Provincial Grand Lodge
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July ~ September 2007
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New Master urges Lodges to take further action on openness
At his installation as Master of the Warwickshire Installed Masters Lodge on 29 September 2007 W Bro Rodney Pitham urged Lodges and their members to take further steps in respect of openness to increase public awareness of Freemasonry and to counter the myths and fictions so often published about the Order and its members. The full text of the address is available to download here. posted 30/9/2007
£25,000 for Africa Floods Appeal
The President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity, Grahame Elliot, has responded to a British Red Cross Appeal to assist hundreds of thousands of people affected by flooding across East and West Africa by approving an emergency grant of £25,000. posted 27/9/2007
The Freemasons' Grand Charity
A General Meeting of the Freemasons' Grand Charity will be held on Wednesday 3 October 2007 at 6.15pm at Cardiff City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff. Members of the Charity (that is Master Masons who are subscribing members of London and Provincial Lodges plus all other Brethren eligible to attend Grand Lodge) and their partners or other non-Masonic guests may attend. Everyone must be seated by 6.00pm. The Vice Grand President the Rt Hon Lord Lane of Horsell will chair the meeting.
Guest speakers include David Biggart OBE, Interim Operations Director of Skill Force, Shan Nicholas, Chief Executive of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, and Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research Wales Professor of Clinical Oncology at Cardiff University. posted 24/9/2007
New web site for Freemasons' Grand Charity
After considerable revision and updating The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s new website will go live in the week commencing 24 September 2007. The main address for the site remains unchanged at www.grandcharity.org posted 21/9/2007
Mason conducts for charity
Richard Johnson of the Lodge of Israel is facing up to the challenge of a lifetime - he will be conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for charity having been the successful bidder for the opportunity in an auction! Richard wishes to raise sufficient funds to furnish and equip the new Day Centre at the Andrew Cohen Care Home in Stirchley in Birmingham in memory of a lovely friend Joy Pond who spent the last days of her life there. Richard will be performing with the CBSO on 25 September at 6.00pm at the Birmingham Symphony Hall and is looking for sponsors of seats in a prime location of the Hall at £50 each. If you can help, please get in touch with Sandra Anderson on sandra.anderson@barnett-ravenscroft.co.uk now.
Richard has never conducted before and is currently undergoing intensive training. posted 19/9/2007
The Grand Chancellor addresses Grand Lodge - 12 September 2007
"MW Pro Grand Master and brethren, thank you Pro Grand Master for inviting me to address Grand Lodge on the subject of my new office as Grand Chancellor.
From time immemorial – or from at least the 1750s! – Grand Lodge’s relations with our sister Grand Lodges have been managed by a combination of the Board of General Purposes (and its predecessors), the Grand Master’s advisers and the Grand Secretary. For much of the period up to the late 20th century external relations was a gentle art which took up little time. Occasionally there were explosions of activity – examples being: the decision in 1876 by the Grand Orient of France to drop the requirement that candidates must have a belief in a Supreme Being and to remove all references to the Great Architect from their rituals and the proliferation of new Grand Lodges in Europe with the re – drawing of the map of Europe after the cataclysm of the First World War – but in general it was simply a case of occasionally having to decide whether or not a new Grand Lodge met our standards of regularity and could be recognised as part of the world wide family of Freemasonry.
That all began to change in the second half of the 20th century. After the Second World War the map of Europe was again re – drawn into the Eastern and Western blocs, leading to a reduction of Freemasonry in Europe when it was forced underground in the Eastern bloc countries. At the same time in what was becoming an increasingly politicised world there was a growth of irregular Freemasonry with bodies springing up claiming to be Masonic but not accepting our Basic Principles, in particular the bar on Grand Lodges or brethren in their Masonic capacities making public statements on matters of religious, political or social policy.
As the oldest Grand Lodge, we in England have had thrust on us the role of being the guardians of regularity and in many ways are expected to police what is regular and what is not – in quiet moments I have wondered if that is why an old Oxfordshire “bobby” has been chosen to be the first Grand Chancellor! Those are not roles that we have sought and we cannot be an international policeman solving problems within and between Grand Lodges. What we can do is to listen and to offer advice from our long experience of external relations, but it is a very fine line between offering advice and interfering in the internal workings of a sovereign body.
