It’s full steam ahead for Cambridgeshire's Festival 2023 Appeal after £1,000 was raised at a Garden Party jointly run by the Gild of St Mary Lodge No. 7288 and Alma Mater Lodge No. 1492

It was a first class event and there were no problems with the timetable on the day – the main attraction being the 220-yard long 1/8th scale model railway, which was built by and runs in the garden of Cambridgeshire’s Provincial Grand Scribe E Edmund Brookes.

The model of a 1930 Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 tender engine in full steam ensured that over 90 adults and many children and grandchildren had a wonderful afternoon. 

Some were even lucky enough to be driven round by the guest driver – UGLE’s Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence, who is a member of Alma Mater Lodge.

60 seconds

A historical Freemason who fascinates or inspires you

Franz Joseph Haydn

A book you really enjoy

War and Peace

Favourite masonic degree 

3rd

A film you’d watch again and again

Casablanca

Favourite hobby, apart from Freemasonry

Painting 28mm metal soldiers with my son

Favourite sandwich 

Crispy bacon and avocado

Childhood hero 

Nelson

Where in the world would you most like to visit?

St Petersburg

Most memorable part of your initiation (no masonic secrets, please…) 

Seeing my former headmaster

Best piece of advice you ever received

Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability; if you cannot, don’t do it

Surrey Freemasons completed their 2019 Festival Appeal on 11 May 2019, with over 650 guests attending a banquet at Guildford Cathedral – as it was announced they had raised over £3.3 million for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI)

Jonathan Spence, Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, was in attendance, alongside Ian Chandler, Provincial Grand Master for Surrey Freemasons, with his Executive organisers and members of the Province and their partners. The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) and RMBI Executives and Trustees were also present, including Managing Director Mark Lloyd and Chair Sir Paul Williams.

The RMBI was established in Surrey back in 1850 with the opening of the very first home in Croydon otherwise known as the 'Asylum for Worthy, Aged and Decayed Freemasons'. Nowadays, the RMBI is a charity providing affordable care facilities for the elderly across the UK. In Surrey they are lucky to have two RMBI homes – James Terry Court in Croydon and Shannon Court in Hindhead.

Paul Crockett, Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Surrey and Chair of the Festival, said: ‘All of the people who work and volunteer in every home will make sure that our donations make a positive difference to people’s lives; helping to keep our loved ones feeling safe, preventing isolation and loneliness and wrapping that warm blanket of security around them.’

The Province has raised over £3.3 million over the last five years through its hard work and ongoing efforts. Various fundraising events have taken place during this time from descending down the longest and fastest zip wire in Europe raising over £35,000, and a charity ball and auction of celebrity memorabilia raising £55,000, to Ian himself completing a triathlon where he raised over £10,000.

Announcing the grand total of £3,313,470, Mark Lloyd said: ‘Sincere thanks to the Lodge Charity Stewards, fundraisers and members of the Province, and their Ladies, for all they have done over the years of the Appeal. Your enthusiasm and hard work is greatly appreciated and has certainly made a huge difference to the lives of a great many.’

Sir Paul Williams OBE, responding to the announcement of the grand total, said: ‘The per capita return of your last Festival has been massively increased from £387 to £532 for this, demonstrating that Surrey truly is committed to caring about the RMBI. Everything we do and achieve is made possible by the generous support of Freemasons and their families, so I would like to thank you on behalf of every person who will benefit from this tremendous display of support.’

Responding to Jonathan Spence’s toast to the Festival President, Ian Chandler said: ‘Everyone who has contributed to this appeal has done so in the knowledge that they were helping in providing a safe and comfortable home for the residents of all the homes, especially at James Terry Court and Shannon Court where we have all witnessed first-hand the quality of care.  

‘Also, while giving priority to our appeal we have not ignored local charities who have received at least a quarter of a million pounds a year. Also, while giving priority to our appeal we have not ignored local charities who have received at least a quarter of a million pounds a year maintaining our support for the community of Surrey. This is something we should all be very proud of.’

The banquet was ended in magnificent style with a firework display over the Cathedral lawn brilliantly choreographed to the finale of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture.

