A
VISIT TO ST GEORGE'S LODGE NO:3065, NIGERIA - W.BRO. ALAN
PETHERBRIDGE, SMYTH LODGE NO:2284
After all these years living and working overseas I managed
to visit another Lodge. I was given the opportunity to
go to St George’s Lodge No 3065 which operates under the
United Grand Lodge of England here in Lagos, Nigeria.
St George’s Hall,
Broad Street, Lagos
I had plenty of paperwork to get in order before I could
visit but it was all worth while. First I had to contact
the Provincial Grand Secretary Worshipful Brother Carroll
Preston at Lincolnshire HQ in Grimsby as I wanted to visit
a Lodge outside of the United Kingdom. This proved not
to be a problem because, when Carroll checked it out with
Grand Lodge, St George’s is classified as being under
UGLE as a District - the difference here is that instead
of having a Provincial Grand Master they have a District
Grand Master. I then contacted St George’s Lodge Secretary
W.Bro. Rabie Jarmakani, who told that all he needed was
a Certificate of Good Standing and my Grand Lodge Certificate.
Floor Mosaic as
you enter the building
All paperwork complete I set off for the
visit one fine Friday evening and arrived at same time
as the Worshipful Master WBro.Samir Jarmakani who unlocked
the magnificent old colonial style building set in the
middle of the financial district of Lagos and got the
generator going before giving me a very warm welcome.
WBro.Samir Jarmakani,
Master of St George’s Lodge No 3065 greets W.Bro. Alan
Petherbridge of the Smyth Lodge No:2284, Grimsby
The night started off with everyone picking their bottles
of water before they entered the Lodge as it can get very
sticky and plenty of water helps prevent dehydration.
On some of the photographs you can see the ceiling fans.
The Lodge Room looking
East
The evening was brilliant with a lecture presented by
one of the junior brethren. I have since witnessed an
excellent first degree ceremony when the Worshipful Master
initiated his elder blood brother Hasan Jarmakani.
Some of the Brethren
of St George’s Lodge No 3065 on a later visit with the
Worshipful Master WBro.Samir Jarmakani in the centre and
his newly initiated Brother Bro. Hasan Jarmakani on the
left
Before the Festive Board, the Brethren gather in the
newly refurbished bar for some welcome refreshments and
one of the Nigerian Brothers from Calibar was amazed when
I greeted him in his local dialect. The festive board
was another new experience, made up of items brought in
by the Brethren. Some bring rice; others bring the starter
while some bring the main course and wine. I always seem
to reply for the visitors which I always enjoy doing here
and recently have been involved in some of the ceremony
- as I was last time when I was an official adjudicator
for the ballots for the incoming year’s officers.
The newly refurbished
bar
The festive board was another new experience, made up
of items brought in by the Brethren. Some bring rice;
others bring the starter while some bring the main course
and wine. I always seem to reply for the visitors which
I always enjoy doing here and recently have been involved
in some of the ceremony as I was last time when I was
an official adjudicator for the ballots for the incoming
year’s officers.
The warmth of the welcome at St George’s
is well worth the effort of trying to visit an overseas
Lodge and is well recommended. If anyone is visiting Lagos
please contact them try to organize a visit.
St.George’s Lodge History
July 1905 – August 2005
St. George's Lodge was founded in 1904 Consecrated on
1st of July, 1905. For the Lodge to be formed, the application
to Grand Lodge for the Charter was supported by Roquelle
Lodge No. 2798 of Freetown, Sierra Leone and Accra Lodge
No. 3063 of Ghana.
Old photograph of
St George’s Lodge Members
April 7th 1906, St.George’s accepted the
offer of His Excellency the Governor for a plot of land
on Broad Street on a 99 year lease, exempt from rates
and taxes. On the 4th of May 1907, it was unanimously
agreed to name the new Masonic Hall “St.George’s Hall.”
Broad Street, Lagos.
Circa 1953
In 1925, the Lodge received the Hall Stone Jewel, being
the only Lodge in Nigeria that qualified for it at that
time. This is in recognition of the response to the M.W
The Grand Master's appeal in 1921 to support the Masonic
Peace Memorial, when St. George's Lodge achieved the stipulated
contribution of Ten Guineas per member.
The Masonic Peace Memorial took the form of the erection
of Freemasons' Hall in London as a lasting memorial to
those Brethren who gave their lives for their Sovereign
and Country in the First World War, and the Master of
St. George's is therefore entitled to wear The Hall Stone
Jewel appended to a craft blue collaret on all Masonic
occasions. The jewel itself is made of the canons that
were used in the war and St.George’s jewel was subsequently
lost with a replacement sent to the Lodge in the fifties.
The original jewel was later found by a brother in a hut
on bar beach and returned to the Lodge.
Broad Street Today
Through-out its history, the Lodge has made a significant
contributions to English Freemasonry in Nigeria, and since
the formation of the Masonic District of Nigeria, five
of the ten district Grand Masters of Nigeria have at some
time occupied the Master's Chair at St. George's Lodge.
