Hundred of Elloe Lodge No:469

HUNDRED OF ELLOE STEWARDS CHARITY CYCLE RIDE

Stewards of Hundred of Elloe Lodge. No.469, Spalding, Derek Brocklesby and Julian Sneath made a charity cycle ride along the Water-rail Link (Lincoln to Boston) for the Butterfly Hospice Trust.

The photo shows Bro.Derek Brocklesby (left) and Bro. Julian Sneath (right) at the finish of their cycle ride with Sue Wray (Chief Exec and Founder of the Butterfly Hospice Trust) to whom they donated £250 for the Hospice.
(Item and photo's, -W.Bro. Rob Clark Hundred of Elloe)

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THE GREAT CARPET MYSTERY

by Stanley Lovell P.A.G.D.C. (From the Masonic Record, April 1970)

The Hundred of Elloe Lodge, No: 469 was warranted on 20th March, 1840; a little over a century earlier Freemasonary (so far as the Grand Lodge of England was concerned) was introduced into Spalding. Dixon, in his book, "Freemasonary in Lincolnshire", includes an early engraved list of Lodges showing "Spalding at the Black Bull, Constituted 1739". In the second decade of the nineteenth century, the Welland Lodge commenced operations, but, like its predecessor, was probably not in existence more than ten years. The Hundred of Elloe Lodge, therefore, was the third attempt to plant Masonary in Spalding, and happily this proved most successful, in spite of a disastrous fire which in 1849 destroyed much of the Lodge furniture and regalia. It is important to mention the fire in the light of the "piece of carpet" to which I refer. The Hundred of Elloe Lodge has had a long and prosperous life, and has two daughters, St. Guthlac Lodge at Market Deeping, warranted in 1901 and St. Godric Lodge in Spalding, warranted in 1957.

Composed Odes

The old Lodge, which might well be called "the old Hundred" - usually referred to locally as "Four Six Nine" - is one of the Lodges which has a pedestal sited in the centre of the floor, and has many unusual customs -one of which is the subject of this article. It is proud of the fact that Walter Clegg, who was responsible for writing the Opening and Closing Odes so widely used by English-speaking Freemasons all over the world, namely:

Hail Eternal, by whose aid...

Now the evening shadows closing...

was initiated into the Hundred of Elloe Lodge in January 1851. As a matter of interest, the Opening Ode was composed for the Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire, His Grace the Duke of St. Albans in 1863, whilst the Closing Ode was composed in the same year for the laying of the foundation stone of the existing Masonic building in Main Ridge, Boston.

But I digress, let me get back to "that piece of carpet". If ever you have the good fortune to visit the Hundred of Elloe Lodge to witness the ceremony of Passing, as the Lodge has been passed to the Second Degree, you will be surprised to see the Deacons lay down, immediately adjacent to the pedestal, a piece of carpet on which are depicted five "winding steps". At the appropriate moment in the ceremony the candidate is placed at the foot of these, and finds it easy to carry out the directions of the Senior Deacon.

Always intrigued by this piece of "Second Degree" carpet, I decided to pursue my researches with a view to finding out where it came from, and establishing whether or not it is unique. Meeting by chance the Grand Lodge Librarian, W. Bro. A.R. Hewitt P.A.G.D.C., I asked him if he knew of any such piece of carpet as that I had described. Although aware that a Lodge in Yorkshire brings out an appropriate piece of "furniture" at a similar point in the ceremony, he knew of no Lodge using this piece of carpet. A similar view was expressed by the Grand Lodge Assistant Librarian, W. Bro. Terrence O. Haunch, P.Pr.G.W. (Nottinghamshire) who, in writing to our mutual friend, W. Bro. Charles L. Westley, indicated that in his researches into T'Bs, floor cloths, etc., he had not come across anything like it. He mentioned that it was unlikely the carpet is of great antiquity in view of the disastrous fire mentioned above.

