The Summer edition of the 2nd Rising is packed full of news and thought provoking articles, and is in a slightly different format to that of the past. I particularly commend to you the new Food for Thought section as part of your daily advancement! You will also find news of the recent Provincial Grand Lodge appointments and promotions, which I am sure will be popular! We also have coverage of the Sir William Morris Lodge Consecration – with a host of photographs illustrating the events of the day. If you have any views on Freemasonry in general, or about your lodge in particular, and would like to write about it, then please feel free to get in touch with me.
Finally, if you would be interested in joining the Comms Team we are recruiting. We have quite a few on board already, but are looking for a couple more to lighten the load – particularly in 2 roles : assisting to put together the 2nd Rising; and moderating the Provincial Noticeboard on the Provincial website. Please do get in touch if you’d like to help – training will be provided!
PGL News contains a message from the Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent; notes from the Provincial Grand Almoner about ‘Compassion, Relief, Charity and Teamwork’; and notes from the Provincial Grand Mentor. We also reveal that long term custodian of the Pantomime Project, Roger Hampshire, is due to retire. And last but no means least, in this edition there are the long awaited Provincial Grand Lodge Appointments and Promotions
Summer 2022’s 2nd Rising edition of Charity News includes updates on the run up to the end of the Oxfordshire 2022 MCF Festival, including the Festival Finale and information on the Silent Auction. We also have information on some of the brethren’s fundraising efforts – ‘A good Cause – Osborne and Goodinson’s up and down moments’ as well as a very interesting article on how the MCF funds ‘Life Changing Medical Research’. The section concludes with a message from the Provincial Charity Steward.
This edition sees various things that have been happening around the Province by various lodges and groups, including : Bertie Lodge walk 20 miles for MCF; Light Blues Visit Freemasons Hall as well as other Light Blue activities and initiatives on the horizon; and Witney Masonic Centre Host the TVR Club 75th Anniversary
From the Provincial Grand Master & Grand Superintendent Summer 2022
Dear Brethren and Companions
As we come towards the end of the Festival, I have been very proud of the way you have responded to the last push towards reaching a total of which we can all be proud, and I feel sure that we will hit that seven figure number, which will be amazing. The final total will be announced at the Gala dinner.
As we head off for a summer break, I am enthused, even excited, about where the province is and what we can achieve. In the year to the end of May, we have initiated 100 new members, and we are showing a net increase in the number of members of 30 in the Craft. The Chapter is also showing growth in the first half of 2022. The Provincial Membership Officer tells me that there is a good pipeline of potential candidates and many lodges have a backlog of ceremonies. I do appreciate that some lodges may not be seeing quite the same picture, but my message to them is that the opportunities are there – you just need to do what you can to grab them.
When we come back to the new masonic season in September, we will be reflecting on how we can capitalise on this growth, to show that we are a thriving organisation. We will look at how we can engage further in the community and enhance our reputation in that respect by ensuring that we communicate coherently and consistently. We will be looking at ways how we can make it easier for all to contribute to the advancement of our lodges and chapters and how we encourage more of us to take part in all activities, so that the burden does not fall on just a few of our members. Ideally, let’s get the right people with the right skills to do the right jobs.
But above all, we must remember that Freemasonry is built on its core values, as well as on fun and sociability, Not only must we enjoy our own masonry, we must strive to make it enjoyable for all our members.
My article this month encompasses everything that Freemasonry embodies within its key values, Compassion, Relief and Charity together with Teamwork.
But before I begin, I can confirm that all living people named in this article have given their full and explicit permission for me to share their names and circumstances of their story.
Bro Peter Cook Almoner of Alfred Lodge, contacted me early in June to bring to my attention the plight of the daughter and her family of the Late W.Bro Joe Wake a Past Master of Alfred Lodge who died in 1998. Joe was a member of Alfred & St Giles Craft Lodges and Carfax and Installed First Principals Chapters.
The reason Joe’s Widow Pam who is in her 80’s and her daughter Susan (Sue) Walker both of whom live in Eynsham wanted me to share their story, is to raise awareness of sudden impact head injuries which can and does have an absolutely devastating and ongoing impact on the lives of those injured and their families as their own story emphasises.
Susan returned home after an evening out with friends just after 10.00pm on the 27th, January this year and found her husband Mark who had been alone in the house collapsed at the foot of the stairs.
The emergency services were called, and Mark was taken to the JR and eventually moved to the Neurology when after numerous tests and a brain scan Mark was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain, a fractured Skull and blood clots behind his forehead. Mark remained at the JR until 24th’ February when he was transferred to Badby Park Rehabilitation Centre at Daventry, Northampton Mark is still at Badby Park
However, the prognosis is not good, it is thought that if Mark return’s home he may require full 24 hour care/supervision, and will be unable to continue his employment as a self-employed builder.
Mark was the main earner in the family and had no protection in place for income protection, Mark & Sue also have an outstanding mortgage that due to their circumstances is currently being paid by Pam who doesn’t have sufficient pension income and so is drawing down from her life savings in order to support her daughter’s family. Since January Mark had received no state benefits at all until very recently when he started to receive a weekly benefit of £77.40.
On being informed of their plight by Peter Alfred Lodge’s Almoner, I immediately made contact with Pam & Sue and arranged for a petition for assistance to be submitted to the MCF.
Pam and Sue were clearly very worried and desperate and confirmed that they had approached all other sources of potential assistance and been turned down.
The petition to the MCF was also unfortunately turned down on eligibility grounds, as Mark is the son-in-law of the late Joe who as stated died in 1998.
I had to break the sad news to Pam and Sue who were both devastated as they believed we were their last hope.
