Within Your Province - Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire

Within Your Province
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The Newslette
ISSUE 20
Final Plan for Garden
PLANS for the final stage of the
Masonic Garden at the National
Memorial Arboretum have been
lodged with Lichfield District Council
and, subject to approval, it is hoped to
start work by May and complete it all
during the summer.
Deputy Provincial Grand Master VW
Bro John E Griffiths, PGSwdB, the
architect for the whole scheme, has
had to amend his original thoughts for
a stone arch entrance to the garden
because of budget constraints. He
said: "We continue to get marvellous
support from across the Province and
also
from
Warwickshire,
Worcestershire and Shropshire and we
are about to receive a modest donation
from the Grand Charity. However our
budget will still be tight and the
alternative sketches designating
stonework
were
beyond
our
resources.
"W Bro Eddie Ford, a truly operative
mason of great integrity and
generosity, is saving us thousands of
pounds, by constructing the King Post
trusses in his own workshops and
once again putting it all together. The
proposal is to use green oak, which is
workable and has cost in the region of
£5,000, excluding construction."
Large sketches of the proposals will
be displayed at the Provincial Grand
Lodge meeting on May 14 for
brethren to scrutinise but not, says Bro
Griffiths amend. He also added: "I
have received some unhelpful
criticisms from certain brethren
regarding progress however, if monies
are not available, there is no point in
committing time and effort. The virtue
of patience and perception is sadly not
shared by all."
The Arboretum is also to replant 84
yew trees, at their expense, due to the
extensive flooding last year and high
water tablet at the site.
Bro Griffiths also said: "We hope to
have a Masonic VIP official visit to
mark the completion of the garden in
September, subject to planning
permission, exceptional weather and
of course the Great Architect."
SPRING 2008
New Look
Cathedral
Service
The Provincial Grand Master is
delighted that once again we shall be
able to worship within the great
portals of our magnificent Cathedral
at Lichfield. However, the bi-annual
service will be different this year.
New arrangements follow detailed
discussions between Provincial
Officers and the Dean since the last
Masonic service was held. Instead of
having our own Masonic service the
Provincial Grand Master has accepted
an invitation to join an Evensong
service.
He has heartily welcomed this
generosity of spirit and has issued an
invitation to all brethren, their
families and friends to join him on
Sunday, June 22, at 3.30pm.
Brethren attending should not wear
any Masonic regalia and there will not
be a seating plan. The full Cathedral
choir will be present and the Dean, the
Very Rev Adrian Dorber will give the
sermon. The Provincial Grand Master
has been invited to read the first
lesson. Special arrangements have
been made to provide tea and biscuits
in the adjacent College Hall following
the service at a cost of £2. Any
Brethren wishing to take refreshments
must book in advance through the
Provincial Grand Secretary to whom
cheques should also be sent.
Provincial Grand Master RW Bro
Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, said:
"This Province gratefully welcomes
the splendid opportunity for
Staffordshire
Freemasons
to
participate in an Evensong service
with the general public as evidence of
openness and understanding. This I
hope will help to dispel the
unwarranted misconceptions of the
Craft held by some."
Date for the next big V Festival clear up
What have troubled pop singer Amy
Winehouse and Staffordshire's Royal
Arch Grand Superintendent E Comp
David Hampson got on in common?
They are both going to this year's V
Festival at Weston Park. But they
don't plan to meet.
will be going on the Monday after the
event. And he wants as many
Staffordshire Masons and their
families and friends to join him clearing up abandoned tents and other
camping equipment which will go to
emergency charity aid organisations.
resulted in several lorries being
dispatched and help in deprived areas
of the world. The Provincial Grand
Master is supporting the Grand
Superintendent and has issued an
appeal to all Masons to help if they
can.
Amy is scheduled to appear at the
popular pop music event during the
weekend while E Comp Hampson
Last year some 40 Royal Arch masons
and wives mustered and helped
Rotarians in the big clear up which
The date is Monday, August 18 and
volunteers are asked to assemble at
3.00pm and be able to work until
about 8.00pm. Lodge secretaries are
being asked to collate names and
liaise with the Provincial Office
Access to the site will be via the main
entrance on the A5. Everyone who
intends to help is advised to wear
stout shoes and bring industrial type
gloves and their own drinks and
refreshments as there will be no
facilities on site.
Within
Your Province
Passed to the Grand Lodge above
It with regret that we record the following Brethren who have passsed to Grand Lodge above
since the last publication, as recorded on 27th March 2008
W.Bro. W.D. Grcott
W.Bro. H.H. Dawson
W.Bro. E. Mills
W.Bro. N.A. Howell
W.Bro. A. Wharton
W.Bro. F.R. Brighouse
W.Bro. C.A. Peters
W.Bro. H. Higgitt
W.Bro. F. Ballington
W.Bro. D.R. Wood
W.Bro. H.F. Matthews
W.Bro. R.D. Butler
W.Bro. L.H. Cooke
W.Bro. J. Johns-Hunt
W.Bro. J.G. Evans
W.Bro. E.V. Thorpe
W.Bro. R.F. Hobson
W.Bro. R.T.W. Farmer
Etruscan Lodge
Staffordshire Knot
St.Edwards Lodge
Tudor Lodge of Rifle Volunteers
St. Thomas's Lodge
St.Augustines Lodge
Josiah Wedgwood Lodge
Lewisham Lodge
Dieu La Cresse Lodge
Edwina Lodge
Izaak Walton Lodge
Chase Lodge
Ethelfleda Lodge
Old Wulfrunians Lodge
Chartley Lodge
Chartley Lodge
Aldridge Lodge
Gnosall St.Lawrence Lodge
No.546
No.726
No966
No.1838
No.1914
No.1941
No.2214
No.2582
No.4169
No.4237
No.4281
No.6291
No.6600
No.7411
No.7569
No.7569
No.7921
No.9458
You will find a good home for your
savings right here in Market Square
And that also means award winning
mortgages right on your doorstep
4 Market Square, Stafford ST16 2JH
01785 223212 www.srbs.co.uk
2
MBE for Rev Bro John
A member of Seagrim Lodge, 8161,
W Bro the Rev John Davis was among
several Staffordshire people who were
honoured in the New Year list. He was
awarded the MBE for services to the
community.
A retired police superintendent, his
many appointments included heading
up the Stafford sub division and the
Force Support Unit which also had
responsibility for major public order
incidents and firearms. On retirement
he turned his attention to community
work including the Duke of
Edinburgh Award Scheme, the Walton
(Stafford) Youth and Community
Committee, the county Soldiers,
Sailors and Airmens Family's
Association and St John Ambulance
where he is currently chairman of the
Staffordshire Council of St John. He is
also a Serving Brother of the Order.
John was also
a member of
Stafford
Borough
Council and
studied
to
become an
ordained
priest.
He
now serves
as the Nonstipendiary
curate
for
Bradley Church Eaton and Derrington.
He is also chaplain at the Beacon Army
Barracks at Stafford.
He joined Seagrim Lodge in 1986 and
became Master in 1994, being
appointed Past Provincial Junior Grand
Deacon in 2002. He is due to be
promoted to Past Provincial Grand
Superintendent of Works at Provincial
Grand Lodge in May.
Grand Lodge rank for Past Wardens
TWO Past Provincial Wardens, W Bro Geoff Bean and W
Bro John Renaudon who were Senior and Junior Wardens
respectively in 2005 have been appointed officers of the
United Grand Lodge of England. W Bro Renaudon is to
have an active rank of Assistant Grand Director of
Ceremonies and W Bro Bean,
Staffordshire's Education Officer
designate, is to be a Past Assistant
Grand Director of Ceremonies.
Other
new
Grand
Lodge
W.Bro. Geoff Bean
appointments include Provincial
Grand Almoner, W Bro Alan
Walker, MBE, to Past Grand
Standard
Bearer.
Assistant
Provincial Grand Master W Bro
Keith Thomas has been promoted to W.Bro. J. Renaudon
Past Senior Grand Deacon and W Bro David Hampson, the
Staffordshire Provincial Grand Chapter Grand
Superintendent, who was appointed PAGDC in 1994 and
Deputy Grand Sword Bearer in 2004, is to become Past
Grand Sword Bearer.
W.Bro. Keith Thomas
W Bro Gordon Hewitt, PAGDC, is
promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon and W Bro Martin
Amey, appointed PAGDC in 1989, has been promoted to
Past Assistant Grand Registrar.
In the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons E
Comp Norman Joughin, Second Provincial Grand
Principal, who was Grand Standard Bearer in 2001 is
appointed Past Assistant Grand Sojourner and E Comp
Michael Ashcroft, PPrGSN, is appointed Past Grand
Standard Bearer.
W.Bro. N. Joughin
Staffordshire 2013 Grand Charity Festival
Within Your Province
rd sh i re Freemasons
Th e News l et te r fo r Sta ffo
Within Your Province is published twice yearly, in March and September and any contributions,
ideas or suggestions will be welcomed by the Editor, W Bro Peter Atkins, by email to
editor@pglstaffordshire.co.uk or by post to Peter Atkins, Information Officer, c/o Provincial Grand
Lodge Office, 211 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0DD. He can also be contacted on his
home telephone 01889 500635. Publication is made possible by the support of our advertisers
and readers are requested to support them whenever possible. When doing so please mention
that you saw the advertisement in Within Your Province. If you are a non-Masonic reader who
would like to know more about Freemasonry please visit our website www.pglstaffordshire.co.uk
or contact the Provincial Office at the address below.
Within Your Province is published on the authority of the Provincial Grand Master of the
Province of Staffordshire, RW Bro Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, Provincial Grand Lodge Office,
211 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0DD. Telephone and fax 01902 745151,
email secretary@pglstaffordshire.co.uk
Printed by David Bowyer Print and Design, Stafford. 01785 253060.
c Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire.
Following the successful pilot of the
"1000 Club"
There will be 2 games a year until the Festival
Each game will have a
Final Grand Prize £1,000
Half way Prize £500
Weekly prizes, the number and value of which
will depend on the number of players
First draw 17th May 2008
£25 for 26 weeks
Application form available from your Lodge Charity Steward or
Secretary or download from the Provincial WEB site.
Cheques payable to
"Staffs PGL Festival Account"
Send with application form to
John Francis, 3 York Ave., Fulford ST11 9SB
Within Your Province
3
Meet…Colin Denne, Assistant Provincial Grand Master
After three years as Provincial Grand
Secretary W Bro Colin Denne,
PAGDC, is to be invested as an
Assistant Provincial Grand Master in
May. He will succeed W Bro Keith
Thomas, PJGD.
Bro Colin, who was initiated into
Staffordshire Knot Lodge, 726, in
1977, is also active in Royal Arch and
a number of other side orders
including Mark, Royal Ark Mariners,
Knights Templar, Knights Templar
Priests, Rose Croix and the Order of
Secret Monitor.