Our role as the guardian of regularity came very much to the fore in the 1990s after the demise of the Eastern bloc, the return of democratic institutions in those areas and the resultant, and very welcome, re – establishment of dormant and making of new Grand Lodges in Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Baltic States. The huge amount of activity going on in Europe alone brought heavy pressure on the Grand Secretary who had to spend increasing amounts of time dealing with urgent external relations matters, sometimes to the detriment of other matters under his care. A simple statistic brethren: in 1989 we recognised 17 regular Grand Lodges in Europe, today we recognise 34 with another four under consideration!
It was for that reason that the Rulers and the Board of General Purposes took the bold step last year, when the role of the Grand Secretary was under consideration, to relieve him of the pressure of external relations and create the office of Grand Chancellor. The main roles of the Grand Chancellor are to Chair the External Relations Committee; to advise the Rulers, the Grand Master’s advisers and the Board of General Purposes on all matters relating to other Grand Lodges; to ensure that Grand Lodge’s policy on external relations is carried through; and to ensure that all correspondence in this area is dealt with in a timely fashion. As the Grand Chancellor is not a full time employee – I have not yet succeeded in persuading my wife about that! - I shall be assisted by our Director of Communications, John Hamill, and our long term External Relations Adviser, Peter Roberts, who between them will manage the administration on a daily basis and, from their long experience in this area will provide me with valuable background and advice.
The Grand Chancellor will also have the pleasure of assisting the Grand Master and the Rulers in representing Grand Lodge on formal visits to sister Grand Lodges and at international gatherings of regular Freemasonry. I see this as an important part of maintaining and strengthening the close relations with our long established friends and of building close relations with those Grand Lodges which have been recently re – established or have been newly formed in areas where Freemasonry has not existed for many generations. With the revolution in fast communication systems and the ease and reasonable cost of travelling today the Masonic world is coming closer and closer together and intervisitation and the regular exchange of information can only be good for the future of regular Freemasonry in general. I look forward to playing a part in fostering those good relations.
As there seems to be a little confusion over what constitutes External Relations and what role the Grand Secretary will have in Freemasonry overseas, now is perhaps the time to explain. External relations covers our relations with other Constitutions outside our own. They are the responsibility of the Grand Chancellor. Because of our rich heritage England still has over 800 lodges meeting outside these islands under District Grand Masters, Grand Inspectors or being governed directly from London. Although many of them are separated from us by great distances, they are still very much an important part of the United Grand Lodge of England and will continue to come under the jurisdiction of the Grand Secretary and, in normal circumstances, when they are visited by a Ruler the Grand Secretary will accompany them, not the Grand Chancellor. He has already visited Ghana and in the autumn he will accompany the Pro Grand Master when he visits our Districts in India.
There are also areas where the Grand Secretary and Grand Chancellor will work together. During the summer we had our usual tripartite meeting with Ireland and Scotland. Because that meeting involves both practical matters of Craft administration and jurisprudence as well as the discussion of relations between the Home Grand Lodges and other Grand Lodges, both the Grand Secretary and I were present. The same applies with the annual meeting of the European Grand Secretaries and Grand Chancellors. Co – operation between the two of us becomes even more important in those areas overseas in which we share territory not only with Ireland and Scotland but also with a local sovereign Grand Lodge. Although Freemasonry grew out of an operative system for controlling the operative masons Craft, I can promise you brethren, there will be no demarcation disputes between the Grand Secretary and the Grand Chancellor!
We live in challenging times, brethren and Masonic external relations are crucial to the future harmony and stability of Freemasonry on a global level. As many of you will know we are hosting a major meeting in London in November to which we have invited the Grand Masters of all the regular Grand Lodges in Europe. Our intention is to reaffirm those basic principles which have defined our relations with the rest of regular Freemasonry, and to discuss how we can cooperate to ensure the continuance of warm relations throughout. I feel immensely proud and honoured that through the new office of Grand Chancellor I have been invited to be a part of that great task." posted 18/9/2007
Lord Northampton addresses Grand Lodge - 12 September 2007
"This time last year I mentioned the establishment of the University Scheme under the guidance of the Assistant Grand Master. The intention of the scheme was to provide opportunities for undergraduates and other university members to enjoy Freemasonry. I am pleased to say that the scheme has attracted interest from more lodges than originally planned and has generated much interest from local and national press. It will now cover many more universities than the original nine. Any lodge wishing to participate may do so as long as it can persuade its PGM that its members are committed to the challenges of change which the scheme is implementing. I wish all the participants every success in this exciting initiative.