I felt that I couldn’t leave it their and so immediately contacted W.Bro Andrew Keech our Provincial Charity Steward and Chairman of the Oxfordshire Provincial Charity, at the same time reaching out to Alfred &, Carfax Lodges and the Installed First Principals requesting support.
I asked Andrew to appeal to the other committee members and trustees of the Provincial Charity for a one-off ex-gratia payment to support Sue & Mark in the short term.
Andrew flew into action and within a matter of hours came back to confirm that he and the committee were all very moved by Sue and Mark’s plight and had agreed to award an immediate significant award as a one-off ex-gratia payment of £3,000.
This is a tremendous expression of Compassion, Relief and Charity coupled with superb Teamwork for which I am personally very grateful to all concerned.
I contacted Sue to inform her that the Provincial charity had agreed to support her with a one-off Ex-gratia payment but at this time didn’t inform her of the amount. The reason for this is I wanted to meet with Pam & Sue again to fully explore all other avenues of potential support they believed they had already exhausted.
We met on Wednesday 15th June at Sue’s home in Eynsham where Pam and Sue shared again the full story. During our discussions it was confirmed that Joe had worked for Thames Valley Police and that Millie in fact is currently working for Thames Valley.
I asked if they had approached the Thames Valley Police Benevolent fund for support and they confirmed that they didn’t realise that they could. After a quick google search, I provided Sue with the contact details of the TVP Benevolent fund contact person based in Kidlington and suggested that they should contact him without delay.
I then suggested that they set up a Just giving Go-Fund me page to raise awareness of Sudden Impact Head Injury and gain some financial support for themselves. This had been suggested previously but Sue just felt totally overwhelmed at the time and so had not progressed it at that time.
When I informed Sue & Pam of the amount of the award from the Provincial Charity Sue broke down and the relief in her sobs was both heart breaking and Palpable.
In Sue’s own words ‘I can’t thank you and the Provincial charity enough… you have given us hope and the breathing space to start to plan our future, thank you all so much, I really can’t express just what this means to our family’
Pam was also very moved and has subsequently emailed me her own grateful thanks to the Provincial Charity and all concerned.
I am pleased to say Millie and Tyler immediately got together and set up the Go fund page the link for which is here.
The last time I looked a fantastic amount of £1,200 had currently been raised in just a few hours which is simply brilliant. If you feel moved by Sue and Mark’s story and can help, please do so by contributing to their Gofund me page.
Brethren, this is an example of the Compassion, relief and charity together with superb teamwork that makes me very proud to be an Oxfordshire Freemason and is proof of the valuable support, advice and service we together provide to our members and in our local communities. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Bro Peter Cook and W. Bro Andrew Keech for their vital support in this matter.
Have a nice summer W.Bro Adrian Barlow Provincial Grand Almoner
Notes from the Provincial Grand Mentor – Summer 2022
We will be planning and running a series of practical sessions at centres throughout the Province on implementing the Updated Members Pathway to continue the well supported online Zoom events that took place a few months back. These sessions will include, but not restricted to:
Developing Lodge Profiles and Development Plans.
Unique Selling Points of your lodge and what makes it attractive to potential candidates.
Setting up social media accounts, websites and mailing lists.
Effective use of Solomon in lodge meetings to enhance the desire to learn for everyone.
There will be more to follow so if you are interested then drop the Team a line and we will get things moving in a centre near you.
W. Bro Roger Hampshire who along with W Bro’s Graham Ellis and Brian McDonald, started the Pantomime Project in 2012 is now retiring as its Secretary. Our first pantomime was at Henley in 2013 and apart from 2020 has been a yearly event. Although in 2020 as the theatre was closed we still gave 600 children a goody bag containing a teddy bear and chocolate buttons.
The secretary duties are to arrange the meetings with the theatre to negotiate the next Pantomime. Inform the persons who assist in organising and attending the pantomime. Working with others to get as much publicity of the event as possible.
Organise the contents of the children’s gifts. Arrange for the delivery of the costumes, children’s gifts and other items the day before the pantomime. On the day, brief the volunteers and dames, ensure our dignitaries are catered for and be a point of contact for any matters arising. The next day arrange for all costumes and miscellaneous items to be returned to the storage facility at Witney Masonic Hall. Which means as well as secretarial matters there is also some physical work as well.
The committee has persons inviting all the children and working with the various agencies and organisations. A financial officer arranging the weekly fund raising game and keeping the accounts in order. A person who invites all the dignitaries and another organising the volunteers and working on the contents of the bag of gifts given to children when they leave.
You would also be required to assist at this years event on 6th December and help on day before and after and also attend a meeting with the theatre in October.
This is a very rewarding aspect of freemasonry and possibly now the longest running event for the Oxfordshire communities we have supported, as we have approximately 450 disabled children and 150 carers attend each year.
To find out more about the Pantomime Project and what it has achieved and what it hopes to achieve in the future, take a look at the attached PDF:
Provincial Grand Lodge Appointments and Promotions
We know you are all eager to discover those members of Oxfordshire who have been preferred this year, in fact, when we published this page last year it was the most popular page of the 2nd Rising. Congratulations to all those listed below.
Brethren, we are now heading toward the home straight in terms of our 2022 MCF Festival; the finish line is within sight. Over the past 4 ½ years we have all pulled together and raised over £963,000. Our target of £1million is there for the taking.
For the final time I ask you to dig deep into your Relief Chests and see if you are able to make a final donation to the appeal. As most of us are either in, or heading towards, the summer break this will be the last opportunity to impact the total from Oxfordshire.