He was Master of his Lodge in 1991
and appointed a Provincial Grand
Steward in 1998. The following year
he was promoted to Past Provincial
Junior Grand Deacon and in 2002 to
Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer.
A retired Health Authority director, he
spent 37 years in the health service
starting as a 15-year-old apprentice
e n g i n e e r. B r o C o l i n i s a k e e n
golfer, both he
and his wife Val
are members at
the Manor Golf
Club, sited near
Uttoxeter, where
they have both
been captain. He
is also a keen fly
fisherman and
enjoys travelling
and gardening.
Colin Denne
You could have heard a pin drop
. . . . . u n t i l A l e x s a i d “ Ye s ”
Masonic history was made during the
Etruscan Lodge Ladies Night at
Shelton in November. W Bro Barry
Parish, the Lodge Information Officer
explains.
John's widow Pam kept in contact
with the Lodge and joined us on
numerous occasions at our Christmas
meetings and David, now 40, joined
the lodge in 1993 and is currently
Junior Warden.
In January 1978 W Bro John
Rayworth was installed as Master of
Etruscan Lodge, 546, but sadly,
during his year in office he died most
unexpectedly from a hiatus hernia. He
was a young man and left a wife and
two small children - a son called
David and a daughter Alex.
Before joining Etruscan Lodge seven
years ago our Master, W Bro Ian
Barnett, met Alex and they became
romantically involved. At Ian's Ladies
Night Alex was naturally the Master's
Lady and she was joined on the top
table with Ian's family and of course
her mother.
Recreating the proposal, W Bro Ian Barnett asks Alex Rayworth.
The evening progressed in a splendid
manner and after a magnificent meal
the usual after proceedings ensued,
including the distribution of the ladies
gifts. Once this had been completed,
quite unusually, our Worshipful
Master, a worthy mason, an excellent
ritualist and not generally prone to
such impulses, took to the floor and
asked Alex to join him. He then got
down on one knee, produced a ring
and proposed marriage!
You could have heard a pin drop until
she said yes.
Wand presentation
Provincial Grand Director of
Ceremonies, W Bro David Philips,
PPJGW, officially received his Wand
at a ceremony in January. It was
originally presented to W Bro Alfred
Mould who was PGDC for 16 years
from 1957, by the St Peters, 419,
Lodge of Instruction, of which he was
preceptor for 32 years. It is now
tradition that the office holder is
presented with the wand and former
PGDCs including Assistant Provincial
Grand Master W Bro Gary Read and
Provincial Senior Warden W Bro John
Lockley attended the ceremony.
Car to be won
An £8,500 car is to be raffled across
the Province to raised funds for the
2013 Festival. The vehicle will be
unveiled at the Provincial Grand
Lodge meeting on May 14 and tickets
will cost £10 each.
Wrong Caption
In the last issue, in a feature about the
Order of Royal and Select Masters the
wrong caption was printed under a
photograph of the District Grand
Master, Rt Il Comp Brian William
Price. We apologise to him and his
deputy Ill Comp Clifford Bull. Editor.
Within Your Province
4
Grand
Charity
donates
more than
£23,000 to
local
hospices
More than £23,000 was presented to
the six hospices which provide services
in Staffordshire by the Provincial
Grand Master on behalf of the
Freemasons Grand Charity just before
Christmas.
The local hospices, St Giles at
Lichfield, Compton at Wolverhampton,
Katherine House at Stafford, Douglas
Macmillan and the Donna Louise
Children's in Stoke on Trent and
Acorns Children's in Walsall were
among 220 hospices across England
and Wales which shared in grants
totalling £600,000.
Although children's and adults
hospices have always been supported
through the annual grant giving
scheme, last year, for the first time, a
sum was set aside specifically to
benefit the growing number of services
dedicated to children. More than half of
the children's services received more
than £3,000 and each adult service
received an average of more than
£2,600.
Since 1984 when the Grand Charity
began the hospice grants programme
more than £7 million has been
presented.
RW Bro Thomas DC Lloyd,
welcoming
everyone
to
the
presentations at the Aldridge Masonic
Hall said it had become one of the very
pleasurable tasks he was asked to carry
out each year and it was good to meet
old friends and make new ones.
Six Lodge almoners were invited to the presentation - W Bros Tony Moody, Hatherton, 2474; Brian Tuckwell, Bridge Trust, 2878;
Tony Liddiard, Old Eversley, 5259; Malcolm Jarvis, Ogley Hay: Brian Robson, Gnosall St Lawrence, 9458, and Nick Crisp, Black
Country, 9702. Also in the picture with the Provincial Grand Master, are both Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, W Bros Gary
Read and Keith Thomas, Provincial Grand Almoner W Bro Alan Walker, SMCA President W Bro John Brooke, SMCA secretary
W Bro Jim Warburton and SMCA treasurer W Bro Mike Daniels.
He added: "It is always a great pleasure
to present these cheques. Hospices do
wonderful work in our communities
and I know from the comments made
today and in the past, that our help is
appreciated."
The closing date for applications this
year is July 31 and £600,000 has
already been put to one side.
This was announced in March as part
of a £1.5 million grants
programme aimed at medical
research, youth opportunities
and vulnerable people. An
additional £80,000 has been
ring fenced for air ambulance charities.
£1,500,000
Grant Awards
The Grants are
made towards the
operating costs
of the hospices and only those that
receive 60 per cent or less of their
funding from the National Health
Service are eligible to apply.
The grants are calculated on the basis
of the services the hospices provide
and the number of beds they operate.
Grants are not given towards building
costs or non operational hospices.
All the applications to the Freemasons
Grant Charity have to be accompanied
by a set of audited accounts which are
no more than 18 months old.
The Express and Star newspaper sent a photographer to capture the event and he
is pictured here checking things over while the Provincial Grand Master lines up with
some of the hospice representatives including Val Moore from Katherine House, Lyn
Shield from St Giles, Sue van Davis from Compton and Ann Smallman from Acorns.
and women at Headley Court and Selly
Oak during long rehabilitation periods.
The Provincial Grand Master said:
"These grants highlight to everyone in
the Provincial Grand Lodge of
Staffordshire how important our 2013
Festival Appeal for the Grand Charity
is. The vital charity work being carried
out by thousands of people looking
after and caring for those less fortunate
than others must be
supported and it makes
me very proud to be
heading
up
our
Festival appeal.
£100,000 for
Heroes Appeal
Two other large charities
included
in
the
programme are £250,000
for a new Breast Cancer
Haven in Leeds and
£100,000 for SSAFA Forces Help
which will go towards helping the
Heroes and their Families Emergency
Appeal. This will go towards providing
suitable accommodation for families
visiting severely wounded servicemen
"We have a long way to go and I know
that many, many thousands will be
raised by the generosity of brethren in
the Province during the next few years.
The grants announced recently
highlight the need for every penny."
The Provincial Grand Master with Mike Firth from Douglas Macmillan and Judith
Herrod from the Donna Louise.
Within Your Province
5
Meet…Sandy Stewart, Provincial Senior Grand Warden
A singing retired consultant
anaesthetist and part time soldier is
to be the new Provincial Senior
Grand Warden. He is W Bro Dr
Sandy Stewart, a member of
Gordon Lodge, 2149, who in 1999
was Provincial Junior Grand
Deacon.
Bro Sandy, who was educated at
Eton and the University of
Birmingham Medical School was a
member of the Territorial Army for
15 years, serving with the 202
(Midland) General Hospital. He
retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and
was awarded the Territorial
Decoration.
Married to a doctor, they have four
children, he is a member of
Trentham Golf Club and sings in
three choirs.
Bro. Sandy, who
was Master of
Gordon Lodge in
1993, is also
active in Royal
Arch, Knights
T e m p l a r ,
Knights of Malta
and Rose Croix.
Sandy Stewart
Ninety, in the chair again
and a 60 year certificate
RW Bro Stanley Lates, now in his
90th year, has become Master of
St James's Lodge, 482, for the
third time. He has been a member
of the lodge since 1954.
Among his other appointments is
the
chairmanship
of
the
Handsworth
Masonic
Hall
Company (1968) where he aims
to not only make sure the
Wretham Road Masonic Centre is
viable but also to return it to its
former glory and encourage other
lodges to use it.
Married to Rosemary, he has two
sons (both Masons) and a
daughter.
Regrettably, following a car
accident on his way home from a
Masonic meeting, followed by a
fall, when he broke his hip, he no
longer drives but has an uncanny
knack of inviting a variety of
masons to be his guest at
meetings and persuading them to
offer him a lift.
Despite admitting to being a little
deaf, Bro Stanley is able to draw
on a lifetime of experience in
masonry and has a full
programme
of
ceremonies
planned for his year in the chair of
St James's which started with an
initiation.
A retired teacher, W Bro Cyril
Jackson, PAGDC, is to be
appointed to the new Provincial
office of Provincial Grand Orator. A
former Provincial Grand Treasurer,
he was Provincial Junior Grand
Warden in 1997 and was appointed
a Grand Lodge Officer in 2001.
A member of
Clough Hall
Lodge, 7481,
where he was
initiated in
1980,
he
worked
in
engineering
for 12 years
before
retraining as a
teacher after
he which he spent 33 years teaching
in Stoke on Trent at Moorland Road
and Park Road schools, Burslem,
specialising in Maths and Science
before retiring in 1997.
Promotion in Lodge
He has also just celebrated 60
years in Freemasonry. And in
2006, when his mother lodge,
Concord, 3239 in Warwickshire,
celebrated its Centenary, guess
who was Master?
Bro Stanley who was awarded the
Order of Service to Masonry in
2003 was Provincial Grand
Master of Warwickshire from
1992 to 2001 having served as
Grand
Superintendent
of
Warwickshire Royal Arch from
1987 to 1993.
Provincial Grand
Orator
The Provincial Grand Master RW Bro Thomas DC Lloyd, TD,DL, is pictured with RW
Bro Stanley Lates, OSM, and Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master W Bro Bill
Whittall, PSGD, at the December lodge meeting.
An Almoner's
contribution to
his lodge has
been recognised
and he has been
promoted by a
senior member
of the St Johns
Lodge of Lichfield,
1039, on behalf
of the Provincial
Grand Master.
W Bro Bill Hill was promoted to
Past
Provincial
Grand
Superintendent of Works by
Assistant Provincial Grand Master
W Bro Gary Read.
Sutherland Lodge of Unity presents £2,350 to charities
Sutherland Lodge of Unity, 460, held
a special evening at The Crown
Hotel, Stone, on Friday, February 15,
when the Master, W Bro Mal Wain
presented £2350 to various charities
including £1,000 to Mr Paul Niblett
from the Donna Louise Children's
Hospice.
