Issue 59 ~ Autumn 2022

Freemasonry Today

Driving force
Cumbrian Freemasons on
their incredible aid mission
to a Ukraine war zone

Carrying the torch

Lighting the Platinum Jubilee
beacon at Freemasons’ Hall The Masonic
Enlightenment
Dr Ric Berman continues
Issue 59 ~ Autumn 2022

his series on the

1723 Constitutions

The new Pro

Grand Master
Preparing for his forthcoming
role, Pro Grand Master Jonathan
Spence introduces a seven-year
plan for Freemasonry

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AstonLark_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 10:53

FROM THE
PAS T G R A N D
S EC R E TA RY A N D
GRAND SCRIBE E
‘Be humble’ and ‘seize the day’ were
painted on two small decorative rocks
given to me by my predecessor, RW Bro
Willie Shackell, when I took over from
him as Grand Secretary five years ago.
Unbelievably, the time has flown by and
this shall be my last Grand Secretary’s
(and Grand Scribe E’s) welcome column
having retired gracefully to the back
benches. I hope I have lived up to his
expectations in both respects. Not for
the faint-hearted is a role that combines
so many different facets and demands,
and as I hand on to my successor, I wish
him and the staff at Freemasons’ Hall
the best of luck and my most sincere
good wishes for the future.
Considering, for a moment, how
Freemasonry has evolved over the past
five years, I wish to extend my thanks
to all those who have given so much of
themselves to improve the perception
of the Craft, and its administration, and
am delighted with the public profile we
now enjoy. It’s extraordinary to think of
how we were portrayed and represented
in the media such a short time ago,
and how far we have come.
Often, so many who contribute to the
day-to-day running of the Craft, from
members of the board, working parties,
the staff and, of course, members in our
Provinces and Districts overseas, do so
without thanks or recognition from the
wider membership. Freemasonry would
be much the poorer without their hard
work and I pay tribute to their efforts on
your behalf, without which we would be
a much more modest organisation. In May,
I was fortunate enough to travel overseas
on my final trip as Grand Secretary. It is a
constant source of jealousy with my NHS
colleagues that my role enabled me to
travel and meet so many wonderful people
who I might never otherwise have known.
Africa was my destination on this
occasion – Orange Free State and Zambia.
FMT_59_p03_welcome_v0.4R.indd 3
Welcome
A whistle-stop tour
of both Districts and
a wonderfully warm
welcome reminded me
that UGLE is a truly global
organisation. Remember
our international presence and brethren Such opportunities are few and far
when you are travelling abroad, and if you between, and while UGLE will always
are able to slip away for an evening, it is be there to offer advice and guidance,
always well worth a visit. So rarely is one it is up to you, our members, to carry
able to discover a local take on the places forward who we are and what we do
we visit, but our Districts provide a to the world – and, most importantly,
fabulous wealth of knowledge. why you enjoy Freemasonry.
Another passion of mine has been the So, be proud of your Freemasonry, as
high ceremonial that I have been lucky I am. Be thoughtful of members who need
enough to witness and be a part of. No our help and continue to look after the
other Grand Lodge in the world manages communities from which we are drawn,
ceremonial like UGLE and again, as I as we did so well during the pandemic.
disappear out the door, I thank, on your May your God go with you in your daily
behalf, the Grand Director of Ceremonies lives, be beside you in times of trouble
and his team for all that they do at and hardship, may he look kindly upon
home and abroad to maintain the your efforts at home and at work, and
very high standards for which we are may he continue to preserve the Queen
renowned. Despite how easy they make and the Craft.
it look, we all know the hard work and
time it takes to develop and exhibit such
polish, without which we would, again, Dr David Staples
be the poorer. Past Grand Secretary and Grand Scribe E
September marks a very special time
in the history of UGLE. How the new
Pro Grand Master, RW Bro Jonathan
Spence, chooses to represent the
MW Grand Master and lead the Craft,
and the decisions he makes now will have
wide-reaching effects not only for English
Freemasonry, but for the whole Craft
across the world. I wish him wisdom and
patience in the discharge of his important
Trust, knowing he will conduct himself
with skill and integrity.
The installation of a new Pro Grand
Master marks another chapter in a more
than 300-year history of a truly unique
institution and from what I have been
privileged to see, especially with regard
to the new strategy, this fresh chapter
promises to be a fabulously exciting time.
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RMBI_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 11:05

The official journal of the
United Grand Lodge of England
Issue 59 – Autumn 2022
Editor Donna Hardie
Editorial Panel Michelle Worvell,
Shaun Butler, Guy Roberts, Martin Cherry,
Julian Perry (Culture editor)
Published by Sunday, 207 Union Street,
London SE1 0LN, www.wearesunday.com
for the United Grand Lodge of England,
Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street,
London WC2B 5AZ
Editorial Manager Shaun Butler
editor@freemasonrytoday.com
Freemasonry Today, Freemasons’ Hall,
Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ
Advertising contact Gaynor Garton
gaynor@square7media.co.uk
020 3283 4056 Square7 Media Ltd,
3 More London Riverside, London SE1 2RE
Circulation fmt@freemasonrytoday.com
020 7395 9392
Masonic enquiries
editor@freemasonrytoday.com
020 7831 9811
www.ugle.org.uk
Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd
© United Grand Lodge of England 2022.
The opinions herein are those of the
authors or persons interviewed only
and do not reflect the views of the
United Grand Lodge of England or Sunday.
Contact us
editor@freemasonrytoday.com
@freemasonry2day
@ugle_grandlodge
@grandchapter
Cover image: Jooney Woodward
FreemasonryToday
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SupremeGrandChapter
@unitedgrandlodgeofengland
@freemasonrytoday
@freemasonshall
FMT_59_p05_contents_v0.3R.indd 5
Contents
40
44
Welcome
3 From the Past Grand Secretary
and Grand Scribe E
Dr David Staples welcomes
you to the autumn issue
Out & About
6 Provincial and District news
The 1723 Constitutions, plus
Bedfordshire’s new Scout hut and the 6
Peter Lowndes golf day in Cyprus
The Royal Arch
Stories
66 The Supreme Grand Chapter
40 The interview The new Royal Arch Membership and
As he prepares to take over as Pro Grand Communications Working Party
Master of UGLE, Jonathan Spence talks
of his hopes for Freemasonry Culture
44 Driving force 68 Books, reviewed by you
Cumberland and Westmorland
Freemasons take aid to Ukraine In the community
48 Beacons and brotherhood 71 Charity and the Craft
Lighting the Platinum Jubilee How the MCF and Freemasons support
beacon at Freemasons’ Hall members and their families nationwide
A daily advancement Fraternal world
52 Inventing the future 77 Home and abroad
Museum of Freemasonry’s new exhibition UGLE Lodges around the world
54 Brothers past 80 Your tweets
The life of librarian Henry Sadler
82 Thēsauros
Grand Lodge The fascinating and unusual
58 Quarterly Communication
Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes
looks back at 50 years of Freemasonry
60 Solomon
New module Welcome Companion
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17/08/2022 15:54
 Out & About The Constitutions’ conundrum

Image: Museum of Freemasonry

The power of t hree

Although attributed to James Anderson, The 1723 Constitutions was in fact a collaborative
effort. Dr Ric Berman continues his series on the tercentenary of Freemasonry’s rule book,
and, on p8, looks at how Freemasons led the charge towards greater Enlightenment

F
reemasonry’s 1723 Constitutions are
known widely as ‘Anderson’s Constitutions’,
but the authorship was not the work of
James Anderson alone. George Payne and Jean
Theophilus Desaguliers were closely involved,
with Desaguliers held to be the driving force.
Born in 1683 near La Rochelle in France to a
Huguenot family that fled the country the same
year, Desaguliers was brought up in London in
relative poverty. He was educated at his father’s
‘French School’ in Islington and subsequently
at Bishop Vesey’s School in Sutton Coldfield.
He was exceptionally bright and in 1705 was
admitted to Christ Church, Oxford, as a relatively
mature servitor scholar.
At Oxford, Desaguliers read divinity and natural
philosophy. His tutor, John Keill, was a Fellow of the
Royal Society and introduced him to its president,
Sir Isaac Newton, and to the Duke of Chandos, one
of England’s wealthiest men. Newton’s sponsorship
led to Desaguliers’ election as a Fellow, with his
fees waived ‘in consideration of his great usefulness
to the Royal Society’. And in Chandos Desaguliers
secured a well-connected, wealthy patron.

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Desaguliers made his living in part through
scientific demonstrations and lectures. Science was
starting to reach popular culture and interest in
scientific theories had spread beyond Oxbridge and
the Royal Society to coffee houses and taverns.
Desaguliers’ experiments and talks entertained as
well as informed, demonstrating the effects of
electricity, the physical properties of gases, optics,
and the orbits of the planets.
As a member of the newly formed Grand Lodge
and its Grand Master in 1719, Desaguliers was a
pivotal figure in Freemasonry. His Masonic status
gave him influence and he reworked Freemasonry’s
Charges and altered English Ritual to bring in new
Enlightenment philosophical concepts. He also
promoted Masonic benevolence, helped to develop
a governance structure for Freemasonry, oversaw
the introduction of lectures at Lodge meetings, and
introduced (or, as he put it, ‘revived’) the ‘ancient
toasts’ at Lodge dinners.
George Payne was born in Chester in 1685.
Although he did not attend university, his
younger brother, Thomas, did – matriculating
at Christ Church, Oxford, where he knew
Desaguliers. Both were servitor scholars,
both studied divinity, and both were ordained
as deacons.
Payne moved from Chester to London in
around 1711 to take the position of clerk in the
Leather Office in St Martin’s Lane, part of the Taxes
Office, a job obtained through family connections.
His name and address feature in classified
advertisements as one of several locations where
tickets to Desaguliers’ lectures and copies of his
‘catalogue of experiments’ could be obtained.
The date of the advertisements, 1713, confirms
that Desaguliers and Payne knew each other
before Desaguliers moved to London.
Payne was employed in the Taxes Office for
40 years, eventually becoming secretary to the
tax commissioners. He also held several profitable
sinecures, some of which were obtained through
the patronage of the Duke of Richmond.
When it came to Freemasonry, Payne was the
second and fourth Grand Master of Grand Lodge
(in 1718 and 1720), and was subsequently Senior
Grand Warden (1724) and Deputy Grand Master
(1735). He was also the Duke of Richmond’s deputy
at the Horn Tavern Lodge, No. IV, and in 1749 was
Master of the influential King’s Arms Lodge in
the Strand – now the Old King’s Arms, No. 28.
Payne’s commitment to Freemasonry is
evident throughout his Masonic career, both
inside and outside Grand Lodge, where he sat
on key committees and stood in as acting Grand
Master in 1735.
Payne’s death in 1757 generated short obituaries
in the press that referred to his years of Crown
service, but his principal legacy was his influence
in moulding English Freemasonry.
FMT_59_p06-7_1723a_v0.5.indd 7
The Constitutions’ conundrum Out & About
Jean Theophilus
Desaguliers (pictured left)
and George Payne
were co-authors of
The 1723 Constitutions
FMT Autumn 2022
James Anderson was born in 1679 in Aberdeen
and was ordained into the Church of Scotland
in 1707. He moved to London to take up a ministry
at the Glasshouse Street congregation at the
eastern end of Piccadilly, and thereafter at the
Presbyterian church in nearby Swallow Street
in 1710.
Anderson is regarded by many as pivotal
to the birth of modern Freemasonry. However,
it would be wrong to view him as the fulcrum on
which Grand Lodge and Freemasonry turned.
Anderson was not the sole author of The 1723
Constitutions, nor its instigator, nor was he
responsible for its most important components.
(He was, however, the sole author of The 1738
Constitutions, but the contents of that book
were partly rejected and replaced by a Grand
Lodge-approved edition in 1756.)
The key components of The 1723 Constitutions
were the Charges and General Regulations, written
by Desaguliers and Payne respectively. Anderson’s
role was to compile the traditional history of
Freemasonry and to serve as a ‘hired pen’ under
Desaguliers’ direction and that of the publishers,
John Senex and John Hooke.
The preamble to The 1723 Constitutions
underlines this. Dedicated to the Duke of
Montagu and written by Desaguliers, the
dedication indicates that ‘the author’, Anderson,
had ‘compared and made everything agreeable
to History and Chronology’. The absence of
any reference to the Charges and Regulations
is significant and emphasises that these were
not produced by Anderson. Indeed, the Charges
are significantly at odds with Anderson’s
personal religious beliefs, something displayed
in The 1738 Constitutions.
Anderson is identified as ‘the author of this
book’ almost as an afterthought on page 74 in a
line hidden in the middle of the second page of
the Approbations. This stands in contrast to
the co-publishers, Senex and Hooke, whose
names appear prominently on the front page,
to Desaguliers, who personally signs the
dedication, and to Payne, who compiled the
General Regulations.
Had Anderson undertaken a more substantive
role, it would have been more conventional for
him to receive recognition with his name
on the frontispiece and an acknowledgement in
the introduction. In fact, according to Anderson’s
own record, he was instructed by ‘His Grace and
Grand Lodge’ to ‘digest the Gothic Constitutions’
and a committee was afterwards appointed to
examine the manuscript.
On 22 March 1722, after ‘perusal and corrections’
by the past and current Deputy Grand Masters,
John Beale and John Desaguliers, ‘and of other
learned brethren’, the volume was presented to
Montagu for formal endorsement.
7
16/08/2022 14:40
 Out & About 1723 and Masonic Enlightenment
Freemasonr y
a nd the Age
of Reason
The Enlightenment refers in broad terms to a
philosophy that emerged in northern Europe in
the late 17th and early 18th century. Its defi ning
characteristics include a belief in reason, personal
liberty, and the search for knowledge through
scientific method and rational observation.
It was – and is – a philosophy sceptical of political,
social and religious diktat, expressed, for example,
by absolute monarchy and hereditary aristocracy,
and the unwillingness of established religious
authorities to face questions – a criticism
8 FMT Autumn 2022
FMT_59_p08-9_1723b_v0.5R.indd 8
levelled at the Catholic Church in particular.
Enlightenment values embrace religious tolerance,
constitutional government, civic responsibility,
meritocracy and the promotion of the societal and
personal advantages that flow from courtesy,
charity, education and self-improvement.
The Grand Lodge of England adopted and
promoted these values, a process that began visibly
with the publication of The 1723 Constitutions with
its reworked Charges and Regulations and its
adoption of a reformulated Masonic Ritual.
Masonic values are frequently summarised as
the three Grand Principles of ‘Brotherly Love’,
‘Relief’ and ‘Truth’. In this context, Brotherly Love
can be considered a shorthand expression for the
promotion and practice of consideration for others, A study of hydrometers
that is, for mankind or humanity. Relief is the by Jean Theophilus
promotion and practice of benevolence and charity: Desaguliers, Freemason,
scientist, philosopher
not simply relieving poverty but also ‘distress’ or and co-author of
suffering more generally. And Truth refers to The 1723 Constitutions
17/08/2022 15:54