If you have any funds that you intend to donate, please send them in as soon as possible, don’t wait until the 3rd September as they will not be included in the final tally.
Many of our members have made valuable contributions which have been credited to them and their respective Lodges. We are extremely grateful and would like to acknowledge the following Lodges for their ongoing support.
Lodge No.
Lodge name
Award
478
Churchill
Silver
1399
Marlborough
Gold
1515
Bertie
Bronze
1763
St Mary’s
Silver
1895
Thames
Platinum
2334
Jersey
Silver
3015
Semper Paratus
Silver
3831
Caversham
Silver
3961
Annesley
Silver
4242
Isis
Silver
5172
Calthorpe
Bronze
5723
Carfax
Silver
6290
Hampden
Bronze
6507
Weyland
Silver
6535
Evenlode and Norton
Silver
7240
Buttercross
Bronze
7701
St Barbara
Bronze
7725
Old Bloxhamist
Silver
7876
Islip
Bronze
7942
Shiplake
Silver
8292
Icknield Way
Silver
8501
Gateway
Silver
8520
Danesfield
Silver
8585
Clavis
Silver
8690
Rathcreedan
Bronze
8696
Upper Thames
Gold
8850
Lodge of Peace
Silver
8904
St Giles
Silver
8926
Aelfric
Bronze
9233
St Edburgs
Silver
9607
Redman-Brown
Silver
9660
Regattas
Bronze
Brethren, thank you for your support over the past five years and I look forward to seeing many of you at the Finale event.
Our Festival culminates soon with a black-tie event. Details have changed as below so please read the note below from the Provincial Grand Secretary. This will be the opportunity to celebrate and to look back on the last 5 years of fundraising. We will have members from the United Grand of England Executive joining us for the evening.
It is open to all Masons, their partners, families and friends. It will be a night to remember so don’t miss out as places are limited.
To All Members of the Province
Due to circumstances beyond our control we had to change the Festival Gala Dinner from the Town Hall in Oxford on the 3rd September to the Bodleian Library on Saturday 8th October. The price per ticket is still £ 85.00 which will include a drinks reception, a three-course dinner incl. wine and entertainment
If you had previously booked for the Town Hall Event, you will have received a separate letter from me as to what to do.
We are giving first option to those who booked in for the previous event. Should places still be available, we will offer them to the rest of you on a first come first served basis, from early August. Please look out for a link to the booking form when it becomes available.
Bro’s Goodinson and Osborne of Saint Barbara Lodge No.7701 are on the way to their £2022 target in aid of the Oxfordshire Provincial Festival and would be extremely grateful of your support please. Any amount, however large or small, will be gratefully received and faithfully applied.
They wish to express their sincere thanks to those who have already kindly supported them and hope that a few more will feel their effort worthy of support, and help boost our MCF2022 total.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation, (MCF, the Freemasons’ charity) has been committed to funding vital medical research since its inception in 2016, with the aim of improving knowledge, treatment and services for people with life-changing diseases and illnesses.
By funding PhD studentships, Freemasonry is not only advancing the medical community’s understanding of complex diseases, it is cementing the next generation of research experts and scientists.
In February 2022, the MCF awarded a total of £541,000 to medical research, working with four partners to fund seven new PhD studentships under the theme of degenerative diseases. These new partners include Alzheimer’s Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, and the University of Bradford.
The MCF recently spoke to two students to discover their goals and findings of their PhD studentships.
PhD Student: Richard Scharff Charity: Fight for Sight with the University of Manchester MCF funding: £100,000
What is Richard researching? Richard’s study aims to better understand how age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that affects a person’s central vision, develops.
Why AMD? “When I was introduced to AMD while studying my masters, I was struck by how debilitating a disease it is, as well as how much of the UK population suffers from it – roughly 600,000 people. To lose ones sight is such a major struggle, so I felt that any work I could do to prevent AMD would be worthwhile and fulfilling.” says Richard.
What has Richard discovered? As he approaches the end of his studentship, Richard has seen impressive findings through his research: “I’ve discovered that the protein ITIH3, which is found in high quantities for people with AMD, can attach to a range of different molecules within the eye, as well as to itself. I’m currently in the process of imaging sections of donated eyes to find out where exactly ITIH3 is, what it attaches to, and how that changes the area of the eye.”
How will Richard’s research make a difference? “While my research will not cure AMD, it will be another brick in the process that will be followed by those who will develop new therapies based on what I learn. This will lead to better treatments and eventually prevent the disease from harming anyone at all.”
PhD student: Russell Frew Charity: Diabetes UK with the University of Exeter MCF funding: £88,935
What is Russell researching? Russell’s research aims to understand the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin disorders, like diabetes.
Why this study? “I was initially interested in this area of study because of the rarity of mitochondrial dysfunction. Learning about this led me to the fascinating revelation that mitochondria are more important than given credit for. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a poorly-understood cause of diabetes and a fascinating area of research.”
“It was such great news to hear that the MCF decided to fund our project. I feel so lucky to be given the opportunity to be part of such an impactful and inspiring team of scientists,” says Russell.
What has Russell discovered? “Even in the early stages of my PhD, I have found evidence to suggest that one genetic variant, previously not associated with diabetes, may be involved in the development of diabetes in new-born babies.”
How will Russell’s research make a difference? Of course, the most important aspect of medical research is how it will impact lives. Through Russell’s research, more accurate diagnoses could be given to babies living with rare genetic insulin disorders, ensuring they can access the best treatments for their condition. His research could also allow these genes to be genetically screened for, ensuring earlier diagnosis for babies and improving access to potentially life-saving treatments.