A £500 cheque was presented to Mr
Warren Appleby, representing the
British Heart Foundation and another
£500 was given to W Bro Mike
Daniels representing the 'B' Fund.
Another £250 to the SMCA 'B' Fund,
which was raised between Sutherland
Lodge No. 451 and Sutherland Lodge
of Unity No 460 at a joint Christmas
Festive Board was also presented
£100 was also presented to W Bro
Daniels for the National Memorial
Arboretum Tree Planting Appeal.
Each guest gave a brief history of
their respective organisations and
thanked everyone for their generous
donations.
Following the presentation, 28 people
including wives, guests and friends
joined in the Festive Board.
W Bro Mal Wain and his wife Zeineb, are pictured with W Bro Mike Daniels, left, and
Paul Niblett and Warren Appleby, right.
Within Your Province
6
Warm Welcome at German Lodge Celebration
A group of Staffordshire
Freemasons attended the 250th
anniversary of a German
Freemasons Lodge last October
in when they travelled to
Erlangen.
Lodge 'Libanon zu den drie
Cedern' is based in Stoke on
Trent's twin town and the four
brethren, W Bros Bob Cooper,
Sid Bailey, Clough Hall Lodge,
7481, David Mann, Etruscan
Lodge, 546, and Maurice
Downes, Eccleshall Lodge, 5389,
who travelled with their wives
were given a very warm
welcome.
A full programme of events was
arranged for the weekend and the
highlight was the celebration
ceremony which took place on
the Saturday afternoon in a
building near the Lodge House, a
former Lutheran Church. With
270 people attending it was not
possible to hold the meeting in the
lodge building.
While waiting to enter the Lodge,
the Staffordshire four were
approached by a German brother
who recognised their regalia and
introduced himself. He was the
Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons in Germany.
Many other distinguished guests
attended including the Grand
Master of the United Grand
Lodge of Germany, Andorra,
Switzerland, Swiss Grand Lodge
Officers, the Past Grand Master
The Lodge House in Erlangen.
Bob Cooper, Sid Bailey, Volker Glab, Worshipful Master, Karl Decart, Deputy Provincial Grand Master and a Past Master of the
Lodge, David Mann and Maurice Downes. at the ‘Libanon zu den drie Cedern’ Lodge in Erlangen.
of the UGL of Germany, the
Deputy Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Free and
Accepted Masons in Germany,
two German Provincial Grand
Masters and their deputies.
Visiting brethren came from
Spain, Norway, Israel, Croatia
and England.
Although the ceremony was
conducted entirely in German the
Staffordshire four were able to
follow proceedings and at the
appropriate time rose and gave
fraternal greetings. W Bro Bob
Cooper also presented a
decorated bowl on behalf of
Hanliensian Lodge.
The 117 year old lodge carpet which is placed in the centre of the
otherwise plain floor of the Lodge. Candles are placed at the South East,
North West and South West corners of the carpet.
Within Your Province
7
Meet…Michael Heenan, Provincial Junior Grand Warden
The new Provincial Junior Grand
Warden is a familiar face in Masonic
squares and circles. W Bro Michael
Heenan is a Past Provincial Grand
Registrar and Past Provincial
Treasurer in Royal Arch.
He is also active in Mark, Rose Croix,
Knights Templar, Royal Order of
Scotland and the Order of the Secret
Monitor.
Michael was initiated into Izaak
Walton Lodge, 4281, and became
Master of the Lodge in 1992. His
father was a joining member in 1977.
In 1998 he was appointed Provincial
Grand Registrar, the same year he was
appointed Provincial Grand Treasurer
in the Provincial Grand Chapter. He
is the current Director of Ceremonies
of Royal Chartley Chapter, 726.
A chartered accountant, Michael is a
partner at Dean Statham and also
chief executive of the Stafford
Railway Building Society. He is also
a former President of the North
Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Staffordshire,
Salop and Wolverhampton Society of
Chartered Accountants. He was also
chairman
of
Business
Link
Staffordshire for five years and is a
former chairman of Stafford Rotaract
and Stafford Round Table.
He has also been
active in local
government for
more than 30
years and been
leader and mayor
of the Stafford
B o r o u g h
Council.
He lists his other
interests as
politics,
Michael Heenan
European
travel and church work - he is a
sacristan at Stafford's St Paul's Church.,
Stafford.
Our First Big Winner in 1000 Club
The first big winner of the
Staffordshire 2013 Grand Charity
Festival 1000 Club is W Bro Anthony
Johnson, Almoner and Assistant
Secretary of Construction Lodge,
5350. He was presented with his
cheque by Assistant Provincial Grand
Master W Bro Gary Read at the
successful Bavarian evening at
Wolgarston School, Penkridge.
Organised by W Bros Mike Reynolds
and Jeff Johnson, it raised £2,555 for
the 2013 Festival.
Details of the weekly draw are
published on the Provincial web site
www.pglstaffordshire.co.uk
A night to
remember for
Bro John
St Valentines
Day was a
special date
for W Bro
John Amies,
PAGDC, when
he celebrated
50 years in
Freemasonry.
And at the
February
meeting of Lodge of Honour, 526, he
was presented with a 50 year
certificate to mark his continued and
devoted service to freemasonry in the
Province of Staffordshire by Assistant
Provincial Grand Master W Bro Keith
Thomas.
The occasion was also marked with a
presentation by the Worshipful
Master, W Bro John Walters, of a
suitably inscribed wooden casket to
retain and preserve the Lodge's 200
year old Volume of the Sacred Law. A
refurbished boxed set of three wooden
mauls, originally presented to the
Lodge by W Bro John David, PPGW,
who served the Lodge from 1929 to
1967, were also presented to Bro
Amies who presented both back to the
Lodge.
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Within Your Province
8
Grand Charity doubles donations to lucky 13
The Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, centre, flanked by W Bro Jim Warburton, secretary of the SMCA, left, and Assistant
Provincial Grand Master W Bro Gary Read, all seated, pictured with lodge and charity representatives at Aldridge.
photo: George V. Jenkins
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IN
this issue of
WithIN Your
Province
Without the support of the
advertisers in this issue, we
wouldn’t have
Within Your Province.
You can thank them for
supporting Freemasonry in
Staffordshire by supporting
them.
And if you know a business
which could support us in the
future please contact the
Information Officer, Peter
Atkins on 01889 500635 or
editor@pglstaffordshire.co.uk
THERE was nothing unlucky about
the 13 charities who visited the
Aldridge Masonic Centre in March.
They had already received donations
from Lodges in Staffordshire and the
gathering, organised by Staffordshire
Masonic Charitable Association
secretary W Bro Jim Warburton, was
to double their money.
It was made possible by the
Freemasons Grand Charity inviting a
number of Provinces, including
Staffordshire, to match fund donations
up to a maximum of £5,000 to nonMasonic national charities.
Promoted in Within Your Province
magazine last year W Bro Jim said the
response and feed back from Lodges
and charity representatives had been
tremendous. Lodge officers and
charity representatives were able to
meet up again for coffee before the
actual presentations took place with
the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro
Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, and
Assistant Provincial Grand Master W
Bro Gary Read lending their support.
The charities and lodges who took
part in the Grand Lodge pilot scheme
included:
Cancer Research UK, St Peters, 419,
and St Thomas, 1914.
TOFS, Abbey, 624.
Headway Staffordshire,
Staffordshire Knot, 726.
County Air Ambulance, St Johns of
Lichfield, 1039, Minerva, 1942,
Bridge Trust, 2878, and Venture,
6916.
Alzheimers Society, Victoria, 2848.
MS Society, Bridge Trust, 2878.
When You Wish Upon A Star,
Bridge Trust, 2878.
CJD Support Network,
Hanliensian, 3935.
Arthritis Care, Crusaders, 4107.
Haywood Foundation for Arthritis
Research, Crusaders, 4107.
Motor Neurone Disease Association,
Faith and Works, 5079.
Walsingham (Thaddeus Trust),
Ethelfleda, 6600.
The reasons for supporting the
charities are as varied as the actual
work the charities do both nationally
and locally and included a
granddaughter's illness, an injured
son, continuing support now in its
eighth year and lodge members and
relatives dying.
Other reasons behind the donations
were nominations by past and present
members, family links with a charity,
recognition of the charities work and
its research and an opportunity to help
young
people
with
learning
difficulties.
The Provincial Grand Master who
welcomed everyone said how
delighted he was that so many Lodges
had taken up the opportunity to match
their donations. He also described the
occasion as a practical, local
demonstration of the way The Grand
Charity distributed money to very
worthwhile charities which did so
much good work.
Within Your Province
9
Meet…
50 year Certificate
Dave Armitt, Provincial Grand Registrar
A keen golfer and past captain and
president of Westwood Golf Club
at Leek is to be the new Provincial
Grand Registrar. W Bro Dave
Armitt who as secretary of St
Martin's Lodge, 98, guided the
Lodge through Staffordshire's first
Bi-Centenary in 2005 is still active
in the Lodge with the role of
Director of Ceremonies.
He has also been Master of the
Lodge twice and filled other offices.
A retired Colliery Chief Engineer
Bro Dave has also had a number of
Provincial appointments including
Grand Pursivant, Past Grand Senior
Deacon, Past Grand Registrar and
Past Junior Grand Warden. He is
also an office holder in Royal Arch
and
enjoys
walking in the
Peak District
with his wife
Pauline. They
have
also
traveled
extensively
around the
world in the
last 16 years.
When Past Master W Bro John
Thompson of Lodge of St Matthew,
539, was unable to celebrate his 50
years in Freemasonry in the lodge, W
Bro Arthur Pickstone and Lodge
Secretary W Bro Llew Evans went to
see him. Bro John, who has suffered
from ill health for some time now
lives in a Nursing Home in Shepshed.
Dave Armitt
Thomas Telford’s anniversary celebration
Last August was the 250th
anniversary of the birth of the famous
Scottish born civil engineer Thomas
Telford, an event which was
celebrated throughout Scotland. And
by members of the Wolverhampton
based Thomas Telford Lodge, 8029.
To mark the occasion W Bro Bob
Redwood, PPJGW, presented a
lecture entitled Thomas Telford Operative and Speculative Mason.
This was followed by the biennial visit
to Lodge Eskdale Kilwinning, 107, when
members and their ladies visited
Scotland.
At the end of September members
witnessed an initiation ceremony in
the Langholm lodge rooms which was
followed by the unveiling of a plaque
showing Telford's mark on the bridge
in the town centre. There was also a
visit to Telford's farm birthplace -
pictured, where the visitors were able
to view the cairn recently erected near
the birthplace to mark the 250th
anniversary of his birth.