On July 1st, 2005, the Lodge celebrated its 100th Anniversary
in the presence of three District Grand Masters; Nigeria,
Ghana, Sierra Leone & the Gambia. Also present at
the centenary celebrations were members of St.George’s
that had left Nigeria and returned to the United Kingdom.
As a token of our centenary, every St.George’s member
tonight proudly wears his centenary jewel, a privilege
given to our Lodge by the Grand Master, His Royal Highness,
the Duke of Kent in recognition of the Lodge’s uninterrupted
Masonic activities that spanned over a century.
Without a doubt, St.George’s today continues to be one
of the most relevant and active Lodges in Nigeria with
its Quarterly Newsletter, Library, newly re-launched Website,
Annual Lecturer Event featuring world renowned Masonic
Scholars, Scholarship Fund, Debate Program, Mentoring
Program, Widows Program, and various social events.
To visit the St George's Lodge No:3065 website: CLICK
HERE
THE
SPALDING BREECHES BIBLE
However onerous the duties of a Tyler may be, it cannot
be denied that there are moments when time spent outside
the door of the lodge hangs heavily. On these occasions
the enterprising Tyler will entertain himself by, for
example, tidying up the lodge cupboard. It was as he was
engaged in this innocent activity that Bro. David Dorey,
Tyler of the Mercia Mark Lodge No. 1240 in Spalding, Lincolnshire,
discovered, in a box of dusty bric-a-brac, an old, scruffy
and broken-spined bible.
By coincidence within a week or so, MQ magazine
featured an article about a lodge in Lancashire which,
as a result of a clear out of its cupboards, found an
old bible which was identified as a "Breeches Bible".
This is a book collector's term for the predecessor of
the Authorised Bible, also known as a Geneva Bible, after
the town where the scholars who fled persecution from
Queen Mary in the 1550's found sanctuary and prepared
their translation.
Armed with his copy of MQ, David investigated the old
book and, as well as the date 1608 on the cover page,
discovered those distinctive words which give the bible
its name:
"Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked, and they sowed figge tree leaves
together, and made themselves breeches" Genesis Ch
3, vs 7
There were also fascinating graffiti in the book identifying
some of its previous owners:
"William Brown of Sturton in the County of Lincoln
his book and god give him grase on it to lok and not to
lok but under stand for larning is better than hous and
land for where land is sould and monney spent then larning
is most exelent. Novmbr the 24: 1742"
"William Wilson october the 15 day 1656"
The MQ article stated that the Lancashire Bible was thought
to be the only one known in masonry of the English Constitution
although there may be two in America.
After
a consultation with senior brethren W.Bro. Dorey took
the bible to Cambridge, to the eminent firm of J. S. Wilson
and Son, for advice as how best to proceed. They proposed
completely rebuilding the bible with a new hide cover,
new end papers, restitching and restoring the many torn
and tattered pages.
Bro Dorey took this news back to the lodge, to see whether
any funds might be available, to discover that the late
Alec Garn, distinguished father of Richard Garn, DC of
the Hundred of Elloe Lodge No 469, had left to the lodge
a sum of money to be spent on a suitable cause. That money
had sat in the bank for many years waiting for a fitting
cause and this bible was deemed to be eminently appropriate
and so the restoration went ahead.
Thus it was, that on the 10th of September 2009, at the
meeting of the Hundred of Elloe Lodge No 469, as part
of the toast to the WM, W.Bro Dorey (IPM) had the happy
honour to be able to tell the tale of this Bible to the
Brethren. He then called upon W.Bro Richard Garn (DC),
on behalf of his father and, indeed, all the generations
of distinguished brethren of whom those present were the
proud inheritors of the craft, to present the bible to
V.W.Bro Raymond Windsor (WM) who would accept it on behalf
of the Lodges of Spalding.
The bible has been beautifully restored with handsome
brown leather binding with gold tooling and the many torn
and ragged pages repaired and squared off. The future
use of the bible is to be decided but it will make a fitting
inhabitant of the new display case in the robing room
and will certainly be used on special occasions in the
temple.
THE
FIRST KNIGHT TEMPLAR IN LINCOLNSHIRE
Copyright ©2009
This article is the exclusive property of the author who
gives permission for it or extracts from it to be read
in Lodges Chapters and etc., as a means of communicating
light or instruction within freemasonry. No substantive
part thereof may be reproduced or republished or incorporated
into any work, paper or other document whether printed
or in electronic form or on CD or other media without
the express written permission of the author. Such permission
shall be obtained in writing from the author following
written request; the author at his sole discretion reserves
the right to refuse the grant of any such permission.