education and improving an understanding of
both the world and oneself, whereby Freemasons
are encouraged to focus on the ‘advantages of
education, by which means alone we are rendered
fit members of regularly organised society’.
The 1723 Charges, Regulations and Ritual
lie at the heart of modern Freemasonry. And the
intellectual and philosophical ideas expounded
in the 18th century embedded Enlightenment
principles within the Craft.
Eighteenth-century Freemasonry was also
associated closely with education and science. A
crossover in membership with the Royal Society
and the prominent position of Jean Theophilus
Desaguliers and other leading scientists and
Fellows of the Royal Society led to some Lodges
becoming forums for education and debate.
Scientific lectures were fashionable at the time
and a powerful draw for the aspirational, whether
gentry or more middling. Historians have described
such lectures as ‘the theatre of the upper classes’,
although this underplays the role of 18th-century
science in beginning the process of revolutionising
agriculture and industry.
Natural philosophers such as Desaguliers,
described as arguably the most successful
scientific lecturer of the century, applied science
to commercial problems and developed ideas to
generate income. This was integral to wealth
creation and gave momentum to Britain’s
innovations in agriculture, mining and its nascent
manufacturing industries. But Newtonian science
was more than just utilitarian. It also had
philosophical dimensions. Desaguliers’ success
in delivering lectures across Europe represented
the ascendancy of Newtonianism with its emphasis
on rational scientific observation and a universe
governed by comprehensible laws rather than
Descartes’ ‘innate knowledge’ and the religious
diktat of the established church.
And Newtonianism also championed
constitutional government over autocracy,
something made clear in Desaguliers’ allegorical
poem, The Newtonian System of the World –
The Best Model of Government, which begins:
In Ancient Times, ere Bribery began
To taint the Heart of undesigning Man,
Ere Justice yielded to be bought and sold,
When Senators were made by Choice, not Gold,
Ere the Cunning were accounted Wise,
And Kings began to see with other’s Eyes…
Although only a small number of early
18th-century Lodge minutes survive, those that do
provide evidence that it was customary in at least
some lodges for members, whether hobbyists or
professionals, to share their knowledge via lectures
‘in such of the Sciences as shall be thought to be
most agreeable to the Society’.
FMT_59_p08-9_1723b_v0.5R.indd 9
1723 and Masonic Enlightenment Out & About
‘Desaguliers, described as
arguably the most successful
scientific lecturer of the
century, applied science
to commercial problems’
An unambiguous example is the Lodge at the
King’s Arms in the Strand, which was renowned for
its lectures and for promoting ‘the grand design in
a general conversation’. The earliest extant Minute
Book covers 1733-56 and records 36 lectures in the
decade to 1743. Seven concerned human physiology,
some of which included dissections; six, ethics; five,
architecture; and three, ‘industrial processes’. Nine
examined different scientific inventions, techniques
and apparatus, while others explored a broad range
of topics from art and history to mathematics.
In addition to Martin Clare, a leading educator
and mathematician, members of the King’s Arms
included surgeon William Graeme and fellow
physicians Edward Hody and James Douglas.
All were Fellows of the Royal Society.
Clare’s philosophical approach to education
is set out in his Discourse, a speech given to the
Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge
on 11 December 1735:
‘The chief pleasure of society – viz., good
conversation and the consequent improvements –
are rightly presumed… to be the principal motive of
our fi rst entering into then propagating the Craft…
We are intimately related to those great and worthy
spirits who have ever made it their business and aim
to improve themselves and inform mankind. Let us
then copy their example that we may also hope to
attain a share in their praise.’
Other Lodges had similar programmes. Lectures
were held at the Lodge of Friendship meeting at the
Shakespeare’s Head in Little Marlborough Street,
where Clare spoke in 1737. Eight lectures were given
the following year, with topics ranging from
astronomy to optics, and further lectures in 1739-41.
Lectures were also given in the provinces, including
at the Nag’s Head in Carmarthen, South Wales, the Desaguliers’ experiment
showing that prismatic
Saracen’s Head in Lincoln, and at Warrington’s colours cannot be split
Lodge of Lights. further, London, 1747
Images: Alamy
FMT Autumn 2022 9
17/08/2022 15:54
 Out & About Rugby
Joining
the scrum
UGLE Deputy Director of
Communications Shaun Butler
was honoured to be present for the
consecration of Nomads Rugby Lodge
E
arly on the morning of 16 July
2022, a buzz of anticipation was
building around Derby Masonic
Hall. The day had been months in the
planning, as was evident by the excited
tones of the voices I heard during the
short walk up to the Masonic Hall from
the main road.
We are talking, of course, about the
long-awaited consecration of Nomads
Rugby Lodge, No. 10015. Inside the hall
that morning, I am reliably informed that
rehearsals were underway by 7.30am as
the bacon sizzled on the grill in the vast
kitchens below. This was the reward for
those braving the warm morning to have
one final run-through before kick-off.
By 9am, the building was teeming with
Freemasons from numerous Provinces,
each one excited by what was to come.
The consecration of a Lodge is a historic
event and I am ashamed to say that this
was the first I had attended in my seven
years as a Freemason.
10
FMT_59_p10_RugbyLodge_v0.3.indd 10
As we prepared to head into the main
Temple, there were lots of discussions
around the day’s events, as well as more
than one last, curious glance towards
phones for the latest score from the
New Zealand v Ireland game. As news of
a surprise Irish victory trickled through
the assembled Freemasons, we made our
way into the Lodge Room.
I cannot speak more highly of the
consecration ceremony and the smooth
running of the event by all involved, with
a special shout-out for Julie Foster in the
Derbyshire Provincial Office. I will avoid
ruining it for those who haven’t had the
pleasure of attending a consecration
yet, but my advice is simple – see one!
Attending the ceremony for the first time
was one thing, but watching it delivered
by the new Pro Grand Master made it
even more special.
The event was like a who’s who of
Freemasonry, with three Provincial Grand
Masters installed as Officers of the Lodge.
FMT Autumn 2022
Steven Varley, Provincial Grand Master of
Derbyshire in the Chair as Worshipful
Master, Phillip Marshall, Provincial Grand
Master of Nottinghamshire as Junior
Warden and John Lockley, Provincial
Grand Master of Staffordshire as Senior
Deacon. For me, the broad representation
from across a number of Provinces is one
of the main draws. Over the course of
the day, I enjoyed conversations with
members from Essex, West Lancashire,
Cheshire and two from Scotland.
Noticeably, the Lodge is committed
to maintaining the core values of both
Freemasonry and the game of rugby union
and this is evident in the Lodge Room. As
the procession headed out of the meeting,
a scrum was formed and a ball thrown to
the Worshipful Master with a shout of
‘crouch, bind, set’ ringing out from the
Director of Ceremonies.
The Festive Board was genuinely one
of the best I have attended as a Freemason.
Lots of laughter and light-hearted banter
was shared by all in attendance – with
a fines court set-up for those caught
drinking with their right hand. It was easy
for me as a leftie, but don’t mention that
to the Worshipful Master!
The event was a great opportunity to
meet up with friends, including Gavin
Jones, who did a sterling job of looking
after me. I hope to attend again in the
near future.
Once again, a huge thank you to
Steven Varley for the invitation and to
the Province for its hospitality.
15/08/2022 17:36
Riviera_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 17:08
 Out & About Memorial garden
WE SHALL
RE M EM BE R
West Kent Freemasons gathered
to dedicate a beautiful garden to
the memory of all members who
had passed during the pandemic
W
est Kent Freemasons
experienced a day both
uplifting and moving in July
as the board of Oakley House – the home
of The Oakley Lodge, No. 8958 – dedicated
its new memorial garden to brothers lost.
There had long been a plan to dedicate
the garden to the memory of all brethren
who had died, for any reason, during
the Covid pandemic. Sadly, one of those
recently departed was Assistant Provincial
Grand Master Daniel Spencer, who had
become managing director of Oakley
House just days before he was called to
Higher Service. It was, therefore, fitting
that the board decided to name it the
Daniel John Spencer Memorial Garden.
The dedication took place with Dan’s
family in attendance, together with staff
12
FMT_59_p12_WestKent_v0.4R.indd 12
members from Oakley House, members
of the Executive and other friends. It goes
without saying that there were moments The newly unveiled garden
of sad reflection for Dan and everyone at Oakley House, dedicated
to the memory of Assistant
lost during a dreadful period that was Provincial Grand Master
unimaginable to us only three years ago. Daniel Spencer
The peaceful, reflective space inspired
a happy and relaxed atmosphere, noted
more for smiles and laughter than sorrow,
and everyone was able to leave looking
to a brighter future.
Thanks go to the staff at Oakley House
for facilitating the event, the members
of the board who conceived and
implemented the idea, to the Provincial
Grand Master, who spoke in a meaningful
and touching way, and, of course, to Dan’s
family, whose attendance made the day
so much more special.
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17/08/2022 15:55
RAH_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 11:00
 Out & About Dedicated service

M E MORY
LAN E
At almost 90 years old, Jim Ashton
is still committed to Freemasonry
after a distinguished 68 years.
He takes us through his long and
dedicated Masonic service

Y
ou might think it’s time to slow down your
Freemasonry career at almost 90 years old –
but not if you are Jim Ashton. This Freemason
is soon going to take up the chair as Worshipful Master
again, following 68 years in the Craft.
Jim’s Freemasonry journey began in 1954 at the age of
21, when he approached his late father and asked to join
him as a Freemason. Jim says, ‘My father told me to
hang about, as there was something in the offing!’
What Jim didn’t know was that a group of
Freemasons, including his father, were forming a new
Lodge called the London Haven. Created on 17 April
1954, the Lodge was made up of London Masons in
Dorset and Hampshire who wanted a new home.
On 18 September that same year, Jim was raised and
finally joined his father as a Freemason. ‘I was the first
initiate, as I was a Lewis,’ says Jim. ‘In the morning, my
father gave away my late sister at her wedding and in the
afternoon he raised me as a Freemason. He said that he
gave away a daughter and gained a brother!’
Jim recalled a particularly exciting event in his early
days as a Freemason during a visit of the Provincial
Grand Master of Dorset, Lord Llewellyn. As the Inner
Guard couldn’t be there that night, Jim was given the
nerve-wracking job of announcing the special visitor.
‘I had to announce him, his name and all the letters
after his name without a card. This I had to learn off
pat – quite daunting for a young Mason.’
In 1957, Jim married his wife and moved to West
Drayton, Middlesex, where he got involved in Scouting
and Freemasonry, combining the two by joining a
new Lodge. He joined Pro Juventute in 1975 and
became Worshipful Master in 1979, coinciding with
his 25th year in the Craft. He served there until the
Lodge’s closure.
As the years passed, Jim attended a number of
Scouting events, including a mini Scout jamboree at
Chalfont Heights Scout Camp, where he met another
Scouting Freemason called Barry Barthorpe. ‘I was in
charge of the swimming pool as he had charge of the
other events, including pioneering and shooting,’
says Jim. ‘He later asked me to become founder of
a new Lodge in Staines that formed part of the
Feltham Rover crew. Having been a Rover in the Jim Ashton is
past, Barry told me that they definitely wanted me about to take
up the chair
with them.’ as Worshipful
This new Lodge went on to become the Middlesex St. Master of
George Lodge, consecrated in 1989. Jim was given the Middlesex
Masters
job of designing the new badge with one other person (Uxbridge)
– but not all went to plan. Jim explains: ‘The badge had
to be changed as we had contravened Heraldry and so it
had to be redesigned by the college of Heralds.’ Former
railway worker Jim was the first Director of Ceremonies
of this Lodge and later became Worshipful Master in
2014 as he reached 60 years in the Craft.
Since becoming a Freemason all those years ago, Jim
has been up to all sorts of exciting things, from visiting
Lodges overseas in Canada to joining a Masonic choir.
And while he has had many eventful years in the Craft,
he is not planning on slowing down any time soon.
In 1984, Jim joined the Middlesex Masters, resigning
in 1989 to become founder of another new Lodge called
Middlesex Masters (Uxbridge). He will soon become the
Worshipful Master of this Lodge, having had his
promotion postponed due to the pandemic.
‘I think this is a pretty good selection of my Masonry
career since I started way back in 1954,’ he says. ‘When I
go into the chair, I will be 90 years old and will have
been in the Craft for 68 years. Can anyone beat that?’

14 FMT Autumn 2022

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Wembley_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 12:27
 Out & About Scouting

Left to right: CEO of

the Masonic Charitable
Foundation Les Hutchinson;
Bedfordshire Provincial
Grand Master Tony
Henderson; Pro Grand
Master Peter Lowndes;
Tony Harvey, representing
the Scouts Organisation

Scout’s honour
In a lasting testament to the generosity of Bedfordshire Freemasons, the Lodge of
Friendship Scouts’ accommodation was unveiled by Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes
The Lodge of Friendship Scouts Accommodation Lodge a selection of Masonic items and documents that
in Bromham, Bedfordshire, was officially opened on will prove a fascinating treasure trove when reopened
26 May by Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes. This day in a century or so.
was a long time coming – the building was completed The official opening may have been long delayed,
just before the fi rst Covid-19 lockdown, which put paid but Bedfordshire Freemasons can be very proud that
to the plans for a grand opening and handover to the their efforts have produced a magnificent facility
Scouts for more than two years. that will be enjoyed for generations to come – making
The project began shortly after Tony Henderson was memories and instilling values that will hopefully
installed as Provincial Grand Master for Bedfordshire inspire Freemasons of the future.
in 2016. Tony wanted something to stand as a lasting
testament to the values and generosity of Bedfordshire
Freemasons, and after discussions with local builder
and Freemason Michael Hillson and the local Scouts,
the germ of an idea turned to reality. The fi rst sod was
cut in July 2019 and just seven months later the building
was substantially complete.
The Lodge was funded by more than £520,000 in
donations from Bedfordshire Freemasons, and the
fi nished building impresses everyone who visits.
Sleeping 48, with modern bathrooms and a large
kitchen and dining area, the building will help young
people from across the region – and across the world –
to enjoy the facilities of the Leslie Sell Activity Centre. 
The magnificent stone located outside the main
entrance not only commemorates the official opening,
but also stands guard over a time capsule containing

16 FMT Autumn 2022

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FredOlsen_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 10:51
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
1 . B E R KS H I R E
Club together
Berkshire Freemasons have just made
an unrestricted grant of £9,000 over three
years to Berkshire charity Me2 Club.
The inclusion charity supports children
and young people aged five to 19 who
have additional needs and disabilities,
regardless of whether they have yet
received a formal diagnosis.
Working in the boroughs of Wokingham
and Reading, Me2 Club’s purpose is to
help tackle the loneliness and isolation
these children can often feel, by assisting
them to join in with mainstream sports
and leisure activities.
Liz McDaniel, senior fundraising
development coordinator with Me2 Club
said, ‘This funding comes at a really
challenging time for us. We have growing
waiting lists and increasing demand for
our services. That this grant is spread
across three years enables us to develop
our plans with greater certainty.
We currently support around 100 children
and teenagers, but hope to raise this
to 120 next year. This money from the
Freemasons of Berkshire will help us to
recruit and train the volunteers to turn
this into a reality.’
Take care
The Province of Berkshire hosted the
biannual Masonic Charitable Foundation
Members’ Meeting at the Sindlesham
Masonic Centre. The event was attended
by around 45 Provincial members,
appointed by Provincial Grand Masters to
maintain regular contact with the MCF
and act as ambassadors for the charity
within their Province.
The meeting was opened by
Berkshire PGM Anthony Howlett-Bolton
OBE, with presentations delivered by
MCF Chairman Sir Paul Williams OBE,
Chief Executive Les Hutchinson, Finance
Director Charles Angus and Operations
Director John McCrohan.
18
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 18
Attendees also heard from RMBI Care Co.
Managing Director Mark LLoyd, who led a
tour of the RMBI’s soon-to-be-opened new
care home, which is set in the grounds of
the existing Lord Harris Court.
2.BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Walk in the park
Having been treated for prostate cancer
10 years ago, Buckinghamshire member
Leo Keyte mentioned to his daughter
Vanessa that he would like to take part
in the March for Men event in London,
even though he has walking difficulties.
At first, Vanessa wasn’t too keen for Leo
to participate, but offered to accompany
him if he did attempt the walk.
On Father’s Day weekend, they made
their way to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic
Park. Leo completed the shorter route
of 1.6 miles with the help of his walking
stick, rest stops, slices of his 85th birthday
cake for energy, and the encouragement of
other walkers. He received a medal on
completion of the walk, while participants
raised more than £16,000 in sponsorship.
Well done Leo!
3. CAM BRIDGESHIRE
Help in adversity
As many as 150 children and young
people with cancer will receive help and
support thanks to a grant of £74,000 from
Cambridgeshire Freemasons to the
Young Lives vs Cancer charity.
The grant will fund a specialist social
worker based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital
in Cambridge as they provide a tailored
package of emotional, practical and
financial support to young cancer patients
and their families. This will help young
people and families overcome the
challenges and fears they face during
treatment and beyond. Young Lives vs
Cancer social workers are there from
FMT Autumn 2022
the point of diagnosis to offer practical
advice – whether it’s about school,
relationships, mental health or life
with cancer in general.
The charity supports children and
young people across the East of England
including Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire,
Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk,
who have been diagnosed with cancer and
who are being treated at Addenbrooke’s
Hospital in Cambridge.
Bradley Willcox, 22, from Norwich,
has been supported by the charity since he
was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma
in October 2020. His Young Lives vs
Cancer social worker, Rich, was there for
him every step of the way, to face both the
emotional and financial impact of a
cancer diagnosis.
Bradley said, ‘Rich was available for
me to have text and phone conversations
with and he helped me access grants and
other facilities to ensure that all my needs
were met. He went above and beyond to
take on anything he could to make my
experience better. He always made me feel
comfortable when asking for help, which
is something I’ve always struggled with.’
Every year, around 300 children and
young people – from new-born babies to
those aged up to 25 years – across the
East of England will hear the life-changing
news they have cancer. Everything
changes for that child or young person.
Treatment often starts straight away and
can last up to three years. It can be a scary
and isolating experience for anyone, at
any age, but for a young person it can have
a significant impact on their education,
social development and future prospects.
Cancer impacts more than just a child’s
physical health but their mental health as
well. Coping with the news of cancer and
dealing with the side effects of treatment
(such as feeling exhausted, weight loss/
gain, losing hair) can have a detrimental
17/08/2022 15:57