W.Bro John with his certificate
He was initiated into the Lodge in
December 1957, was Master in 1969
and a regular attender until ten years
ago when he moved to Leicestershire.
He was made an honorary member in
2002 and holds the rank of Past
Provincial Grand Sword Bearer.
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Within Your Province
11
Meet… Barrie Rouse, Provincial Grand Secretary
When W Bro Barrie Rouse is invested
as Provincial Grand Secretary in May
the Province will have a highly
experienced administrator in post.
Barrie, a Fellow of the Chartered
Institute of Management Accountants
has spent all his working life making
sure companies run smoothly.
He retired in 2006 from a major
Midlands building materials company
with a turnover of more than £10
million and now, apart from a large
involvement in Freemasonry he likes
to keep fit, garden, do cryptic
crosswords and Su Doku.
Married for 42 years to Sandra, they
have a son and a daughter and two
grand daughters, Barrie was born and
educated in Derbyshire and was
initiated into Tudor Lodge of Rifle
Volunteers, 1838, in 1983. He was
installed as Master in 1992, was
treasurer from 1997 to 2002 and took up
the Information Officers job in 2006 and
became Lodge mentor in 2007.
He is also a member of Lodge of
Honour, 526, where he has been
Director of Ceremonies since 2006 and
Foster Gough Lodge, 2706, where he
was Senior Deacon in 1995. Barrie was
Provincial Grand Superintendent of
Works in 1998 and was appointed
Assistant
Provincial
G r a n d
Secretary in
2006.
He is also
active in Royal
A r c h ,
Provincial
Deputy Grand
Director
of
Ceremonies in
2002, and a
Barrie Rouse
number of side orders including Knights
Templar, Rose Croix, Knight Templar
Priests and Red Cross of Constantine.
Charity alert at cheque presentation
It is not every day that charity
donors get a first hand glimpse of
the work done by the organisation
they are helping. But when the
annual cheque presentation by the
Nora Mitchell (Minerva Lodge)
Trust Fund took place last
November they did. Literally
seconds after presenting a cheque to
Stoke on Trent's British Red Cross
Fire and Emergency Support
Service.
Just as Support Service Coordinator Deborah Hackett finished
saying thank you for a £500 cheque
her bleeper went off. She left the
room at the Hanley Masonic Hall to
check her message and reappeared a
minute or so later explaining she
had to leave to attend a house fire.
Bro Tony Berry, MBE, secretary of
the Fund said: "You couldn't have
made it up. We didn't have a secret
button to push to alert Deborah. It
was a very real example to all of us
of the important work charities like
the British Red Cross do across
North Staffordshire.
Earlier Deborah explalined how her
organisation helped victims of
emergencies with practical and
emotional support. She said: "We
are not well known but we have a
caravan where we can provide
refreshments for victims of fires
and other emergencies and major
incidents. But it is not just tea and
sympathy. We help people get rehoused, help with their insurance,
health issues, work issues. Their
problems are our problems.
"Many victims of fires have
nothing. A man in the street in his
boxers needs some clothes. A recent
donation allowed us to buy lots of
track suits. With this money we are
going to buy shoes and Christmas
presents. It will make all the
difference to people who have lost
everything."
The British Red Cross was one of
six
North
Staffordshire
organisations
who
received
cheques. The others were the North
Staffs branch of the Cystic Fibrosis
Trust, the North Staffs Arthritis
Research Campaign, Crossroads,
caring for carers in Staffordshire,
Victim Support - the Hanley Crown
Court Witness Service and the
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's
Dangerous Weekends projects.
The Master, W Bro Jim Birkin, who
presented a cheque for £1,519.45 to
SMCA Secretary W.Bro Jim
Warburton was assisted by Trustee
W Bro Gordon Lancett and
Secretary W Bro David Abberley.
Bro Berry explained to the guests
some of the work of Masons in the
Community and led a visit to the
Temple where further explanations
were given.
Golf Comp cards
All Lodge Charity Stewards have been
urged to try and sell all their allocated
Provincial Grand Master's Golf
Competition cards. Last year the
competition organisers were able to
present £29,000 to the 2013 Festival.
Museum openings
The Provincial Museum at the Hanley
Masonic Hall is now open from 9am
to 12 noon each Wednesday and at
other times by appointment. The
collection is being continually
expanded and more exhibits would be
gratefully received.
Leading the Way
Assistant Provincial Grand Master W
Bro Keith Thomas, PJGD, is to
continue heading up the Staffordshire
Way
Provincial
Education
Programme. Education Officer W Bro
George Arblaster, PPJGW, is stepping
down and he will be succeeded by W
Bro Geoff Bean, PPSGW.
Warwickshire DPGM
W Bro Alan Wellan, PJGD, an
Assistant Provincial Grand Master in
Warwickshire, was invested as Deputy
Provincial Grand Master in April
when W Bro David Macey, PAGDC,
was appointed an APGM. VW Bro
David Rawlins, PGSwdB, is retiring.
Chartered Surveyors & Estate Agents
Lodge helped Girl Guide
attend Centenary Jubilee
The mother lodge of the late
Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro
Major Harry Wilson Keys, Legge
Lodge, 2784, like some other
lodges in the Province, is looking to
increase its membership.
Lodge secretary W Bro Frank Kirk
said: "We have had a busy time
lately particularly helping a young
Guide and her need for support to
attend a jamboree.
"We need to maintain our
membership and we are actively
progressing four junior brethren up
the ladder in support of the officers,
predominantly of past masters. It
was a great pleasure to be able to
support Guide Demi Borhara, she
was 13 at the time, in her ambition
to attend the World Centenary
Jamboree.
We were all very impressed with
her enthusiasm to raise all the
money she did and we felt that as a
lodge we were helping a young lady
who deserved all the help she could
get."
The Lodge, which celebrated its
own Centenary in 1999, meets at
Aldridge four times a year and
anyone who might be interested in
joining the lodge should contact the
secretary, W Bro Frank Kirk on:
0121 358 1181.
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Within Your Province
12
Long serving lodge organist
celebrates 50 years
Bro Bert Hazell is pictured receiving his Provincial Certificate from W Bro. Keith
Thomas, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, watched by W Bro A E. Lawrence,
Master, and his son Marcus, holding a cut glass decanter which the Prince of Wales
Lodge presented to him to mark his 50 years in the lodge.
Born in Leicestershire in 1914, Bro. Bert Hazell was educated at the Boys'
Grammar School in Ashby de la Zouch, and Nottingham University before
graduating with a BSc in Pure Science at London University.
Joining the English Electric Company, later GEC, as an apprentice he
progressed to the position of Manager of the Die-casting and Foundry
Department and throughout the Second World War was engaged in the
production of munitions, particularly the manufacture of 1000's of Mills
Bombs and other armaments.
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Bro. Bert came to Wolverhampton and joined J. R. Ireland Die-casting
Company in 1954 when his department at the English Electric Company was
transferred to Liverpool. He retired in 1981.
He summarized his marriage to his lovely wife Eunice as a long, happy and
very musical occasion and is very proud of their two sons, Marcus and
Christopher.
Bro Bert was proposed by Bro. JR Ireland and seconded by W Bro Ron
Stevens, PSGD. and, with a total of 91 members and visitors present he was
initiated at the 374th meeting of the Prince of Wales Lodge, 4021 on
February 27, 1958 at the Masonic Hall, Darlington Street, Wolverhampton
Recognizing Bro Bert's musical talents at an early stage, he was appointed
and invested as Lodge Organist by the new Worshipful Master W Bro.
William Clifford Williams at his Installation meeting in November 1967 - an
office Bro Bert has held ever since.
Although not having occupied the Chair in the craft, in 1985 he was honored
by Provincial Grand Lodge with a Past Provincial Grand Organist
appointment. In 2003 he was promoted to Past Provincial Senior Grand
Deacon and "promoted in the field"- the highest rank a freemason who has
not passed through the chair can achieve - to Past Provincial Grand Sword
Bearer - by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W Bro Keith Thomas who
attended the Golden Jubilee celebration in Prince of Wales Lodge on
February 28, 2008.
Bro. Bert is a Past Master of the Hantune Lodge of Mark Master Masons,
1085 and holds Past Assistant Grand Standard Bearer in this Degree. He is a
Past Commander and Holder of Provincial Grand Rank in the Hantune
Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners.
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years at Wolverhampton's St. Colombus United Reform Church during
which time he has regularly played for Wulfrun Lodge, Boscobel Lodge and
several Mark and Mariner Lodges in Wolverhampton. He is also a Founder
and an active member of the Staffordshire Masonic Choir as well as being an
Honorary Member of St. Editha's Lodge of Mark Master Masons, 1426,
which meets at Tamworth.
Within Your Province
13
Meet…
John Francis, Provincial Grand Charity Steward
W Bro John Francis is a man with a
mission - to raise money for Masonic
charities. He is the man behind the
2013 Festival '1000 and now he is to
be appointed Provincial Grand
Charity Steward.
Bro John, a retired BT Optical
Network Designer is a Yorkshire man
who became a freemason in 1980,
shortly before moving to Staffordshire
on his appointment to the staff at the
BT Training College at Yarnfield as a
lecturer. A member of Crusaders
Lodge, 4107, where he is Director of
Ceremonies, he was Master in 1992
and was appointed a Provincial Grand
Steward in 1998.
He is now secretary of the
Staffordshire Provincial Grand
Stewards Lodge, 9567, and is also a
member of Foster Gough Lodge,
2706. He was appointed Past
Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in
1999 and Past Provincial Grand
Sword Bearer in 2006.
In his spare time Bro John enjoys the
theatre, antique and book fairs, the
National Trust
and visiting
Norway with
his wife. They
have
been
going for 27
years. He is
also active in
Royal Arch,
Mark, Royal
Ark Mariners,
K n i g h t s
Templar, Rose
John Francis
Croix, Knight Templar Priest and
Red Cross of Constantine.
Family Day at the Arboretum
Square and
compass’
provide vital
clue
Almost a year ago a Brother was
mugged by two thieves who stole his
wallet which had embossed on it the
square and compass. A detailed
description was given to the police
officers who were sent to interview
the victim.
Three months later, when the brother
had recovered from his injuries the
police telephoned him to say that they
had raided a house as part of an on
going investigation into more serious
offences and had found a wallet. The
description given matched the wallet
which had been stolen and the Brother
was asked to provide a DNA sample
which confirmed the link between the
mugging and the occupants of the
raided house.
Three 'thieves' are awaiting trial on
charges of two murders and four
robberies with violence.
The Brother has been told that the
square and compass embossing
provided the link in solving the crime
and his wallet will be returned after
the trial.
St John's Lodge of Lichfield, 1039,
held a family gathering at the National
Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas last
September to mark the progress of the
magnificent national monument and,
particularly, the Provincial Garden.