Peter G Knatt
Billericay
February 2009
The First Knight
Templar in Lincolnshire
Whilst Wm. Dixon's history of freemasonry in Lincolnshire
states that early returns to the Provincial Grand Registrar
contained the names of several Knights Templar no dates
are given, so that the date of the making of that first
Knight Templar in the Province is not known. In Essex
the first Knight Templar was made in an Antient Lodge
on 28 September 1784 and Suffolk followed suit just a
few months later. On that basis one might expect the first
Lincolnshire Knight Templar to have been made around the
same time, but there does not seem to be any evidence
and so the mystery remains. However, some recent research
might shed some light on the subject although as there
are no Minute books extant it is not possible to prove
the exact date beyond reasonable doubt. In any case much
of the early Masonic Templar records were destroyed in
a fire at the house of Robert Gill, the then Grand Secretary,
in 1820.
First,
though where did the degree originate, and how it arrived
in this country? There are several possible answers, but
the most obvious must be that it was introduced into England
by a military lodge serving on the Continent since R.
Freke Gould explains that:
"Lodges in the British regiments must have constantly
worked side by side with lodges under Strict Observance.
During military operations many prisoners were made on
both sides, and that the masons among them fraternised
in each case with their captors must be taken as a certainty.
The degree of Knights Templar became a favourite one in
lodges of the British Army, and by those military and
Masonic bodies - who must have derived their knowledge
of it from associating with the lodges and brethren under
Strict Observance - the degree was doubtless introduced
into England and America"
The Rite of Strict Observance was predicated upon a
legendary story of certain medieval Knights Templar who
found asylum in Scotland when their Order was so brutally
suppressed. These knights, it was said, became members
of the masons' guilds and so were direct ancestors of
the speculative fraternity now under the Grand Lodge of
Scotland. A fuller account of the Rite can be found in
R Freke Gould's History of Masonry and also a
paper by Bro Litvine .
The
creator of the degree was a German baron, Karl Gotthelf,
Baron Von Hund (1722-76) who was so successful with his
rite that it almost superseded the English style freemasonry
which had been active in Germany. It was taken into other
European countries and until its demise in 1790 exerted
considerable influence on the Continent. Strong elements
from it can be found today in the Scandinavian and Rectified
Scottish Rites . Of course the Rite of Strict Observance
is not the only contender for the title of originator
of the Knights Templar degree, although it must be considered
the most likely one. There is also, for example, the Rite
of the Seven Degrees which emerged from the fertile brain
of Lambert de Lintot who was born about 1736. Jackson
supposes that de Lintot adopted his system by bringing
together a mixture of degrees operating in France in his
day that is, around 1766. Again, Chevalier Andrew Ramsay,
tutor to Charles Edward Stuart, connected freemasonry
with the Crusades in his oration of 1737 .
Wherever the degree originated, in Gould's view there
can be no doubt that the military lodges who were in many
cases custodians of the chivalric degrees did much to
spread the degree throughout this country and abroad.
Since the majority of these lodges had been chartered
by Ireland it might be of interest to note a letter from
the Deputy Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
to Lodge 441 in 38th Foot, which reads:
There is not any warrant issued by the Grand Lodge
of Ireland other than that you hold; it has therefore
always been the practice of Irish Lodges to confer the
Higher Degrees under that authority.
As Henry Sadler, a well respected masonic historian,
writing nearly one hundred and fifty years ago says that
many Antients lodges were of Irish origin, it is not surprising
to find that the Grand Lodge of the Antients, formed in
1751, were of the same opinion. Thus it was generally
held that the Craft warrant conveyed powers to confer
other degrees, such as those of Holy Royal Arch, Knights
Templar and Rose Croix, in that order. A Knight Templar
holding 30 ° was the highest ranking member of the lodge
and his word was law.The Moderns took a diametrically
opposing view recognising just the three Craft degrees.
In fact they accepted the Third degree only with great
reservations at the outset - and the Holy Royal Arch not
at all. This was to be the greatest obstacle at the Union
of 1813.
If
Gould's view is accepted then a lodge in an army regiment
is most likely to have brought the degree to Lincolnshire.
In that case, the 1st Kings Dragoon Guards Regiment must
be considered since it had a lodge formed in 1780 as well
as a Royal Arch Chapter and significantly, a Field Encampment
of Knights Templar, named Fortitude. Indeed, the lodge
was responsible for making the first Knight Templar in
Suffolk in 1785 and influenced the first in Essex in September
of the year before. From Essex the regiment assembled
at Bury St Edmunds for review on 14 April 1785 and on
13 May 1785 marched to Lincoln, Boston and Stamford on
its way to York, probably along the Fosse Way.
Whilst it is not known where the lodge in the regiment
obtained knowledge to perform the degree it is significant
that it was in Bath in 1781, since the degree was being
worked there by the Antiquity of Time Immemorial Encampment
which was one of six Encampments said to have been warranted
by the Camp of Baldwyn at Bristol during its period of
independence. Indeed, Baldwyn had been working a rite
of seven degrees since at least January 1772 probably
obtaining the knowledge through the sea port from Ireland
. In 1780 the 'time immemorial' Baldwyn Encampment of
Knights Templar at Bristol formed itself, by compact with
the old but soon to become dormant Camp of Antiquity at
Bath, into a 'Supreme and Royal Encampment' on the lines
of a similar but previous Irish body. This Charter of
Compact gives a distinct impression that they had visions
of attracting Knights Templar in other parts of England
and forming, in due time, a sovereign authority for the
whole country.