By nurturing the talent of young scientists like Richard and Russell, and providing the funding necessary for them to become experts in their fields, Freemasonry is enabling the research breakthroughs of tomorrow.
A Message from the Provincial Charity Steward – Summer 2022
Although the worst of Covid appears to be over, the call on charity has never been greater. The Provincial charity has made donations of £21,000 since January to Oxfordshire charities operating in areas such as Ukraine, suicide prevention, search & rescue, assistance dogs, homelessness and ex-servicemen. Additionally, we granted over £10,000 to our members and their families in distressed circumstances. The warmth, appreciation and gratitude received from all has been truly moving and it’s definitely one of the highlights of my role.
At the time of writing it looks like we will achieve our £1m target for the MCF, so to everyone who has supported this please accept a huge thank you from me, but more importantly from the people who have benefited from our generosity. The work of the MCF is incredible and makes massive differences to people’s lives. THANK YOU
Worryingly, I have seen countless times over the past 5 years that some of our members are either ignoring the importance of charity in Freemasonry or claim not to know about it at all. Charity is a fundamental part of Freemasonry; buying a strip of raffle tickets in the hope of winning a prize is not my definition of supporting charity, so I make no apology for recalling something from 35 years ago. At my initiation I was taught to be cautious but I was also encouraged to be charitable in the North East corner; this was immediately put to the test as the Lodge charity steward asked me to sign my 7 year covenant (what we now call regular payment plans, RPPs) at £2 per month. It wasn’t a shock as I had been briefed on this by my proposer and at the interview, it was simply the expected way and I can’t imagine I noticed the debit each month.
As our Festival ends, please open up an RPP into your Lodge relief chest and claim 25% gift aid if you’re a taxpayer. If a Lodge has, for example, 20 members each with a 5 year RPP at £5 per month plus gift aid, this will raise £7,500 for your charity fund, a very useful sum you can donate to local charities, Freemasons in distress or even, dare I say, give the 2033 Festival a fantastic boost when launched in 2028. Your Lodge charity steward should be able to help you with this, or simply head to https://donate.mcf.org.uk/donate/ , select Relief Chest and follow the rest of the instructions taking care to include your Lodge number and please tick the gift aid section where applicable.
Feature Article – A Lodge is born… the Consecration of Sir William Morris Lodge No. 10003
SIR WILLIAM’S NEW LODGE MOTORS INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS
Three years of careful planning finally came to fruition on 7th May with a gathering of car enthusiasts at the consecration of Sir William Morris Lodge No. 10003.
The founders had patiently contained their excitement through two false starts caused by the pandemic, and it was the third time lucky when, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, 110 masons converged from far and wide on the Oxford Transport Museum in Long Hanborough.
The cars, lorries and buses in the museum had been carefully arranged to make space for a pop-up temple, complete with the new lodge’s own artefacts such as a Tesla seat doubling as the Master’s chair. The processions, firstly of the Grand Officers and secondly the Provincial Grand Master and his consecrating team, paraded into the temple between a 1928 Morris and a 1932 Austin which faced into the lodge as silent sentinels at this historic commemoration.
Sir William Morris – also known as Viscount Nuffield – was a mason for nearly 60 years and remained a member of Alfred Lodge No. 340 until his death in 1963, aged 85. It was fitting, then, that Alfred Lodge was the sponsoring lodge at an occasion which perpetuated the name of its departed brother.
“This was an important opportunity to celebrate Morris,” said W.Bro Chris Wagstaff, the driving force behind the new lodge and its Primus Master. “Not only was he an immense and unique figure in motoring history, but he donated the equivalent of an estimated 11 billion pounds in today’s value to charity, and now his name will rightly be commemorated in the annals of Freemasonry.”
The solemn consecration was conducted in time-honoured fashion by R.W.Bro James Hilditch, and then the new WM was installed by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, V.W.Bro Graham Ellis. Following the ceremonies, the brethren adjourned outside to admire many of the museum pieces while the temple was transformed into a dining hall.
The same motoring theme was of course adopted for the festive board, which began with Traffic Light Tart made from red, orange and green peppers, followed by Goodwood Festival of Sausages in Le Mans gravy served with Champ, and then Chevy V8 apple pie. The ice cream that accompanied the dessert came from a farm owned by former F1 world champion Jody Scheckter, and Chris Wagstaff quipped: “One of the fringe benefits of all the organisation was that I got a great selfie with Scheckter when I collected the ice cream from his farm!”
The Primus Master meets Jody ScheckterThe One Eau Eau Eau Three water jugs
Chris, a self-confessed “car nut”, is confident that Sir William Morris Lodge has a strong future ahead. Six joining members have been added to the two dozen founders, and they carried out an Initiation at their first regular meeting three weeks after the consecration.
He added: “I am a strong believer in ‘special interest’ lodges because they are such an important part of the masonic mix. Lodges increasingly need a way to differentiate themselves, so this is an ideal combination for members to share a love of masonry as well as their passions for cars of all shapes and sizes.”
R.W.Bro. Sir Stuart Hampson, Primus Master of the Bucks Classic Car Lodge No. 9945 stepped in at short notice to respond on behalf of the visitors, Brother David Brodie having felt under the weather and thus had to leave early.
The lodge’s next meeting is on Saturday 3rd September at Cardinal House, where visitors will have the added attraction of a range of vintage vehicles in the car park.
Further amusing insights about the ceremony penned by one of the consecration team follows, a prize for guessing who wrote it!
At last, after a couple of Covid False Starts, the starting flag finally dropped and the wheels of a uniquely assembled ‘Morris Oxford’ finally began to spin. The stands seemed to be packed. Not quite Silverstone, but the next best thing: the Oxford Bus (and, appropriately, Morris motors) Museum at Long Hanborough.