The Master, W Bro Dean Sleigh, and
members, including the Assistant
Provincial Grand Master W Bro Gary
Read, their wives and children were
joined by friends and members of
other Tamworth Lodges.
They enjoyed a warm sunny afternoon
becoming acquainted with the
Masonic Garden and the everchanging extraordinary landscape.
An introductory talk by one of the
Arboretum guides was followed by a
visit to the Masonic Garden. W Bro
Roger Manning explained the concept
of the Garden and the intriguing
symbolism expressed in its design.
Everyone then roamed freely, taking
advantage of the splendid scenery,
wildlife, river setting and the
unusually fine weather. This was
followed by tea and cakes in the
visitor centre and a presentation by
the Master to the Arboretum funds.
St John's Lodge is proud of its close
ties with the National Arboretum,
which have existed since the year
2000. Apart from direct financial
support to the Arboretum, the Lodge
is particularly pleased to have
succeeded in raising £1,674 for the
Provincial Garden project.
The overwhelming feeling was that
the afternoon was a huge success and
most enjoyable.
1039 heartily
recommends other Lodges to repeat
the process.
Just a minor word of caution; it is
advisable to choose a late spring or
summer period. In cold weather, the
open situation can be quite
challenging. Nevertheless, do go!
This is an illustration of what the
inside of the Masonic Garden will
look like when the entrance is
completed.
His DNA will also be removed from
the police computer files!
Be thankful
for a friend
Brotherly love is a priceless gift
That can't be bought or sold
For its value is far greater
Than a mountain made of gold
For gold is cold and lifeless
It can neither see nor hear
And in times of trouble
It is powerless to cheer
It has no ears to listen
Nor heart to understand
And when affliction strikes
To reach out a helping hand
So when you ask God for a gift
Be thankful if he sends
Not diamonds, pearls or riches
But the joy of true Masonic friends
Anon, Staffordshire
Within Your Province
14
Get on
The Way
and help
the 2013
Festival
Former PGM was Commander in Chief
in India when he died of Cholera
George Anson was born at
Shugborough, just outside Stafford, in
1797 and was the second son of
Thomas, Viscount Anson and his wife
Anne Margaret. An early portrait of
their three children may be seen in the
library whilst her own portrait is also
on display in the house.
Staffordshire's fourth Provincial
Grand Master was Col Hon George
Anson, MP, who took up his
appointment when he was 40 years old
in 1837. Here W Bro John DM Brooke,
PJGD, describes the man who led the
Province for 16 years and who died 151
years ago in India.
MOST Staffordshire Freemasons
know that we have adopted The
Staffordshire Way as the umbrella
for our education programme.
But now an enthusiastic charity
walker in our membership has
issued a challenge
to all brethren to
get to know the
other Staffordshire
Way, all 92 miles
of it!
Anne Margaret was born at Holkham
Hall in Norfolk, she was the second
daughter of the first Earl of Holkham
(Coke of Holkham) who was installed
as Provincial Grand Master of
Norfolk by the Duke of Sussex in
1819 and remained in office until his
death in 1842.
A handsome man and well known
about town, he won the Derby in
1842 with a horse he bought for £120
and he was reputed to be the best
whist player in Europe. William 1V
made him a Privy Counsellor and
Master of the Buck- Hounds.
W Bro Mike Thomas, a member of
Staffordshire Knot Lodge, 726, is
planning a 2013 Festival fund
raising walk of The Way and he
wants as many brethren as possible
to join him. And before anyone is
put off with such a distance, Mike
says it can take up to 18 months to
complete, in nine to 12 mile
sections, from north to south.
He is planning to arrange a number
of weekends with rendezvous and
pick up points along the route and
hopes to raise several thousand
pounds for the Festival through
each walker getting personal
sponsorship.
Mike who is also a member of the
Stewards Lodge would like any
experienced walkers who can act as
section leaders to contact him.
He said; "This will be a tremendous
opportunity to discover parts of
Staffordshire's most wonderful
countryside while raising money for
an excellent cause. It will also be
fun and a good way of getting, or in
some cases, keeping fit."
Details about sponsorship and the
actual organisation of the charity
walk will be issued soon on the
Provincial web site where people
will also be able to download
information and sponsorship forms.
If anyone has experience of this
kind of charity fund raising or
walking, they can contact Mike on
01785 246040 or 07876718694 or
emikethomas@hotmail.com
The Coat of Arms over the IPM's
chair in Wolverhampton is that of the
first Earl - Anson's grandfather. The
chair belongs to Lodge of Honour,
526, having been transported from
Norfolk and purchased for their
Consecration in 1846.
Educated at Eton, Anson entered the
Army in 1814 as an Ensign in the 3rd
(Scots Fusiliers) Guards with whom
he served at Waterloo in 1819. He
was the Member of Parliament for
Great Yarmouth from 1819 to 1834,
for Stoke on Trent from 1836 to 1837
and for Staffordshire South from
1837 to 1853 when he became
Provincial Grand Master.
Although
he
was
appointed
Provincial Grand Master in 1837 he
was not installed until 1843 when the
Grand Secretary, W Bro WH White
acted as Installing Master. The
Director of Ceremonies was W Bro
Crucifix and the Rev Bro Dr Slade
was Chaplain.
Masonry in Staffordshire was in a
sorry state following the death of Earl
Ferrers in 1838 with just 13 Lodges.
Provincial meetings and the stimulus
of Provincial Officers were rare.
However matters began to correct
themselves with the appointment of
Bro Slade as Deputy Provincial
Grand Master on a temporary basis
followed by W Bro HC Vernon, both
members of St Peter's Lodge, 419.
Bro Dr Slade was consecrating officer
and the first Master of Lodge of
Honour.
In 1838 Bro Anson was promoted to
the rank of Colonel and in 1851 to
Major General. He resigned as
Provincial Grand Master in 1853 in
favour of W Bro HC Vernon's
younger brother Augustus, so that he
could take command of an Army
Division in Bengal. Three years later
he was appointed Commander in
Chief of the Army in India and he
played a prominent role during the
Indian Mutiny marching his Army
against Delhi.
He died of cholera at Karnal in 1857
and was buried in a Church there,
later to be re-interred at Kensal Green
in London. He married in 1858 and
had three daughters.
Last year marked the 150th
Anniversary of his death and that of
the Hindu and Muslim Sepoys against
the East India Company. During the
year some 10,000 young Indians
accompanied by a troop of cavalry
and a military band, marched the 45
miles from Meerut to Delhi, in the
steps of the mutineers. Their hope
was to promote sectarian politics in
the sub continent and heal the
division between the two religions as
the country's increasing influence on
the world stage evolves.
Second Anniversary of the
Within Your Province
15
Meet…
David Mann, Assistant Provincial Grand Secretary
The new Assistant Provincial Grand
Secretary is no stranger to Masonic
administration. He has been secretary
of his own lodge for the last eight
years.
Courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum
W Bro David Mann, currently
Provincial Grand Superintendent of
Works, he was Provincial Assistant
Grand Director of Ceremonies in
2003, joined Etruscan Lodge, 546, in
1987 and was appointed Master in
1997. He also occupied the Master's
chair in 1998 and his Lodge
Unanswered Questions
Thomas Coke's installation by
the Duke of Sussex was delayed
by 12 months due to his need to
attend the funeral of his son in
law
Viscount
Anson
at
Shugborough in 1818. The
closeness of the family is
demonstrated by George Anson
becoming MP for Great
Yarmouth.
His grandfather died in 1842 and
his mother in 1843, the year he
was actually installed.
Could this series of events have
led to the Lodge of Honour
becoming the recipient of the
three Norfolk chairs, and event
ably assisted by Anson's
enthusiastic and ambitious
deputy Bro Dr Slade, Lodge of
Honour's first Master?
It is interesting to speculate how
and when the three chairs from
the Earl's Norfolk estate arrived
in Staffordshire as a gift from his
then 83 year old
grandfather
and
why did it take all of
six years between
appointment
and
installation?
The Mansion House at
Shugborough
Rugeley Masonic Centre
March saw the second anniversary
of the opening of the Rugeley and
District Masonic Centre at the
Chase Golf Club near Penkridge,
and the first two years have been
ones of dramatic progress.
Two separate Masonic meeting
places were combined into one
when the Chase Lodge No. 6291
and associated side orders from
Cannock joined the original lodges
from Rugeley at the Centre, just
over a year ago.
There are now sixteen different
Masonic Orders using the
premises. Twelve of them hold
their full programme of regular
meetings, rehearsals, instruction
and committee meetings there,
while four use the Centre for one
or more meetings from their
annual programme.
The rooms usage is very nearly at
full capacity for nine months of the
year.
responsibilities also include that of
Assistant Preceptor at the Lodge of
Instruction.
and
many
parts of the
world.
He is also a member of Foster Gough
Lodge, 2706, and active in Royal;
Arch and Rose Croix.
O u t s i d e
Masonry he
spends
his
spare time on
DIY at home
and at St
Bertelin's
Church, Stafford
where he is a
Church Warden.
Married for 40 years in September
with two sons and six grandchildren,
David was apprenticed at English
Electric in Stafford and went on to
specialise in electrical insulation
engineering which took him to oil rigs
A Tale of a Father, two Sons
and three Masters
At the January Installation, St John's
Lodge of Lichfield, 1039, had the
joyous occasion of W Bro Dean
Sleigh installing his brother, Colin, as
Worshipful Master. To top it all, W
Bro Trevor Sleigh, their father, and
Secretary of the Lodge, who was
Many weeks in the winter
months see at least one event there
on most weekday evening.
involved has a real sense of pride
and achievement in the new
Centre.
The management team from the
four craft lodges has worked hard
to establish a sound financial basis,
while at the same time planning a
series of improvements to the
already impressive facilities.
"Building good relations with the
Management of Chase Golf Club
has been a priority. Staff at the club
have had to learn our little
"masonic" ways, but there is now a
high level of satisfaction and
understanding on both sides. As
well as the normal festive boards,
many Ladies' Nights and other
social functions are regularly held
there.
The three principals' chairs have
been refurbished, new matching
honours boards have been
provided, and air-conditioning and
a hearing loop have been fitted.
Brand new chairs to match the rest
of the décor in the lodge room,
delivered in February, provide a
fitting finishing touch to two busy
years.
Chairman Mike Bailey said: "With
the help and commitment of a lot
of people, we have done in two
years what we first thought might
take four or five to do. Everyone
David Mann
Building good relations with the
Management of Chase Golf Club
has been a priority. Staff at the club
have had to learn our little
"masonic" ways, but there is now a
high level of satisfaction and
understanding on both sides. As
well as the normal festive boards,
many Ladies' Nights and other
social functions are regularly held
there.