In
January 1791 Thomas Dunckerley being Grand Superintendent
of Royal Arch Masons at Bristol, was invited by the Knights
Templar in that city to be their Grand Master, which he
accepted . However following his death the situation became
quite uncertain so that, being unhappy with matters as
they stood, Baldwyn resumed its former independent status
until 1862 when after much negotiation it came under the
Grand Conclave. Antiquity is included in Dunckerley's
list of Encampments under his control in 1791 and is shown
at the head of the 'List of Encampments discontinued from
not being able to assemble', in the 1809 Statutes of the
Grand Conclave. Whilst Antiquity Encampment's records
begin in the 1790's it is understood that there are records
of the Scots Knights Degrees being conferred in both Bristol
and Bath as early as the 1740's. Interestingly, Scots
Knights Grand Architect is the fourth of the seven degrees
peculiar to Baldwyn. All of this suggests that Antiquity
would have been quite happy to pass on the degree of Knights
Templar to Lodge 426 in the regiment.
Whilst in Lincolnshire in 1785 two of the initiates
in Lodge 426 were 'Gentlemen'; the only two non military
men to be initiated in the lodge. John Webster was made
a freemason on 11 August 1785, and James Hill was made
at or around the same time. They were men of substance,
landowners, certainly members of the local gentry able,
for instance, to sit as jurymen on trials at the Assizes.
It must be assumed that they joined the army lodge because
there were no 'civilian' lodges working in the county
at the time. Perhaps they were related to one of the officers
in the regiment. However, the important question is did
they also take the Royal Arch and Knights Templar degrees
in Lodge 426 perhaps with the intention of conferring
the degrees on members of a civilian lodge they proposed
to form? Unfortunately the Minute Books of the Chapter
and Field Encampment no longer exist and so it will probably
never be known for certain but it might be worth looking
at the lodges working in the area in the latter part of
the eighteenth century to see if their records shed any
light on the matter. As there were just two lodges working
in Lincolnshire around that time, namely, Prince of Wales
Lodge No 496 and St Matthew Lodge No 497 they will be
considered in turn.
The Prince of Wales Lodge No 496 was formed on 28 November
1787 to meet at The White Lion, Lord Street, Gainsborough,
but lapsed it in 1814. Its warrant was then purchased
in around 1818 by freemasons in Sleaford. The Provincial
history relates that its members were an enthusiastic
group of freemasons who would have joyfully embraced the
higher degrees if demonstrated to them; which Webster
and Hill could do. But its list of members does not show
either of these gentlemen as a member. They do show, however,
that Quarter Master George Dickinson, 1st Kings Dragoon
Guards, joined the lodge on 18 August 1788. Quarter Master
Dickinson was aged thirty five at the time and had been
initiated in Lodge 426 on 22 June 1785 whilst the regiment
was in York. In 1786 he served as Junior Warden of the
lodge and is likely to have been a Knight Templar by the
time he joined Prince of Wales Lodge No 496. In fact,
it is suggested that Dickinson joined Prince of Wales
Lodge No 496 with the specific intention of installing
Knights Templar therein. Maybe other members of the regimental
lodge visited either on that day or at some later meeting.
In that case they might well be responsible for making
the first Knight Templar in Lincolnshire in or around
1788. Whilst without the Minute books it is not possible
to prove beyond reasonable doubt, this view is strengthened
by the fact that the 1788 returns for that lodge indicate
several brethren having passed the Chair, a prerequisite
for taking the degree of Holy Royal Arch and Knights Templar.
The second lodge, St Matthew Lodge No 497, was formed
on 20 March1787 to meet at the George Inn, George Street
in Barton on Humber; it was erased on 3 December 1851.
It is interesting to note that members of Minerva Lodge
No 451 meeting at Hull were involved in its formation,
since that lodge dates its origin from a warrant dated
15 September 1783, although there is some suggestion that
it was opened in 1782 . It had a Royal Arch Chapter and
its history shows in the year 1786 references to the working
of the Knights Templar degree, whilst the Minutes of Minerva
Chapter shows Knights Templar being made in the Chapter
as late as 1808. Indeed, some members of Minerva Lodge
No 451 were also members of the Apollo Lodge at York,
warranted in 1773, which quickly rose into favour as the
fashionable Lodge of the period, drawing to itself for
the remainder of the century most of the gentlemen who
aspired to be members of the craft, and becoming, for
a period, the ruling Masonic organisation of Yorkshire.