effect on their confidence and self-esteem,
which we know can lead to mental health
issues, including anxiety and depression.
There is a financial impact of cancer
that families have to cope with too.
Many highlight that the additional costs
of travel, food and accommodation to
attend hospital appointments, can cause
them further anxiety and financial worry.
Julie Millar, head of high value
fundraising at Young Lives vs Cancer, said,
‘We’re very grateful to Cambridgeshire
Freemasons for their generous grant
which will make a huge difference to
local children and young people with
a cancer diagnosis.’
4 . C O R N WA L L
Serve and protect
Cornish Freemasons will be supporting
members of the armed forces community
after signing a covenant. VW Bro Roger
Cargeeg JP, the Deputy Provincial Grand
Master in Charge, accompanied by other
serving and military veterans, hosted
Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Cornwall
Edward Bolitho OBE, at the Alverton hotel
in Truro on Monday 20 June, to sign the
Armed Forces Covenant.
The partnership aims to support
members of the armed forces community
and ensure they have the same access to
government as well as commercial
services and products as any other citizen.
By signing the Armed Forces Covenant,
the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall,
like the United Grand Lodge of England
(UGLE), will be able to demonstrate its
support to members of the armed forces
in a number of areas, including education,
family wellbeing, getting a home, starting
a new career, access to healthcare and
financial assistance.
Cornish Freemasonry, like UGLE, has
a long and rich history within the armed
forces, with several serving and retired
military personnel as members of the
80 Cornish Lodges. So, this partnership
represents an important step in further
supporting both active and retired
military personnel.
Colonel Edward Bolitho joined the
Grenadier Guards in 1978, and later
commanded the 1st Battalion in 1993-95,
during which time he was appointed
OBE. Having been a Deputy Lieutenant
for Cornwall since 2008, Colonel Edward
Bolitho was appointed Lord-Lieutenant
for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 19
September 2011, becoming Her Majesty
The Queen’s personal representative in
Cornwall in a role that dates back almost
500 years.
After the signing, the Lord-Lieutenant
said, ‘I was delighted to be present at the
signing of the Armed Forces Covenant by
the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall.
The Masons in Cornwall already give very
generously to a wide range of charities
here and I am delighted that they are now
demonstrating their close links to the
armed forces as well.’
Roger, a retired member of the RAF,
was in service from 1964 to 1970. Here,
he served with V bomber squadrons in
the police and security division, being
deployed in Aden as well as the Cold War
stations in West Germany and Berlin,
finally joining the photographic squadron
before leaving the RAF. He said, ‘On behalf
of the Freemasons of Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly, I have great pleasure in
signing this Armed Forces Covenant. We
recognise the work and commitment of
our serving members and veterans alike
and vow to continue our support.’
5. CUMBERLAND AND
WESTMORLAND
Channelling
the Craft
Ryan McDowell, a member of Cumbria
Lodge, No. 6643, is swimming the
English Channel in support of the
Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF,
the Freemasons’ charity) and the
Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The English Channel is a straight-line
distance of 21 miles, but due to tides and
currents the actual distance covered
during the swim can be up to 30 miles.
The challenge is often referred to as the
Mount Everest of open-water swimming.
Ryan is expecting to complete the
swim within 15 hours.
The challenge itself has a strong
connection to the Craft in that the first
person to swim the Channel back in
1875, Captain Matthew Webb, was a
FMT Autumn 2022
UGLE Provinces Out & About
Freemason; appropriately a member of the
Neptune Lodge, No. 22. To support Ryan’s
fundraising, please visit justgiving.com/
ryanmcdowell6643
6 . D E R BYS H I R E
Charity drive
Back in July, 38 intrepid drivers and
co-drivers braved the searing heat of
a Derbyshire summer day to embark on
the second Peaks & Dales Grand Tour.
Organised by High Peak Lodge, No. 1952
in aid of the Derbyshire 2025 Festival,
the tour took place for the first time in
2019 but was unable to run last year
because of the pandemic.
This year’s start was from the
picturesque Buxton Cricket Club.
Worshipful Master Gareth Stratford
was on hand from 8am to greet the
participants as they arrived to register,
while Tour Director W Bro Gareth
Flanagan was once again wielding the
frying pan and kettle and serving up
bacon butties, tea and coffee.
The tour is open to all types of cars
and motorbikes and we were treated to
a fabulous array this year. The oldest was
a 1947 Ford Prefect which the owner
described as his ‘new’ car as he had only
taken delivery the week before. The
newest was a 2020 Honda HR-V and looked
positively space age next to the Ford!
There was just one motorbike this year
– a fantastic Harley Davidson CVO Street
Glide, which had an engine bigger than
a lot of the cars.
As the vehicles climbed out of Buxton,
they were treated to spectacular views of
the Cheshire plain and the rolling hills of
North Staffordshire. From there, they
continued along mainly B roads and
eventually finished at Chapel-en-le-Frith
golf club where certificates were presented
to all who made it. Organisers hope to
have raised in excess of £300 for the 2025
Festival. Many thanks to all who took part.
19
17/08/2022 15:57
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
7. D E VO N S H I R E
Spreading the word
The Devonshire Provincial Membership
team returned to the Devon County
Show and were joined by the RW Bro Ian
Kingsbury PGM, W Bro Charlie Yelland
APGM and W Bro Colin Gale PAPGM.
Even with the ever unpredictable Devon
summer weather, which brought rain and
forced the show visitors under cover, the
team still spoke to 1,878 members of the
public, two migrating members, one
member wishing to return to Freemasonry
and a number of people wanting to
understand more about Freemasonry.
The Provincial Membership Officer
W Bro Mark Lewis would like to thank the
team for their hard work. They were
W Bros Hornibrook, Cotter, Sidwell, Goode,
Weaver, Boon, Densham, and Bro Wallis
along with W Bros Jill Henken and Di Dann
from the Order of Womens Freemasonry.
8. DORSET
Raise you up
Towards the end of last year, Dorset’s
Provincial Grand Master was approached
by the newly formed University Hospitals
Dorset NHS Charity with a request for
assistance on several ongoing projects for
2022. One of these projects was to provide
a number of modern FloJac lifting aids to
each of the three main hospitals covering
east Dorset (Bournemouth, Poole and
Christchurch) at a cost of £6,353 each,
supplementing and eventually replacing
the existing lifting aids that were coming
to the end of their usefulness.
In less than a week, it was agreed that
Dorset Freemasonry would step up to the
request and fully fund one of the new
FloJac aids. To do this, Dorset’s own
Masonic charity, Dorset Masonic Care,
would fund half of the cost and the central
Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF,
the Freemasons’ charity) would provide
the balance from its matched funding
20
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 20
budget for Dorset. Both Masonic charities
are directly financed by contributions
from individual Freemasons.
With the funds in place, a new lifting
aid was purchased by the NHS Charity
and is now one of seven devices in daily
use at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital,
providing much-needed aid and relief to
patients who have fallen and who are
unable to get up again without assistance.
9. DU RHAM
Trading places
In June, more than 400 Durham
Freemasons and members from many
other Provinces gathered to witness the
installation Ceremonies of W Bro John
Paul Thompson as Provincial Grand
Master and Grand Superintendent.
Some four years have passed since the
Freemasons of the Province of Durham
witnessed an event of such high
importance, emphasised by a packed
FED Banqueting Suite.
Both Provincial Grand Chapter and
Provincial Grand Lodge were reciprocally
opened in due form by the Presiding
Officer, Bro Stephen William Walker,
before he graciously handed over to the
Pro Grand Master, Peter Geoffrey
Lowndes, to preside over one of his last
such investitures in the Provinces, having
recently announced his retirement year.
Peter went on to preside impeccably
over both ceremonies, supported by
Charles Hopkinson-Woolley, Grand
Director of Ceremonies of UGLE.
The day also saw Michael Graham
appointed as Deputy Provincial Grand
Master, having served as Assistant
Provincial Grand Master since 2018.
Other appointments included the
reappointments of Clinton Eliot Leeks,
Andrew Moule and the returning John
David Watts as Assistant Provincial Grand
Masters, and the appointment of Andrew
Peter Fall Foster as Assistant Provincial
Grand Master to complete the quartet.
It was a fitting day for Stephen William
Walker, Deputy Provincial Grand Master,
and Gordon Brewis, Assistant Provincial
Grand Master, to stand down from their
respective positions having both served
the Province with distinction.
Likewise, in the Royal Arch, Michael
Stuart Shaw was reappointed as Deputy
Grand Superintendent, David Nigel
Hanson was appointed Second Provincial
Grand Principal, and Rakesh Bhalla was
FMT Autumn 2022
reappointed as Third Provincial Grand
Principal, with Paul Anthony Lee Hopper
standing down as Second Provincial
Grand Principal, also having served
with distinction.
Following his investiture as our
Provincial Grand Master and Grand
Superintendent, John gave his addresses,
each rapturously applauded by members.
We congratulate him and look forward to
a bright future under his leadership.
10. E AST KENT
Catch of the day
The second Masonic Fishing Charity
event has taken place at Monk Lakes near
Marden – a pretty venue with lots of
wildlife, including ducks, geese, swans
and some very noisy frogs. The Masonic
Fishing Charity’s aim is to bring an
interactive fishing and countryside
experience to participants from special
needs schools and centres and to people
who have suffered trauma.
Anglers arrived and were welcomed,
as always, with bacon rolls, tea and coffee
– all under the guidance of Gerry Stupple
– while the pegs were selected and tackle
prepared, ready for the guest students,
teachers and carers. The important
briefings and safety precautions were
given soon after arrival by Pat Todd and
the students were welcomed by Chairman
David Alexander, while Julian Friel
allocated the anglers.
The fishing was a little tougher than
at the first event but everyone caught
something sooner or later.
After a burger and hotdog lunch
prepared by Ian Gwalter, the MFC
welcomed distinguished visitor Richard
Wingett APGM, who offered kind words
of encouragement and congratulations
to the students as he presented them with
their certificates for angling ability and
medals, which they were thrilled with.
17/08/2022 15:57

11. E AST L ANCASH I R E
By appointment
Senior officers of the Province welcomed
RW Bro Sir David Wootton, Assistant
Grand Master and his colleagues from
UGLE, to East Lancashire for the
Installation Eve Dinner in March.
The purpose of Sir David’s attendance
was to officiate at the Installation of Bro/
Comp Robert Frankl as Provincial Grand
Master and ME Grand Superintendent for
East Lancashire. A splendid evening of
camaraderie followed.
Once the Deputy Provincial Grand
Master in Charge VW Bro John Farrington,
accompanied by other Senior Officers
of the Province and our distinguished
guests and visitors from other Provinces
had been processed in, Provincial
Grand Lodge was opened.
The acting Grand Director of
Ceremonies was admitted, announcing
that the Assistant Grand Master was in
attendance and demanded to be admitted.
RW Bro Sir David Wootton was admitted
in due form, accompanied by a retinue of
Senior Officers and was warmly welcomed
by all in attendance.
The Assistant Grand Master assumed
the Chair of King Solomon and appointed
his Wardens, RW Bro Harrison (West
Lancs) and RW Bro Blank (Cheshire).
The Provincial Grand Master Designate’s
Patent of Appointment was presented to
the Assistant Grand Master for inspection,
who declared it to be in order.
A deputation escorted the Provincial
Grand Master Designate into Provincial
Grand Lodge, consisting of representatives
from Zion Menorah Lodge, No. 1798
(Chain-Bearer); Anchor & Hope Lodge,
No. 37; Lodge of Relief, No. 42; Fortitude
Lodge, No. 64; Imperial George Lodge,
No. 78; Royal Lancs Lodge, No. 116; and
Silent Temple Lodge, No. 126.
W Bro Robert Frankl was then duly
appointed, obligated, invested and
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 21
installed as the Provincial Grand Master
with all due ceremony and circumstance.
RW Bro Robert Frankl then appointed,
obligated, invested and installed VW Bro
John Farrington as Deputy Provincial
Grand Master.
He then appointed his Assistant
Provincial Grand Masters, W Bros John
Griffin, Mark Davis, Alan Kirwilliam,
Peter Rhodes and Revd Canon Richard
Hawkins, as well as appointing all the
other Provincial Grand Officers.
Following a drinks reception, a very
convivial lunch was taken where everyone
enjoyed an excellent meal prior to the
opening of Provincial Grand Chapter
later that afternoon.
12. ESSEX
Day trippers
Freemasons in Essex have made a £15,000
donation to the Castle Point Social Car
Scheme (CPSCS), which provides
transport options for the elderly and
disabled in the borough.
The scheme, which launched in 1997,
has a fleet of six vehicles – three mini-
buses and three disability cars – driven by
three employed drivers and 27 volunteers,
along with many more volunteers to help
the passengers.
The car scheme offers transport and
trips for the elderly and disabled in
Castle Point, for a small membership fee.
More than 1,000 residents are currently
able to book car journeys at a reduced
cost, as well as places on minibuses for
day trips around Essex, hospital visits or
even holidays. This allows scheme
members to visit beauty spots, shopping
centres, garden centres and more.
This is a service the residents of
Castle Point say is invaluable, and apart
from the small annual membership fee
and reduced mileage cost, the car scheme
is financed by fundraising and donations.
FMT Autumn 2022
UGLE Provinces Out & About
The scheme needs approximately £140,000
a year to provide around 6,500 journeys.
Chairman Alan Beale said, ‘Now the
pandemic and restrictions are over, I get
a lot of members saying they just want to
get out and visit places. This makes this
service even more important for their
quality of life and mental health.’
Chris Hicks, the Provincial Charity
Steward for Essex Freemasons, said,
‘This is a good example of Freemasons
supporting the community in Essex,
particularly the vulnerable.’
The donation comes from the more
than £1 million raised each year by
Essex Freemasons.
Record-breaking
The Province of Essex officially
celebrated the conclusion of its 2022
Festival in support of the Masonic
Charitable Foundation (MCF, the
Freemasons’ charity) at a Summer Ball
held at the luxurious Fennes Banqueting
Centre in Bocking. The event was hosted
by the Provincial Grand Master and 2022
Festival President Paul Tarrant with 400
guests attending including new MCF
President James Long. The final total of
£5,464,563 was confirmed by the MCF
Chief Executive Les Hutchinson, who
congratulated the Province on its
ambitious fundraising.
Les said, ‘During your appeal, you have
all worked tirelessly to raise funds for the
MCF – to support Freemasons and their
families in financial distress. These funds
are needed now more than ever as people
continue to feel the effects of Covid-19, so
I offer my most sincere thanks for your
generosity and for continuing to support
the appeal during such challenging times.’
It was also revealed that donations
from the members of Essex Masters Lodge,
No. 3256 set a new Festival fundraising
record, with members donating a
remarkable £108,407.
21
17/08/2022 15:57
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
1 3 . G LO U C E S T E R S H I R E
Funding fun
Hundreds of local disabled children and
young people will be able to find friends
and have fun, thanks to a grant of £15,000
to the Allsorts Gloucestershire charity
from the Freemasons. The fund is through
the Masonic Charitable Foundation
(MCF, the Freemasons’ charity).
Isolation, accessibility and confidence
can be just some of the challenges
disabled children and their families
face. Allsorts aims to offer a choice of
meaningful activities that will help
form friendships, and equip families
with new skills and knowledge.
Allsorts is for families who have a child
or young person with any additional need,
up to the age of 25 years. They help those
who have life-limiting conditions,
neuromuscular disorders, autism and
learning disabilities, as well as children
who may be awaiting a diagnosis.
Allsorts is based in Stroud in the
county’s first purpose-built toy library
and play space. Multiple events take
place in the activity hub on a daily basis,
such as baby and toddler groups, parent
and carer support sessions, family fitness
sessions, yoga, sensory dance, sensory
motor skills, sibling groups, gaming club
and the toy library.
The hub provides everyday fun,
reduces the social isolation of families
who have disabled children, and gives
these families the opportunity to try new
things. As well as the children themselves,
Allsorts also offers support to the wider
family – parents and carers, grandparents
and siblings.
Jane Jones, Allsorts CEO said, ‘We’re
very grateful to Gloucestershire
Freemasons for their generous grant,
which will allow local disabled children
and young people to find friends, have fun
and learn new skills and knowledge for
the future. The confidence the children
develop can last a lifetime.’
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14. ISLE OF MAN
Passing the baton
The Province of the Isle of Man was
honoured to take charge of the Queen’s
Baton that travelled the Commonwealth
in preparation for the Commonwealth
Games. The baton visited all 72
participating nations and territories. On
15 and 16 June, the baton visited the Isle of
Man, welcomed by Chief Minister Alfred
Cannan MHK. The locations included,
among others, Peel Castle, Tynwald Hill,
Port Erin and Castle Rushen.
At Castle Rushen in Castletown, the
ancient Manx capital, the Provincial
Grand Lodge of the Isle of Man was truly
honoured to be in charge of the relay
station to take the baton around the
historic castle. The first Masonic Lodge on
the Isle of Man was a Garrison Lodge and
with Castle Rushen then being the only
garrison on the Isle of Man, it is more
than probable that the members would
have met here. The story also received
coverage on BBC North West.
15. LEICESTERSHIRE AND
RUTLAND
Class of 2022
After a nearly three-year hiatus, members
of three Universities Scheme Lodges in the
Province of Leicestershire and Rutland
– Wyggeston Lodge, No. 3448, (University
of Leicester), Castle of Leicester, No. 7767
(De Montfort University) and the Lodge of
Science and Art, No. 8429 (Loughborough
University) – were pleased to meet once
again for a joint meeting to celebrate the
ever-growing success and popularity of
the Universities Scheme in the Province.
Since the last joint meeting was
at Loughborough Masonic Hall on
25 February 2019, this year’s was hosted
at the beautiful Freemasons’ Hall in
Leicester. The event was attended by more
than 80 members who were witness to
three wonderful ceremonies (an Initiation,
a Passing, and a Raising) conducted by
FMT Autumn 2022
each of the Lodges with a fantastic group of
hardworking and determined candidates.
The Lodges and the Province were
honoured to welcome the Assistant Grand
Master and President of the Universities
Scheme, Sir David Wootton, along with the
Provincial Grand Master Peter Kinder.
Visitors representing other scheme Lodges
included Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire,
Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and
Huntingdonshire, and Lincolnshire.
The meeting was opened by the Acting
Master of the Wyggeston Lodge Andy
Green, Assistant Provincial Grand Master.
Acting Master of the Lodge of Science
and Art Peter Legg then took the chair to
perform a double Raising. Then, it was
the turn of the Master, Nigel Johnson
and members of Castle of Leicester
Lodge, who then proceeded to conduct
a double Passing.
Finally, the Wyggeston Lodge conducted
an Initiation ceremony of a new member, a
25-year-old recent dental graduate.
Elliot Conway from the comms team
said, ‘It was a truly wonderful day and it
showed us how far the universities scheme
has come and that it truly has a bright
future ahead!’
Exceeding
expectations
Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons
have concluded their 2022 Festival in
support of the Masonic Charitable
Foundation (MCF, the Freemasons’ charity).
Members, supported by their families
and friends, have taken part in a wide
range of innovative fundraising activities
during the five-year appeal; most notably
17/08/2022 15:57
Oceana_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 10:59
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
the three sportsman’s dinners with
cricketer Phil Tufnell, footballer Kevin
Keegan and rugby player Brian Moore,
which together raised almost £200,000.
The Festival event was hosted by the
Provincial Grand Master Peter Kinder and
was held at the ground of Leicester Tigers,
currently the holders of the Gallagher
Premiership trophy. Assistant Grand
Master Sir David Wootton attended as
guest of honour and the MCF was
represented by President James Long,
Trustees Charles Cunnington and Nigel
Vaughan, as well as Chief Executive Les
Hutchinson who revealed that the grant
total raised was a fantastic £2,022,000.
16. LINCOLNSHIRE
Forces for good
Skegness Freemasons continue to work
within the local community to support
the contributions being made by the
RAF air cadets in the town.
Members of Lumley Lodge attended
a presentation and awards ceremony
for 1073 (Skegness) Squadron ATC at
the town’s Masonic centre, where the
current Master Scott Colbourne presented
the Community Merit Award to Olivia
Langford (below).
Freemasons gave visitors the chance
to see the Lodge room, an opportunity
eagerly grasped thanks to the broadcast
of The Late Late Show with James Corden
which was filmed at the iconic
Freemasons’ Hall in London.
Lumley Lodge member Simon Noden
said, ‘We had about 80 parents and cadets
at the event. The offer to look behind the
doors inside a Lodge room was very
popular and prompted lots of positive
questions about Freemasonry. Many
spoke about our charitable work and how
we have supported the ATC previously
with a cheque donation in 2019 and, most
recently, when St Clement Lodge, also
in Skegness, made a donation of £1,500.
From a PR point of view I’d say it was as
successful as an open day.’
24
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 24
1 7. M I D D L E S E X
Charity challenge
Readers of Middlesex Provincial Charity
News will have seen the Ruislip St Martin’s
Lodge, No. 9125 response to the request by
local charities for provisions to be sent to
Poland to aid Ukrainian refugees.
The Lodge quickly donated money
and the Charity Steward W Bro Peter
Binstead and his wife purchased blankets,
towels, baby food and medical wipes,
which were transported to Poland by
a local charity in Wealdstone.
As the situation in the Ukraine
deteriorated and more people needed
help, W Bro Peter decided to raise more
money, but this time for medical charity
British-Ukrainian Aid. Their focus is
to provide essential medical aid to the
injured, wounded and orphaned
children caught up in the war.
Peter asked for sponsorship from his
Lodge to climb the 150-foot rigging of the
19th-century tea clipper Cutty Sark which
is docked at Greenwich. Once again,
Ruislip St Martin’s stepped up, and with
their generous help he managed to raise
£1,505 for the charity.
On Saturday 25 June, Peter made the
climb accompanied by his daughter
Emma and her husband Dan.
Peter said, ‘The climb was daunting at
first, but I soon began to enjoy it. Shuffling
out along one of the yardarms was an
experience I will never forget and the
view over London and the Thames was
spectacular. The high point was the zip
wire descent to the ground. I just hope
that the generous donations of the
members of Ruislip St Martin’s can make
a difference to the lives of at least some of
the people in Ukraine.’
FMT Autumn 2022
18. NOR FOLK
Acts of Friendship
When members of Lodge of Friendship,
No. 100 became aware of an urgent appeal
by the Pathway Foundation in Great
Yarmouth, their Charity Steward John
Capon arranged a meeting at the Pathway
Mission in Great Yarmouth with project
supervisor Jennifer King and The
Reverend Canon Simon Ward. Also invited
was the Head of Norfolk Freemasons
Stephen Allen and his colleague
Michael Muskett MBE.
The meeting quickly identified the
two areas where the Pathway Foundation
required urgent assistance. They needed
a new dishwasher to replace the failing
original, as well as help to buy a suitable
vehicle for the distribution of hot food
and advice to the homeless and needy
in the local area.
The Pathway Foundation provides
a vital service to the local area, so
Stephen Allen agreed that the appeals
should be supported by Freemasons
from both Norfolk and Suffolk who
meet at the Royal Assembly Rooms
in Great Yarmouth.
The replacement dishwasher being
the priority, it was quickly sourced and
funding immediately made available from
the Rotary Lodge of Norfolk and Potters
Holiday Resort at Hopton, both donating
£1,000 each from their charity funds.
The biggest task was to raise £7,000
for the purchase of the vehicle. This was
needed not only to collect food donated by
local supermarkets, but to deliver hot food
in the area.
The appeal request was made to
Lodges in early January, and following
an excellent response, the fantastic total
of £7,556 was soon raised, including
donations from members’ businesses.
This enabled the purchase of a van,
together with a three-year warranty,
insurance for 12 months and signwriting
on the vehicle.
Stephen Allen, Lodge Charity Stewards
and other members together with the
private and business donors were all in
attendance when the van was presented
to Jennifer King and the Pathway
volunteers. Afterwards, Jennifer and her
team were given a tour of the Royal
Assembly Rooms. The appeal raised the
magnificent sum of £9,556, with Gift Aid
adding a further £111. Sincere thanks
must go to all who gave their support.
17/08/2022 15:58
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 Out & About UGLE Provinces