On that unusually sweltering first Saturday in May, ’midst the motoring esoterica of yesteryear, Brethren from far and wide assembled for the event of the year: the consecration of Sir William Morris Lodge, number 10,003. And much of the esoterica was not in the shape of museum exhibits, but rather clever adaptations of motoring artefacts, now ‘re-purposed’ (as they say) for use as temple furniture. And, as a good number of splendid historic vehicles began to gather in the car park, humans, too, began to gather nearby, hoping, possibly, to be mis-identified as their owners…. while another group knowingly inspected the exhibits to be found beyond the splendidly prepared ‘temple’. This was the inaugural and memorable meeting of Oxford’s lodge for ‘petrol heads’
The meeting opened with the entry of a wonderous assembly of some very Grand Officers (one could almost hear the speculation from those not-so-grand as to who had arrived in the splendid Rolls outside). Then the official consecrating team were admitted, the great sliding doors of the museum seeming, for the moment, opening upon some great pageant.
The Provincial Grand Master, the Rt Worshipful James Guy Hilditch welcomed everyone to the meeting and appointed members of his team to their various duties, not the least the Provincial Grand Chaplain, whose duty at the outset was to explain to those present the symbolism of what was to take place. But his first need seemed to be to justify his credibility as a genuine Petrol Head. Listing some of the vehicles that had passed through his hands over the years, for what today seems ludicrously little cash. As a ‘biker’, though, and co-author of a TV series featuring one ‘Vincent Villiers’ and his girlfriend ‘Frances Barnet’ (names over which bikers might salivate), the Chaplain claimed most credibility from the his claim to have ridden nothing but Vincents, selling the last to fund the purchase of his Morgan…. “Am I a petrol head or wot?” he demanded of the stunned audience.
Moving on to the eponymous William Morris, the Chaplain summarized the phenomenal £700 million that Morris had contributed over the years to good causes, not the least the founding of Nuffield College, Oxford. Morris (Lord Nuffield) had retained his membership of the Craft (Oxford’s Alfred Lodge) until his death in 1963.
Finally, getting back to the point of the Oration, the Chaplain likened the symbolic use of corn, wine, oil, salt and incense to a number of motoring accessories. He completed his Oration with his usual signature Limerick:
Whatever your passion may be: Mercedes, or Ford Model T; At last, with elation Morris Lodge Consecration, Number ten thousand and three
There then followed the actual Consecration, involving members of the new Lodge and a number of perambulations including finally, with incense. There was a slight innovation: the Chaplain, his arm in a sling (some wondered if he had come a cropper on two wheels, perhaps) was accompanied by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, who assisted in the swinging of the censer – a novel double act.
To wind up the ceremonial, the closing prayer included numerous motoring references.
And finally, as if the Provincial Grand Chaplain had not grand-standed enough, he presented two ‘hoodwinks’ – in reality two pairs of ‘blacked out’ Mk VIII goggles in a presentation box ̶ insisting that the Primus Master, W. Bro. Chris Wagstaff demonstrate their use.
Below is a copy of the ceremony. and beneath that, a full gallery of pictures taken throughout the day. If you happened to be there, and have more photos, please do send them to the editor so that they can be included in the lodge records of the day.
This edition we have combined Nick Carter‘s informative masonic musings with the thought provoking column of the Fourth Ruffian, and included the series on Famous Motoring Freemasons. If you have missed this in the past you can look back on previous editions here.
The Fourth Ruffian Summer 2022
What’s the USP?
In sales and marketing to effectively sell a product you need a USP (Unique Selling Point or Proposition). In Craft it is charitable work, fund raising and making you a better man through it teachings.
With numbers appearing to be declining in Mark Master Masons and Royal Ark Mariners and other side orders, I got thinking what is their USP? The answer I came to, is I do not know!
How do we “sell” these other orders to brethren?
Being told it’s a friendly degree or its fun will not wash with most brethren. I lot of people will ask themselves, “what will I personally gain from spending my bucks and joining these orders?”. for a few it’s about the ceremony and curiosity of the order, but is that enough to keep their interest?
Royal Arch numbers are not overly bad mainly I believe because once a brother is raised at the end of that ceremony, they are normally “hit” with “after 4 weeks of more you can join Royal Arch which is in many ways the 4th Degree in freemasonry”. Then handed a leaflet and a form! I wonder how many join and then drop out?
Are they joining too early and quickly get disillusioned after a couple of meetings?
Another factor is cost in joining another order, meeting three times a year with joining fees plus subscriptions ranging from an average of between £60 to £90+, is a lot plus the festive board costs.
Should these orders think about how they present themselves to brethren, develop their own USP and build a story behind it? Make it not just about a ceremony to join or advance but maybe educate with info about the order to make them feel it’s a bit unique.
Just a thought!
Masonic Musings – Summer 2022
A MODERN SHIBBOLETH A Daily Telegraph journalist, who has clearly reached the Victor Meldrew stage of life, was ranting recently about the modern obsession with passwords and security codes.
Having vented his frustration, he reflected on how our security techniques adapt in every age.
“In the Book of Judges,” the journalist wrote, “the Gileadites asked strangers to say the word ‘Shibboleth’ to determine if they were friend or foe. The password’s test was in the pronunciation, not in the memory.
“If only things were still so simple. Today it would have to be $hibbo1ETH to satisfy the modern insistence on capital letters, numbers and special characters!”
But the Gileadites’ approach to security was indeed beautifully simple, so it’s not surprising it is still being used in modern warfare some 3,000 years later – and it’s a very effective tactic, according to another newspaper columnist.