(Apollo Lodge did not take a number until the Union of
the two Grand Lodges in 1813.) Leading on from the Minerva
Lodge connection is the fact that there was a Conclave
of Knights Templar known as Redemption meeting in York
of which Thomas Dixon, a Trumpet Major in 1st King's Dragoon
Guards was the first Commander; he was also a founder
member of the lodge in the regiment. The Conclave of Redemption
moved from York to Hull after the death of its Commander
John Watson although that was not until 1790. Given that
Quarter Master Dickinson was made a member of Prince of
Wales Lodge No 497 in August 1788 and that the regiment
was obviously in the area it is equally likely that members
of the Lodge 426 would have visited St Matthew Lodge No
496. In fact after leaving Lincolnshire, having marched
from Suffolk, the regiment moved on to York so that they
would have passed through Barton on the way since the
Fosse Way would lead them to cross the river Humber at
that point but again in the absence of the Minute Books
there can be no satisfactory proof. It may be of interest
to note that members of the lodge in the East York Militia,
which had been formed as a Modern lodge in 1782, were
also involved in the formation of St Matthew Lodge No
497. Lodges in the Militia units were as enthusiastic
about the 'higher' degrees as were the army lodges and
just as eager to spread them to civilian lodges. No research
has been undertaken into the Militia lodge but an investigation
might prove useful.
Of course, the Lodge 426 in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards
may not have been involved in the making of the first
Knights Templar at all, for there was the Grand Lodge
of All England at York which is known to have issued ten
warrants to lodges although there may have been more.
On that point an extract of a paper by T B Whytehead reads:
Some allusion should be made to the Grand Royal Arch
Chapter of York which occupied a rather prominent position
for several years, and which was I believe originated
and organised about 1761 by the same active brethren who
constituted the short lived Punch Bowl Lodge. [A London
Lodge of Modern Constitution - Ed.] The earliest record
is dated early in 1762 and the meetings were continued
until about 1780, the minutes being kept with great regularity
and care. Four Royal Arch Chapters are recorded as constituted
under its authority. In 1780 the Grand Chapter recognised
the Order of Knights Templar as the fifth degree in masonry,
and two warrants were issued for the formation of encampments
of brethren working that rite.
Thus the degree might have come into Lincolnshire from
there without the aid of the regiment, but wherever it
came from it must be clear that either Lodge 496 or 497
was the recipient. Nevertheless, since Quarter Master
Dickinson was a member of Lodge 497 then it is suggested
that whether he introduced it or simply assisted, nevertheless
the first Knight Templar in Lincolnshire was made in Prince
of Wales Lodge No 497 at some time around August 1788.
_________________________________________
Bibliography
Gould. R Freke Military Lodges - The Apron and the
Sword or Freemasonry under Arms. London
Litvine The Rite of Strict Observance AQC 1997
Paper read in QCC Lodge 15 February 1996. See also Alan
Bernheim That Strict Observance Paper AQC 110
Smyth, Frederick. Brethren in Chivalry p15
Jackson, Brigadier A.C.F Rose Croix (1980)
Malczovich Ladislas de, AQC5 1892 p 187
Duckett, Thomas The Baldwyn Saga 1980. Thomas
Duckett was Grand Superintendent of the Camp of Baldwyn
from 1971 to 1976
Ward, Eric The Baldwyn Rite – an impartial survey
AQC 71,1958 p36
Ellerby, J R History of The Minerva Lodge of Freemasons
1783-1933 Minerva Lodge Hull 1987
INTERNATIONAL
LECTURER VISITS ST LAWRENCE LODGE NO:2078
At the November meeting of the St. Lawrence Lodge No:
2078 in Scunthorpe the brethren had great pleasure in
welcoming their guest lecturer Dr. Andreas Onnerfors,
Director of the Centre for Research into Freemasonry and
Fraternalism at the University of Sheffield.
Dr. Onnerfors is not only a scholar of
international repute but also member of the Swedish equivalent
of the Grand Lodge. His visit was a splendid opportunity
for members of the Scunthorpe lodges to meet him and learn
something of the work of the centre in Sheffield as well
as an occasion on which he could forge links with the
Masonic community in the area surrounding Sheffield.
The subject of his lecture was Freemasonry
and the Press in the eighteenth century and the brethren
present were almost certainly the first in our Province
to witness a 'Power Point' presentation of an academic
history lecture.
The lecture itself was extremely well received
and for many of us a revealing insight into the wealth
of information about the history and development of Freemasonry
that exists outside the closed doors of the temple.
W.Bro. P. J. Cooper,
Director of Ceremonies; W.Bro. T. D. Walton, Master; W.Bro.
J. C. Board, Asssitant Provincial Grand Master; W.Bro.
A. Onnerfors; Bro. M. R. Taylor, Senior Warden
It must have come as a shock to those of
us who thought that 'Freemasonry today' is a recent innovation
to see pages and illustrations from the 'Freemasons' Magazine
of 1794! The world in which the magazine was circulated
and the nature of its contents were explained; giving
the audience an overview of the historical context of
Freemasonry in relation to the social and political conditions
of the time.
