Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge

14 March 2018 
Report of the Board of General Purposes

Minutes

The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of 13 December 2017 were confirmed.

Election of the Grand Master

HRH The Duke of Kent was re-elected as Grand Master.

Grand Lodge Register 2008-2017

The tables below show the number of Lodges on the Register and of Certificates issued during the past ten years.

Charges for warransts

In accordance with Rule 270A, Book of Constitutions, the Board recommended that for the year commencing 1 April 2018 the charges (exclusive of VAT) should be as follows:

The recommendation was accepted.

Recognition of foreign Grand Lodges

The Grand Lodge of Amazonas, Brazil

The Grand Lodge of Amazonas was formed on 22 September 1904 by fifteen Lodges which had been regularly constituted by the Grand Orient of Brazil to meet in what is now the State of Amazonas. Those Lodges withdrew in a constitutional manner from the Grand Orient and were regularly constituted into a Grand Lodge with jurisdiction limited to Amazonas.

This Grand Lodge already recognises the Grand Orient of Brazil which recognises and shares territorial jurisdiction with the Grand Lodge of Amazonas by treaty dated 5 August 2002.

The Grand Lodge of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Grand Lodge of Minas Gerais was formed on 25 September 1927 by eight Lodges which had been regularly constituted by the Grand Orient of Brazil to meet in what is now the State of Minas Gerais. Those Lodges withdrew in a constitutional manner from the Grand Orient and were regularly constituted into a Grand Lodge with jurisdiction limited to Minas Gerais.

The Grand Orient of Brazil recognises and shares territorial jurisdiction with the Grand Lodge of Minas Gerais by treaty dated 16 June 2000.

The Grand Lodge of Mato Grosso, Brazil

In 1976 the area of Mato Grosso in Brazil was divided into the States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. The Grand Lodge of Mato Grosso was formed on 7 October 1978 by eleven Lodges which had been regularly constituted by what is now the Grand Lodge of Mato Grosso do Sul (which was recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England in March 2001). Those Lodges withdrew in a constitutional manner from that Grand Lodge and were regularly constituted as a Grand Lodge with jurisdiction limited to Mato Grosso.

The Grand Orient of Brazil recognises and shares territorial jurisdiction with the Grand Lodge of Mato Grosso by treaty dated 7 October 2000.

The Grand Lodge of the State of Baja California, Mexico

The Grand Lodge of the State of Baja California, Mexico, was formed on 5 February 1933 by three regularly constituted Lodges as the Grand Lodge of the Northern Territory of Baja California. When, in 1953, the territory became the State of Baja California the Grand Lodge changed its name to reflect that fact.

This Grand Lodge recognises the York Grand Lodge of Mexico, which recognises and shares territorial jurisdiction with the Grand Lodge of the State of Baja California and has stated that it has no objection to our recognition of the latter.

Having shown that they have regularity of origin and that they conform to the Basic Principles for Grand Lodge recognition, the Board, having no reason to believe that they will not continue to maintain a regular path, recommended that these four Grand Lodges be recognised.

A Resolution to this effect was approved.

The Grand Lodge of Albania

The Grand Lodge of Albania was formed in 2011 and recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England in 2013. In 2014 the Grand Master of Albania consecrated a Lodge in Kosovo, an action regarded by other Grand Lodges in the area as unwarranted and an invasion of territory within the Masonic sphere of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia.

At a meeting of European Grand Masters in Belgrade in June 2015, an agreement was drawn up and signed by the Grand Master of Albania that, inter alia, the Lodge in Kosovo would be withdrawn to Albania and he would enter into discussions with the Grand Master of Serbia as to the future development of Freemasonry in Kosovo. Since the signing of that agreement Albania has consecrated a further two Lodges in Kosovo.

The Board considered that it would be in the best interests of the Grand Lodge for it to suspend relations with the Grand Lodge of Albania while further enquiries are made into the situation and consideration is given to any necessary further action.

A Resolution to this effect was approved.