This correspondent writes: “Ukrainians have figured out how to ferret out many of the Russian spies wandering around their country. And their trick, the litmus test to discover who is a real Ukrainian and who is a fake, is as far from high tech as anything can be.
“They use the ancient biblical tool called the shibboleth.”
He explains: “While the languages spoken in Russia and Ukraine are similar, there are significant differences. Sounds are automatic give-aways because of the different emphasis given to certain vowel and consonant collections in Ukrainian versus Russian.
“And so, Ukrainians use a shibboleth involving the name of a popular, once seasonal and now common bakery item.”
Talking of Ukraine, the war has reminded us of an old principle which has been neglected. Peace is not permanent, and the ‘peace dividend’ – the difference between the UK’s defence spending in the 1950s (8% of GDP) and currently (2% of GDP) – is how successive governments have funded our benevolent welfare system for all these years.
Here in England, we were thrown out of kilter when freemasonry was suspended during the Covid pandemic. But what does freemasonry do when bullets and missiles are flying? It makes us wonder how our brethren in Ukraine are coping.
The head of Grand Lodge’s foreign affairs team, the Grand Chancellor, is an Oxfordshire mason and more specifically an Apollo man. Following the Russian invasion, VWBro Paul Engeham has had his hands more than full, dealing with its effects on the Grand Lodge of Ukraine. At a recent lodge meeting in London where we are both members, Paul spoke movingly about the liaison work that he and his team have been doing with the Grand Lodge of Ukraine and the assistance given even by the Grand Lodge of Russia at this most difficult time. Communication is very tricky, though, and during a zoom meeting, for example, Ukraine’s Grand Master had to leave the call when the air-raid sirens went off.
We can be proud that UGLE’s appeal for Ukraine raised more money faster than any previous appeal. The Grand Lodge’s public website gives the details of the impressively intelligent and focused ways in which our donation has been spent here.
TO THE RESCUE! There is a long and worthy tradition of rescuing and reinventing lodges and chapters which, for one reason or another, are slowly failing. Occasionally, such an initiative produces an outcome which the founders of the original lodge could not have imagined in their wildest dreams! One brilliant example was in the spring edition of FMT about the Masonic Craft Beer Society which began life by organising online tastings during the first lockdown. Having grown like Topsy, it has now taken over Horus Lodge no.3155, which was previously heading for closure. At its meeting in May in London, the resuscitated lodge balloted for more than 100 joining members! https://horus3155.com/2021/10/30/how-horus-lodge-no-3155-became-the-official-mcbs-lodge/ Here on our home turf in Oxfordshire, we have just seen another rescue, less audacious perhaps, but equally effective. Marlborough Chapter no.1399 was recently planning to hand in its charter but has now had an influx of new members who are present and past DC’s, Chapter Scribes and Lodge Secretaries. Their aim in rescuing the Chapter is to use it as a bridge between the Craft and Royal Arch, meeting twice a year for discussions, presentations, and closer fellowship. Marlborough Chapter was consecrated more than 140 years ago, soon after Lord John Spencer Churchill’s short tenure as Oxfordshire’s PGM and Grand Superintendent. It meets – where else? – at the lovely masonic hall in Woodstock, just down the road from the Marlborough family’s famous country pile.
Ideally, a Chapter would be able to draw its members from at least two or three Lodges, but at Woodstock there are seven lodges feeding into four chapters, so, over time, the arithmetic has not worked in Marlborough’s favour. Now, though, the chapter can look forward with renewed confidence to its 150th anniversary – the ‘Sesquicentennial’ – in seven years’ time.
For anyone interested in joining this revitalised chapter (including those aspiring to be a DC, Scribe E or Secretary in the future), the meeting dates are now the last Friday in April and the first Monday in October. The subscription is just £25, and for the first year there is no joining fee.
I stumbled on another unusual rescue when I recently attended a festive board at the In & Out (Naval & Military) Club in London.
It was a balmy summer’s evening, and the smell of cigar smoke was drifting through the open windows from outside. After our dinner, we adjourned to the courtyard for coffee and found the source of the smoke: a couple of dozen brethren in dinner suits, all puffing contentedly on Churchillian-sized cigars. They were members of Hazara Lodge no.4159, an old military lodge that dates back to the days of the British Raj. It was founded in India before eventually moving to London, and in recent years its membership dwindled to an unsustainable level. The lodge was about to hand in its warrant when it was rescued by this group of cigar lovers who simply wanted to enjoy a good Havana in like-minded company! Many of the corporals, captains and colonels who gathered during the last century at the old military lodge’s festive boards will have been accustomed to lighting up a cigar after the Loyal Toast. They must surely be smiling down on their successors at what is now known as Hazara Cigar Lodge. https://www.hazaracigarlodge.co.uk/about-hazara/
BENEFITS OF INVOLVEMENT
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.”
It is thought that these wise words may have been coined by Benjamin Franklin in the mid-1700s, and if so, it’s not much of a stretch to think he was referring to his enjoyment of Freemasonry.
This really is a motto that should be adopted by every Lodge of Instruction! A well run LoI takes effort, discipline and commitment, but as a learning environment it is uniquely valuable. One might describe an LoI as a prime example of brotherly love in action. It involves a team of brethren who are committed to each other; a willingness to be vulnerable and a sense of trust which underpins it; a dedication by experienced brethren to those who are newer and less confident; and a vision shared by them all.
Often, that vision is shaped by an annual ‘festival’ which provides a focus for the LoI’s activities. Without this focus, the LoI’s year consists of a series of rehearsals; with it, the programme has an added sense of purpose.