19. NORTHANTS AN D H U NTS On completing the walk, Mark said,

Sweet charity
The 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless
charity was presented with the generous
donation of £3,000 on behalf of Hotel
Chocolat in Peterborough. The founders
of the charity, W Bros Mick Pescod and
Ged Dempsey were in attendance and
a delighted Ged explained, ‘This was a
complete surprise and we are so grateful
for this donation which reflects the esteem
in which the charity is held by local
business. It will be put to very good use.’
On behalf of Hotel Chocolat, Tanya
Thulborn said, ‘Thank you so much
for all the work you and the team do.
Rest assured we will continue to support
you for as long as you need us.’
‘This has been a great experience – one I
would recommend to anyone. Although
my feet suffered, it was well worth it.
We knew each other well before and
worked well as a team. We now know each
other far better because of our shared
experiences on the walk.’
New PGM
announced
With more than 460 members in
attendance, the Installation of RW Bro
Mark Constant as Provincial Grand
Master was an event not to be missed. As well as enquiries from potential new
The ceremony, which took place members, a number of visitors were found
at Freemasons' Hall, The Griggs Centre, to be ‘lost’ Freemasons who, after talks
Sheaf Close, Northampton was led by the with the team, were keen to re-establish
Pro Grand Master, MW Bro Peter Lowndes, their connection with Freemasonry.
and saw 12 visiting Provincial Grand
Masters in attendance. 21. N OT TI N GHAM S H I R E

Walk the walk
Three Northampton Freemasons
have completed an 85-mile walk from
Northampton to Grand Lodge to raise
money for the 2024 Festival in support
of the Masonic Charitable Foundation
(MCF, the Freemasons’ charity.)
David Crossley and Mark Hunt of Grey
Friars Lodge, No. 4990, together with John
Line of Grand Junction Lodge, No. 9775,
started at the Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne and
followed the Grand Union Canal towpath,
passing through five Provinces.
The walkers were greeted in London
by their partners; also, by their Assistant
Provincial Grand Master Mark Constant
and Provincial Grand Charity Steward
Gerry Crawford. The trio enjoyed a
well-deserved pint at the café and bar
at Freemasons’ Hall.
20. NORTH U M BERLAN D
Blitz spirit
The Battle of Britain World War Two event
in June saw the village of Stannington
transported back in time to the 1940s,
after a two-year hiatus.
Visitors to the event could get up close
to a Spitfire and a Hurricane, and had the
chance to explore the Vulcan Exhibition,
loaned by the Solway Aviation Museum.
And following in the footsteps of children
from Cowgate Primary School who had
been evacuated to Stannington in 1939,
visitors had the chance to be ‘evacuated’
to Lough House Farm on a 1940s-style bus,
as well as experience what it would have
been like to seek cover in a renovated
Anderson Shelter during the Blitz.
Northumberland Freemasons’
Community Engagement Team were also
in attendance at the event, led by W Bro
Bob Bruce and members of the Order of
Women Freemasons.
A steady stream of visitors made their
way to the exhibition tent, showcasing
all that Freemasonry has to offer, with
questions answered and myths dispelled.
Raising a smile
Recently, children’s A&E play specialist
Sophie Betts from the Queens’ Medical
Centre, Nottingham got in touch with
David James, her TLC (Teddies for Loving
Care) contact from Radcliffe with
Hemlock Stone Lodge.
She wanted to ask if it would be possible
for him to source three portable DVD
players for attaching to trolleys moving
the young patients to such places as
X-ray, the plaster room or even to
another hospital.
It took David less than a week to get the
agreement of other TLC Nottingham
Trustees to fund the purchase. In fact, four
players were delivered as an extra one had
been donated. Sophie said, ‘We just want
to say thank you for all you do for us as a
department. The TLC bears are fabulous
for children who are distressed, and to see
them smile when they receive a bear is
amazing. Thank you for all the other
things you have managed to get for the
department, including the fish tank and
the specialist toys – it means a lot!’

26 FMT Autumn 2022

FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 26 17/08/2022 17:13

37_FMT_autumn22.indd 1 16/08/2022 16:53
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
22. SOMERSET
Masterly moves
Presiding over what was his last
Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge
in his capacity as the Pro Grand Master,
MW Bro Peter Geoffrey Lowndes
announced that the new Assistant Grand
Master would be RW Bro David J Medlock,
Provincial Grand Master for the Province
of Somerset.
It is expected that RW Bro David will
be installed as Assistant Grand Master at
the next Quarterly Communication to be
held in September. This is a great honour
for the Provincial Grand Master and for
the Province.
We’d like to wish RW Bro David well
in his new role and to thank him for his
dedication and hard work during his
tenure as Provincial Grand Master.
2 3 . S O U T H WA L E S
No limits
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Wales
(DofE) was delighted to announce that it
has received new and continued support
from the South Wales Freemasons to give
more young people the chance to do
their DofE.
The generous and significant donation
of £6,200 will help DofE Wales deliver its
new strategy ‘Youth Without Limits’,
which aims to put the DofE at the heart
of the national effort to back young people
through the challenging years ahead.
One of the key projects the funding will
help support is to increase the DofE as
part of our community development,
extending opportunities to take part
outside the traditional school setting.
DofE Wales’s goal is to offer more young
people from marginalised backgrounds
the chance to do their DofE through
centres within their communities.
28
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 28
The President of DofE Wales Capt Sir
Norman Lloyd Edwards said, ‘I am so
delighted that the two organisations with
which I have been associated for over 50
years have found common cause. As one
brought up in Merthyr Tydfil, I am aware
of the need to support those from a
disadvantaged background by undergoing
a DofE Award to enhance their self-
confidence and to experience new
challenges and opportunities. I trust that
this joint exercise will be a forerunner
of many others.’
DofE Wales Director Steph Price said,
‘The DofE helps young people to explore
who they are, invest in themselves and
develop the skills and experience they
need to successfully navigate adult life.
It is our ambition to grow our reach so that
any young person in Wales can access a
DofE programme if they want to, and we
are extremely grateful for the support
received from the South Wales
Freemasons which will help us to reach
more marginalised young people and
extend our reach into disadvantaged
communities across South Wales.’
Gerald Rowbottom, head of the South
Wales Freemasons, said, ‘We are honoured
and delighted to offer additional local
support to the DofE in Wales. The DofE’s
work to expand opportunities across
Wales will help support hundreds of young
people who are facing many challenges
– small interventions at a young age can
make a significant difference to their
future and well-being. This local grant
follows a previous donation of £300,000
awarded to the DofE nationally by The
United Grand Lodge of England in 2022.’
24 . S U R R E Y
Friends indeed
In March, the Friends of James Terry Court
joined the Friends of Shannon Court
for the yearly Joint Homes lunch. Also
attending were members of the Executive,
members of the Friends Lodge along with
FMT Autumn 2022
staff from Shannon Court. It was great
to see everyone enjoying themselves, as
this event was postponed last year due to
the pandemic. Thanks go to Trevor Rains
for his assistance in the organisation
of this event.
Having a ball
The annual Masonic Charitable
Foundation Ball, hosted this year by the
Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey, saw
guests dance the night away at the Chelsea
Harbour Hotel in London. The annual
gala event has been held annually since
1973 and raised more than £840,000 for
the RMBI and the MCF.
This year’s ball included a cabaret
featuring Irish dance troupe Stepping Out
and London’s top swing and soul band,
Swing Central. A silent auction, raffle
and table magicians added to the
evening’s entertainment.
Speaking to guests following the
three-course dinner, Sir Paul Williams,
Chairman of the MCF said, ‘Tonight is all
about having fun while supporting and
recognising the work of a charity that is
helping people across England, Wales
and beyond. I’d like to thank everyone,
in particular those from the Province
of Surrey and Ian Chandler, the PGM
of Surrey and this year’s MCF Ball
President, for supporting the event so
enthusiastically.” Next year, the MCF
Ball will be held in Bristol, followed by
Lincolnshire in 2024.
25 . WA R W I C KS H I R E
Worshipful Warwick
The annual church service of the
Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire
has finally taken place.
This was the first occasion that
Provincial Grand Master RW Bro
Philip Hall was able to be escorted to the
Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick
since 2019, the last time the annual
service was held.
The procession left Alderson House,
with the newly appointed team of acting
19/08/2022 14:33
TIBServices_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 11:00
 Out & About UGLE Provinces
Provincial Grand Officers and officers of
Grand Lodge walking through Warwick to
the church. They were joined by a number
of Masters of Warwickshire Lodges.
Demonstrating the inclusive nature of
Freemasonry, the heads of other Orders
were invited to join the procession and
attend the service, dressed in their own
individual regalia – quite a spectacle for
the local residents and visiting tourists.
The procession joined the assembled
Freemasons, their families and friends
for an enjoyable and inspirational service.
ChaseLanePlates_autumn22.indd 1
30
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 30
26. WEST KENT
Role of honour
The Province of West Kent has appointed
a new Assistant Provincial Grand Master.
Congratulations on your appointment
W Bro David Huntley.
2 7. W I LT S H I R E
From pen to paper
Back in June, Wiltshire’s Most Excellent
Grand Superintendent, E Comp John Reid
and the Provincial Charity Steward
E Comp Chris Dawe visited Wiltshire
Portage in Chippenham to present them
with educational resources and toys to help
support children with a wide range of needs.
The resources and toys were made possible
by the proceeds from ‘Children at
Christmas’ pens, sold for £2 each.
Wiltshire Portage is a registered charity
and independent organisation providing a
free home-visiting, specialist educational
service for children with special
educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
FMT Autumn 2022
The service reaches more than 100
families across the towns and villages of
Wiltshire (excluding Swindon) for children
from birth to school entry, operating
during term time for 38 weeks a year.
They aim to work with families and their
young children to provide unique learning
opportunities through holistic play and
step-by-step individualised programmes
to help them develop a quality of life and
experience in which they can learn together,
play together, participate and be included
in their community.
Following the visit, E Comp Chris Dawe
commented, ‘What came across was how
dedicated and passionate all the staff were
in supporting the children they visit.’
29/07/2022 11:10
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 Out & About UGLE Provinces
2 8 . WO R C E S T E R S H I R E
Hit the road
Kicking off the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
celebrations, the Worcestershire Chapter
of Widows Sons rode into a party at
Worcester’s Sixways Stadium in support
of a charity for people with dementia.
The Chapter is a Freemason biker group
that supports the Worcester Warriors
Community Trust’s work with dementia.
As the bikers rode into the stadium,
many of the party-goers came to look at
the bikes and the group happily answered
questions and chatted with those in
attendance. They also presented a cheque
on behalf of the Chapter.
Carol Hart, CEO of the Warriors
Community Foundation, said: ‘The event
has been amazing. We have a regular
dementia café here at Sixways Stadium
every Wednesday from 10.30am to 12.
We just wanted to put on a jubilee event for
those that are suffering with and living
with dementia as well as their carers. We
have 80 people who attend our cafés on a
regular basis as well as lots of our partners
who support the work that we do. For a lot
of people, this will be the only jubilee
event they will be able to get to throughout
the festivities so it’s been lovely to see
everybody having such a good time.’
Andy Philpott, President Worcestershire
Chapter Widows Sons MBA, said, ‘We are
a group of Freemasons and a large part of
what we do is charity. We have chosen the
Worcester Warriors Community Trust as
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32
FMT_59_p18-32_out&about_v0.5RT.indd 32
our charity of the year, specifically the
dementia group. I contacted Carol and we
were able to arrange for us to head down
on the bikes, have a chat with people and
let them see the bikes. We have a great
collection, lots are Harley-Davidson. We
are really happy with how it turned out.’
2 9 . YO R KS H I R E N E
Big day out
The Provincial Grand Master RW Bro
Jeffrey Gillyon enjoyed an excellent
day out at the United Grand Lodge of
England, accompanied by more than 80
Freemasons from the Provincial Grand
Lodge of Yorkshire N&E Ridings.
The flag was flying as high as the spirit
and mood of our members who enjoyed
a superb day out. The Pro Grand Master
received a standing ovation as he made
his last address at the Quarterly
Communication in this role. After the
meeting and a sumptuous meal at the
Freemasons Arms, the Right Worshipful
Provincial Grand Master gave a moving
speech at his last Provincial Day out in
London as PGM to rapturous applause.
Name
Current address
Postcode
Lodge number
member of a2022
Spring lodge in London or a Province.
3 0 . G O O D N E I G H B O U R LO D G E
Celebrating 50 years
Good Neighbour Lodge, No. 8378 has
celebrated 50 years since its consecration
in Lodge Room 17 at Freemasons’ Hall.
The Good Neighbour Lodge was
established to enable residents of the
RMBI’s care homes to continue their
Masonic membership and activities, with
Lodge meetings usually held in the care
homes at a very nominal fee, with their
dining already being included.
At the time the Lodge was created
there were only four homes in existence.
Today, there are 17, providing the Lodge
with a variety of venues across England
and Wales.
In his address to the members,
Worshipful Master Les Hutchinson
commended the Managing Director
Mark LLoyd, who was a guest at the
meeting, and the staff of the RMBI Care
Co. for the way they had coped during
the Covid-19 pandemic.
GL membership number
Distribution reference number
New address
Postcode
17/08/2022 15:58
BullionbyPost_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 12:24
 Out & About Over par

Freemasons
and fa ir ways
The annual Peter Lowndes Open Challenge Cup
golf tournament teed off to great success in Cyprus

34 FMT Autumn 2022

FMT_59_p34-5_golf_v0.6.indd 34 15/08/2022 17:39

 Over par Out & About

T
he District Grand Lodge of Cyprus held
the annual Peter Lowndes Open Challenge
Cup golf tournament in May at the Aphrodite
Hills Golf Club in Paphos, Cyprus. The event was
attended by the Most Worshipful the Pro Grand Master
Peter Geoffrey Lowndes, and Worshipful Brother Les
Hutchinson, CEO of the Masonic Charitable Foundation
(MCF, the Freemasons’ charity), together with
dignitaries from the British Sovereign Bases and a
large number of Freemasons and guests.
Competitors were playing to win the Peter Lowndes
Challenge Cup, while there were also prizes for second
and third place, as well as for the longest drive and
nearest to the pin. The winner was Philip L Mallion,
the fiscal officer of the British Sovereign Bases of Cyprus
– a non-Freemason (but watch this space).
Peter Lowndes was presented with a special prize by
Worshipful Brother Marios Pantelides and Worshipful
Brother Adnan Nuwayhed, for his continual personal
support for the event. The awards ceremony was
followed by a gourmet buffet at the clubhouse.
Through donations, sponsorships and fees from
participants, a substantial amount will be donated to
SPAVO, the Association for the Prevention and Handling
of Violence in the Family, a non-governmental
non-profit organisation, based in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Its main aim is to offer help and support to people
who face domestic violence and to uphold their rights.
The evening before, Peter attended an emergency
meeting of the Cyprus Master’s Lodge held in his
honour, together with Les, who delivered an eloquent
speech about the work and scope of the Foundation.
The ceremony was followed by the customary
Festive Board, where Peter was presented with an
engraved silver bowl by the District Grand Master of
Cyprus to mark the personal help freely given to Cyprus
and to the District Grand Master Michael Costa The Peter Lowndes
Hadjiconstantas. Peter responded with a few well- Open Challenge Cup
at the Aphrodite Golf
chosen words. Club in Paphos,
Michael then presented Les with a silver plaque in Cyprus, was won by
appreciation of his time and energy in launching the Philip L Mallion, the
fiscal officer of the
Masonic Charity Foundation Relief Chest of Cyprus. In British Sovereign
his response, Les mentioned that it was a suitable gift as Bases of Cyprus
today was his silver wedding anniversary. He also stated
that in promoting Teddies for Loving Care, the visit
to Cyprus was the first trip of the Travelling Bear to
another country. It is intended that the bear will
visit around the world promoting the initiative.
The 2023 Peter Lowndes Challenge Open Challenge
Cup tournament will be held on 28 May 2023, where
organisers expect an even larger turnout.