I am pleased to inform you that the Board of General Purposes has agreed a merger between our magazine MQ and Freemasonry Today. The first issue, which will be distributed free to our members in England and Wales, will be coming out in January and will retain the name of Freemasonry Today. As such it will be the house magazine of the United Grand Lodge of England, I believe the criteria for this new magazine should be that it makes our members proud to belong to English Freemasonry, with lots of pictures and interesting news from all over our Constitution. It should educate our brethren and their families into a better understanding of Freemasonry with articles which promote the Craft – its charity, its three Grand Principles, its moral and spiritual virtues and its tolerance; and it should make a young man keen to join us if he is looking for moral stability in his life, free from doctrine or dogma. This magazine is part of our need to preserve our heritage and our uniqueness at a time when society is questioning past values in a rush to embrace anything new. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked hard to produce MQ over the past few years." posted 18/9/2007
Autumn Glory
Warwickshire Freemasons are promoting a concert, “Autumn Glory”, at the Arts Centre, Warwick University, on Sunday 7 October 2007. Those taking part include the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra conducted by Guy Woolfenden (erstwhile long-time musical director of the Royal Shakespeare Company), the Stratford upon Avon Gilbert and Sullivan Society and soloists Yvonne Howard, Mezzo Soprano, and Arwell Huw Morgan, Bass Baritone. Ed Doolan, the local BBC radio broadcaster, will be the presenter for the evening. The music will include pieces by Walton, Arnold, Holst, Britten, Coates and, of course, Gilbert and Sullivan. The audience will be able to participate in songs such as “You'll never walk alone”, “Jerusalem” and “Land of Hope and Glory”.
The concert is open to all. Tickets cost £10, £20, £25 and £30 and are available from Peter Astfalck on 02476 229624 or peter.astfalck@talktalk.net posted 14/9/2007
Important diary dates
De Montfort Lodge will be holding its 500th Meeting at Henley in Arden on 8 October, the Initiates Dinner will take place on 12 October at 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, and the Heart of England Lodge will celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Solihull Masonic Hall on 18 October. Ipsley Lodge which meets in Redditch also celebrates its Diamond Anniversary on 1 November.
If you wish to attend or have further details of these events please contact Mrs Barbara Powell in the office of the Provincial Grand Secretary on 0121 454 4422 or at BarbaraP@warwickshirepgl.org posted 14/9/2007
No to women!
Some 1,200 delegates at the recent annual meeting of the Grand Orient of France rejected a proposal by Grand Master Jean-Michel Quillardet to open up its lodges to women. The Grand Orient is not recognised as a regular Grand Lodge by the United Grand Lodge of England. posted 14/9/2007
Edgbaston Assembly Rooms Limited
Brethren of Warwickshire are reminded that the Annual General Meeting of Edgbaston Assembly Rooms Limited for the year ended 30 June 2007 will be held at 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham on Wednesday 31 October 2007 at 12 noon. Since all Brethren are members of the company they are urged to attend this important meeting. posted 9/9/2007
Freemasons sponsor brave widow of soldier
The widow of a soldier who was killed in Iraq has just completed her first charity parachute jump and plans to repeat the event every year in memory of him. Kingsman Danny Wilson was shot by a sniper in Basra on 1 April after he jumped from his Warrior armoured vehicle to check for roadside bombs. Tracey Wilson did the sponsored skydive in aid of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – which helps others in her situation, as well as soldiers that have been injured and need assistance. So far Tracey has personally collected more than £2,700 for the charity, including a £2,000 donation from the Freemasons of Cumberland and Westmorland. posted 31/8/2007
New Worcestershire Royal Arch Chapter
Warwickshire Royal Arch Masons who are Old Bromsgrovians may wish to know that the Old Bromsgrovian Chapter No 5743 will be consecrated by the M E Grand Superintendent for Worcestershire at 11.00 am at Routh Hall, Bromsgrove School, Bromsgrove, on Saturday 3 November 2007. Royal Arch Masons who wish to witness a most interesting ceremony, and, also, to be present on what will be a very happy occasion should contact Patrick Firminger on patrick.firminger@firmingers.com posted 31/8/2007
Yet another new Ruler
Peter Astfalck is to succeed John Denton in December this year as Grand Superintendent for the West Midlands District No 3 in the Masonic Order of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests. As far as Peter is concerned it's just magic! posted 29/8/2007
New Provincial Grand Master for the Mark
The Brethren of Warwickshire extend their warmest congratulations to David Rawlins who has been appointed as Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Warwickshire to succeed David Carr Hooker. Details of the Installation will be published as soon as they are known.