The recent Installation of the new District Grand Master/Grand Superintendent of the District Grand Lodge and Chapter of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Clement Bird, saw the District welcome an NUD (Not Under a District) Lodge and Chapter into its fold when St. George Lodge and Chapter No. 3421 officially became part of the District

The Installation Ceremonies of the new District Grand Master/Grand Superintendent Clement Bird was conducted by United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE)'s Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence.

The transition from being an NUD Lodge to becoming part of the District is the first time such an event has happened in 30 years, when two other NUD Lodges in the Caribbean, St Ursula’s Lodge No. 8952 (British Virgin Islands) and Harmonic Lodge No. 356 (U.S. Virgin Islands), became part of the same District in 1989.

Until November 2018, St. George Lodge No. 3421, which was consecrated in March 1910, was one of only nine NUD Lodges that report directly to UGLE. However, after due consideration and long-term discussions amongst its current membership – and given its geographic location – the lodge requested that it be allowed to become part of the District.

St George Lodge’s members have been regular visitors to some of the 20 lodges in the islands that comprise Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and felt that becoming part of a larger entity would offer them more support and enable them to tap into a greater educational resource function.

Today is the first anniversary of the United Grand Lodge of England’s epic Tercentenary celebration at the Royal Albert Hall – and to mark the occasion a DVD has been released

Over 4,000 Freemasons from Provinces and Districts were joined by representatives from over 130 sovereign Grand Lodges from around the world for this Especial Meeting to mark 300 years since the founding of the world’s first Grand Lodge for Freemasons.

The event started with the procession of Grand Officers entering the Hall, before the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, took his place in the Queens’s Box, accompanied by the Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes, Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence and Assistant Grand Master Sir David Wootton. The audience then witnessed a theatrical extravaganza which embraced the rich history and heritage of Freemasonry and featured a cast of renowned actors including Sir Derek Jacobi, Samantha Bond and Sanjeev Bhaskar.

The DVD is available to all UGLE members and has been distributed to Provincial Offices – please contact them if you have not received your DVD.

The Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, spoke about the historic event, which you can view below.

Over 40 Freemasons met for a Masonic-themed wine tasting evening in Hong Kong, to mark the first New and Young Masons Club established in one of the Districts under the United Grand Lodge of England

One Kennedy Club (1KC) is part of the New and Young Masons Club initiative from UGLE, with roots from London’s Connaught Club. It has been founded to give new and young Freemasons in Hong Kong a means to meet and socialise with like-minded people newer in the Craft, whilst building camaraderie within the fraternity bridging Hong Kong’s many English Lodges.

The event at ‘The Flying Winemaker’ 28 March 2018 was a spectacular success with many in attendance praising the need for such a club within Freemasonry in Hong Kong and the Far East and sharing their eagerness to attend the next event. What many newer and younger Brethren found particularly beneficial was the active discussions about Freemasonry and the sense of camaraderie in an informal social environment, as a refreshing addition to formal Lodge meetings.

The Masonic wine-tasting theme for the event was revealed halfway through the evening to everyone’s surprise. All wines presented for tasting either had a Masonic connection or the winemaker himself was a Freemason. Money was also raised to purchase charity raffle tickets for prizes of electronics and wine which will be consolidated amongst future events and donated to charitable causes at the end of the year.

The fun-filled evening was honoured by the presence of the District Grand Master Vivian Lee, who gave several speeches throughout in support of the establishment of One Kennedy Club, and was accompanied by the District Grand Secretary Richard Jones. Making the evening more special, the District Grand Master presented a letter from the Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes, congratulating and encouraging the establishment of 1KC.

This was augmented by the delivery of a heartfelt keynote video address from the Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence on the roles these new and young Freemasons clubs will play in the future of Freemasonry. In his video address, Jonathan Spence said: 'May I send my congratulations to the One Kennedy Club on its foundation and also to congratulate the District of Hong Kong and its District Grand Master and other Rulers on the establishment of the first New and Young Masons Club in one of the Districts.

'Many Provinces now have their own club and those clubs tend to meet at least once a year at an annual conference. I was very lucky to attend the last conference in Birmingham and saw how vibrant and instructive it was that the young Masons really do see a bright future for Freemasonry. The future of the Craft is in your hands and I have no doubt that over the next 20 years we will see proper fruits of this initiative and I wish you every success in the future, and look forward to paying a visit to the One Kennedy Club when I’m next in Hong Kong.'