The magazine was widely circulated in Great
Britain and Europe and read by people not in the Craft
as well as those who were. Its contents were not confined
to Masonic activity – although contributions on such matters
came from as far afield as Scotland, Germany and America.
The diverse range of other material within its pages included
scientific articles, music, poetry and reports of significant
court cases. There were also a number of engravings among
which were a set of beautiful lodge jewels which were
still in use today; providing a permanent and physical
link with the past.
Any brethren interested in viewing copies
of the magazine itself or learning more about the work
of the centre in Sheffield are invited to contact Bro.
Mike Taylor via email: taylors48@ntlworld.com
or visit the centre’s website: http://freemasonry.dept.shef.ac.uk/newsletter
It may also be possible for Dr. Onnerfors
to present a lecture in other Masonic centres in our province
and his contact details are a.onnerfors@sheffield.ac.uk
(OLDEST)
MASONIC GRAVE? - an article by W.Bro. Steve Roberts.
Apart from the physical and emotional, we all inherit
many values and traits from our parents. Mine include
possible premature baldness, a 50 year love/hate relationship
with Manchester City football club and a fascination with
all things historical including churchyards, strange but
there we are.
So it was with great interest and intrigue that on a
recent visit to St. Andrew's church / Sempringham Abbey
with my wife, I came across a well preserved grave dated
1818, engraved with what were clearly Masonic symbols
including the square, level and the compasses alongside
2 pillars topped with representations of the celestial
bodies, instantly recognisable to anyone in the Craft.
The top of the gravestone
with the Masonic markings plainly visible
However as with many things associated
with masonry, particularly those from our beginnings,
all was not as it first appeared for the grave which is
dated from around the time of the formation of the UGLE
is actually that of a lady with the inscription reading:
In memory of
Elizabeth
the wife of Nicholas Hall
who died Nov 14
1818
aged 74 years.
So who were Nicholas and Elizabeth Hall ?
Is it a Masonic Grave ?
If not, why is she buried in a grave with Masonic symbols
?
Why is he not buried there also ?
The questions keep coming but sadly will probably never
be answered.
Footnote 1: The church of St. Andrew's / Sempringham
Abbey is well worth a visit if you are passing through
the area. It is sited about half a mile off the B1177,
just south of Billingborough, between Sleaford and Spalding.
St. Andrew's / Sempringham
Abbey
The abbey was the home of the only English
monastic order, the Gilbertines, being built in about
1139 and destroyed in 1558.
It is also the resting place of Princess Gwenllian, the
grand daughter of Simon de Montfort and daughter of Llewellyn,
the last true Prince of Wales. She was born in 1282 but
was exiled to the abbey at the age of 17 months by Edward
I, who feared that she was a threat to his sovereignty
in Wales, and remained there until her death in 1337.
The memorial (shown left) was replaced in
2001 after unknown vandals damaged the original. Coach
parties of Welsh pilgrims regularly visit the site to
pay their respects and the memorial was recently blessed
by the Bishop of Bangor.
Footnote 2: The football afficianados amongst you will
probably know that Manchester City now play in sky blue.
The reason - that many of the early directors and staff
of the club were Freemasons who adopted the colour of
our apron after many years of playing in red and black,
including the great Bert Trautman.
One
of Bert's greatest matches was the legendary 1956 FA Cup
Final between Manchester City and Birmingham City at Wembley
Stadium. In the 75th minute Manchester took the lead by
2 goals to 1 and Trautmann, diving courageously at an
incoming ball, was knocked out in a collision with a Birmingham
attacker when he was hit in the neck. For the remaining
15 minutes he defended his net, because at the time there
were no substitutions possible.
The final result was 3-1 to Manchester City, and the
hero of the final was Bert Trautmann, due to his spectacular
saves in the last minutes of the match. On that day Lady
Luck was on his side - three days after that final a broken
neck was diagnosed after an x-ray at a hospital in Manchester.
HAROLD
THEOPHILUS GRAVELLS - ON GUARD FROM YPRES
TO LINCOLN
W.Bro. Harold Theophilus Gravells was a man who took
service to others as a byword for his life.
W.Bro. Harold Theophilus
Gravells stood in the Chair of Witham Lodge No:297 in
his Provincial Tylers regalia
Educated at Grimsby and London, Harry Gravells
joined the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and served for
22 years from 1906.
Before the First World War Harry was serving in Gibraltar
as "Key Sergeant of the Rock" and it was here
that he met his wife - Ethel Adelaide Rice who was working
there as a 'nanny'.
In 1912 the regiment was stationed in Bermuda and then
returned to England at the outbreak of hostilities. Harold
and Ethel married in Leicester in October 1914 in the
presence of Samuel and Selina Cheney (Ethel's aunt and
uncle) who had brought Ethel up. It was a hard time for
all and Harold was soon off to France with the 7th Battalion
the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Testaments from the regiment state that he... "rendered
exceptionally good service. He has proved himself at all
times and under all cicumstances a capable N.C.O. and
Warrant Officer, and his general conduct throughout has
set a fine example to the men of his Battalion".