Erasure of lodges

The Board has received a report that 34 Lodges have closed and have surrendered their Warrants. The Lodges are:

Skelmersdale Lodge, No. 1599 (London), Commercial Travellers Lodge, No. 3700 (Northumberland), Ruislip Lodge, No. 4301 (Middlesex), Davenport Lodge, No. 4391 (Cheshire), Bernicia Lodge, No. 4479 (Northumberland), Electra Lodge, No. 5124 (East Kent), Travellers Lodge, No. 5495 (KwaZulu-Natal), Deltaic Lodge, No. 5640 (London), Swinford Lodge, No. 5729 (Worcestershire), Lodge of Patience and Industry, No. 5781, (Middlesex) Saint Margaret’s Lodge, No. 5816 (Northumberland), Sir Galahad Lodge, No. 5897 (Cumberland and Westmorland), Langley Lodge, No. 5951 (Buckinghamshire), Merantune Lodge, No. 6149 (Surrey), Saints Peter and Paul Lodge, No. 6159 (Essex), Bona Fides Lodge, No. 6696 (London), Castle Lodge, No. 6713 (Durham), Field End Lodge, No. 6924 (Middlesex), Linthorpe Lodge, No. 7032 (Yorkshire, North and East Riding), Lodge of Security, No. 7299 (Northumberland), Daws Heath Lodge, No. 7466 (Essex), Bexley Marine Lodge, No. 7546 (West Kent), King David Lodge, No. 7667 (Durham), Ben Marsh Lodge, No. 7938 (Worcestershire), Cherleton Lodge, No. 8439 (Gloucestershire), Unanimity Lodge, No. 8669 (South Africa, Eastern Division), Sutton Coldfield Lodge, No. 8960 (Warwickshire), Gredington Lodge, No. 8982 (North Wales), Lodge of Light and Friendship, No. 9138 (Essex), Birchington Lodge, No. 9159 (East Kent), Wheatsheaf Lodge, No. 9170 (Cheshire), George Eliot Lodge, No. 9227 (Warwickshire), Meridian Lodge, No. 9653 (Devon), and Carlisle Castle Lodge, No. 9731 (Cumberland and Westmorland).

The Board recommendation that they be erased was approved.

Expulsions

3.22 As required by Rule 277 (a) (i) (B), Book of Constitutions, seven Brethren were recently expelled from the Craft.

Motion pursuant to notice: Amendment to the Book of Constitutions

The President of the Board of General Purposes moved that the Schedule to Rule 61 be deleted and a new Schedule be substituted on the appointments as Metropolitan Grand Officers and Metropolitan Grand Rank. The change to the Schedule was approved.

List of new lodges

List of new lodges for which warrants have been granted by The MW The Grand Master, showing the dates from which their Warrants became effective with date of Warrant, location area, number and name of lodge are:

13 December 2017

9960 Invictus Lodge York Yorkshire, North and East Ridings.

21 December 2017

9961 Oldham Lodge Singapore Eastern Archipelago (the previous Petition in respect of Lodge No. 9958 having been withdrawn).

Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge

A Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge is held on the second Wednesday in March, June, September and December. The next will be at noon on Wednesday, 13 June 2018. Subsequent Communications will be held on 12 September 2018, 12 December 2018, 13 March 2019 and 12 June 2019.

The Annual Investiture of Grand Officers takes place on the last Wednesday in April (the next is on 25 April 2018), and admission is by ticket only.

Supreme Grand Chapter

Convocations of Supreme Grand Chapter are held on the second Wednesday in November and the day following the Annual Investiture of Grand Lodge. Future Convocations will be held on 26 April 2018, 14 November 2018 and 25 April 2019.

Albanian recognition

On 14 October 2011, the Grand Lodge of Albania was formed by the Grand Orient of Italy from three lodges meeting there. The United Grand Lodge of England no longer recognises the Grand Orient of Italy, but it has publicly stated that it accepts the Grand Orient’s regularity of origin and that its lodges are working routinely.

The Grand Lodge of Albania has shown that it is of regular descent and that it conforms to the Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition. The Board of General Purposes therefore has no reason to believe that it will not maintain a regular path. At its December Quarterly Communication, Grand Lodge approved the recommendation from the Board that the Grand Lodge of Albania be recognised.

Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge 
11 December 2013 
Report of the Board of General Purposes 

Minutes

The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of 11 September 2013 were confirmed.

Nomination of a Grand Master for the ensuing year

HRH The Duke of Kent KG was nominated as Grand Master for the ensuing year.

Annual Investiture of Grand Officers (30 April 2014)

So that sufficient accommodation can be reserved for those Brethren who are to be invested and their friends, admission to the Annual Investiture is by ticket only. Brethren to be invested for the first time may invite to be present with them three qualified Brethren, and those to be promoted two qualified Brethren.