David is currently the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in the Craft and holds the Mark Grand Rank of Past Grand Master Overseer and is an erstwhile Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Province of Worcestershire. His appointment means that Bedford Lodge No 925 in the Craft Province of Warwickshire will have as members two Provincial Grand Masters in the Mark Degree, namely David, and Frank Spencer who holds that high office in Worcestershire.
We pray that David will have a very happy and rewarding tenure in his new office. posted 29/8/2007
Fire Service Lodge joins the club
The Fire Service Lodge No 8401 now has its own dedicated web site at www.fireservicelodge.org and has joined that growing band of Warwickshire Lodges which tell the world about their Freemasonry. posted 28/8/2007
New Master for Warwickshire Installed Masters Lodge
W Bro Rodney Pitham PSGD Assistant Provincial Grand Master will be installed by W Bro Nigel Bister PAGDC Assistant Provincial Grand Master as Master of the Warwickshire Installed Masters Lodge No 4538 on Saturday 29 September 2007. The Lodge opens at 10.30am and will be followed by lunch. Both Rodney and Nigel would welcome the support of Warwickshire Brethren in particular on this important occasion. If you wish to attend please get in touch with the Assistant Secretary Trevor Siddall at trevor.siddall@talk21.com as soon as possible. posted 28/8/2007
A celebration
The Lodge of Warwick No 8011 will be holding its 300th regular meeting on Wednesday 14 November 2007 and has arranged a visit from the Worcestershire Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge No 9142 who will present "Do You Want to Know a Secret". If you wish to have further details or attend the meeting please contact Steven Price on 01926 494980 or at steven.price3@btinternet.com posted 28/8/2007
A new Ruler
Colin Young, an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the neighbouring Province of Worcestershire, has been appointed as the Intendant General of the West Midlands Division of The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and St John The Evangelist. Colin succeeds Richard Wallis who has himself been promoted to the high office of Deputy Grand Sovereign of the Orders. Details of Colin's Installation, the date of which is not yet fixed, will be available from Jeremy Mallin, the Divisional Recorder, on 01564 773454. posted 27/8/2007
Freemasons of Warwickshire reveal all!
A number of Masonic Halls in Warwickshire are to be open to the public during the national Heritage Open Days weekend between 6 and 9 September 2007. Members of the public will be made most welcome and no appointments are necessary. All questions about Freemasonry will be answered. Lodge Rooms can be inspected and Masonic regalia will be on display. Freemasons will be on hand to guide and explain.
The home of Warwickshire Freemasonry at the Clarendon Suites, 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham will take part in the Open Days on 6 September 2007 from 10.00am until 4.00pm. Nuneaton Masonic Hall at 12 Newdegate Place, Nuneaton, will be open at similar times on 7 and 8 September as will the Masonic Rooms at St Mary Magdalen Chapel, Guy’s Cliffe, Warwick on 6, 7, and 8 September. Solihull Masonic Hall at 1621 Warwick Road, Knowle opens its doors from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Sunday 9 September; Sutton Coldfield Masonic Hall in Mill Street, Sutton Coldfield on 8 September in the morning, the Masonic Rooms at Alderson House, 23 High Street Warwick on 8 September in the morning, the Stratford Masonic Rooms, Great William Street, Stratford on 6, 7, and 8 September all day, and the Yenton Masonic Rooms, 73 Gravelly Hill North, Erdington on 8 September between 10.00am and 4.30pm.
This is an opportunity for the public to find out more about Freemasonry and for Freemasons to dispel all the myths and fictions so often published about them. posted 27/8/2007
Grand Masters to meet in London
The Grand Masters and Grand Secretaries of regular Grand Lodges in Europe have been invited to a special meeting in London on 5 and 6 November 2007.
Since the political changes in Europe in the early 1990s there has been an unparalleled growth in the number of Grand Lodges in Europe. Whilst greatly welcomed, that growth has brought with it a number of problems and tensions, particularly in the areas of regularity, sovereignty, recognition and territorial jurisdiction, which will be the main topics of discussion at this special meeting.
The meeting will consist of a number of short formal presentations followed by open discussion of the topics raised. The presentations and a summary of the discussions will be printed for circulation amongst those attending. As each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent no binding decisions can be made, but this will be a major opportunity for the leaders of regular European Freemasonry to meet and to share information, experiences and views to strengthen the fraternal bonds which unite them.