There are only eight of these LoI festivals in Oxfordshire each year, but the Province is keen to support them all and is represented at each by one of the Provincial Grand Deacons, who attends as the LoI’s guest of honour for the evening.
The usual festival season was, of course, shot to pieces by the pandemic but these events are now gradually returning to our lodge calendars.
One recent festival was held by Weyland Lodge’s monthly LoI in May, when it opened and closed in all three degrees and ran through various examples of the ritual, before presenting the Province’s representative with a £1000 donation for the MCF appeal.
Another was Islip Lodge’s LoI which turned its festival in May into a full-scale event, with a white table dinner and an excellent guest speaker. This really does take planning and commitment, but it will have resulted in a real sense of achievement.
A different example is the weekly LoI of St Mary’s Lodge, which holds a bi-annual exchange meeting with the LoI of one of the Buckinghamshire lodges that share the Thame hall. One of the deacons or wardens takes the chair to demonstrate a ceremony, and six months later, it’s the other lodge’s turn to act as host.
Each of these LoI festivals has a different dynamic to the usual lodge meeting, of course, but they all provide a warm welcome to visitors and it’s worth keeping an eye out for an opportunity to attend. They are great fun!
A few years ago in my then role as a PrJGD, I had the honour of representing the Province at an LoI festival in Henley, where the lodge’s Senior Deacon took the WM’s chair for a full ceremony and then presided over the festive board. He will have found that challenge extremely daunting at the time, but I remember he carried it off well and I’ve no doubt he now looks back on the experience as a priceless benefit to his subsequent masonic career. As Benjamin Franklin said, there’s a world of difference between teaching and involving. A warden or deacon may feel like he is being thrown into the deep end by taking the chair at an LoI festival, but the right coaching and assistance will enable him to emerge from the experience feeling immensely proud of himself.
PETROL-HEADS UNITE
There is a tendency for lodges which have a shared ethos or identity to group themselves into associations, like birds of a feather. I’m thinking of the Federation of School Lodges, the Association of Medical, University & Legal Lodges, the Anglo-Foreign Lodges Association, and so on. A few Oxfordshire lodges even belong to a national association of lodges which take their names from rivers. One wonders what the benefit of this relationship is, although perhaps the opportunity for a regular bun-fight is the only reason they need. It seems to me that an association is now needed for the plethora of lodges around the country which cater for ‘petrol-heads’ — those devotees of one form of motoring or another. Many of them are relatively new, such as a surge of lodges for bikers: Thames Valley Motorcycle Lodge no.9885 at Wokingham, Motorcyclists Lodge no.9939 in Hampshire, and Freewheelers Lodge no.9991 at Lincoln, being just three recent examples.
The latest, of course, is Oxfordshire’s newly consecrated Sir William Morris Lodge no.10003, which is more focused on drivers of four-wheeled machines. The pictures elsewhere in this newsletter tell the story of this brilliant new addition to our masonic community. A national association for these lodges would have to select its meeting venues carefully. It would need the most enormous car park for all the vintage vehicles (many of which are even older than their owners!). And the location ought to be in an area where convoys of gleaming old gas-guzzlers wouldn’t clog up the roads for miles around. Meanwhile, there’s also a growing number of lodges around the country for Formula One enthusiasts, and one day, who knows, a future generation of Oxfordshire masons might follow suit by naming a new F1 lodge after the late Sir Frank Williams.
EXCELLENT NEW GUIDES
Having grown up with military or ex-military fathers, many brethren of my generation were never in any doubt that we were expected to stand to attention for the National Anthem.
Contemporary generations, however, are less likely to have had that sort of coaching, so it’s interesting to read one of the many nuggets of advice in a new guide for Initiates:
“The correct posture when singing the National Anthem is to be standing upright, feet together with a straight back and hands at the sides.”
The guide is part of a generic series of three, which has been published by London for use by provinces, and I can highly recommend them for Secretaries and Mentors to pass onto their candidates after each degree.
In each guide, useful snippets of advice have been highlighted alongside the detailed explanations of what a candidate can expect at each stage and what is expected of him.
The Fellowcraft’s guide contains, among other nuggets, some words of wisdom about visiting lodges. One piece of advice is timeless and particularly useful:
“It’s worth preparing a brief outline of words that you can easily adapt in case you are asked, at the last minute, to reply to the visitors’ toast. Just remember to keep it short with a few warm remarks.”
Ah yes, the dreaded last-minute request! We’ve all been there, and it’s always handy to have an anecdote up your sleeve just in case.
The third guide in the series is a mini-manual to help a Master Mason enjoy and progress his freemasonry after his Raising. Interestingly, it contains quite a detailed section about suggested methods of learning ritual. Perhaps this is also a generational thing, as younger men probably had less experience of learning by rote at school – or of dodging a missile thrown by your teacher if you got it wrong!
The guide also prompts the new MM to find the answers to a few essential questions. For example, it asks if he knows:
• How to get in touch with the Light Blues Club, if there is one in your Province; • The relationship between Craft Masonry and the Royal Arch; • The names of any Masons from other Lodges who could invite you to their meetings; • What your future within the Craft could look like in 1, 5 or 20 years.
That last question is intriguing, isn’t it? How many of us were encouraged to set out our goals at that early stage and were then given advice by a knowledgeable mentor about how to achieve them?
TROWEL OR PONIARD?
The Initiate’s guide in the series (above) contains the full text of the Charge After Initiation, which gives the new mason an opportunity to digest this beautiful piece of ritual, and try to decipher its occasionally flowery and archaic language.
Have you ever wondered about the reference in the Charge to a trowel?