As the One Kennedy Club Organising Committee prepares for the next event, they paid tribute to those who helped organise the event, including Eddie McDougall and his team for hosting it at The Flying Winemaker, Michael Karasek for donating some of his self-grown wines from Australia and Clinton Lee from Canada for donating wine from his winery. There was also a special thank you to Jason Wong, a Committee Member of the Connaught Club in London, for his guidance and assistance along the way in setting up the 1KC in Hong Kong.

In late 2001, Lichfield mason Roger Manning suggested the creation of a masonic memorial to be sited at the new National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Burton-on-Trent

It was agreed by all that the masonic garden should serve in the remembrance of all Freemasons, whether they had died in the service of their country or through sickness, accident or old age. There would be no reference on the site to specific lodges, groups or individuals.

Sixteen years later, following four different Provincial Grand Masters, two architects, more than a dozen designs, planting failures, floods, dozens of detailed reports and many meetings, The Masonic Memorial Garden was finally unveiled on 18 April 2017 to more than 300 brethren and civic dignitaries.

The service was witnessed by Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes, Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence, Assistant Grand Master Sir David Wootton, then President of the Board of General Purposes Anthony Wilson and Grand Secretary Willie Shackell.

A welcome to all in attendance was given by local builder and mason Eddie Ford, who had been responsible for the garden’s development over the entire 16-year period. The dedication service was then undertaken by the Provincial Grand Chaplain the Reverend Bernard Buttery.

Hundreds of Freemasons from north, south and central America and the Caribbean gathered in Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the United Grand Lodge of England’s Tercentenary

District Grand Master of Jamaica & the Cayman Islands Walter Scott said it was ‘a signal honour for Jamaica to be named hosts of this historical event in the Americas’.

Walter saw the Jamaica celebrations as an opportunity for members of church, state and the community to gather in harmony and share their thoughts and ideas. Running over four days, events included a grand banquet, cocktail reception, special commemorative lodge meeting, a Jamaica Night themed party and a two-day academic programme under the subject ‘Looking back with an eye to the future’.

Over 500 Buckinghamshire Freemasons were present at Freemasons' Hall on 9th February 2018, where John Clark was installed as the Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Buckinghamshire

The Installation was conducted by the United Grand Lodge of England's Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence and the visiting Officers of Grand Lodge.

John Clark then Invested Hugh Douglas Smith as Deputy Provincial Grand Master and reappointed Graham Dearing and Phil Blacklaw as Assistant Provincial Grand Masters. Tony Robinson recited the Obligation and was also invested as Assistant Provincial Grand Master.

Alongside over 500 Buckinghamshire Freemasons, brethren from many other Provinces were also in attendance and following the ceremony enjoyed a banquet in the Grand Connaught Rooms.

Both the Deputy Grand Master and the new Provincial Grand Master thanked all those present for their attendance and delighted everyone with amusing speeches.

John Clark then presented Jonathan Spence with a pair of magnificent gold cuff links, replicating the Hall Stone Jewel.

During the ceremony, John Clark was also wearing the Hall Stone Jewel around his neck, with Buckinghamshire the only Province in possession of the gold and coloured enamel jewel on a dark blue collarette. This distinctive jewel was given to Buckinghamshire and the Districts of Japan (now defunct) and Burma (in abeyance) in recognition that every one of their lodges contributed an average in excess of five hundred guineas (£525.00) to the Masonic Million Memorial Fund.

This fund went towards establishing a memorial to the brethren who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War, which resulted in the erection of UGLE's current headquarters at Freemasons' Hall.

It is why Buckinghamshire is known as the only Hall Stone Province in English Freemasonry, and can boast the unique distinction of being the sole and proud wearer of such a jewel. Read more about the Hall Stone Jewels here.

A club for everyone

With the New and Young Masons Clubs Conference 2017 seeking to build on Freemasonry’s foundations, Matthew Bowen meets the organiser, Dan Thomas, to see why the future is in safe hands

On 14 October 2017, the walls of the Severn Street Masonic Hall in Birmingham echoed with the sounds of progress. Within the ancient building, 100 new and young Freemasons from across the country gathered to discuss ways of ensuring the Craft’s relevance in the 21st century. They were there for the annual New and Young Masons Clubs Conference (NYMCC).With more than 30 new and young masons clubs operating in Metropolitan and the Provinces, the annual conference – now in its third year – plays a vital role in inspiring change. This change can occur within clubs themselves by offering ideas and advice on best practice. It can also happen across Freemasonry as a whole by bringing new brethren face-to-face with some of the most senior masons in the country.