Because of the importance of the topics under discussion and as no ritual work will be included in the meeting, in addition to representatives of the Grand Lodges in Europe recognised by the UGLE invitations have been extended to the Grand Masters of a small number of Grand Lodges which are regular in origin and practice but are not at present formally recognised by England. posted 21/8/2007
Your chance to hear a Prestonian Lecture next door
The members of Frederick Hickton Griffiths Lodge No 8878 in Worcestershire are delighted to welcome R W Bro Roeinton Khambatta, Past District Grand Master (Pakistan) and Prestonian Lecturer for 2007, back to the Lodge in October. R W Bro Khambatta was the first IPM of the Lodge and returns to deliver his Prestonian lecture entitled “The Grand Secretaries 1813 – 1980” at the Regular Meeting of the Lodge on Wednesday 31st October at 6.00pm at the Moseley Masonic Hall, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 6DT.
Anyone interested in attending this important meeting should contact the Secretary for a copy of the Summons. Details are available from Raymond Pidcock at 14 Bishop Close, Dunholme, Lincolnshire, LN2 3US or on 01673 866242. posted 21/8/2007
A Mason serving the community
Albert Harding, a Freemason in Thunder Bay, Ontario, has achieved a personal milestone that puts him in the top twelve plasma donors in all of Canada.
He has just made his 600th plasma donation at the Canadian Blood Services Centre in Thunder Bay. Twelve per cent of plasma donations in the Province of Ontario are given by Freemasons. Albert says he gave his first donation when he was just seventeen and his goal is to make 1,000 donations in his lifetime. posted 16/8/2007
Reading Court donates to Air Ambulance
The residents of Reading Court in Tiddington Road in Stratford
upon Avon, some of whom have Masonic connections, have raised among themselves
the sum of £545 which has been donated to the Warwickshire and
Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Service. The photograph shows Pam Jowers, the
Warden, handing the cheque to a grateful Steve Welton of the Air Ambulance.
Reading Court consists of sheltered apartments and is owned by the Masonic
Housing Association. The Chairman of the complex is W Bro Alan J Wellan one of
the Assistant Provincial Grand Masters of the Province of Warwickshire. Alan
says: "The residents are very committed to helping the local community in any
way they can and it is delightful to see that the Masonic spirit is alive and
well at Reading Court." posted
16/8/2007
Ed Doolan
We are pleased to report that Ed is making good progress after his operation and expects to be back with his radio programme shortly. posted 16/8/2007
Lawyers learn about Euclid!
The Lodge of Jurisprudence No 9457 at its next meeting will be host to W Bro Joseph Khalil-Marzouk who will present his paper entitled "Euclid's 47th Proposition and the Past Master's Jewel". This promises to be an educative and stimulating talk. The meeting will be held, by dispensation, at the Masonic Hall, Swan Lane, Evesham on Monday 24 September 2007 at 6.45pm for 7.00pm. If you wish to attend please get in touch with David Williams on 0121 705 3818 or at twentiescottage@hotmail.co.uk posted 15/8/2007
75
years and still going
Ralph Meserve became a Mason in 1932 when he was initiated in Saco Lodge No 9 in Maine, USA. Seventy-five years later, Ralph, now 97, has been honoured by his Lodge for reaching this rare milestone. He is the oldest living member of Saco Lodge and the oldest Past Master. The photo shows him with a commemorative plaque presented to him by the Lodge. posted 15/8/2007
Warwickshire Installed Masters Lodge Ladies Night
The Master of the Lodge, W Bro Nigel Bister, and his wife Pam invite Brethren, their ladies and other guests to attend their Ladies Night at 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham on Saturday 22 September at 6.15pm for dinner at 7.00pm. Dress is formal. The cost is £38 per person inclusive of wines and a Bucks Fizz reception. Further details are available from, and reservations can be made with, Nigel Burton the Provincial Grand Secretary, on 0121 454 4422. posted 13/8/2007
Freemasons' Aid to Cathedral in Gibraltar
The English Freemasons of Gibraltar have presented a cheque for £5,000 to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity for its Rock of Ages Campaign. Alfred Ryan, Deputy District Grand Master in Charge of Gibraltar’s English Masons, presented the cheque to Dean Alan Woods, on behalf of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity of the United Grand Lodge of England. The District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar said it had been delighted that the request for the grant was favourably considered and approved by the Committee and Council of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity of the United Grand Lodge of England. The District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar believes it is “a worthy and most needed cause, and it is hoped that the grant will help in the repairs and restoration of the Cathedral Holy Trinity”. posted 11/8/2007
Ed Doolan
The Freemasons of Warwickshire send their best wishes to Bro Ed Doolan for a speedy recovery to full health after the emergency fitting of a pacemaker. posted 8/8/2007
Freemasons aid victims of floods in Asia
In the wake of the worst flooding to hit Asia in many years the Freemasons' Grand Charity has approved a grant of £50,000 to the British Red Cross Asia Floods Appeal.