Worshipful Master in 2000, was
present and took part in the ceremony.
The Assistant Provincial Grand
Master, W Bro D Gary Read, a
member of the Lodge and a close
family friend, was also present and
took part in the Ceremony and the
celebrations.
More than 90 Brethren and visitors
supported this rare occasion and the
atmosphere was highly charged with
emotion but above all it was a
splendid ceremony of the highest
order, with the odd jovial family
reference and context.
Working together in Lodge is just
another extension of the close-knit
family relationship. Dean and
Colin are very much a part of the
highly successful business started
by their father, Trevor, some years
ago.
Lodge Information Officer W Bro
Roger Manning said: "All good
wishes go to Colin for a splendid
year and all the lodge members
hope he will enjoy it as much as
Trevor and Dean clearly did. Now
we look forward to the next
generation. Over to you Dean and
Colin."
Photo: Adrian Harris
Within Your Province
16
Successful exchange visit with Warwickshire Companions
The Grand Superintendent and his senior officers with some of the
principal guests.
Photos: Mike Sharples
The Principal Officers of the Province and the Earl Shrewsbury Chapter.
It has been an established custom to
link up with the Royal Arch
Companions of the Province of
Warwickshire and visit each other's
Province and in particular a specific
Chapter within the Province, on
what we term a "Full Scale" visit.
This important event is organised so
that the Province of Staffordshire
visits a Chapter in the Province of
Warwickshire one year and the
following year that is reversed.
members of
Provinces.
These special exchange visits
involve the Grand Superintendents
and their immediate senior officers
together with the Acting Officers of
the Province. These visits greatly
encourage the friendship and
companionship between the
This year Staffordshire hosted the
visit to the Earl Shrewsbury
Chapter, 1520, at the Rugeley and
District Masonic Centre on
Wednesday February 13 when the
main item on the agenda was the
Exaltation of Bro James Greer.
Applications are invited for the position of
INFORMATION OFFICER
for the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire
Duties include advising the Provincial Grand Master
and other senior Provincial officers on
communications, promoting Freemasonry in
Staffordshire, assisting Lodge Information Officers,
handling Media enquiries and liaising with Media
organisations, placing items on the Provincial website
and producing the bi-annual Within Your Province
magazine.
The Information Officer is also expected to attend and
report to the Provincial General Purposes Committee
as an ex-officio member.
our
respective
Arrangements for the evening were
begun in earnest several weeks
prior to the meeting which
considerably increased the work
load of the Scribe E of the Chapter,
E Comp Roy Tuckley, who coped
admirably . The response was
magnificent, not only from our own
Province,
but
also
from
Warwickshire and the Grand
Superintendent, E Comp .John
Saint, was accompanied by his
senior officers and other Provincial
Officers totalling more than 30.
A further endorsement of the
importance of these visits was that
the Grand Superintendent of
This is a voluntary, non-badged appointment and
agreed expenses are met.
If you are interested in finding out more about the
position please call the present incumbent,
W Bro Peter Atkins on 01889 500635.
Applications should be made in writing to
RW Bro Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, Provincial Grand Master,
Provincial Grand Lodge Office, 211 Tettenhall Road,
Wolverhampton, WV6 0DD.
Companion
James
Greer
is
congratulated
by
the
Grand
Superintendent.
Shropshire, E. Comp James
McAllister Hodgson, together with
Deputy Grand Superintendent, E.
Comp John Williamson, were
among our guests for the evening.
Our
own
Deputy
Grand
Superintendent, E Comp John
Winter, a member of Earl
Shrewsbury Chapter, was delighted
with the response with a total of 87
Companions including all but three
of the Staffordshire Acting Officers.
The three Principals, together with
the Officers and Members of the
Chapter, made the whole of
Staffordshire Province feel very
proud by the manner in which the
ceremony was performed, so much
so that it drew admiring and
favourable comments from both the
visiting Grand Superintendents.
As has always been the case, it is
the MEZ and the Principal
Sojourner who carry out the largest
proportion of the work and on this
occasion the MEZ of the Chapter, E
Comp Barry Jamieson and the
Principal Sojourner, Comp David
Wheatly, acquitted themselves in an
exemplary
manner.
Both
Companions were, for obvious
reasons, a little nervous and
apprehensive at the beginning of the
proceedings but both quickly settled
to carry out a first class ceremony
and one of which both they and the
Chapter should be justly proud.
The Grand Superintendent, E Comp
David Hampson later expressed his
delight at the resounding success
which the visit had proved to be.
Within Your Province
17
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Within
Your Province
18
Within Your Province
19
Special 'Christmas
joint' meeting
raised £300
It's safer on Burton’s streets now ....
Friday December 21, 2007, marked a
very special occasion for Sutherland
Lodge, 451, and Sutherland Lodge of
Unity, 460, two very old and
respected Lodges. The reigning
Masters, W Bro Jim Wilson, 451,
pictured above and W Bro Mal Wain,
461, joined forces and decided that it
was time the two Lodges got together
after their respective meetings for a
joint Christmas party.
More than 70 members, partners and
guests were invited to dine and join in
the festivities singing carols to music
provided by members of the Rode
Hall Silver Band directed by W Bro
Peter Brunson. The evening was
enjoyed by all and arrangements are
to be made for Christmas 2008.
The SMCA also benefited by nearly
£300 raised from a raffle.
Burton's Andresey Lodge, 6408, has
made a contribution to children's road
safety at the Anglesey Community
School.
And it made front page news in the
local Burton Mail daily newspaper.
The Lodge presented 75 visibility
jackets for the children and another
five for teachers accompanying them
on school trips. The Mail reported
"The jackets make it safer for children
to walk to and from school, especially
in the winter months, with the added
benefits of helping to improve pupils'
health and fitness and environmental
damage caused by the school run."
A school representative said they were
very grateful for the jackets which
would enable school trips to be taken
with added safety.
Pictured with some of the pupils at the
presentation
are
Director
of
Ceremonies W Bro D St Clair, the
Master, W Bro M Bridge, Senior
Warden W Bro Chris Priestley and
Secretary W Bro David Toon.
Within Your Province
20
50 Years Not Out!
Bro. Bernard Billington on receiving his 50 Year Certificate
When two young men met at a cricket
match, they were introduced by one of
their father's in law, Bro Tom Mann, a
member of Castellum Lodge, 6710,
little did they know what would be
happening some 50 years later. But it
did, and W Bro Ivan Deeth, PPSGW,
with great pride, paid tribute to the
man he had met all those years ago,
Bro Bernard Billington.
The occasion was the celebration of
Bro Bernard's 50 years in
Freemasonry when the Provincial
Grand Secretary, W Bro Colin Denne,
PAGDC, presented Bro Bernard with
his 50 year certificate on behalf of the
Provincial Grand Master.
2013 Festival Garden Party
Family
Fun Day
on
SATURDAY JULY 26, 2008
from 12.00 noon to 5.00pm at
Johnson Hall, Newport Road, Eccleshall
(by kind permission of W.Bro Les & Mrs Rawlins)
Adult £5.00
Child £2.50
Children under 3 - Free
Family Ticket £12.00
(Two Adults & two children under 14 years)
HOG ROAST ! FOOD STALLS
BOUNCY CASTLE & NUMEROUS
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Tickets from: John Francis - 01782 388897 (john.e.francis@btconnect.com)
John Lockley 01785 812548 (john@fairwayss.co.uk)
John Skellern - 01785 812853 (john.skellern@ntlworld.com)
Here is a précis of Bro Ivan's tribute:
Bro Bernard was born in Newcastle
under Lyme in 1920 and attended
local schools before leaving at the age
of 14 to enter the pottery industry,
joining his father, who worked for the
company for 60 years, and two
brothers, at Wedgwood.
Short time working forced him to seek
employment elsewhere and this meant
a move to a prestigious engineering
firm in Trafford Park, Manchester,
from which Bro Bernard travelled
home at the weekends with a
neighbour who had helped him get the
job.
During his weekends at home Bro
Bernard was able to indulge in his
passion, cricket and more cricket to
which he appeared to have become
addicted.
In 1940 Bro Bernard joined the Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a
ground crew airframe fitter and was
posted to Bomber Command, serving
in air stations all over England. In
1944 he was Mentioned in Dispatches
but neither Bro Bernard or his wife
Kathleen talk about what prompted
this military honour. One can only
assume it was something to do with an
incident or incidents to do with
aircraft returning from operations
over Occupied Europe in all sorts of
states
of
damage
to
their
undercarriages and wings in snow,
ice, rain or fog.
The priority was to get the aircraft
onto the ground as safely as possible
in hazardous conditions with battered
planes returning and the lives of the
crews to be saved. It is likely that the
man who has been a member of our
Lodge for 50 years had on many
occasions to show his true mettle in
those far off days and his actions
prompted the recommendation by his
Commanding Officer to the now
Sergeant Bernard Billington.
On discharge from the RAF Bro
Bernard joined the insurance industry
and became 'A man from the Pru'
where he rose to become an inspector
and superintendent before being head
hunted by another insurance company
which led to a move to Leeds in West
Yorkshire. But before he left he was
able to indulge himself in cricket,
attaining county standard while
playing in the Stone League and
Whitmore.
His passion for cricket continued in
Leeds and he was given life
membership of Yorkshire Cricket
Club, since when he has attended
every annual meeting except one.
On retirement Bro Bernard and
Kathleen returned to Newcastle when
he became an active member of the
Newcastle Civic Society and in 1958
joined Castellum Lodge when it used
to meet in Pepper Street before the site
was compulsorily purchased by the
Local Authority.
Bro Bernard has four passions in his
life, his wife Kathleen, cricket, more
cricket and golf. He is a gentleman
who is always courteous, willing to
offer wise advice and a good listener.
During the presentation W Bro Denne
promoted Bro Bernard to Past
Provincial Junior Grand Deacon and
he was presented with a pair of silver
cuff links, his new collar jewel and
apron badge.
Within Your Province
21
Continuing support for Forresters' service
Donna Louise Hospice
Members of Smith Child Lodge,
2064, have been supporting the
Donna Louise Children's Hospice
since its inception in 1998 and have
donated many thousands of pounds
over the years. In October last the
latest donation was made when the
Master, W Bro Barrie Bowman
accompanied by the secretary of the
Lodge, W Bro David Caswell, and the
charity steward W Bro Ton y
Gr e e n handed over a cheque for
£600.The Lodge also presented
another £900 to various charities
including Diabetes UK, Homestart,
Proteus Syndrome, Dunwood First
Aiders, Caring for Children with
Cancer, Kidney Research, upgrading
facilities at the St Michaels
Community Church Hall at Chell and
the 2013 Festival.