FRESH PERSPECTIVES

The responsibility of hosting the event this year fell to The Five of Nine Club and its chairman, Dan Thomas. Dan joined St Peter’s Lodge, No. 7334, in Warwickshire eight years ago, aged 27. As a young policeman, Dan finds that Freemasonry complements his life and he enjoys every challenge it brings. Attending the NYMCC in 2015 inspired him to share his enjoyment among his peers and launch The Five of Nine Club for new and young masons. 

‘I went to that conference just wanting to have a look at what was going on, and came away with so much information that, when we launched the club, it was like we had been given a two-year head start,’ says Dan. ‘These clubs are all about bringing young masons together. There may only be one young brother in a lodge within the Province, but by getting them involved in the club, they feel a wider sense of community.’

Aside from pulling together to organise the NYMCC, The Five of Nine Club also arranges regular social activities that have so far included go-karting, paintballing and a brewery tour. ‘The focus is on enjoyment,’ explains Dan, with the hope being, he adds, that ‘enjoyment translates into higher retention rates among junior masons.’

Recruitment and retention are equally important goals for masonic clubs, as reflected by the theme of this year’s conference – ‘Building and Maintaining the Foundations’. According to Five of Nine Club patron and Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire David Macey, Dan and the club have excelled at both. ‘We set Dan some fairly optimistic targets to hit within 18 months, and he smashed them in six,’ he says. 

Though new and young masons clubs champion the views of a specific group of masons, the benefits they bring are being felt across the board. As David says, ‘The club’s energy and vitality is brilliantly infectious, not just within the youngsters they’re influencing, but on us senior masons as well.’

One of the senior masons present, Deputy Grand Master Jonathan Spence, delivered a keynote speech on how new and young masons clubs and the UGLE can work together. Dan was honoured when the Deputy Grand Master announced he’d like to attend. ‘The fact that he wanted to give a talk shows how important new and young masons clubs are to Freemasonry, and recognises the phenomenal work being carried out by every club,’ he says.

EVERYDAY FREEMASONRY

Provincial Grand Master for South Wales and Deputy Chairman of the Improvement Delivery Group Gareth Jones also took the stage. He joined Freemasonry as a 26-year-old in the 1980s, and believes it is as relevant today as it has ever been. For Gareth, Freemasonry is ‘a place away from the pressures of everyday life to sit quietly, reflect, learn and make daily advancements’. He spoke on the need for masonry to become more intertwined in communities, about the Improvement Delivery Group and on how Freemasonry must improve its reputation. ‘Let’s be frank – our image has traditionally been stuffy, middle-class and only for older people who can afford to join. It’s these ways of thinking that we need to get away from,’ he said, praising efforts being made by the clubs to revitalise the Craft.

QUALITY CONTROL

‘We talk about [the] reduction [of] membership over last two years,’ Gareth adds, ‘but this is a symptom rather than a problem in itself. The problem has been, to a growing extent, one of quality in how we have engaged with communities and the media, and the way we’ve brought people in and looked after them once they’ve joined. We’ve put in a lot of effort in the last few years to address those problems, and these clubs are proving to be an effective way of arresting the decline we’ve seen since the mid-nineties.’

With the buzz around the new and young masons clubs, it would be easy to get carried away in the excitement. A key theme of the conference, however, was the importance of installing proper governance and setting clear objectives. David stressed at the conference that ‘structure is imperative to channel enthusiasm and pass it on to others’.

David led the conference into a breakout session on how to launch, manage and grow successful new and young masons clubs. Reflecting on the event and on his role as patron of The Five of Nine Club, David says, ‘It sounds as if I’m being condescending when I say, from the bottom up, that we’re learning so much from an age group we were in danger of neglecting.’

With buy-in at such senior levels, Dan is confident this is just the start for new and young masons clubs, and expects to be attending conferences for years to come. ‘Since last year’s conference, there’s been an unbelievable increase in numbers of clubs across the country,’ he says. ‘We’ve seen more recognition in Quarterly Communications and more senior support coming forward in support of the clubs.’

Find out more about clubs in your area - click here.