In recent weeks, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan have all been hit by major floods caused by the monsoon rains. Landslides and flash floods have killed several hundred people and hundreds of thousands more have been left homeless. Many of the people affected are amongst the world’s poorest and they now have little or no access to food, clean water and healthcare and are at risk from the outbreak of water-borne disease.
The grant to the Red Cross is a significant contribution towards the initial £250,000 appeal target and will help to provide emergency relief in the affected countries, including the delivery of food, water and basic healthcare. posted 8/8/2007
Warwickshire Freemasons help flooded farmers
The ARC - Addington Fund was established in 2001 by the Arthur Rank Centre at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, as the Churches' response to the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak of that year. It is based at the Royal Show Ground at Stoneleigh.
The Fund is now responding to the aftermath of the recent floods which has caused so much devastation in many rural communities and will be able to assist those farmers whose livelihood has literally been 'washed away'. The Fund is providing a package of hardship grants and pastoral care. They are involved in coordinating a fodder bank, to get supplies to farmers whose grazing land has been ruined. Whilst the Fund cannot compensate for losses, it can help in the provision of some immediate relief.
The Freemasons of Warwickshire are going to help this worthwhile cause and, thanks to an additional contribution from the Freemasons' Grand Charity in London, will be donating £3,000 to the Fund. A cheque for this amount will be presented to Ian Bell, the Fund's Director, by David Rawlins, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, at the Warwickshire Provincial HQ in Stirling Road Edgbaston on Thursday 9 August 2007 at 10.30am.
Freemasons do not collect money from the general public. Donations of this nature can only be made through the generosity of Freemasons and their contributions. posted 7/8/2007
2012 Festival
At 31 July 2007 the total is £665,000 for the 2012 Festival. posted 7/8/2007
Freemason jailed for stealing £48,000 from Lodges
A Freemason who stole from two Northumberland Masonic Lodges has been jailed. David Glass worked voluntarily as a treasurer for the Masonic movement as he plundered the cash to pay off his spiralling debts. The former financial advisor stole just over £48,000 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland and the Farne Lodge of Mark Master Masons between November 2004 and November 2005. But Glass was caught when fellow Masons became suspicious of the missing cash and began to investigate, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Glass, 55, was arrested and pleaded guilty to 20 charges involving theft, false accounting and using a false instrument on the day his trial was due to start earlier this month. Judge Guy Whitburn jailed Glass for 21 months and said he had committed a gross breach of trust. "How it is that a man of good character commits theft on this scale is quite difficult to understand," Judge Whitburn said. posted 7/8/2007
FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Communications via the Warwickshire web site
It is evident from comments made at the last meeting of Temple Councillors and Liaison Officers in July that not all Brethren in the Province of Warwickshire have access to the Internet which means that they are not aware of current news, events and announcements particularly those coming from the Provincial Grand Master. Because of the limitations of both timing and space it is not possible to mention every such item in Provincial Grand Lodge News which is published in February, August and November and distributed to Lodge Secretaries in such numbers that there is a copy for each member.
The Warwickshire web site is a useful and immediate means of communication of all matters considered to be of relevance to Brethren and it is also the public face of Freemasonry in Warwickshire. The Provincial Information Officer spends a considerable amount of his time preparing items for the web site on a very regular basis in the hope that the news is fresh and welcomed by all readers.