FMT Autumn 2022 35

FMT_59_p34-5_golf_v0.6.indd 35 12/08/2022 15:59

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RNLI_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 14:39
 Stories
Contents Stories

People, places, history and more

40 The
interview
Pro Grand Master
Jonathan Spence
on his new role

44 Kindness
of strangers 48 Lighting
The Freemasons on the way
a mission to drive aid Freemasons around the
to war-torn Ukraine country join the Platinum
Jubilee celebrations

Five men in two vans

transported donations
from Freemasons and
their families to Ukraine

FMT Autumn 2022 39

FMT_59_p39_Stories_opener_v0.4.indd 39 15/08/2022 15:35

 Stories The Interview

Pro Grand Master

Jonathan Spence
discusses his hopes
for the future of
Freemasonry

40 FMT Autumn 2022

FMT_59_p40-42_Jonathan_v0.8.indd 40 15/08/2022 17:41


PRO
GRAND
MASTER
PLAN
As he gears up to take over as Pro Grand Master, Jonathan Spence
reveals the introduction of a new seven-year roadmap for Freemasonry
and discusses the importance of building a thriving membership
W O R D S P E T E R WAT T S P O R T R A I T S V I C K I C O U C H M A N
W
hen he isn’t preparing for his new
role as Pro Grand Master, attending
one of no fewer than 14 Lodges, or
managing the investment portfolio of a Cambridge
college, Jonathan Spence likes to spend his
weekends refereeing rugby matches. His approach,
he reveals, is to be as low-key and unobtrusive as
possible – get the big calls right, but otherwise stay
out of the way so the game can flow. It’s a style he’ll
have to adapt rather than adopt outright when he
replaces Peter Lowndes as Pro Grand Master in
September because as well as maintaining official
duties as the Grand Master’s official representative,
Jonathan will be arriving in time to oversee the
introduction of a new seven-year strategic roadmap
for the Craft and Royal Arch – something he believes
will require him to lead by very visible example.
‘The roadmap needs to be implemented in
thousands of Lodges and Chapters,’ says Jonathan
from the Pro Grand Master’s panelled office at
Freemasons’ Hall. ‘I will be involved in helping send
the message to the membership that it is very
important we get this right. The Grand Master has
always set the best example and now it’s on all of us
– Provincial and District Grand Masters and Grand
Superintendents, deputies, all their executives, all
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FMT_59_p40-42_Jonathan_v0.8.indd 41
The Interview Stories
grand officers and every single member down to the
newest entered apprentice – we all have a role to play
in taking us through 2022 and beyond. Our mission
is to make sure we are a thriving organisation, one
that people are willing to be part of and one in
which those who join are willing to participate.’
Jonathan has certainly thrived as a Freemason.
He joined at the first possible opportunity, when
an invitation to apply to his old school Lodge in
Rochester arrived in the post along with cards for
his 21st birthday. He was initiated just short of his
22nd birthday and is now a member of more than
a dozen Lodges, including in Cambridge, where he
works as Bursar of Queens’ College, and Oxford,
where he studied theology.
The bulk of Jonathan’s career was spent in the
City, where he rose to become Chief Executive of
Singer & Friedlander Limited. He resigned that role
in 2006 when the bank was bought by Icelandic
bank Kaupthing, an acquisition that ended in
disaster when the firm went into administration in
2008 and several Icelandic directors were jailed. ‘It
was very clear to me that it was not going to end
well,’ he recalls. ‘I did my duty and told the
regulators it was not going to go well and then
resigned. People sometimes ask what Freemasonry
41
12/08/2022 16:05
 Stories The Interview

has done for me and I say it has helped me to

understand that you must try to do what is right
even in challenging circumstances. This was a
practical application.’
In return, Jonathan has brought some of the
skills he developed in the City to Freemasonry.
One of his first tasks upon appointment in 2009
as Deputy Grand Master – after six years as Grand
Director of Ceremonies – was to oversee the
amalgamation of the four Masonic charities into
a single charity, something he describes as ‘the
toughest corporate finance deal I have ever done’.
It took seven years and a lot of hard work, but the
restructuring had tangible benefits for Freemasonry
and the wider community. ‘It had to be done,’ he
says. ‘There was a lot of duplication. I looked at it
completely cold and could see it wasn’t sustainable
and was leaving gaps in provision and support.’
Alongside these core skills come City-tuned
concepts about leadership that Jonathan feels can
be applied to Freemasonry. He talks about the
importance of adopting ‘good practice’ rather than
‘best practice’ because ‘best’ implies there is no
room for improvement while ‘good’ leaves the
possibility of continuous development. He also talks
about a ‘yes, if’ rather than a ‘no, because’ approach
– an essential asset if Freemasonry is to thrive. He
cites an example – that of exploring the feasibility of
conducting occasional Quarterly Communication
or Grand Chapter meetings outside London to
make life easier for people coming from more
distant Provinces. This was considered almost
30 years ago, but he wants to see if it will work
now. That’s the ‘yes, if’ rather than ‘no, because’
approach in a nutshell, he explains.

Jonathan believes in Pro First Grand Principal as well as Pro Grand Master,

a ‘yes, if’ rather than a and emphasises the importance of the Royal Arch
within UGLE. ‘The Craft and Royal Arch need to work
‘no, because’ approach – seamlessly together. We must get better at explaining
an essential asset if why the Royal Arch enriches the Craft experience

Freemasonry is to thrive of members, how valuable it is and how it is the

Jonathan chaired the strategy group that created
the seven-year roadmap, which focuses on the
importance of building a thriving membership.
That means attracting new Freemasons and
ensuring existing members are happy and fulfilled,
creating an organisation that everybody wants
to be a part of. ‘In Freemasonry, people hesitate
to use the word fun, but people join for one of 20
or more different reasons,’ he says. ‘All of them are
valid and there is no sole reason they join – but they
do have to enjoy it.’
The strategy will incorporate the Royal Arch
alongside Craft, with an oversight committee to
monitor progress. Jonathan will assume the role of
natural next stage after becoming a Master Mason.’
Although he is looking forward to his new role,
Jonathan takes care to pay tribute to his
predecessor. ‘I am nervous because Peter is an
extraordinary act to follow, but when I have
succeeded him in roles, he is brilliant at letting me
do it in my own way,’ he says. ‘Whenever I am asked
to do something, I try to do it to the best of my
ability. Otherwise, it is disrespectful to the person
who asks and disrespectful to yourself. In my
working life, I always wanted to be in a role where I
Jonathan will
can make a difference and it’s the same whether its assume the role
Freemasonry, the parish or the rugby club. That is of Pro First Grand
what motivates me. With Freemasonry, it’s the Principal of the
Royal Arch,
camaraderie and the feeling you can make a alongside his role
positive difference.’ as Pro Grand Master

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DanburyBracelet_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 11:02
 Stories Compassion and the Craft

FR EEMASO NS
ON A MISSION
In the spirit of helping those in urgent need, a group of Cumbrian
Freemasons set off in two vans to transport crucial supplies to war-torn
Ukraine. One of them, Neil Dixon, tells us about their incredible journey
W O R D S P E T E R WAT T S P O R T R A I T S J O O N E Y W O O D WA R D

W
hen Russia invaded Ukraine in
February 2022, individuals and
organisations all over Europe wanted
to help a country and population that had been
thrust into a war zone. These included Grand Lodge,
which made an immediate £50,000 donation to
the British Red Cross and went on to raise a further
£500,000 for refugee charities.
However, in the far north-west of England,
a group of Freemasons decided to do their own bit,
driving two vans of supplies from Carlisle to the
Ukraine border, a distance of some 1,500 miles.
It’s a reminder that charity isn’t always about
writing a cheque – donating time, effort and skills
is an important part of being a Freemason.
‘We were directly helping a community in need,’
says Neil Dixon, one of five Freemasons from four of
the East Lakes Group of Lodges to make the journey.
‘This was aid going straight to people. It wasn’t
sitting in a warehouse waiting to be processed; we
were handing it over directly in a war zone. We felt

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 Compassion and the Craft Stories

From Carlisle to
Ukraine, Cumbrian
Freemasons went on a
1,500-mile aid drive to
help people in need

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 Stories Compassion and the Craft

Clockwise from top left:

Paul Procter, Neil Dixon,
Richard Graham, Alan
Morley, Grant Todd

we were doing what Freemasons do best, and

that’s helping others who are less fortunate than
ourselves. To think that people from this small
province in Cumbria could do something to help
a community in Kyiv meant everything to us.’
The initial impetus came from Paul Proctor, a
Freemason who started collecting items in Penrith
to donate to Ukraine. Other Freemasons came on
board, including Neil, Richard Graham, Grant Todd,
Alan Morley and Peter Terry. The wider community
was eager to help and, before long, families, schools
and businesses were all pitching in.
That’s when the idea of driving to Poland took
hold. One of Richard’s neighbours was Nadiya
Layuk, a Ukrainian who had lived in Carlisle for
19 years. Nadiya knew people in Kyiv who were
living in tents, surviving bombs, pests and freezing
temperatures without access to food, warm clothes ‘We drove two big vans packed with warm clothes
or basic medicine. Through talking to Nadiya, the and basic medical equipment, such as bandages,
Freemasons were able to make direct contact with toiletries and non-perishable food. These were all
a community in Ukraine that was in need of aid. items that the people in Ukraine had specifically
On 2 April, the two vans set off, with driving requested or said they needed, so we didn’t just fill
shared by five Freemasons – Neil, Paul, Richard, a van with stuff that was useless to them.’
Grant and Alan. ‘We planned to have six, but Peter After driving to Newcastle, the group took
had to drop out and instead went a few weeks later,’ the overnight ferry to Amsterdam. The following
says Neil. ‘Very sadly he passed away in May. morning, they began the long drive across the

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Netherlands, Germany and into Poland. The convoy
was decorated with the Ukrainian flag and the
emblem of Cumbrian Freemasons, and received
a positive reception at passport control, as well
as from other motorists and pedestrians as they
continued through Europe.
The Freemasons weren’t the only group taking
aid from the UK. At one point, they passed a convoy
of British Army vehicles, seven or eight miles long,
delivering military support to Ukraine.
Their contact in Ukraine was Sergei, who crossed
the border at Lviv to meet them. In his own journey
across the country, Sergei had been accompanied
by a younger man, who was not allowed to cross the
border as he was of fighting age. It was a reminder
of the reality of the war, as was the news that at the
border they were only about 20 miles from where
bombing was taking place – roughly the distance
between Carlisle and Penrith, as Neil puts it.
‘We talked to Sergei and made a video,’ says
Neil. ‘He was very grateful, extremely upbeat and
determined, saying, “We will fight and we will win”.
It reminded us that Ukrainians were fighting for
their lives and that we were helping them, even
just that little bit.
‘The aid was delivered and stored in a church in
Kyiv, and we were sent pictures of the destination
and it being unloaded. A girl from a primary school
in St Bees, Cumbria, had made a box with supplies
including toothpaste, toothbrush and toiletries,
and this actually got handed to a Ukrainian soldier
in Kyiv. Amazing!’
FMT_59_p44-47_Ukraine_v0.7.indd 47
Compassion and the Craft Stories
After a cup of tea at the border, the Freemasons
got back in their vans and set out on the route they
had come. This time, they did at least stop for the
night outside Berlin – the first beds they had slept
in for 44 hours. When they got on the ferry, they
discovered their barman was Ukrainian. ‘He kept
thanking all of us – he was so appreciative of what
we had done for his country,’ says Neil.
The group’s social media updates received a fair
bit of attention, including an interview recorded at
the Polish border with Capital Radio in Manchester.
Recognition also came from within Freemasonry,
with their Provincial Grand Master Bill Bewley
offering the group a commendation for their efforts.
For Neil, it’s all part of being a Freemason.
‘The core principles of Freemasonry are friendship,
integrity, respect and charity, and we showcased all
of those aspects,’ he says. ‘We got the community
involved, we collected the aid Ukraine needed and
then delivered it, personally, to the people. This is
one of the reasons I like Freemasonry. Those core
values are amazing and help you through life.’
The team are talking about another trip to
deliver aid, but also have plans to support Ukraine
when the war finally ends. ‘Sergei invited us back
for a beer when the war is over, but we thought it
would be good to go back and help them rebuild,’
says Neil. ‘Maybe we could tie that in with a visit
to the Ukrainian Grand Lodge. That would be a The group share a
fantastic way to close the loop. This was a bonding bond of friendship, made
even stronger by their
experience. We were friends before this, but we’ve unforgettable journey
now shared something that will last forever.’ to deliver aid in Ukraine
FMT Autumn 2022 47
17/08/2022 16:00
 Stories 70 glorious years

T H E R OYA L
T R E AT M E N T
In this historic year of Queen Elizabeth II’s
reign, Freemasons around the UK honoured her
Platinum Jubilee with a series of special events

Dr Jake Mossom
lights and toasts
the Jubillee
beacon at
Freemasons’
Hall on 2 June

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 70 glorious years Stories

T
he UK celebrated a unique milestone on
2 June – Her Majesty The Queen’s 70th year
as the country’s monarch and head of the
Commonwealth. The Platinum Jubilee is
a feat no previous British monarch has achieved.
In recognition of her long service, more than 2,022
beacons were lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands,
Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, plus one in
each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries.
The beacons enabled local communities, individuals
and organisations to pay tribute to her as part of the
official Platinum Jubilee celebrations taking place up
and down the country from 2-5 June.
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) was
delighted to be taking part, lighting a special Platinum
Jubilee beacon on the roof of Freemasons’ Hall at
9:45pm on 2 June. Earlier that day, town criers were
invited to undertake a proclamation announcing the
lighting of the beacons later that evening.
UGLE was also a key corporate sponsor of the
official Platinum Jubilee Pageant commemorative
album, a limited-edition publication that included four
pages on Freemasonry and its strong connection to
royalty. It was presented as a gift to all VIP and senior
guests during the pageant and was also on sale to the
public over the weekend through a national newspaper.
In addition, complimentary copies were made available
to members of the House of Commons and the House
of Lords, special advisers, researchers and staff across
Westminster and Whitehall, government agencies and
members of the European and Commonwealth
parliaments, plus universities, colleges and schools
across the UK and Commonwealth.
Several Provinces planned special events to
commemorate the Jubilee. In West Kent, members
joined the Order of Women Freemasons at the festivities
in Tunbridge Wells, which included a colourful carnival, Further north, Durham Freemasons enjoyed
and ran a Jubilee celebration and information stall. beacon-lighting events in four different areas – Wingate,
In Somerset, Freemasons celebrated with charitable Bearpark, Chopwell and Weardale. Cumbria and
dinners, while Devonshire Freemasons held a tea party. Westmorland also lit beacons across the Province.
A celebratory cream tea was also the order of the day at Ian Chandler, chair of UGLE’s Communications and
Dorset Freemasons, in Poole Masonic Hall. Marketing Working Party, said, ‘It’s a great honour to
Elsewhere, Freemasons in Essex helped a local take part in the Platinum Jubilee; Freemasonry has
primary school to celebrate by donating numerous always had a strong relationship with the royal family.
prizes and art sets for winners of a competition to create We are delighted that our members and communities
something ‘regal or royal’. Meanwhile in Hampshire were excited about taking part and it was great seeing
and the Isle of Wight, Freemasons organised a dinner them getting involved, showing the nation just how
featuring the Royal Marines Association Concert Band. proud we are of Her Majesty The Queen.’