He was wounded three times, the third time
being on the evening of 2nd July 1916 at Fricourt - some
20 miles northeast of Amiens in Northern France. Late
on the evening during a particularly heavy counter attack
on his company, the Company Commander J.R. Barkston was
killed and all three platoon officers were killed or wounded.
Although wounded himself, as Company Sergeant Major, he
took command and remained with his Battalion for two hours
under very trying circumstances. In a difficult situation
he sent out flanking parties to different sections of
Fricourt Wood and by his behaviour showed a splended example
of courage and duty.
A photograph of
Fricourt taken on 2nd July 1916 - where later that very
day C.S.M. Harry Gravells was wounded
Harry later carried his brother, Sgt. C.R.
Gravells, who was also wounded back through the lines
while under heavy fire and for these actions he was awarded
the D.C.M.
During his service, Harry also saw service
in India as the Regimental Sergeant Major for the 2nd
Battalion, the Lincolnshire Regiment. It was during his
time in India that Harry became a Freemason in Lucknow,
the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state
of India. He was eventually to serve as Master of the
Morning Star Lodge No:7 in Lucknow, one of the oldest
in India - the Warrant of the Lodge being issued on 29th
February 1848.
It was also in India that Harry and Ethel
produced two sons - Peter (born in Poona) and Michael
(born in Darjeeling). Peter and Michael were to maintain
family tradition as both later followed their father into
the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Harry and Ethel also had two daughters,
Eileen (who was sadly killed in 1931) and Patricia.
Harry
retired from the Army in March 1929 after 22 years under
'the colours' and settled in Lincoln. However, he continued
the military link working as a full time orderly clerk
with the Territorials at the Drill Hall, Broadgate shown
left. Photograph © Gwyneth Roberts and The Drill Hall Project. To visit the Drill Hall Project web site CLICK HERE
He also taught gymnastics for a number of years
- something at which he had been proficient in the Army.
Harry Gravells had continued his Freemasonry
with Witham Lodge No:297 and in about 1931 had become
the full time Tyler for the Lincoln Lodges and, later,
also Provincial Grand Tyler .
Harry was also involved in other Orders
of Freemasonry and one particular event brought military
service in the First War and Freemasonry together.
On the 3rd June 1948, while Guard of Temple
Bruer Preceptory No:143, the Minutes of the Meeting show
that..."Following the Investiture of the valued and
popular Guard he took the opportunity of formally presenting
to the Preceptory, through the Eminent Preceptor, a Sceptre
he, renovated by himself, with materials retrieved from
the ruins of Ypres during his active service in the Forces
there". It was placed in a special casket made by
Bro. G. Dawson of Excalibur Lodge No:2959.
The ruins of Ypres
where Harry Gravells sourced the parts for a Masonic sceptre
Thee
years later Harry was awarded the Meritorious Service
Medal - which is restricted to two per regiment - when
a vacancy occurred in the Register at the War Office.
Minimum qualification for the medal are 21 years service
with the colours and the attainment of the rank of colour
sergeant. A section of the article printed in the Echo
on 12th December 1952 is shown left.
It was just prior to this that Harry retired
as full time Masonic Tyler, concentrating on his hobby
of vegetable growing and showing. However, his health
was deteriorating as a result of heavy smoking and the
effects of gas from World War 1.
Harry died on the 12th May 1961 and was
buried with his daughter Eileen in St.Helen's Churchyard,
Boultham. His wife Ethel was also buried ther on her subsequent
death some years later.
For a few years after 1956 before his death,
Harry enjoyed many happy meetings at Witham Lodge No:297
with his sons - Peter and Michael. They had become members
and, in time, both took the Chair of the Lodge - both
serving over 50 years as members.
Sadly, Peter passed away in 1999 having
been in Witham Lodge for 57 years. Michael is now the
senior member of the Lodge and it is to him we owe thanks
for the information shown here.
Peter and Michael both had two sons and
as Michael says in his letter..." neither my 2 sons
nor Peter's 2 sons show any sign of wanting to be soldiers
or Freemasons".
SYMBOLS
IN THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND - By W.Bro. Stewart Oxborough
In the mid 1960's, I met three ladies who were to become
major influences in my life. The first was that grand
lady of the skies the Avro Vulcan, the second its predecessor
the Avro Lancaster and the third was my wife, Sue.
I had joined the Royal Air Force in January 1965 immediately
after my 18th birthday and, after training, was posted
to RAF Waddington at Lincoln. I had specifically asked
to be posted there as I had fallen in love with the Vulcan
at first sight - that fantastic delta wing bomber and
symbol of power, a huge aluminium triangle!
A symbol of power,
the famous triangular shape of the Vulcan which has just
been returned to flight after many years of dedicated
work costing millions of pounds.
Shortly afterwards the last flying Lancaster
arrived at the base and I volunteered to work on her -
when duty on the Vulcans permitted. What a thrill for
an 18 year old crazy about aircraft - and I was being
paid for the pleasure.