To ensure that all information on the web site reaches all Brethren, Lodges in the Province should arrange for a Brother to visit the news page at http://www.warwickshirepgl.org.uk/prov_news_main.html on a regular basis, perhaps once every two weeks, and make sure that the Secretary has the details to pass on to Brethren by way of hard copy. There is a facility on the news page for users to register and receive reminders that the page has been updated. Every member is entitled to know what is happening in and around the Province and this simple method will help in achieving that. posted 6/8/2007
A celebration of 100 years
Concord Lodge No 3239 will celebrate its Centenary on Saturday 15 September 2007 at The Warwickshire Masonic Temple, 2 Stirling Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9SB. The Lodge will open at 5-30pm with the Festive Board commencing at 7-30pm. RW Brother Stanley Alan Lates OSM, Past Provincial Grand Master, is the Lodge's most Senior Past Master and is the current Master. He and the members of the Lodge would be delighted if as many Brethren of the Province as is possible could support them as they celebrate this enjoyable and momentous occasion in Concord Lodge's history and receive their Centenary Warrant.
Those wishing to attend and stay to dinner (cost of which is £24.50) should signify their intentions as soon as possible to Joe McCollum the Lodge Secretary on joemccollum@blueyonder.co.uk posted 31/7/2007
Freemasons sponsor Special Olympics
The Ohio Special Olympics have been sponsored by Ohio Freemasons contributing a record $200,000 to this year's event. For more than a quarter of a century, Special Olympics athletes have held a prominent place in Ohio Freemasonry. During this period, Ohio Masons have contributed more than $2.3 million to help pay the cost of Special Olympians attending the annual Summer Games in Columbus.
During the opening ceremonies, hundreds of Freemasons, wearing white shirts and aprons and Special Olympics ball caps, marched into the stadium to the standing ovation and cheers of onlookers, many of them Special Olympics parents. The Masons then had a chance to greet the parade of Special Olympics athletes as they passed. In addition to financial support, the Masons host a welcome centre for Special Olympics athletes and their families, provide volunteer help during the statewide Summer Games competition, as well as volunteer support at countless local and district events. posted 27/7/2007
Masons give £100,000 for flood relief efforts
As torrential rain and flooding continues to affect large areas of Britain, the President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity has responded to The British Red Cross UK Floods Appeal with an emergency grant of £65,000. A sum of £35,000 has already been made available to boost Provincial Grand Lodge donations to various charitable funds which are being used to assist those affected by flooding throughout the country. The £65,000 grant will help support communities and individuals as people are finally able to begin returning to homes ruined by flood-waters.
Speaking about the response, Grahame Elliott, President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity said “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this terrible weather which has destroyed homes and left many people in dire need of assistance. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity was established to support people in need and we hope these grants will help people cope with the impact of the floods and begin to get back on their feet.” posted 25/7/2007
Possible assistance for flood damage
Following the recent flooding in several parts of the country, it is likely that some Freemasons and their dependents will be amongst those affected. In situations where assistance is not available to them from the government, local government and/or from insurance sources, or where more urgent funds are required and their own finances cannot cover the necessary expenditure, the Council of the Freemasons' Grand Charity will consider special applications. The Freemasons' Grand Charity cannot provide an open-ended commitment to help and due diligence must be applied as in all cases.
Any Warwickshire Freemason who believes he may need assistance of this nature should get in touch with the Provincial Charity Office on 0121 454 0554 for guidance and more detailed information. posted 25/7/2007
Brother Ironman
Bro Ashwin Sethi of the Lodge of the East & West No 9785, successfully completed the Ironman Triathlon in Klagenfurt, Austria. This involved swimming 2.4 miles followed by a 112 mile bike ride and then a full 26.2 mile marathon non-stop. It took him 15 hours to complete. Bro Ashwin together with his team raised £36,341 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the United Nations Children's Fund. The Province of Warwickshire extends its warmest congratulations to Ashwin on this magnificent achievement. posted 23/7/2007
New Grand Master for the United Grand Lodge of Queensland
MW Bro Graeme Albert Ewin was installed as Grand Master of the
United Grand Lodge of Queensland in the Grand Hall of the Masonic Centre,
Brisbane on Saturday 7 July 2007 under the gaze of delegations from Grand
Lodges all over Australasia and New Zealand. UGLQ is the only Grand Lodge in
the Antipodes which can carry out a Grand Installation in its own Grand Hall
much to the envy of the other Grand Lodges. The Installation of the new Grand
Master was only part of three days of celebrations. The Brethren and their
guests attended an Ecumenical Church Service at St Andrew's Uniting Church on
Sunday and on the Monday gathered together for the Grand Installation Banquet
at a Brisbane Hotel where the Grand Master and his wife Pam presided. The
photograph shows the new Grand Master of UGLQ.