Members of Forresters Lodge, 456,
which was formed in Uttoxeter in
1838 took part in a Church Service at
ST Werburgh's Church at Hanbury at
the end of October. The service, at
which Lodge members were joined by
their families and friends, was
conducted by the Rev Timothy Fox
and the lessons were read by W Bro
Arnold Burston, the Lodge chaplain
and Mrs Kathleen Brough, sister of
the Master of the Lodge, W Bro John
Whittaker.
The Mayor of Uttoxeter, Councillor
Cathy Graham and Mr Pat Graham
were guests of the Lodge and the
Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W
Bro Keith Thomas and his wife Jean
also attended.
The service was followed by an
excellent lunch in the Memorial Hall.
Pictured are, standing, Mrs Kathleen
Brough, W Bro John Whittaker, Master, and
sitting, left to right, Assistant Provincial
Grand Master W Bro Keith Thomas, Jean
Thomas, Mr Pat Graham and the Mayor of
Uttoxeter Councillor Cathy Graham.
Within Your Province
22
W Bro J Keith Thomas P.J.G.D.
Assistant Provincial Grand Master writes .....
The accompanying reports relate to an update on "The Staffordshire Way
Masonic Education Programme and which reveal that our activities are very
much alive and well. Therein you will find that our programme of action is
moving to a stage whereby sub-groups are taking on the responsibility for
various facets of the continuing educational syllabus.
Having given the agenda a very professional foundation since early 2006, W
Bro George Arblaster P.Pr.J.G.W. is relinquishing his office as Provincial
Education Officer in May 2008. During that time he has almost solely
responsible for the creation and implementation of "The Staffordshire Way".
He has presided over no fewer than 35 presentations to lodges and delivered
12 sessions of mentor training at 10 Masonic Centres plus presentations in
Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. George has carried out an immense
amount of work in the development of our educational programme and we all
owe him a heartfelt debt of gratitude following his unfailing toil and
enthusiasm.
However, I am delighted to report that the Provincial
Grand Master has agreed to appoint W Bro. Geoff.
Bean P.Pr.S.G.W. as the new Provincial Education
Officer from May 2008. I look forward to building a
similar programme of dedicated enthusiasm with W.Bro
Bean.
The continued success of our initiative is heavily reliant
upon the support of all brethren particularly in the field
of welcoming new members. It is thus vitally important
that each new initiate is introduced to the contents of
"The Staffordshire Way" packs, available through
myself or preferably from the Provincial Office.
Mentor Training
The Staffordshire response to the Pro Grand Master's speech "Whither
Directing Your Course" published in October 2005, has been in operation now
for over two years and in that time a considerable amount of work has been
done. The latest development has been the expansion of the team into 'mini
teams' as outlined in the main feature of this article.
One of the main elements of our response to the 'Retention' element of the Pro
Grand Master's speech is the Mentor Training presentations. The three officers
tasked with delivering these sessions are W. Bros. Kevin Parkes, Ian Botham
and Mike Santopietro and it is their aim to undertake presentations at Masonic
Halls throughout the province over the next couple of years. These courses
are intended for anyone who is interested in finding out more about mentoring,
or who wish to become a mentor. It is not the intention to dictate to lodges
about how to mentor, but rather to present ideas and stimulate discussions about
how lodges may best develop their own system. A set of booklets will be
provided free of charge to those who attend the course for their own use
The next planned presentations are to be held on Friday 11th April at Stone and
Wednesday 23rd April at Shelton 2008. Meetings will start at 7.30 and end by
9.30 pm. Those interested in attending should reserve their place through
either:
! Completion of the form which has been sent to all lodge secretaries.
! Via the Provincial Website.
! Or, by contacting W Bro J Keith Thomas PJGD, A.P.G.M.
Torequest a presentation at your local Masonic Hall, please contact Mike
Santopietro on tel. no. 01782 335103 who will endeavour to arrange for this.
A Double First for Webmaster?
W Bro Chris Priestley P Pr. JGD
Forty five brethren from twenty three lodges attended the very first website
development course held at Aldridge Masonic Centre on 20th November 2007.
As a result of the course the Province now has an additional five lodges with
websites, making thirteen in total, with more in the pipe line.
Due to the huge interest shown by lodges a further course has been arranged at
Hanley Masonic Hall on Tuesday April 29th at 7.30pm. Booking forms are
being sent to Lodge secretaries but places can be reserved via the Provincial
Website.
The feed back from those who attended was overwhelmingly positive but two
points that were raised have been addressed ie additional information in the
Staffs Way booklet "Developing a Lodge Website" which were given out free
to all those Brethren who attended the course and, to help those who want to
ask questions and to facilitate those who have knowledge and information to
share it, a "lodge website development chat room" has been set up on the secure
area of the Provincial Website. Any problems in gaining access, contact the
Webmaster via….
www.pglstaffordshire.co.uk.
Websites=Interest. Interest= Members.
Initiates' Evenings
The Entered Apprentice having been congratulated on being Initiated into the
worldwide fraternity of Freemasonry and having had handed to him a booklet to
help him understand our Order, there is no doubt that at the time of his Initiation,
he was and maybe still is bewildered on having entered into our mysteries and
probably feels he is standing alone.
To enable the Entered Apprentice to share his experience of Initiation and to
expand his view of Freemasonry across the Province, The Staffordshire Way is
re-introducing 'The Initiates Dinner', a scheme whereby the Initiate can
introduce his wife/partner into the world and fellowship of Freemasonry.
Thereby he will be able to share his newly acquired experience with other
Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts and explore the possibility of extending
new friendships by attending each others Lodges.
The scheme is to be co-ordinated by W.Bro. David Hadler, P.Pr.S.G.W assisted
by W.Bro. Paul Arrowsmith, P.Pr.J.G.D.
Since January 2007 approximately 100 Initiates have been received into
Staffordshire Lodges and to enable as many of those Initiates to attend the
'Initiates Dinner', two such evening functions have been arranged. Both events
will be supported by some prominent Masons from the Province.
The first 'Initiates Dinner' will be held at the Wolverhampton Masonic Hall, 211
Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton on Thursday 3 July , the second being held at
the Hanley Masonic Hall, Shelton, Stoke on Trent on Thursday 17 July 2008.
Every Initiate from January 2007 will receive a personal invitation.
Speakers' Scheme goes live!
Masonic speakers give us an opportunity to make a "daily advancement in
Masonic knowledge". Staffordshire's Speakers Scheme aims to assist lodges by
promoting speakers of quality and note to support the programmes of
individual lodges. A register of available speakers has been compiled but
recommendations from lodges would be welcome to expand the topics
available. In addition to speakers it is intended to have a selection of papers
which lodges can use either as a whole or in part.
The Speaker's Scheme is being co-ordinated by W Bro. E D Humphries
P.A.G.D.C., a member of Old Wulfrunians' Lodge No. 7411 Lodge, who can
be contacted by phone on 01902 753 722 or by post at 6 Kendall Rise,
Aldersley, Wolverhampton, WV6 9LB. He will be pleased to discuss Lodges
requirements and put you in contact with suitable speakers. Further details of
the Speakers Scheme will be communicated directly to Lodge Secretaries and
will be posted on theProvincial Website, www.pglstaffordshire.co.uk.
Staffordshire Way Lodge Presentations
To date thirty five lodges have received presentations of "The Staffordshire
Way". With effect from April W Bro P Baker P.Pr.J.G.D and W Bro Paul
Ashcroft P.Pr.J.G.W., both members of the newly expanded education team,
will be responsible for future presentations of "The Staffordshire Way" to
lodges.
Lodge secretaries can contact W Bro J Keith Thomas PJGD APGM who is
accepting bookings for presentations in the Autumn of 2008.
Publications and Officer Training
W Bros Geoff Wright and Maurice Downes are currently working with the
Provincial Almoner W Bro. Alan Walker P.Pr.J.G.W. to produce an Almoner's
Booklet. It is planned to produce this booklet before the end of the current
Masonic season. The welcome pack of Mentor's Handbook, booklets for EA's
FC's & MM's plus Grand Lodge pamphlets are available from the Provincial
Office at a subsidised price of £5. This an essential requirement for all initiates.
It is intended over time to produce a complete series of supportive booklets for
both progressive, administrative offices as well as DC's and Preceptors.
Lodges of Instruction, Preceptors & Instructors
W. Bro. Brian Walker P.P.R.G.Swd.B and W Bro. Geoff. Bean P.Pr.S.G.W. will
be arranging two meetings in the Autumn, one in the north and one in the south,
for Preceptors and Instructors of Lodges of Instruction. Details will be
circulated in due course.
In conjunction with the Publications team a supportive booklet for Preceptors
and Instructors is to be produced and available in spring 2009. In the meantime
W. Bro. Geoff. Bean and W. Bro. Brian Walker would be delighted to hear from
Preceptors and Instructors who have ideas for developing support for Lodges
of Instruction.
Within Your Province
23
Bernard's held many offices in his 50 years
November last year saw many masons attending
a special meeting of Dove Lodge, 8519, in
Uttoxeter, to celebrate the 50 years in
Freemasonry of W Bro Bernard Nightingale,
PPJGW.
W Bro Bernard originally joined Abbey Lodge,
624, where he remained a member for 20 years
but business commitments meant he spent a lot of
time abroad which prevented progress in the
lodge. In 1976, three years after it was
consecrated, he joined Dove and resigned from
Abbey the following year. In 1973 he was
appointed Lodge Secretary and was Master in
1986.
£1,000 for B Fund
Subsequently Bro Bernard held offices as
Chaplain, Treasurer and five more years as
Secretary until he moved to Spain with his first
wife Sheila who died in 2002. On his return to the
Uttoxeter area he again held the lodge offices of
Chaplain and Treasurer and
He was appointed Provincial Grand Registrar in
1993 and promoted to Past Provincial Junior
Grand Warden in 2008. Bro Bernard is also a
member of Foster Gough Lodge of installed
Masters, 2606, and of Grange Lodge, 9635,
meeting at Littleover in Derbyshire where he has
been Almoner. He is a Past Provincial Grand
Registrar in Derbyshire Province.
He is also active in Royal Arch, Mark, Royal Ark
Mariners, Knights Templar and the Ancient and
Accepted Rite, as well as holding various offices
including chairman of the joint Uttoxeter Lodges
Committee.
A keen cricketer, he is a member of the National
Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers as
well as being a former chairman and president of
the Burton Association and President of the
Burton and District Cricket Association.
Provincial Grand Almoner W Bro Alan Walker, MBE, is
pictured right receiving a cheque for £1,000 on behalf
of the SMCA B Fund at the October meeting of
Sutherland Lodge of Unity, 460, from Immediate Past
Master W Bro Brian Machin, PPJGW.