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HiddenHearing_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 10:52
 A daily
advancement Extending knowledge of Freemasonry

52 Curating the
Constitutions
Martin Cherry on the
many editions and
reprints in the museum

54 Discovering
Brothers past
Dr Ric Berman details Frontispiece of the 1784
the life of QC Lodge Book of Constitutions.
A figure representing Truth
member Henry Sadler shines light on to objects
relating to Freemasonry

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 Daily Advancement Framework for Freemasonry
Book of
Enlightenment
Freemasons throughout the world are celebrating
the tercentenary of a very important book next year,
The Constitutions of the Free-Masons. Museum of
Freemasonry Librarian Martin Cherry explains more
52 FMT Autumn 2022
FMT_59_p52-53_museum_v0.6.indd 52
P
ublished in 1723, The
Constitutions of the Free-Masons
took Freemasonry to the world
and will feature in a major exhibition
hosted by the Museum of Freemasonry
for Grand Lodge. ‘Inventing the Future’
will showcase how the growth of
Freemasonry in the 18th century
spread Enlightenment ideas of equality,
democracy and scientific reason.
The Constitutions was the work of
Presbyterian priest James Anderson and
scientific publishers Senex and Hooke.
Essentially a rule book for the new
Grand Lodge of England, it was actually
much more. The book includes a lengthy
history of Freemasonry derived from the
legends of ancient stonemasons, and a set
of charges forming Freemasonry’s moral
framework. A collection of bawdy songs,
appropriate for Lodges that largely met in
taverns and coffee houses, rounds it off.
Reprints and translations of
Anderson’s book soon appeared across
the rest of Europe and further afield,
12/08/2022 16:13
 Framework for Freemasonry Daily Advancement

From left: Benjamin Franklin, publisher of the first American edition of Anderson’s
Constitutions; title page of Franklin’s version, published in 1734; the frontispiece
of the Dublin edition, published in 1730; the Grand Lodge of England’s
sword pictured in a 1763 German version; an edition published in Prague in 1785

helping to make Freemasonry the
global phenomenon it is today.
A Dublin edition of the Constitutions
appeared in 1730, five years after the
Grand Lodge of Ireland was founded.
It included an almost identical frontispiece
to John Pine’s work for Anderson.
The first foreign language edition
is an undated Dutch translation by
Johan Kuenen. It was probably published
around 1736, just after the creation of
the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands, based
in liberal publishing hotspot The Hague.
Deputy Grand Master Kuenen also
released the first French and German
versions (in 1736 and 1741 respectively).
French and German editions appear
throughout the 18th century. French
protestant Marquis Louis-François de
la Tierce promised Anderson a French
edition after his initiation in England.
He completed the translation by 1733
and, from 1742, published several French
versions in Frankfurt, where he had
started a Lodge. He was unsatisfied by
Anderson’s history, especially in the 1738
second edition, and so had rewritten it
in a style more palatable to European
audiences. One of his additions was an
oration written by a Jacobite exile, the
Chevalier Michael Ramsay. This linked
Freemasonry to medieval chivalric orders
and led to the formation of some of the
additional degrees in Freemasonry.
In North America, English Freemasonry
was established by the 1730s. Lodges met
predominately in New England and
Pennsylvania, where Benjamin Franklin
was elected Provincial Grand Master in
1734. At this point, Franklin – a founding
father of the United States – was a
successful publisher and printer. In this
capacity, he published America’s first
Masonic book, a reprint of Anderson’s
Constitutions. He sold 127 copies, of which
only 17 survive. Of the two volumes in the
collection of the Museum of Freemasonry,
one can be traced back to Luke Vardy,
keeper of the Royal Exchange Tavern,
Boston, who purchased it from Franklin
in 1734. Vardy later gave it to Henry Price,
who was four times Provincial Grand
Master of New England. Franklin’s
Constitutions is a word-for-word reprint
of Anderson, but includes an additional
song, which he may have written.
Franklin became one of the most
influential figures in American history.
He represented the colonies in Paris
during the War of Independence, drafted
the Declaration of Independence and
was a delegate at debates to ratify the
Constitution of the United States.
By the early 19th century, editions
of The Constitutions were published in
Europe, the Americas and Asia. Even the
rival Antients’ Grand Lodge of England
based its rule book on Anderson’s work:
Ahiman Rezon, published in 1756, was
drafted around a pirated Irish edition.
The only exception was in Scotland
– where the Grand Lodge was created
in 1736. It was not until 1836 that a first
Scottish Constitutions appeared – a very
dry affair with no history and no songs.

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 Daily Advancement Brothers past
THE LIBRARIAN
Dr Ric Berman examines the life of librarian and
QC Lodge member Henry Sadler and explains why
he was wrong about his views on the rivalry between
the Antients and Moderns
I
n 1887, Henry Sadler (1840-1911),
the Grand Tyler of Grand Lodge, was
appointed sub-librarian of the then
relatively new Library and Museum. In
that role he was instrumental in bringing
about a major expansion, extending its
opening hours and collecting, organising
and indexing a vast array of archival
material. The latter provided the basis
for his research and that of many other
members of Quatuor Coronati Lodge,
No. 2076, the first and premier Lodge
of Masonic research. Indeed, Robert
Freke Gould, the prolific Victorian
Masonic historian and a fellow member
of QC, said of Sadler that ‘scarcely a
single Masonic book would have been
written without the author being assisted
by him’.
The formation of QC Lodge (consecrated
in 1886), and the growth in Masonic
research encouraged by Sadler’s work,
increased the importance of the Library
and Museum and lists of donations and
acquisitions begin to appear in Grand
Lodge’s Quarterly Communication from
1893. Partly as an acknowledgement of the
major contribution he had made, when
Sadler retired as Grand Tyler in 1910, he
was appointed librarian and curator on
a full-time basis with an annual salary of
£150. Unfortunately the appointment was
to be brief; he died just a year later.
Sadler is perhaps best-known today for
his comments on the rival Antients and
Moderns Grand Lodges and, in particular,
for his statement that there was no schism
between the two organisations before
they agreed to unite in 1813. His remarks
became received wisdom and were
54
FMT_59_p54-55_Brothers_past_v0.7R.indd 54
echoed not only by his peers, but also
by many later Masonic historians.
Sadler’s assessment of Antients
Freemasonry focused (rightly) on the
influence of the majority ‘Irish faction’:
the expatriate Irish who had fled famine
to seek new economic opportunities in
Britain and who in the 1750s and 60s made
up the largest component of the Antients’
members. However, differences in
Masonic ritual, although later magnified
by both Moderns and Antients Grand
Lodges, were, in fact, relatively minimal.
Sadler’s cornerstone argument, his
key point, was that since the expatriate
and especially London Irish had not
been members of English Lodges, the
rivalry between the two organisations
and their respective members could not
be termed ‘a schism’.
His argument was essentially this:
that one cannot leave an organisation
of which one has not been a member.
And it was given additional weight in
the 1950s when JR Dashwood – another
member of QC Lodge – editing the
Antients Grand Lodge Minutes, added
a legalistic underpinning by observing
that the situation could not have been
otherwise since no exclusive Masonic
territorial jurisdiction had been
formulated at the time.
‘The growth in Masonic
research encouraged by
Sadler’s work increased
the importance of the
library and museum’
FMT Autumn 2022
However, despite its widespread
acceptance, Sadler’s assessment jars with
both contemporary evidence and primary
source material. Moderns’ Freemasons did
leave to join the Antients. Some had found
themselves de facto rejects from the Grand
Lodge of England following the expulsion
or suspension of around a quarter of
London’s Lodges in the decade to 1750.
Some Antients Freemasons also chose to
join the Moderns. One example is William
Preston, after whom the Prestonian
Lectures are named. Somewhat ironically,
having joined the Moderns, Preston
subsequently led a breakaway group from
the Lodge of Antiquity and formed yet
another rival Grand Lodge: ‘the Grand
Lodge of England South of the River
Trent’. (As an aside, Preston was later
welcomed back to the Grand Lodge of
England and in 1790 the Lodge of
Antiquity was re-united.)
The two rival Antients and Moderns
Grand Lodges fought a running battle in
the press and in Masonic pamphlets,
as well as in the forewords that preambled
across successive editions of Ahiman
Rezon, the Antients’ Constitutions.
What was a real and intense Masonic
schism deepened as the 18th century
progressed, with both Moderns and
Antients Grand Lodges adamant that
anyone who joined their respective rival
would be sanctioned. Indeed, the Antients
wrote in their Grand Lodge Minutes on
1 June 1774, that:
‘If any lodge under the ancient
constitution of England... shall have in
their possessions any authority from the
Grand Lodge of Moderns or in any manner
assemble or meet under such authority,
[they] shall be deemed unworthy of
associating with the members of the Ancient
Community and the warrant they hold
under this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge
shall be immediately cancelled.’
Another factor ignored by Sadler was
that many expatriate Irish were prevented
or dissuaded from joining English Lodges.
This was a function of two factors: a fear
that the influx of Irish émigrés would
overwhelm Lodge charities; and the
dissemination by the English press of
a highly negative Irish stereotype, a view
17/08/2022 16:01
 Brothers past Daily Advancement

that echoed within the establishment

and within parts of English Freemasonry.
Anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice
was rampant in 18th-century England,
ranging from legal discrimination to
periodic mob violence, such as the 1736
Spitalfields riots against competition from
cheaper Irish labour. The institutional bias
against the Irish in England was such that
by the 1750s and 60s, anti-Irish bigotry was
endemic. It can be seen especially in the
courts, where a disproportionate number
of Irish men and women were arrested
and, when convicted, were handed
sentences far harsher than those received
by the English, Welsh or Scots. The bigotry
and the divisions it created were ignored
by Sadler. But we are driven to ask why
this was the case when the evidence was
so compelling.
There are several potential
explanations. First, although Sadler
was writing towards the end of the 19th
century, the 1813 Union between the
Antients and Moderns Grand Lodges and
the more socially inclusive Freemasonry
that followed was relatively recent and
not all Masonic tensions had been fully
resolved. Second, institutional bigotry
against Ireland had persisted and although
many were seeking to establish a more
mature political relationship, the question
of Irish Home Rule remained extremely
delicate. In that respect, Sadler may have
had an understandable desire not to
provoke a debate that may have soured
Anglo-Irish Masonic relations. And third,
issues of Masonic unity – and their
absence – were to the fore in the 1880s.
An argument over the specific nature
of the oath taken in Lodge had divided
international Freemasonry with a large
part of the English-speaking Masonic
world, including UGLE, the Grand
Lodges of Ireland and Scotland, and
Grand Lodges in the United States,
ranged against the Grand Orients of
Europe and Latin America.
Sadler’s argument that there was no Henry Sadler was appointed
sub-librarian of what was then the
schism between Antients and Moderns
relatively new Library and Museum
was probably incorrect even in the terms holistically. However, his comment does
in which he framed the question, and it is allow us to reflect that history is not only
certainly incorrect when 18th-century a function of the interpretation of data, but
English Freemasonry is examined also of each historian.

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HedgeTrimmer_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 16:05
 Grand Lodge News from Great Queen Street

58 Quarterly
Communication
Pro Grand Master
Peter Lowndes on 50
years of Freemasonry

60 Welcome
Companion
The last in the series
of Solomon’s virtual
learning modules

Lighting the Platinum

Jubilee beacon at
Freemasons’ Hall

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 Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication

Peter Lowndes
has held the
position of
Pro Grand Master
for more than
13 years

Golden B
rethren, I can’t tell you what a privilege it
has been to be a member of this wonderful
institution for 50 years, let alone serving

oppor tunities
As he approaches retirement, Pro Grand Master
Peter Lowndes reflects on an extraordinary
50 years of Freemasonry in his June address
P O R T R A I T J O O N E Y W O O D WA R D
as Pro Grand Master for more than 13 years. I had no
idea what I was letting myself in for when accepting
the appointment of Deputy Grand Director of
Ceremonies (GDC) back in 1983, but, if I had done,
I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. When I was
appointed GDC in 1995, I thought that was the
pinnacle of my Masonic career – and I would still
say that it is the best job there is, as everyone has
to do what you tell them.
When I retired as GDC in 2002, I expected a nice
quiet role on the back benches, and had no idea that
Lord Northampton was intending for me to take over
from Iain Bryce as Deputy Grand Master. I was even
more flabbergasted when he asked me (told me,
actually) to take over from him, not least because I
had no idea he was intending to step down himself.

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The past 13 years have been a marvellous
experience, and I could not have hoped for everyone
to be so kind, generous and supportive wherever
I have visited. During my time in various offices, I
have been to every Province and genuinely couldn’t
say which one I enjoyed the most. They have all
been wonderful and I can’t thank the Provincial
Grand Masters and Grand Superintendents enough
for their support and courtesy. I don’t need to know
what they said behind my back.
I have also been to 21 of our 32 Districts, as well
as two of our four Inspectorates, and have been so
impressed by the pride they all show in being part
of UGLE. They all have competition from other
Constitutions, mainly Ireland and Scotland, but
also in a few other places, such as the Netherlands.
Many also have Grand Lodges of the country in
which they reside, often formed by us or other Home
Grand Lodges. I like to think that in recent times our
relationship with those Grand Lodges has been very
cordial, for example the Grand Lodge of India.
My main job is to represent the Grand Master
when he is unable to be present and that includes
visiting Grand Lodges overseas. It has been
fascinating to carry out these visits and see
the different ways they perform their ceremonies,
and to see the various different regalias that are in
use. I believe I have been to more than 20 other
Grand Lodges. Many visit us on a regular basis
and I like to think that I have made many friends
around the world and, most particularly, in Europe.
Brethren, I hope we are all hugely proud of our
record of charitable giving, which has always been
in our DNA. Whether it is fi nancial assistance or
voluntary work matters not, we are just good at it.
However, the highlight of my time as Pro Grand
‘The highlight of my time as
Pro Grand Master was the
tercentenary year, when our
Provinces and Districts got
up to some wonderful antics’
FMT_59_p58-59_QC_comms_v0.6R.indd 59
Quarterly Communication Grand Lodge
Master was clearly the tercentenary year, when our A celebration of
Provinces and Districts got up to some wonderful the tercentenary
at the Royal
antics for the purpose of raising charitable funds Albert Hall in 2017
and also found imaginative and important ways to
donate those funds.
It all, of course, culminated at the extravaganza
at the Royal Albert Hall. Afterwards, I received
many messages of congratulations for the
excellence of the event. I took them all in my
stride and most certainly did not admit to having
done precisely nothing myself – to the extent of
not even knowing, until it started, what on earth
was going to happen. My lack of such knowledge
made the event even better. It was truly memorable
and is still talked about. How lucky we are to
have such talented brethren capable of putting
on such a show.
Throughout my time in office, I have enjoyed
incredible support from so many. I have had the
same Deputy Grand Master throughout and could
never have asked for better (I have to say that as he
will soon become my boss!). David Williamson and
Sir David Wootton, meanwhile, have been
wonderful Assistants. The Board and its Presidents
and the Secretariat have all played such an
important part in making my life easy, but I am
going to be slightly indulgent and single out
Graham Redman who, over the 27 years since
I became GDC, has always been the person I relied
on to tell me if I was about to make a howler. He did,
of course, revel in doing so and I suspect has saved
me from many calamities.
Brethren, I shall fi nish by simply saying thank
you to all for your support and for putting up with
my rather quirky sense of humour for so long.
FMT Autumn 2022 59
17/08/2022 16:02
 Grand Lodge Virtual development

LEARNINGS
ONLINE
Introducing Welcome Companion – the latest
in a series of virtual learning modules on Solomon
that help a Freemason’s development

In July, the Solomon Team launched a new module

called Welcome Companion. This completes the
suite of modules that are mainly intended for those
who have just undertaken a ceremony – namely
Welcome Apprentice, Welcome Fellowcraft and
Welcome Master Mason. These have proved
very popular and may also be of interest to more
experienced Freemasons.
In case you are not familiar with it, Solomon
is a virtual learning environment (VLE) that helps
with the learning and development needs of
members and companions (solomon.ugle.org.uk/).
Its purpose is to complement the support that
already exists in Lodges and Chapters, and is
not intended to replace anything.
Although the Welcome modules can be taken
in the comfort of your home at your own speed,
this is not the only way they can be used. For
example, you could also work on them as part
of a discussion with a mentor.
The Welcome modules adopt gamification
to make the learning experience more fun and
engaging. When successfully completing each
of the 12 quizzes on Welcome Companion, users
earn a virtual badge. When they have completed
all the quizzes, read all the relevant content
and watched all the videos, users can earn the

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Welcome Companion Badge. This is a significant
achievement as it involves a lot of work. We are
investigating a function that would allow users
to download a certificate of achievement. Such
certificates are increasingly becoming the norm
at work and for other leisure-time activities.
Ritual and traditions vary in Chapters so
this module is therefore based on the popular
Aldersgate Royal Arch Ritual. Though this may be
different to your own Chapter, the fundamentals
are the same. You could consider it as visiting,
while noting the variations to your own Chapter.
Welcome Companion is broken down into five
sections: Background to the Ceremony, Ensigns
and Banners, Chapter Organisation, the Lectures
and the Final Quiz.
The module therefore helps explain the
historical and Biblical context that forms the
backdrop to the ceremony. The first presentation is
a timeline of how Royal Arch is the continuation of
the story started in Craft Freemasonry. The Grand
Originals are explained and, following a video about
the destruction of the First Temple, a summary of
the exaltation ceremony is provided.
Not all companions are aware of the relationship
between the ensigns and banners, or how they fit
in with the story of Exodus from the Bible. The
second section therefore provides an explanation
FMT_59_p60-61_solomon_v0.4R.indd 61
Virtual development Grand Lodge
of which ensigns relate to which banner and their
position within the Chapter room. This explanation
enables new companions to connect more with
their surroundings.
Likewise, the third section concentrates on how
the Chapter itself is organised. This includes the
layout of furniture, the Biblical characters being
represented, an explanation of the officers, the
Royal Arch jewel, regalia, robes, and the sceptres.
‘Solomon helps with the
learning and development needs
of members and companions’
For the fourth section, members are provided
with an insight into the historical, symbolical
and mystical lectures.
The module concludes with an explanation
of the destruction of the Second Temple, while
the final quiz entitles successful candidates
to the Welcome Companion Badge.
It could be said that Freemasonry becomes
more challenging after taking each step. We hope
this new module will help companions better
understand the context of the Royal Arch ceremony
so they can enjoy this beautiful order.
Our labour is then complete.
FMT Autumn 2022 61
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LewisMasonic_autumn22.indd 1 01/08/2022 14:18
 Contents The Royal Arch