Masonic Year Book

The next edition of the Masonic Year Book 2014–2015, will be available next summer. The charge will be £13 per copy, plus postage and packing where appropriate. It is not proposed to produce a new edition of the Directory of Lodges and Chapters during 2014. Copies of the 2012 edition will still be available from Letchworth’s shop.

Every Lodge will receive one copy of the Masonic Year Book free of charge. The Board emphasises that these copies should be available to all the members of private lodges and not regarded as for the exclusive use of the secretary to whom, for administrative reasons, they are dispatched.

Metropolitan and Provincial Lodges

As in previous years copies will be dispatched direct to secretaries of lodges.

Lodges Abroad

Sufficient copies will be dispatched to District Grand Secretaries for distribution to lodges in the Districts. Lodges abroad not in a District will receive their copies direct.

Prestonian Lectures 2014

The Board has considered applications for the delivery of the official Prestonian Lectures in 2014 and has decided that these should be given under the auspices of the following: The London Grand Rank Association, Egerton Worsley Lodge, No. 1213, Eccles (West Lancashire) and Temple of Athene Lodge, No. 9541, Harrow (Middlesex).

The Lecturer, Dr M.A. Kearsley, states that the title of the Lecture will be: 1814: Consolidation and Change.

Grand Lodge of Albania

On 14 October 2011, the Grand Lodge of Albania was formed by the Grand Orient of Italy from three lodges meeting there.  The United Grand Lodge of England no longer recognises the Grand Orient of Italy but it has publicly stated that it accepts the Grand Orient’s regularity of origin and that its lodges are working regularly.

The Grand Lodge of Albania, having shown that it is of regular descent and that it conforms to the Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition, the Board has no reason to believe that it will not maintain a regular path. A recommendation that it be recognised was approved.

Amalgamations

The Board had received reports that the following lodges have resolved to surrender their Warrants: Carmel Lodge, No. 4774, in order to amalgamate with Tennant Lodge, No. 1992 (South Wales); Menturia Lodge, No. 6023, in order to amalgamate with Goulburn Lodge, No. 3478 (East Lancashire) and St Leonard’s Lodge, No. 6132, in order to amalgamate with De Bon Cuer Lodge, No. 6984 (West Lancashire).

The Board recommendation that the lodges be removed from the register in order to effect the respective amalgamations was approved.

Lodge Closures

The Board had received a report that twelve lodges have closed and have surrendered their Warrants. The lodges are: Borough of Shoreditch Lodge, No. 3064 (London); Ryecroft Lodge, No. 4974 (Derbyshire); Mosaic Lodge, No. 5028 (Worcestershire); Lodge of Fellowship, No. 5579 (Warwickshire); Defendit Lodge, No. 6049 (Northumberland); Motspur Lodge, No. 6106 (Surrey); Saint Oswald Lodge, No. 6135 (Northumberland); Blaydon St Cuthbert Lodge, No. 6962 (Durham); Lodge of Fortitude, No. 7188 (Durham); Juventus Lodge, No. 8105 (South Wales); Haling Manor Lodge, No. 8310 (Surrey) and Stallinger Lodge, No. 9624 (Durham).

The Board recommendation that they be erased was approved. 

Our Yesterdays

A presentation was given on the Proceedings of Grand Lodge of two hundred and one hundred years ago by J.M. Hamill, Assistant Grand Chancellor and G.F. Redman, Deputy Grand Secretary.

New Lodges 

List of new lodges for which warrants have been granted by the Grand Master showing dates from which their warrants became effective:

11 September 2013: Waladli Lodge No. 9887, St John’s (Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean); Eastern Archipelago District Grand Stewards’ Lodge No. 9888, Kuala Lumpur (Eastern Archipelago); District Grand Stewards Lodge of Nigeria No. 9889, Lagos (Nigeria) and City Gate Lodge No. 9890, London.

Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge

A Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge is held on the second Wednesday in March, June, September and December. The next will be at or about noon on Wednesday, 12 March 2014. Subsequent Communications will be held on 30 April 2014 (Annual Investiture), 11 June 2014, 10 September 2014, 10 December 2014 and 11 March 2015.  

Convocations of Supreme Grand Chapter

Convocations of Supreme Grand Chapter are held on the second Wednesday in November and the day following the Annual Investiture of Grand Lodge. Future Convocations will be held on 1 May 2014, 12 November 2014 and 30 April 2015.