“In every age monarchs… have not thought it derogatory to their dignity to exchange the sceptre for the trowel.” Why a trowel? The most likely explanation I’ve come across is that in the early days of Freemasonry, the newest member of a Lodge would act as the Inner Guard and would be equipped with a trowel, not a poniard. The Initiate, as the newest member, would then take on that role himself. The reference in the Charge to monarchs is aimed at the likes of George IV (1762-1830) when he was Prince Regent, and Edward VII (1841-1910) as Prince of Wales. After their initiations, they would both have taken the position of Inner Guard and in those days were equipped with a trowel. How authoritative is this explanation? I have no idea! Do let me know if you have a better one.
TOAST TO BERNIE…
There’s an old masonic adage that if you want something done, you should ask a busy man to do it. So let’s raise a glass to Bernie Wegerhoff, who is our assiduous Provincial Grand Secretary as well as being the head of the Order of the Secret Monitor in Oxfordshire, Berkshire & Buckinghamshire… and now he will be donning a third hat as the new head of Oxfordshire’s Rose Croix.
The permanent smile beneath Bernie’s elegant moustache points to his relaxed expertise at spinning plates! He is taking over as Inspector General of the Rose Croix district in August, on the retirement of Peter Jones from the role. There is something about the Rose Croix – known more formally as the Ancient & Accepted Rite – that means you couldn’t hope to meet a couple of nicer chaps. Oxfordshire is a relatively small district within the Order, but its eight Rose Croix chapters give the district a strong family atmosphere. They meet at five of our provincial centres, and the website lists the locations: https://oxfordshirefreemasons.co.uk/additional-orders/rose-croix/ Many brethren who are members have been known to say this is their favourite Order, and it’s tempting to agree. The Rose Croix ceremonies certainly contain some awe-inspiring moments, and I’d strongly recommend you add this Order to your wish-list if you’re a MM or PM who professes a Christian faith.
…AND TO ANDREW
Hats off, too, to the tireless Andrew Keech, our inspirational Provincial Grand Charity Steward, who has spent the last few years touring lodge meetings and drumming up support for Oxfordshire’s MCF Festival appeal.
Among his countless activities along the way, he has organised some great presentation evenings which lodge representatives have spent in the company of dozens of local charities. In April, all of Andrew’s hard work was recognised when he was promoted to Grand Rank. Hearty congratulations, and we will look forward to seeing him soon in his new regalia.
THE FINAL PUSH!
It’s time for our lodges and chapters to empty their relief chests for the final push towards the ‘Magic Million’ for Oxfordshire’s MCF Festival!
Collectively, there are often thousands of pounds sitting in relief chests, and those neglected funds may be all that’s needed for us to achieve the Festival’s final target.
At the end of May, the festival chairman, VWBro Graham Ellis, reported £950,000 in its account – tantalisingly close to that Magic Million! Let’s ask the charity stewards of our lodges and chapters to drain their relief chests of any remaining funds and push us over the line.
Meanwhile, we can all be proud of the Masonic Charitable Foundation’s uniquely impressive work, which is summarised at this attractively simple link: https://impact.mcf.org.uk/2021/
BROTHERS IN ARMS Field Marshal Prince Edward, otherwise known as the Grand Master, formally signed the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of UGLE towards the end of last year, and, as reported in the last edition of the 2nd Rising, Oxfordshire’s Provincial Grand Master followed suit earlier this year. But what is the Covenant, and what does signing it mean?
For an organisation such as ours, enshrining the Covenant is a loud assurance to our brothers-in-arms that they and their families have our full support in their daily lives in the community, and not just in their military endeavours.
The Government published the tri-service Covenant as a guide for policy aimed at improving the support available for the forces community. It ensures that Service personnel, their dependents and also, importantly, veterans are not disadvantaged compared with the rest of us.
With a number of military and RAF bases in Oxfordshire, it follows that we have a growing number of current and ex-servicemen among our local brethren. Our lodge mentors will be particularly aware that a brother who is serving in the forces can be uprooted and relocated at short notice and may need assistance as a result; for our almoners, a brother returning from conflict – or his family during his absence – may be grateful for special care and attention.
Further information on the Covenant, along with an explanatory video, is here:
On this subject, it’s worth revisiting the Grand Secretary’s words at a ceremony in June 2019 when a Remembrance Stone was laid at London’s Freemasons’ Hall to commemorate masons who have been awarded the Victoria Cross:
“[This stone] will serve as a mark of our deep respect and gratitude to those who have put service before self. May we have the courage, in our lives, and in our own little ways, to follow their example.”
The phrase “service before self” seems to sum up the natural relationship between Freemasonry and the aims of the Armed Forces Covenant.
SUMMER LODGE MEETINGS
With the arrival of the summer recess, if you’re feeling at a loose end during the holiday season, then do yourself a favour and book a visit to one or more of the lodges that meet during July and August! The secretaries’ contact details are all in the provincial year book and website.
In July, the options are: Sir William Morris (2nd July, Cardinal House), Provincial Grand Stewards (5th, Cardinal House), Service & Honour (11th, Woodstock), Ruck & Maul (11th, Cardinal House), Aelfric (14th, Woodstock), Witta’s Island (15th, Witney), St Edburg’s (15th, Bicester), Rathcreedan (19th, Banbury), and Regattas (29th, Henley).
In August you have three options: Shiplake (15th, Henley), Rathcreedan (16th, Banbury), and Witta’s Island (19th, Witney).
If you fancy a Chapter visit, you will only have one option before masonic life resumes in September: Rathcreedan Chapter (6th July, Banbury).