The Royal Arch

Thoughts from the Supreme Grand Chapter

66 New to the
Royal Arch
The Membership
and Communications
Royal Arch Jewel
Working Party worn by members
of the Order

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 Royal Arch Supreme Grand Chapter
C O M PA N I O N S
UNITE
Introducing the new Royal Arch Membership and
Communications Working Party – a team set up to help
develop the Royal Arch as it moves into its third century
T
hese are exciting times for the
Royal Arch, as increased focus is
being given to communications
as well as the narrative around it.
A key cornerstone of our work around
the Royal Arch is the new Pro Grand
Master Jonathan Spence’s determination
that the Craft and Royal Arch work in
tandem with one and other. As you will
read in his article in this magazine (p40),
he says, ‘The Craft and Royal Arch need to
work seamlessly together. We must get
better at explaining why the Royal Arch
enriches the Craft experience of members,
how valuable it is and how it is the natural
next stage after becoming a Master Mason.’
To achieve this, a new Working Party,
the Membership and Communications
Working Party (MCWP), has been created
under the guidance of the Committee of
General Purposes to meet these
challenges, with one question at the
forefront of its thinking: how can we
ensure the Royal Arch thrives in these
challenging times?
The team (see right) provides support to
the Committee of General Purposes on all
matters relating to membership and
communications. This is obviously a huge
66
FMT_59_p66-67_arch_v0.5.indd 66
task and so comprises a group of
experienced Royal Arch Masons from
across the Constitution, with additional
support from UGLE Deputy Director of
Communications, Shaun Butler.
The team is currently working on
four projects:
1) How is the Royal Arch doing
nationally in terms of its
membership profile?
2) Archway – a Royal Arch equivalent
of the Members’ Pathway.
3) The narrative about how the Royal
Arch adds value to Craft Freemasonry.
4) Enhancing our communications
strategy across all the many
available channels.
It has been a busy start for the Working
Party, with plenty of work already
completed. This includes pulling data,
surveying Freemasons who are not
currently members of the Royal Arch and
those who have recently joined, as well as
connecting with Grand Superintendents
throughout the Constitution.
Right now, there’s a lot of information
available and the team are letting the
evidence lead the work.
Progress so far is starting to show, with
FMT Autumn 2022
‘There is now a real
determination at all
levels to promote the
“indissoluble link”
created more than 200
years ago between the
Craft and the Royal Arch’
more Royal Arch content being shared
across all existing channels to raise
awareness. Work is also continuing on
Archway, the Royal Arch equivalent of the
Members’ Pathway, and a consistent
narrative is being developed.
Overall, the message is clear. There
is now a real determination at all levels
to promote the ‘indissoluble link’
created more than 200 years ago between
the Craft and the Royal Arch and to
communicate the many ways in which
the Order enriches our experience of
Craft masonry.
You can help too. Speak to the Royal
Arch representative in your lodge and
share your views on what makes it
so special.
15/08/2022 17:45

John Reid
A passionate Royal Arch Companion of
31 years, John joined the Chapter two
years after being raised. An active member
of the Wiltshire Executive for the past 16
years, he is now in his eighth year as Grand
Superintendent and was more recently
appointed Provincial Grand Master
(Designate) for Wiltshire. John is currently
a member of the Committee of General
Purposes for the Royal Arch and a member
of the UGLE Audit Committee, and he still
fi nds time to take an active office in Rose
Croix. He recently retired as a chartered
construction manager, having worked on
the Crown Estate for the past 47 years and
is interested in all things equestrian, as
well as sports in general.
Elliott Chevin
Elliott Chevin is the Deputy Grand
Superintendent in Essex. He was initiated
nearly 25 years ago by his father. His late
maternal grandfather was a Freemason,
his sister has since joined Freemasonry
and he hopes his son might one day follow
in their footsteps. Elliott lives in Essex with
his wife and two children. He’s a keen
runner, guitarist and whisky enthusiast.
Professionally, Elliott has worked for Apple
Inc for nearly 15 years.
FMT_59_p66-67_arch_v0.5.indd 67
Simon Daniel
A proud Welshman and Lewis from
Swansea, Simon has been a Freemason
since 2001 and is now Assistant to the
Provincial Grand Principals, Provincial
Grand Membership Officer for Craft and
Royal Arch. He’s also Joint Provincial Head
of Learning and Development for Craft and
Royal Arch, and the Chair of the Masonic
Grants committee for the Masonic
Benevolent Foundation of South Wales.
He’s also a member of four other Orders.
Simon works as a hotelier, running two spa
hotels in Usk and Brecon Beacons and is
married with three children and three
grandchildren. He’s a keen vegetable
gardener, avid England cricket fan and, of
course, Welsh rugby runs in his blood.
Paul Renton
Chairman of the Membership and
Communication Working Party, Paul has
been a Freemason since 1984 and a
member of the Royal Arch Cabinet in the
Province of West Lancashire for the past
nine years. Paul is currently the Deputy
Grand Superintendent and a member of 10
other Orders. His professional life has been
spent as an educator, fi rst in secondary
schools, then as a school adviser/inspector
and then working for the Rugby Football
Union as a referee educator.
FMT Autumn 2022
Supreme Grand Chapter Royal Arch
Shaun Butler
Shaun is the Deputy Director of
Communications and Marketing at UGLE
and Supreme Grand Chapter. He was
initiated in 2015 and was exalted into the
Royal Arch in 2018 in Letchworth Chapter,
No. 3505. Shaun lives in Surrey with his
family and his English Bulldog, Winston,
and is a lifelong supporter of Newcastle
United and the England rugby team.
Mike Rix
Born in a mining village in Yorkshire, Mike
attended the local grammar school and is
a graduate of Bradford and Nottingham
Universities. He has been a company
director for 30 or so years with different
companies, including his own. Married
with four children, he has lived with his
family in Lincolnshire for 40 years. Mike
was initiated into Hallcross Lodge, No.
5744 in 1991 in Doncaster and has been
Master twice. Exalted into Isle of Axholme
Chapter in 1998, he became MEZ in 2011.
He was appointed Active Provincial
Standard Bearer and now has Supreme
Grand Chapter Grand Rank as Past
Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
Michael became Provincial Second Grand
Principal in May 2019.
67
15/08/2022 15:05
 Culture Book reviews
     
  






 
 
www.lewismasonic.co.uk
Printed in England
TH E SCOT TI S H WO R KI N GS
O F C R A F T M A S O N RY
North of the border
Spot the differences – and similarities
This book is a re-issue of the
1967 edition by Lewis Masonic,
which was already a well-
established work, with some
archaic layout and language.
That is not by any means
a complaint – rather it is a
pleasing historical experience
for all those who enjoy
Masonic research.
I have not yet had the
pleasure of experiencing
a Scottish Lodge in action.
However, it is something
readers will keenly anticipate
once they have fi nished
reading this interesting book.
Members of the English
Constitution will doubtless
look here for the differences
in Freemasonry north of the
border. They are easy to spot,
but so are the deep similarities.
The general scheme is the
same, so too the progress
through the degrees.
However, the Scots have
interesting abbreviated
workings to be used
alternatively. This is greatly
attractive – they are pithy
and dramatic, redolent of
the Georgian origins of
Freemasonry as we know it.
Books wanted for review. FMTwelcomes book submissions for review. We will consider all genres, and the only requirement
is that the book has a connection to Freemasonry. To submit a book for review, go to the link below and complete the form.
We will let you know if we need a physical copy of the book. The book must have an ISBN and be available for purchase
by the general public (printed book, e-book, audiobook). www.freemasonrytoday.com/booksubmission
68
FMT_59_p68-69_book reviews_v0.7.indd 68
Here also you will fi nd the fi rst
tracing board prominent and
obviously to be given at most
initiations. This has effectively
disappeared from English
ceremonies: in 36 years, I have
only heard it given once.
Likewise, there are charges
to the candidate after each
degree, not merely the fi rst.
I won’t spoil your enjoyment by
setting it all out here. For not
much more than the price of
a coffee and newspaper, you
can happily discover them
all yourself.
Aside from the ceremonies,
there is an introduction that
provides an interesting
summary of the origins of
Freemasonry. At the back
of the book, you will fi nd
pages of quaint Masonic
songs, toasts and sentiments,
such as: ‘May our evening’s
diversion bear the morning’s
reflection’ and ‘Golden eggs to
every brother, and goldfi nches
to our Lodges’. So mote it be!
Review by Stanhope
The Scottish Workings of Craft
Masonry, Lewis Masonic,
174pp, £12
FMT Autumn 2022
PRACTICAL FRE E MASON RY: ACCESSI BLE PH I LOSOPHY
FOR WORKI NG -CLASS SCH LU BS BY MAT T GALLAGH ER
Straightforward solutions
Help is at hand for younger Freemasons
Just what should the tone of
Freemasonry be like now?
Should it lean towards the
stuff y and pompous (as I still
occasionally see in some
Lodges)? Or be more relaxed
and in step with what people
under 30 are like today?
Perhaps there is room
for both and all shades in
between, which is saying
something for an elderly fellow
like me who can remember
what some meetings were
like many, many decades
ago where old fogeys
often predominated.
This book, written by Matt
Gallagher, a young Freemason
based in Minnesota, US, is in
the relaxed, up-to-date style
and clearly geared towards
younger Freemasons in the
United States. It also uses
a fair few Masonic terms that
may be unfamiliar to many
Freemasons in the UK, but
which a few moment’s thought
will make clear.
Nonetheless, Practical
Freemasonry is not in any way
less interesting for that.
A straightforward read, it
squarely tackles some of the
issues that younger people
these days can run into,
whether they already belong
to a Lodge or are thinking
of joining one. Gallagher is,
moreover, good at explaining
the more esoteric elements
of Freemasonry in a modern,
but not inaccurate way.
If you are stuff y and
pompous, or wish that the
clock could be turned back
80 years to well before World
War II, then this book is not
for you. But then nor is
this magazine.
If you are not, then it is,
in its way, very readable and
unquestionably contains
much of depth and interest.
Gallagher aims to show how
Masonic ideas can be applied
to life in a practical way –
that anyone can understand
– but on a deep level. I think
he succeeds. Worth buying.
Review by Aubrey Buchanan
Practical Freemasonry:
Accessible Philosophy for
Working-Class Schlubs,
Matt Gallagher, 212pp, £17.95
17/08/2022 16:04
 Book reviews Culture

When an operative mason became a mas-

Hiram’s Way

Hiram’s Way
ter of his art, we have a fairly good
idea of what that might have meant. But Meditations on the
what of speculative masons? When we Masonic Path to Enlightenment
become Masters, what is it that we are
masters of? What skills do we acquire
on our path to becoming?
This book imagines a Master Mason,
crafted by the ritual he follows and
visualizes him perfected and complete,
a shining example to others: an embod-
iment of the ‘true godliness’ of which
our ritual speaks.

Jonti Marks
www.lewismasonic.co.uk

Printed in England Jonti Marks

T H E K I R K WA L L S C R O L L H I R A M ’ S WAY: M E D I TAT I O N S O N T H E M A S O N I C
PAT H T O E N L I G H T E N M E N T BY J O N T I M A R KS

A fascinating object Deep reflections

An ancient piece of Scottish Masonic history The deeper meanings of what we do

The Kirkwall Scroll is an
extraordinary Masonic
artefact. The linen roll
measures more than 18 feet
long and nearly six feet wide,
and is decorated with a wide
variety of Masonic symbols.
How old it may be is still
debated. Some people believe
it dates right back to the
Middle Ages – perhaps even
as far back as 1307, when
the Knights Templar were
forced underground by
Pope Clement V.
Others more modestly
believe it only dates from the
18th century (it is minuted that
the original was given to the
Scottish Lodge of Kirkwall
Killwinning, No. 382 in the
late 1700s).
Different parts of the scroll
have been carbon dated on
separate occasions, giving
rise to widely different dates.
Both results are backed by
scientific data and both have
staunch followers.
Nor does there appear to
be any right or wrong answer
as to its intended narrative.
A possible purpose – rather like
today’s tracing boards – was
as a lecture aid, although the
detailed interpretation of the
imagery and symbolism seems
to vary according to how old it
is thought to be.
The scroll itself contains
seven central panels mixing
(among other things) creation, One of the many extraordinary
Masonic symbolism, the things about Freemasonry is
heavens, symbols relating that despite being an often
to the Holy Royal Arch and life-changing means of
working tools. Side panels then thinking about how we behave
depict what appears to be the as individuals, it is defi nitely
journey of the Israelites from not a solitary activity,
Egypt to the Holy Land. fraternising, of course, being
Due to its sheer size, one at the heart of what we do.
suggestion is that it could have The result is that one of
been laid on the floor and the Freemasonry’s aims is that
appropriate parts revealed we should all steadily try to
depending on the subject of improve the way we behave
the lecture. towards our fellow creatures
The scroll is now available and quietly do our bit to make
as a scaled-down, high-quality the world a better place.
print, allowing it to be much In this, the latest book in
more easily studied. You can his Masonic Meditations series,
come up with your own Jonti Marks once again
interpretation of the naïve offers his careful and deep
artwork, or simply enjoy what reflections. This time, he uses
is undoubtedly an incredibly 100 short phrases or single
important piece of Scottish words from the ceremonies
Masonic history. and explores what they
Review by Andrew Pippen would mean to an ideal
Master Mason.
The Kirkwall Scroll, available as Two examples chosen
a print from Lewis Masonic, £18 more or less at random are:
‘to be happy ourselves and to
communicate happiness’ and
‘the practice of every moral
and social virtue’. These
phrases or words are then
followed by short, one-page
meditations, each packed
with food for thought.
Two brief extracts, again
chosen at random, will give an
idea of these. Marks’s ideal
Master Mason ‘understands
that he does not need to
trumpet his virtue to the
world, and he realises that,
often, more can be
accomplished by working
in the background, quietly
and steadily’.
Another is ‘he knows in his
heart that a life lived without
love, compassion and empathy
is a life that has missed its
purpose and is, ultimately, a
life without joy or direction’.
There are hundreds more.
In his introduction, Marks
points out that our rituals are
full of hints and suggestions
as to what it might mean to be
truly a Master Mason. I found
it thought-provoking and a
most interesting read.
Review by Lionel Brough
Hiram’s Way, Meditations
on the Masonic Path to
Enlightenment, Jonti Marks,
Lewis Masonic, 108pp, £10

