organiser Matthew Scanlan said: ‘This is a rare opportunity for people to hear three of the most acclaimed historians of early-modern Freemasonry speak at the same event’.
     John Hamill, now head of special projects at the United Grand Lodge of England, will speak on the historiography of early Freemasonry, and Martin Cherry, librarian of the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, will elucidate on the provenance and collection of the Old Charges.
     Newly emerging scholars studying Freemasonry will also give papers. Frank Albo, a PhD student at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, will speak on a little-known nineteenth-century English masonic association – the Architectural College of the Freemasons of the Church.
     Another student, Stephan Schmidt, a PhD candidate at the American University in Beirut, will deliver a paper on the origins of Freemasonry as seen through the eyes of two 19th-century Arab writers.

Go to www.canonbury.ac.uk for further information.

Worcestershire Museum is Honoured with Accreditation

Worcestershire Provincial Grand Lodge Library and Museum has been officially ‘accredited’ by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), the first Masonic library and museum to achieve the honour.
     The Library and Museum at Great Queen Street is a registered museum and is in the process of applying for accreditation (the current equivalent of registration) as are the registered masonic museums of Berkshire and at Canterbury.
     The MLA’s Accreditation Scheme sets nationally agreed standards for UK museums, in which they must demonstrate clearly defined standards relating to governance and management, services for users, visitor facilities and collections management.
     Worcestershire Provincial Grand Master Richard Goddard congratulated curator John Hart and the team for this tremendous achievement, particularly deputy chairman John Tapson and secretary Alan Dally.
     Diane Clements, director of the Grand Lodge Library and Museum of Freemasonry, commented: ‘Worcestershire’s achievement is really good news and a tremendous tribute to the hard work and dedication of a volunteer staff and the support of the Province.’

Quatuor Coronati

The next meeting of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 will be held on 12 November at Freemasons’ Hall, London. It is the Installation meeting, including the Inaugural paper by the incoming Master.
     The annual subscription to the Correspondence Circle (for an individual, a brother or for a lodge etc.,) is £22 for the standard (paperback) volume of Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the annual volume of the transactions of the lodge, or £24 for the (hardback) volume. To join the Correspondence Circle download and complete the application form from www.quatuorcoronati.com and send it to: QC Correspondence Circle Limited, 20 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5BE.

New Grand Lodge Web Site Aaims at Younger Members

Grand Lodge has updated its official website and it can be viewed at www.ugle.org.uk
     The two major points about the new website are that: First, it is primarily designed to aid recruitment of new masons, especially in their 20s and 30s, and to be informative to non-masons. Second, it will be constantly evolving, with new content and functionality being added on a regular, on-going basis.
     All areas of this site are available to public view. In addition there are various informative videos available on the site – including a tour of Grand Lodge.
     You can view or download a booklet which contains a fascinating insight into Freemasonry, which can be found in the section ‘Becoming a Mason’, which also offers the facility for anyone to register an interest should they wish to join.
     As well as giving details of how to hire Freemasons’ Hall for outside events, there are questions answered about the principles, history, lodges and facilities of the English Constitution.
     Among other innovations, the actual speeches in Grand Lodge of both the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent and the Pro Grand Master, Peter Lowndes can be heard and downloaded onto an iPod or iPhone.

Recognising the Importance of Mentoring

The importance of mentoring is now widely recognised and Richard Anderson, Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire North and East Ridings, not only invested James Greaves as Provincial Grand Mentor at the annual meeting, but had lodge Mentors presented as well.
     The Province was asked by Grand Lodge to chair a working party in 2007, and gave presentations on mentoring to both the Rulers’ Forum in London and the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge.
     The PGM said that the lodge Mentor will not necessarily mentor anyone himself, ‘but will certainly have the responsibility for selecting the most appropriate Mentor for each individual candidate.’
     He added: ‘I am in no doubt that if this Province can further develop its mentoring scheme to include members at every stage of their Masonic careers, we will be well on the way to safeguarding our future.’