It was around this time that I went over
to Grimsby with some chaps from my squadron to a dance
in the Mecca and it was there that I met Sue. While Sue
and I had been at the same junior school and lived in
the same street in Cleethorpes we had never been attracted
to one another - all that changed after the Mecca dance.
I managed to keep these three 'loves of my life' in happy
accord for some four years while serving at RAF Waddington
but then we were forced by fate to part. Sue and I got
engaged on a particular Saturday night, I went back to
camp on the Sunday and first thing Monday morning I was
posted to the Gulf - so off I went for 13 months - without
Sue, the Vulcan, or the Lancaster. Happily, Sue waited
for me and on my return to the UK, in 1970, I left the
Royal Air Force and we got married.
Initially, as many ex service men discover, it was difficult
to settle to 'civvy street'. I missed the special comradeship
and discipline of the Royal Air Force but I always had
great memories of my time in the Air Force and knew the
sight and sound of the Avro Vulcan would remain in my
mind for the rest of my life - such was its impact.
Life was good. Sue gave birth to our two children, Ian
and Helen. My career went well. We had great friends and
I settled into civilian life. You could argue that life
was a good as one could expect but, despite being very
happy, I was still looking for something which I couldn't
quantify. So it was to remain for nearly thirty years.
In 1999 I was teaching at University in Grimsby when
the fickle finger of fate conspired to turn my world upside
down yet again. The University moved to a new campus at
Lincoln and, not wanting to move, my work disappeared.
Little did I realise that this upset was to bring me the
final piece of the jigsaw for which I had been searching.
I had got to know a good many Freemasons over the years
and had been 'invited' to ask about the Craft should I
so desire it. Some of my Masonic friends were in the Lord
Worsley Lodge which met on a Tuesday and since I had taught
on Tuesday nights, I had never taken up the opportunity
- despite a keen interest. This second blow dealt by fate,
however, left me free to take up the offer. I therefore
made due enquiry and was eventually Initiated in March
1999.
I immediately knew that I had found the final part of
life's jigsaw for which I had been searching for all those
years. Freemasonry, the world's greatest fraternity, welcomed
me and re-introduced me to that symbol of power - the
triangle. Perhaps 'somone' had been trying to tell me
all along as to which path I should take.
As Pythagoras, the master of the right angle triangle,
stated on a famous occasion "Eureka" - I have
found it. So too had I.
After after 38 years of married life with Sue and in
my year as Master of my Lodge, I went back to Waddington
to see the mighty Vulcan on its return to the sky.
XH 588, the last
flying Vulcan, gets ready to take to the air at RAF Waddington.
Little did I realise that I was about to be in the presence
of those three loves of my life at the same time. For
after a very memorable return to the air, the Vulcan flew
out of range while the Lancaster did its display. Display
over the Lancaster went and joined formation with the
Vulcan to give the crowd a unique thrill. Sue and I stood
and watched as the last two Avro aircraft I had served
on flew past.
Two grand ladies
of the sky in unique formation over Waddington.
While the mighty symbol that made such an impression
on a young 18 year old still brought back fond memories,
it is the symbolism at the heart of Freemasonry that now
guides my life. Long may the Great Architect of the Universe
allow it to be so.
ALBUM
OF MODERN MASONIC MUSIC LAUNCHED IN THE NETHERLANDS BY
BRO. HARM TIMMERMAN
Harm Timmerman is a young composer and
Freemason who has worked for about two and a half years
on the production of 'The Temple of Humanity' - a concept-album
about Freemasonry.
The
album has had attention and exposure among freemasons
in The Netherlands (including the Grandmaster of the Order
of Freemasons in The Netherlands) and the reaction was
very enthusiastic. Besides enjoying the music, lyrics
and artwork, the album indeed can be of use in gaining
new and necessary attention of the public for Freemasonry
in a modern and appealing way while maintaining respect
for the past history and meaning of Masonry.
Harm has discussed the album with Prof. Malcolm Davies,
special professor of Freemasonry at the University of
Leiden; who specializes in the study of (Classical) Music
and Freemasonry and he has written a review on the album.
Harm has also had contact with Freemasons from other countries
and is looking to offer the album to British Freemasons.
Bro. Timmerman is looking for ways to have British Masons
enjoy the music and see the artwork on the album and has
spoken to Lewis Masonic about distribution in the United
Kingdom.
W.Bro A.R. Howard of Lindum Lodge No:5777 informs us that the album is now available via Amazon and states "I ordered the album from Amazon and it was delivered to me withing the week. The cost, including postage, was $26. The album is superb and I would recommend any Freemason to order it".
You can
hear a preview of some of the music, etc by clicking on
to:
The Temple of Humanity
Harm Timmerman
Producer The Temple of Humanity
Teacher Musicmanagement
info@free-stone.org
0031-614124663
www.free-stone.org
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,
andPeter.
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.