FMT Autumn 2022 69

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Community
spirit
An update from Masonic Charitable Foundation
Chief Executive Les Hutchinson
I
t has been another busy year so far at the
Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF, the
Freemasons’ charity) as we have responded to
a number of events and launched new projects
and partnerships, as well as maintaining the
smooth running of our operations under hybrid
working arrangements.
At the beginning of the year, we launched
a fundraising appeal on behalf of Freemasonry
to tackle the growing humanitarian and refugee
situation in Ukraine. We reacted within days of
the invasion with a grant of £50,000 to the British
Red Cross. The MCF and UGLE then launched an
appeal, which reached £500,000 very quickly – and
now stands at more than £1.1 million. Five major
grants have already been made to leading aid
agencies and further such awards will follow. It has
been incredible to see how much Freemasonry
has stepped up in response to this crisis.
In April, we welcomed our new President,
Right Worshipful James Long, and said goodbye to
Right Worshipful Richard Hone, who has served
the MCF, and previously the Freemasons’ Grand
Charity, for more than 19 years. We are incredibly
grateful for the enormous contribution made by
Richard over many years and look forward to
working closely with James.
To further support charities across England
and Wales, the MCF has launched a new strategic
FMT Autumn 2022
FMT_59_p71-74_charity_v1.0.indd 71
Charity
partnership with Cranfield Trust (see page 74).
Funded by a £228,000 grant, this will support
smaller charities identified by Provinces and
Metropolitan Grand Lodge by providing pro bono
management consultancy and mentoring. The
partnership will also spearhead a major national
study into the professional development and
training needs of frontline charity managers. The
MCF and Freemasonry have been long-standing
cash donors for many charities and causes, but this
new partnership will see Freemasonry funding
practical help that will benefit the charities and
their leaders for many years.
At our summer trustee board meeting, we were
pleased to welcome representatives of Age UK.
They provided an update on the impact that our
major grant of £1.2 million is having on older
people across the country through our ‘later life
goals’ initiative. It was reported that an astonishing
10,000 older people had received support and the
project also identified £18.74 million in hitherto
unclaimed benefits for older people. That’s an
additional £4,000 of income on average for
every person supported by the project. This
extra money will be making all the difference
as prices continue to rise.
I’m very pleased that following the various
lockdowns, Festival activities are now back up
and running. These include many innovative and,
in some cases, daring, fundraising events that
have taken place over recent months, as well as
the fi nal appeal celebrations in Essex, Leicestershire
and Rutland, Durham and Oxfordshire. We remain
immensely grateful to all those who have done so
much to support our work; it is much appreciated.
This year, the MCF celebrates its sixth birthday.
In just 72 months we have awarded grants on
behalf of Freemasonry amounting to more than
£110 million – or £60,000 per day – comprising
more than 18,000 grants to individuals in need
and more than 3,700 grants to charities. This is only
possible thanks to the generosity of Freemasons,
their families and friends, who continue to
enthusiastically support our work.
In 2022, we will have come to the end of our fi rst
five-year strategy and have started to develop plans
that will direct the MCF over the next few years.
We look forward to consulting and discussing these
proposals with key groups within Freemasonry
as this process develops.
As always, the MCF remains here to help with
a range of fi nancial, family, health and care needs.
We are very much open for business. If you or
someone you know might benefit from our
support, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thanks for your ongoing support.
71
15/08/2022 15:09
 Charity
Take ten
Freemason and Prestonian lecturer Tony Harvey celebrates a decade
of delivery for Freemasonry, Scouting and charity
M
asonic Charitable Foundation (MCF)
Trustee Tony Harvey is celebrating a
decade of delivering his 2012 Prestonian
Lecture, ‘Scouting and Freemasonry: two parallel
organisations?’ In addition to reaching this
milestone, Tony has also raised more than £100,000
for charities since 2012 from his various Masonic
books and talks.
The annual Prestonian Lecture is the only lecture
held under the authority of UGLE as a memorial to
William Preston (1742-1818), the foremost Masonic
educator of his age, who left a legacy to Grand Lodge
to provide for an annual lectureship. Each year,
the Board of General Purposes nominates lecturers
to the Trustees of the Prestonian Fund who then
make the appointment.
Tony has now delivered his 2012 lecture on
132 occasions across London and all 47 Provinces,
as well as in five overseas Districts. During the
pandemic, technology stepped in to allow the
lecture and Tony’s other talks to continue, and
he delivered these online to audiences around
the world 141 times.
The 2012 Prestonian Lecture starts by
outlining the many parallels between Scouting
and Freemasonry as values-based membership
organisations, as well as key differences. It then
draws upon Tony’s original research about
Robert Baden-Powell and his links to the Craft.
Based on this foundation, the lecture continues
with examples of how Scouting and Freemasonry
are working together today and the potential
for a mutually beneficial relationship between
the two organisations.
Tony’s growing list of other talks on Freemasonry
combine historical analysis with an understanding
of the development of people and organisations,
72
FMT_59_p71-74_charity_v1.0.indd 72
to promote a forward-thinking approach to Tony Harvey
Freemasonry. They include his 2018 Cornwallis has raised an
incredible
Lecture, ‘The future of Freemasonry: evolution £102,575 from his
and change’, and ‘Seven habits of highly successful books and talks
Lodges’. Tony has developed the latter into a book,
to be published this year by Lewis Masonic.
In total, £102,575 has been raised from Tony’s
books and talks. This has been supplemented by
Tony’s personal fundraising activities, which
have added a further £13,433 – including a rainy
and rather windswept walk to the summit of the
Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District on
Tony’s 60th birthday.
Several charities within Freemasonry, including
the MCF and its predecessor charities, and the Mark
Benevolent Fund, have received a total of £76,871
over the past 10 years – £38,000 has gone to support
Scouting and especially its heritage work. It has
funded the installation of a climate control system
in the national archives, the digitisation of the
Baden-Powell archive and the first-ever donation to
The Scout Association’s Heritage Centre at Gilwell
Park, the Scouts’ national headquarters, in Essex.
Looking back on his decade of delivering the
lecture, Tony says, ‘I am very proud to belong to
both Freemasonry and the Scouting movement
and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity
to visit so many places and meet so many people by
delivering this lecture.
‘It has now been 10 years and I continue to
receive many requests from Lodges and other
groups to deliver the lecture, as well as other
talks. It is a privilege to be able to keep sharing my
passion for the positive work of these two wonderful
organisations, which have added so much to my life
and the lives of so many others.’
To find out more, visit prestonian2012.org.uk
FMT Autumn 2022
15/08/2022 15:10
 Charity

RMBI Care Co. staff receive

British Citizen Award in praise
of efforts during the pandemic
The 180-year-old charity provides care and support to older Freemasons and their families

Care home managers at RMBI Care Co. have

received a British Citizen Corporate Award in
recognition of their leadership during the Covid-19
pandemic. Furthermore, all staff members at the
homes, which provide older people with residential
care, nursing care and residential dementia
support, have been awarded a British Citizen Award
Certificate of Recognition for their ‘exceptional
endeavours in the Workplace Community’.
Regional, national and head office staff have
also been awarded the same certificate.
Mark LLoyd, managing director at RMBI Care Co.,
said, ‘Our care homes, head office and national
teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that our
residents have received exceptional care and
remained safe.’
The 180-year-old charity provides care and
support to older Freemasons, their families and
people in the wider community across 18 care
homes in England and Wales.
Mark added, ‘I am delighted that our home
Staff member Christobel Barrow, home manager Beverley Roberts and staff
managers have been personally recognised for member Barbara Augusty with their certificates and medal at RMBI Care Co.
their contribution, as they have demonstrated Home, Prince Michael of Kent Court, Watford
tremendous leadership and have all risen to
the challenge and ensured their residents, their
relatives and staff have been kept up to date with the
ongoing unprecedented and changing situation.’
Receiving the award, Beverley Roberts, home
manager at Prince Michael of Kent Court in Watford,
said, ‘It’s a real honour to be recognised for the work
that we do, as well as each of our staff members, who
go over and above every day to support the residents
within our care. It has been a challenging few years,
but we have emerged stronger and closer as a team.’
The British Citizen Awards help to recognise
individuals doing extraordinary things in the local
community. Anyone can be nominated for an
award, providing they have had a meaningful
impact on those around them.

‘Our care homes, head office

and national teams have
worked tirelessly to ensure Activities coordinator Fee Collins and resident Sheila Cocks cycle side by side at RMBI

that our residents have Care Co. Home Devonshire Court in Leicester. All staff members at the homes have
been awarded a British Citizen Award Certificate of Recognition for their ‘exceptional
received exceptional care’ endeavours in the Workplace Community’.

FMT
FMTAutumn
Spring 2022
2022 73

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 Charity
M C F forges links
with new par tner
Cranfield Trust receives partnership grant to aid small charities
T
he Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF,
the Freemasons’ charity) has awarded
Cranfield Trust a strategic partnership
grant of £228,000, which will fund the crucial
management support of 60 small charities.
This grant from the MCF, on behalf of
Freemasons, will help provide essential social
welfare services to the people who need them at
this most challenging time. Smaller charities will
benefit from intensive consultancy or leadership
development support in areas such as business
planning and strategy, governance, marketing
or financial processes.
Amanda Tincknell CBE, chief executive of
Cranfield Trust, said, ‘We’re delighted to be working
with the Masonic Charitable Foundation to support
vital, frontline charities across the country. This
generous grant will enable Cranfield Trust to link
highly skilled volunteers with frontline welfare
charities and organisations to provide essential
consultancy and mentoring services. This
partnership will provide tailored professional
support to meet the needs of smaller charities and,
as a result, local communities will benefit from
even better charity services.’
Sixty small charities and other not-for-profit
organisations from across England and Wales
74
FMT_59_p71-74_charity_v1.0.indd 74
Cranfield Trust’s
CEO Amanda
Tincknell CBE
with the MCF’s
Les Hutchinson
will be able to access essential training and expert
help from Cranfield Trust. At least one charity will
be nominated by the Metropolitan Grand Lodge
and every Province across England and Wales to
receive intensive support, while 12 more will be
nominated by MCF’s very own Charity Grants team.
The partnership will also include a programme
of learning events and activities to thousands of
other charities.
Drawing on Cranfield Trust’s model of skilled
volunteering, charity leaders and managers will
benefit from the support of exceptional consultants
and mentors.
The partnership will also spearhead a major
national study into the professional development
and training needs of frontline charity managers,
to build a management training programme for
thousands more local charities in the future.
‘This important partnership with Cranfield Trust
will help 60 small charities to become more
effective and improve the delivery of services to
people in need. It’s another demonstration of
charity being at the heart of Freemasonry,’ said
Les Hutchinson, Chief Executive of MCF.
FMT Autumn 2022
15/08/2022 15:10
 Stilz_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 11:06

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75_FMT_autumn22.indd 1 16/08/2022 12:32

CottonTraders_autumn22.indd 1 29/07/2022 10:54
 UGLE Provinces Fraternal world

Fraternal World The UGLE globe at a glance

Key Metropolitan Grand Lodge Provincial Grand Lodges

Hertfordshire
188 lodges

Buckinghamshire
116 lodges

Berkshire
98 lodges

Middlesex Surrey
195 lodges 253 lodges

Northumberland
West Kent
138 lodges
London 178 lodges
1,252 lodges
Cumberland
& Westmorland Durham
77 lodges 178 lodges

Yorkshire,
West Riding
Isle of Man 198 lodges
19 lodges
East Lancashire Yorkshire, North
198 lodges & East Ridings
98 lodges
West Lancashire
342 lodges Derbyshire Lincolnshire
74 lodges Bedfordshire
75 lodges 55 lodges
North Wales
Cheshire 106 lodges Warwickshire
156 lodges
173 lodges Nottinghamshire
86 lodges
Shropshire Leicestershire
36 lodges & Rutland Norfolk
80 lodges 76 lodges
Staffordshire
Worcestershire 96 lodges Cambridgeshire
116 lodges 30 lodges
West Wales
27 lodges Oxfordshire Suffolk Northamptonshire
55 lodges 68 lodges & Huntingdonshire
Monmouthshire
93 lodges
29 lodges
Bristol
37 lodges East Kent
South Wales 181 lodges
Somerset 161 lodges
89 lodges
Sussex
Devonshire 161 lodges
Gloucestershire
131 lodges
82 lodges
Essex
Hampshire & Isle
307 lodges
of Wight
Cornwall Dorset
255 lodges
80 lodges 49 lodges
Herefordshire Wiltshire
15 lodges 44 lodges

Guernsey & Alderney

11 lodges
Jersey
11 lodges

FMT Autumn 2022 77

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 Fraternal world UGLE Districts and Groups

2 3 9
6

Across
7

the globe
4
8

The Districts and Groups of UGLE

Hamilton Cascais
George Georgetown Zakynthos
Town
Bridgetown
Rio de
Nassau São Paulo Janeiro
Halifax Antigua
Santiago Lagos
Kingston
Willemstad
Buenos Aires Montevideo Gibraltar
Jamestown
Montreal Port of Spain
Vilamoura Valleta

1. CANADA 2. CARIBBEAN 3. ATLANTIC 4. SOUTH AMERICA 5. EUROPE

Montreal/Halifax
The Group of Lodges
in Montreal & Halifax
(3 lodges)
Kingston/George Town Nassau São Paulo/ Portugal
District Grand Lodge of District Grand Lodge Rio de Janeiro The Group of Lodges
Jamaica & the Cayman of Bahamas & Turks District Grand Lodge in Portugal (4 lodges)
Islands (24 lodges) (12 lodges) of South America, Gibraltar
Willemstad Hamilton Northern Division District Grand Lodge
Igualdad Lodge, No. 653 District Grand Lodge (17 lodges) of Gibraltar (9 lodges)
Port of Spain of Bermuda (5 lodges) Buenos Aires/ Valleta
District Grand Lodge Jamestown Santiago/Montevideo The Group of Lodges
of Trinidad & Tobago St Helena Lodge, District Grand Lodge in Malta (2 lodges)
(8 lodges) No. 488 of South America, Limassol
Bridgetown Southern Division District Grand Lodge
District Grand Lodge of (11 lodges) of Cyprus (17 lodges)
Barbados & The Eastern Zakynthos
Caribbean (21 lodges) Star of the East Lodge,
Georgetown No. 880
District Grand Lodge
of Guyana (15 lodges)

78 FMT Autumn 2022

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 UGLE Districts and Groups Fraternal world

Ndola
Lilongwe New Delhi Tully
Johannesburg Kolkata
Windhoek Gladstone
Harare
Kimberley Mumbai
Albany
Bloemfontein
Durban Chennai
Cape Town Melbourne
Colombo
Port Elizabeth

8. SOUTHERN AFRICA 9. THE 11. AUSTRALIA

Johannesburg SUBCONTINENT Albany
District Grand Lodge Mumbai Plantagenet Lodge,
of South Africa, North District Grand Lodge No. 1454
10 (101 lodges) of Bombay (23 lodges) Melbourne
Kimberley New Delhi Combermere Lodge,
District Grand Lodge District Grand Lodge No. 752
11 of South Africa, Central of Northern India Tully
Division (8 lodges) (5 lodges) Geraldton Lodge,
Windhoek Kolkata No. 3544
District Grand Lodge District Grand Lodge Gladstone
of Namibia (4 lodges) of Bengal (23 lodges) Port Curtis Lodge,
12 Cape Town Chennai No. 2235
District Grand Lodge District Grand Lodge
of South Africa, Western of Madras (18 lodges)
Division (30 lodges) Colombo
Ndola District Grand Lodge
District Grand Lodge of Sri Lanka (10 lodges)
of Zambia (11 lodges)
Hong Kong
Kampala Harare/Lilongwe
Banjul Thailand Kobe Auckland
Accra
Dar es Salaam District Grand Lodge
of Zimbabwe & Malawi Kuala Lumpur
Nairobi
(12 lodges) Rabaul
Singapore Christchurch
Durban
Freetown Seychelles
Lagos
District Grand Lodge Vanuatu

of Kwazulu-Natal Fiji

(26 lodges)
6. WEST AFRICA 7. EAST AFRICA Bloemfontein 10. THE FAR EAST 12. NEW ZEALAND
Freetown/Banjul Nairobi District Grand Lodge Kuala Lumpur/ Christchurch
District Grand Lodge District Grand Lodge of of Orange Free State Singapore/Thailand District Grand Lodge
of Sierra Leone & East Africa (48 lodges) (7 lodges) District Grand Lodge of South Island, New
The Gambia (21 lodges) Port Elizabeth of Eastern Archipelago Zealand (13 lodges)
Accra District Grand Lodge (40 lodges) Auckland
District Grand Lodge of South Africa, Eastern Hong Kong/Kobe District Grand Lodge
of Ghana (58 lodges) Division (28 lodges) District Grand Lodge of North Island,
Lagos of Hong Kong & The New Zealand (24 lodges)
District Grand Lodge Far East (20 lodges)
of Nigeria (42 lodges) Vanuatu/Fiji
The Group of Lodges in
the South West Pacific
(3 lodges)
Rabaul
Rabaul Lodge, No. 4468

FMT Autumn 2022 79

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 Fraternal world Social media
e-masons
@freemasonry2day
@ugle_grandlodge
@grandchapter
17 July
@depmetgm
What an amazing day
yesterday at the MetGL&GC
Summer Party. It was just
perfect thanks to the hard
work and support from
@JohnMetevent as well as
@MetGStwd9812 My thanks
to all involved.
19 July
@EssexFreemasons
Brother Tom Kendle, an
Essex firefighter, will be
joining others from the
@YoungMasonsClub when
they climb Mount Snowdon in
August. Tom is raising money
for The Firefighter’s Charity.
Read about Tom’s preparations
and donate here: www.
essexfreemasons.org.uk/news/
item/214-scaling-new-heights
22 July
@Surrey1837Club
@Surrey1837Club visiting
group attended last night’s
meeting at the United
Services Lodge 9999. #Surrey
#Freemasonry #Brotherhood
@SurreyMason @lanch7369
@UGLE_GrandLodge
80
FMT_59_p80_tweets_v0.3.indd 80
Tell us what’s on your mind
FreemasonryToday
UnitedGrandLodgeofEngland
SupremeGrandChapter
24 July
@Shaun_UGLE
This book is hugely important
to the history of Freemasonry
and 2023 will mark the 300th
anniversary of its publication.
We @UGLE_GrandLodge have
lots to share with you on this
topic in the coming months, so
stay tuned. #Freemasons
27 July
@NHMasons
RW Bro Mark Constant – our
new PGM! With more than 460
Brethren in attendance, the
installation of RW Bro Mark
Constant as Provincial Grand
Master was an event not to be
missed. @UGLE_GrandLodge
@PcoNh
FMT Autumn 2022
@unitedgrandlodgeofengland
@freemasonrytoday
@freemasonshall
1 August
@UGLE_GrandLodge
Great to be joined by Jonny
and Milo, Pat and Tink and
@PetsAsTherapyUK during
our Town Hall meeting
last week. Pets as Therapy
provides therapeutic pet
visits to care homes, hospitals
and schools and is UGLE’s 7 August
first ever staff charity. Learn @Masonic_Charity
more and donate here: bit.ly/ The first five years of a child’s
DonateToPAT life are known as their
formative years. We are proud
to support @FoundationTrust
with a grant of £5,000 for one
year, to help them continue
their great work in aiding
the #development of children
in Wirral. #Freemasons
#Charity #EarlyYears
6 August
@YoungMasonsClub
The guys have traversed
multiple rocky paths to reach
the summit of Mount Snowdon
in just under three hours.
They covered more than
12km and 23,000 steps and
are now enjoying a nice cold 8 August
beer with a fantastic view! @ProvCornwall
@UGLE_GrandLodge Announcement: Worshipful
@EssexFreemasons Brother David G Maskell PSGD
APGM has been appointed
Provincial Grand Master for
Cornwall and will be invested
at a date to be arranged. We
offer our congratulations and
full support to David, as I am
sure will the Brethren of our
Great Province.
15/08/2022 15:25
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 thēsauros
FMT’s pick of the unusual, striking or just plain fascinating

Image: Museum of Freemasonry

Freemasonry as theatre in 1897

The Henderson-Ames Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan, produced quality costumes for American
fraternal organisations from the 1860s to the 1930s. This illustration from its 1897 Blue Lodge catalogue
depicts the outfits for a Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Senior Deacon, Secretary, Junior Deacon and
regular Lodge member. The complete set, along with accessories, would have cost a Lodge $328.

82 FMT Autumn 2022

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