Born in Surrey in 1926, Bro Bernard saw active
service as a commissioned officer with the Royal
Navy during World War 2 after which he set up a
perfume business which he ran for nine years
before moving to Burton upon Trent to take up a
directorship with English Grains Ltd and The
Trent Yeast Extract Co. He subsequently served
W.Bro Bernard Nightingale seen here with W.Bro Gary
Read at the meeting of Dove Lodge in Uttoxeter.
on the boards of Bovril Ltd and Marmite Ltd,
Cavenhan Foods and Beecham plc.
On retirement in 1987 he did some consultancy
work and a number of assignments for the British
Executive Service Overseas in Eastern Europe.
He married Averil in 2003 and has a married
daughter Carol Anne.
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Within Your Province
24
Ralph's Royal appointment
When the members of Sutherland
Lodge, 451, toast the Queen and the
Craft, it has an extra significance
for the Director of Ceremonies, W
Bro Ralph Richey. He's raised his
glass to the Queen in all parts of the
world and on many occasions and
in a variety of situations.
But none has been more significant
than last Autumn when he was
privileged to attend a special
celebration reception at St James
Palace in London. Bro Ralph, a
retired Warrant Officer, served with
Staffordshire's cavalry regiment,
the Queens Royal Lancers, for 25
years, having joined the 16th/5th
Lancers as a 15 year old Trooper.
Born and bred in Stoke on Trent, he
is now a tutor assessor at Stoke on
Mark Club draw
First prize of £100 in the Shropshire
and Staffordshire Mark Province
Keystone Millennium Club, drawn
at the Walsall RAM meeting on
March 3, 2008, went to J Rosson of
Kidsgrove Lodge MMM, 1503. The
£50 second prize went to J Hylton
of Wulfric Spot, 1416, and the third
prize of £35 went to J Francis of
North Staffs, 960.
Trent College, Bro Ralph was able
to talk to the Queen during the
reception which marked Her
Majesty's 60 years as Colonel in
Chief of his former regiment. She
became Colonel in Chief of the
16th/5th Lancers on her 21st
birthday when still Princess
Elizabeth and delighted the
Regiment when she ascended the
throne and added ‘The Queens
Royal’ to its name. Bro Ritchey
said she has always taken a great
interest in the Regiment and twice
presented new Guidons, the cavalry
equivalent of Regimental colours,
at ceremonial occasions.
She has also kept in touch
informally. On one occasion en
route to a state visit to Jordan her
aircraft landed at Cyp r u s f o r
refuelling and she decided to "go
and see my Lancers" who were en
route back to the UK after a
dramatic tour of duty in Lebanon.
W Bro Ritchie is pictured on the left
talking to Her Majesty
and the Falklands and for six years
was attached to the ACE Mobile
Force, Land, which is on a
permanent two hour notice to be
deployed.
Other winners were M Aldred,
Jubilee, 1485, £25, PF SmithKearney, South Shrops, 1150, R
Crundwell, Noel Boardman, 933,
£10, AW Sykes, Wrekin, 1129, £5,
and RA Jones, North Staffs, 960,
£5.
Bro Ritchey who was Master of
Sutherland Lodge in 2005 joined
the Junior Leaders Regiment of the
Royal Armoured Corps before
becoming a Lancer. He saw active
service in Northern Ireland, Iraq
There are three draws each year
with half the money going to
charity and the other half in prize
money.
Provincial Grand Master gets steamed
up … for 2013 Festival
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Here's an opportunity not to be
missed. Enjoying a steam experience
day, raising money for the Provincial
2013 Grand Charity Festival and
having a unique day out. The
Provincial Grand Master and his
daughter Jemima tried it recently and
had a great day out.
In Masonry, he is also active in
Royal Arch Chapter, Knights
Templar and Rose Croix.
Poynton, between Macclesfield and
Stockport.
Now, thanks to W Bro Paul Ashcroft
of St Giles Lodge, 1587 and Sheltonia
Lodge, 8557, you can too.
Family and friends are invited to share
the fun and lunch, a fry up on a
fireman's shovel or in the station
restaurant, can be provided. Facilities
at the garden centre base at Poynton
include a pottery studio, a tropical fish
centre, an arts and crafts shop, a DIY
centre and a model railway shop and
fascinating railway museum.
The cost of the day out, complete with
full instructions will cost £70, all of
which will go towards the Festival
and there is a choice of two places
where members can have a day on the
footplate: Near Holmes Chapel or at
Details of how to book a day out are to
be forwarded to all Lodge secretaries
and more information can be obtained
from W Bro Michael Ashcroft on:
01625 829908
or ashcroftjpaul@btinternet.com
25
Within Your Province
Within Your Province
26
Provincial Grand Master's Golf Trophy
This year's competition was played
at Ingestre Park Golf Club on
September 11 in fine weather. 31
finalists played the course which
was in excellent condition and they
included Assistant Provincial Grand
Master W Bro Gary Read.
The Provincial Grand Master, RW
Bro Thomas D C Lloyd presented
the prizes at the splendid dinner
afterwards including the Veterans
Trophy to his predecessor, Past
Prov Grand Master RW Bro Kevin
Chawner. First prize went to W Bro
Bernard Bailey, St Martins Lodge,
98.
The Provincial .Senior and Junior
Grand Wardens, W Bros John
Lockley and John Edwards drew
the cards for the winners of the
bottles of whisky.
Bro Steves in charge
Ingestre Park Golf Club is in the safe hands of two Staffordshire Freemasons this
year. The President is W Bro Steve Thompson, left, a Past Master of Prince of
Wales Lodge, 4021, who has also been captain of the club. The captain is Bro
Steve Mundin, a member of Chase Lodge, 6291.
Bro Mundin also made club history when he was appointed. His father is a past
captain of the club and they are the first father and son to be club captains.
W Bro Frank Pressdee videoed the
event for inclusion in the next
Provincial promotional video and
Competition secretary W Bro Ray
Haynes described the event as
"Altogether a wonderful day with
good golf and superb Masonic
Fellowship".
W.Bro Bernard Bailey with his Trophy
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Within Your Province
27
2007 Winners
Cedric wins Crown Bowls Trophy
First Prize
MORE than 30 bowlers, their ladies
and friends attended the finals of the
2007 Provincial Crown Green Bowls
Competition at Penn Fields Bowls
Club, Wolverhampton, on September
19. Guests included both the
Provincial Grand Master RW Bro
Thomas DC Lloyd, TD, DL, the Past
Provincial Grand Master RW Bro
Kevin Chawner and his wife
Rosemary
and
the Assistant
Provincial Grand Master W Bro Gray
Read and his wife Vivienne.
W.Bro.H B Bailey
St Martins Lodge 98
Second Prize W.Bro.A Usherwood
Tibbington Lodge 4927
Third Prize
W.Bro.M Ashton
N S R T Lodge 8355
Best Front Nine W.Bro.I Moxon
Crusaders Lodge 4107
Best Back Nine W.Bro.G Ansell
Hanliensian Lodge 3935
Hidden Holes W.Bro.B J Nicholls
Round Table Lodge 8273
VETERAN'S TROPHY WINNER
W.Bro. K Chawner
Hanliensian Lodge 3935
BOTTLES OF WHISKY WINNERS
W.Bro. A M Ford
W.Bro. G W Oaks
W.Bro.R S Vann
W.Bro.C H Cooper
Aldridge Lodge7921
St Martins Lodge 98
Streetly Lodge7448
Whittington St Giles
Lodge 8826
W.Bro.T Bushill
Barr Beacon Lodge6109
W.Bro.B C Roberts
Lodge of St Matthew
539
Bro.G P Black
Queeslet Lodge 6887
Bro.S Gordon (Visitor) Whittington St Giles
Lodge 8826
Bro.J R Greer
Chartley Lodge 7569
W.Bro J D Brooke
St Peter's Lodge 419
W.Bro C R Redman
NSRT Lodge 8355
W.Bro G D Lancett
Minerva Lodge 1941
Bro.M Kerigan
Churnet Valley Lodge8092
W.Bro T Kelly
Tudor Lodge 1838
Bro.K Astbury
Barr Beacon Lodge 6109
W.Bro.K G Rhead St Michael's Lodge2487
W.Bro.R L Jones
Queeslet Lodge 6887
W.Bro.A J Gregory
Oak Lodge 9213
W.Bro.R F Crundwell Chartley Lodge 7569
W.Bro.A E Hignett
Noah's Ark Lodg 347
W.Bro.G Griffith
Aldridge Lodge7411
W.Bro.I Moxon
Crusader's Lodge 4107
Bro.P Mason
Barr Beacon Lodg 6109
W.Bro R McGregor
Forrester's Lodge 456
The quality of the bowling was
excellent throughout, culminating in
an exceptional final between W Bro
Cedric Johnson, Sutherland Lodge of
Unity, 460, and W Bro David Hull,
Chartley Lodge, 7569. Bro Cedric
was the eventual winner but only after
a spirited display by Bro David.
RW Bro Kevin Chawner is pictured presenting the winners trophy to W Bro Cedric
Johnson watched by Assistant Provincial Grand Secretary W Bro Barrie Rouse.
The Provincial Grand Master was
presented with a cheque for £150 for
the 2013 Grand Charity Festival
which was raised during the
competition. Thanking everyone for
taking part and being so generous, the
Provincial Grand Master had
particular words of praise for W Bro
Brian Tennant who organised the
competition.
It is proposed to hold another event
during the early summer this year and
the format will be dependant on how
many want to take part. Anyone who
would like to play should contact
Brian Tennant to register and furnish
contact details. His address is
Fernleigh, 24 Foundrty Road, Wall
Heath, Kingswinford, West Midlands,
DY6 9BD. Home phone: 01384
2778104, Business 01384 898311,
Fax
01384
898312,
email
brian@tennantengineering.co.uk
Competition organiser W Bro Brian Tennant watches two of the competitors.
Kitchen donation
Walsall masons have joined in a
community wide project to help a
local teenager who broke his neck in a
swimming pool accident. Lodge of St
Matthew, 539, has voted £500 to the
Aldridge Ryan Cockbill Trust which
is raising money to build a special
kitchen for the young man whose
ambition is to be a chef.
Provincial Ball
The Provincial Ball is to be held on
Saturday, June 14, at the Ingestre
Suite at the Stafford County
Showground.
The
evening
commences with a Bucks Fizz
reception at 7.15pm and all
proceeds will go to the 2013 Grand
Charity Festival. Tickets are priced
at £38.50 and applications forms
are available from Lodge
secretaries or direct from W Bro
David Hadler on 01902 429707 or
dhadler@btinternet.com
Past Provincial Grand Secretary W Bro Tim Barratt marks the cards of W Bro David Toon, left, and Provincial Grand Charity
Steward W Bro Maurice Williams, while below,W Bro David Hull, the runner up is pictured left watching some of the action.
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