Seen Somewhere

Having already written to the Secretaries of all the old Lodges in the Province of Lincolnshire, I was reaching the point where I felt I could give it as my opinion that this piece of carpet is "unique", when one of the Brethen of St. Godric Lodge told me that he was sure that "somewhere he had seen a similar piece of carpet". Eventually he decided it must have been in January, 1969, when on a Caribbean cruise, he witnessed a Passing at Atlantic Phoenix Lodge, No. 224, in Hamilton, Bermuda. This was warranted by the Atholl or Antient Lodge, whose pedestal is also in the centre of the floor. I wrote to W. Bro. C.H.V. Talbot, Grand Inspector of the Bermuda Group of Lodges, only to find that he had "never seen of heard of the piece of carpet in the Second Degree, nor in my three other English Lodges, nor in the three Irish Lodges!" So clearly, the local brother was mistaken, and we were back to square one. I wrote to various Masonic suppliers to enquire if they could trace the supply of this or any similar piece of carpet, but, try as they might, they failed to trace ever having supplied such an item. Reference to the Lodge Inventory for the year 1870 shows - I quote -"one winding staircase kamptulican". The dictionary says of "kamptulican", "a ground cork and caoutchouc (unvulvanised rubber) floor cloth".

At the time of going to press my local brother hasn't thought where it was he saw a similar piece of carpet. Can anyone assist in clearing up this great carpet mystery?

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JACK WAYMAN, "GENTLEMAN AND GENTLE MAN".

A moving tribute by W. Bro. Steve Cole

(The following article was, as will be apparent, written for the Link magaine before its demise).

I have thought long and hard about how to start writing this piece for the Link magazine and by kind permission of W. Bro. Eric Wayman, I have finally found a starting point. What an excellent description of a man to whom many titles and accolades are due!

The titles include choir boy; sailor; bulb farmer; pilot; Christian; freemason; Grand Officer; friend; mentor and most importantly husband and father.

W. Bro. Eric Wayman covered all of the above in detail at the Service of Remembrance so it is my duty and pleasure to add some facts to the photograph that accompanies this article.

There is no doubt that Jack was equally proud of all three sons and his daughter, Pat. However, English Craft Freemasonry not allowing ladies to join, Jack had to make do with only seeing three of his children initiated into the Craft.

The late W.Bro Jack Wayman with behind his sons (left to right) Tim, Eric, and Peter.

Having been initiated into Hundred of Elloe Lodge No. 469 on 8th September 1966, Jack was passed on 8th December 1966 and raised on 4th December 1967. He rose by merit to be installed into the chair of King Solomon in January 1982.

It was no doubt a great thrill for Jack to see two of his sons, Tim and Peter, initiated into Hundred of Elloe on the same night in March 1980. They were then both passed in December 1980 and raised in November 1981, again both ceremonies taking place on the same night in what must be very rare if not unique double ceremonies on each occasion.

They were quickly followed by Eric, who was also initiated into Hundred of Elloe, in September 1981; passed in March 1982 and raised in November 1982.

1980 - 1982 proving to be three vintage years for Hundred of Elloe and Jack!

Jack’s friendship and keenness to enjoy everything he did came to the fore when he was instrumental in establishing the now flourishing Lincolnshire Provincial Social Committee and the Lincolnshire Link magazine. It was through the social committee that Jack was able to involve Enid and together their roles as mentors to many young masons and their wives developed. My wife and I are fortunate to be just one couple who have benefited greatly from this.

Despite being everywhere for everyone all of the time, Jack did not neglect his sons and this was proved when first Tim in 1991 and then Peter in 1994 took the Master's Chair at Hundred of Elloe. Tim has since risen to be a Provincial Grand Officer.

Jack was worried that he may not see Eric, by now Provincial Organist, into the Chair. But, those who were privileged to be there will never forget the pride that shone from Jack when, in January 2007, he presented Bro. Eric Wayman to the Worshipful Master to be installed as Worshipful Master of Hundred of Elloe Lodge No. 469.

The accompanying photograph lived on Jack’s bedside table and it was with great pride that he called me to him shortly before he moved on to the Grand Lodge above to ask me to see if I was able to have it published in the Link magazine.

I was only too pleased to accept the task, not realising that to try to write about such a great gentleman would be so hard. I therefore present to you the picture that brought so much pride and joy to Jack, in the knowledge that you will understand and share in his pride and joy.