Our thanks for this information go to RW Bro Arthur Beards a Past Assistant Grand Master of the UGLQ and one of its Grand Heralds. Arthur was born in Rugby and is the uncle of W Bro Ken Jones, a Past Master of Laurence Sheriffe Lodge which meets there. He is also a regular correspondent by email with the Provincial Information Officer. Arthur, at the tender age of 81, travels extensively throughout Queensland with the Grand Master, his Deputy or Assistant whenever they are on official Masonic duty in his role as a Grand Herald, complete with trumpet. Like many Freemasons Arthur has a very understanding wife when he is away so often at considerable distances from home although she accompanied him to the Grand Installation celebrations. posted 21/7/2007
Masons have a heart
Freemasons from West Lothian have helped raise £7000 for a charity researching children's cardiac problems. The Lodge Hopetoun St John No 1232, in Linlithgow, had been fundraising for the Cardiac Research in the Young charity in memory of David Cochrane, a young member who died suddenly earlier this year. posted 21/7/2007
Freemasons' Grand Charity aids Air Ambulance
The
Freemasons' Grand Charity has this year donated the magnificent sum of
£190,000 to the Air Ambulance Service which means that the 19 Air
Ambulances throughout England Wales have benefited from individual donations of
£10,000. Amongst the beneficiaries was the Warwickshire and
Northamptonshire Air Ambulance which is based at Coventry Airport.
The photograph shows the Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire, RW Bro Michael J Price CBE, the Provincial Grand Master for Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, RW Bro W Barrington Hall (with the cheque), and W Bro Rodney Pitham Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire at the presentation recently to the medical and flight crew of the air ambulance. Rodney is also the Chairman of the Appeals and Donations Committee of the Council of the Freemasons' Grand Charity which considers and recommends to the Council grants of this nature to non-Masonic charities.
Donations of this nature are made possible by contributions from Freemasons in England and Wales. No money is collected from the public. posted 20/7/2007
In memoriam
It is with great sorrow that we report the passing to the Grand Lodge above on 18 July of W Bro Arthur Leonard Harris Past Junior Grand Deacon, Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden. His funeral will be held at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick at 2.15pm on Friday 27 July. No flowers but donations if desired to Myton Hospice, Warwick c/o Dowsons Funeral Directors, 22 George Street, Leamington Spa. Arthur will be sadly missed and we express our condolences and sympathies to his family at this difficult time. posted 20/7/2007
Freemasons come to the aid of children with speech and hearing problems
Freemasons in Huntington, Ashland, Kentucky, USA have just presented $43,000 to the Marshall University Speech and Hearing Centre in the Department of Communication Disorders, bringing to $201,000 the total amount they have so far contributed to the Centre.
The Governor of Kentucky joined Marshall President Stephen J. Kopp and Board of Governors Vice Chairman Menis Ketchum at the presentation, which took place at the speech and hearing centre in Smith Hall on Marshall’s Huntington campus. The Freemasons' partnership with Marshall began in March 2002.
Kathryn Chezik, chairwoman of the Department of Communication Disorders, said the financial support from the Huntington Freemasons helps fund a clinical faculty position providing speech-language services. “This position allows us to serve more children in the area and to assist in the clinical education of the students in the Department ” she said. Amy Knell is the clinician whose position has been funded by Huntington Freemasons for the past three years. “If it was not for the Freemasons, Marshall would not have the clinical programme it has and the speech and hearing centre would not be able to see as many children as it sees,” Amy said. posted 17/7/2007
Freemasons help school
A new sensory garden has been officially opened at Newfield Special School in Blackburn. The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen opened the garden at the Old Bank Lane school, designed to allow children to watch and understand nature. Pupils had helped to plant the flowers. Headteacher Jane Barry thanked the Freemasons of Blackburn with Darwen for funding and organising the project. A commemorative plaque has been installed at the garden entrance to mark the occasion. posted 17/7/2007
Error in MQ
Brethren who have received Issue 22 of MQ Magazine should note that on page 35, in the Article entitled Human Rights Court Judgement, there is a typographical error in the third paragraph. The beginning of that paragraph should read "The Grand Orient of Italy, which is not recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England, ........".
Recognition of the Grand Orient of Italy was withdrawn by Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication held on 8 September 1993. posted 15/7/2007
Freemasonry at Wimbledon
Georgina Brown, 14, from Bournemouth, Dorset, a beneficiary of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, performed the coin toss to decide who would serve first in this year’s Ladies’ Singles Final. posted 8/7/2007
