Freemasonry Today - Spring 2021 - Issue 52 by UGLE

Issue 53 ~ Spring 2021

Freemasonry Today

Helping the homeless

Providing care in the Covid crisis

Passion and positivity

UGLE’s Michelle Worvell on advocating the Craft

Fount of all knowledge

Issue 53 ~ Spring 2021

Taking Solomon to the next level

M E N O F H O N O U R Meet brothers in alms Harry Billinge and Mark Ormrod, the military masons united in brotherhood

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Welcome

From the Grand Secretary & Grand Scribe E As Percy Shelley once said, ‘If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?’. As I pen this column, snow falling silently outside, I cannot help but wonder where things will be by the time this hits members’ doormats in March. I hope for spring and for brighter days – the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by mass vaccination but, like so much in life, there are no guarantees. It is looking increasing unlikely that our Annual Investitures and Grand Festival will be able to go ahead this year as normal, and that ordinary meetings will not be possible until later in the year. I am immensely grateful that, very soon, our older, more vulnerable members should all be protected from this devastating virus, and I have no doubt that this year Freemasonry will be back to where it was before the lockdowns – significantly invigorated by the pent-up enthusiasm of our members. In the coming months there are a number of projects that will affect our lodges, chapters and our members more directly. The most obvious of these will be Hermes, which will give every Lodge Secretary and Chapter Scribe E access to our membership database for their units. This will allow them to keep records updated in real time and save them huge amounts of time and effort on some of the many paperwork-based tasks expected of them today. Every Province has now designated a team to train the individual members who will need to use it. Towards the end of the year, we will also be embarking on a focused marketing

‘It is important that in our eagerness to get back to how things were, we do not forget those lessons that we have learnt over the past year or so – the importance of keeping in touch’

campaign aiming to target those who we think Freemasonry will appeal to. Many Provinces are now starting to plan in earnest how best to support these projects, and how to ensure that transition from pandemic to business as usual goes as smoothly as possible for you all. Neither has Freemasons’ Hall in London been idle in the long months of lockdown. You may have seen our new shop being heralded in The Times as well as across a host of other media. The administrative staff have moved office from the huge area under the Grand Temple and this is now being redeveloped as a new café and bar that will also be able to offer some lodge and chapter dining in the evenings. Contrary to ‘well informed’ sources on the Metropolitan Grand Lodge Facebook page, I can confirm that we are not leasing the area to Costa or, indeed, anyone else! We are also planning a series of concerts, working with some fantastic local orchestras and choirs formerly of St Martin-in-the-Fields to help open up the building to the public and showcase Freemasonry to a whole new audience. It has been an enormous challenge to balance both the opportunity that an empty building presents in terms of redevelopment and maintenance, whilst juggling so many staff on furlough, ensuring, all the time, that we are stewarding wisely the organisation for generations to come. As restrictions lift and life returns to normal, there will be very many lodges and chapters that have built up a long waiting list of candidates, and will be keen to progress other work. Freemasons’ Hall, and I am sure many other masonic halls across the Provinces, will be very glad to assist with as many emergency meetings as required across the summer and beyond to clear the backlog, and to ensure that our Freemasonry starts again with a bang. The return to some sense FMT Spring 2021

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of commercial normality will be extremely welcome to masonic centres, some of which have been brought to their knees by the financial circumstances imposed upon them by the pandemic. However, it is important that in our eagerness to get back to how things were, we do not forget those lessons that we have learnt over the past year or so – the importance of keeping in touch, of making that extra personal effort to ensure that those we know are doing ok and are well supported. Personally, I hope that the concept of Zoom meetings and get togethers will not be so quickly forgotten – keeping in touch with members who have found it difficult in recent years to attend lodge and chapter meetings continues, reminding them that they remain members of a bigger family and availing ourselves of their collective wisdom and experience. Brethren and companions, I very much look forward to seeing you all again in the near future, confident in the hope that vaccination will offer us a route back to normality, and that with each and every passing day, these strange times draw to a close. Dr David Staples Grand Secretary & Grand Scribe E

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Contents

The official journal of the United Grand Lodge of England Issue 53 – Spring 2021

Editor Donna Hardie Editorial Panel Michelle Worvell, Guy Roberts, Shaun Butler, Dean Simmons, Barry Hughes, Julian Perry (Culture editor)

Cover image: Jooney Woodward. FMT took all COVID-19 social distancing, PPE and safety precautions for this shoot

Published by Sunday, 207 Union Street, London SE1 0LN, www.wearesunday.com for the United Grand Lodge of England, Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ Editorial Manager Shaun Butler editor@freemasonrytoday.com Freemasonry Today, Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ Advertising contact Gaynor Garton gaynor@square7media.co.uk 020 3283 4056 Square7 Media Ltd, 3 More London Riverside, London SE1 2RE Circulation fmt@freemasonrytoday.com 020 7395 9392

Welcome 3 From the Grand Secretary and Grand Scribe E Dr David Staples welcomes you to the spring issue

Out and about 6 News and views from the Provinces UGLE’s new shop and care in the crisis

Stories

48 Next level for Solomon

18 Bravery and brotherhood

Masonic enquiries editor@freemasonrytoday.com 020 7831 9811 www.ugle.org.uk Printed by Walstead Roche

The military Freemasons united in cameraderie and charity

26 Provincial profile

24 60 seconds with...

Steven Varley, Provincial Grand Master for Derbyshire and lifelong Freemason

Focus on Bedfordshire Freemasonry

28 The Interview: Michelle Worvell

FreemasonryToday UnitedGrandLodgeofEngland SupremeGrandChapter @unitedgrandlodgeofengland @freemasonrytoday @freemasonshall

50 Hidden gems

Some of the treasures on loan at the Museum of Freemasonry

The Royal Arch 54 Antient history

The story of trailblazer Laurence Dermott

Culture 60 Book reviews and crossword

A daily advancement

In the community

34 QC writes

65 Charity and the Craft

Dr Ric Berman on masonic research

36 Brothers past

38 Museum of Freemasonry

Historical summons to attend meetings

Grand Lodge

How the MCF and Freemasons nationwide are providing a much-needed lifeline

Fraternal world 69 Home and abroad

UGLE lodges around the world

72 Letters

42 Quarterly Communication

74 Your tweets

44 Project Hermes

Fascinating and unusual views from masonic history

Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes

Advances in data and digitisation FMT Spring 2021

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Creating a shared experience we all enjoy

UGLE’s advocate of the Craft

Georgian architect Nicholas Hawksmoor @freemasonry2day @ugle_grandlodge @grandchapter

82 Thēsauros

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Out About Out & about Gavels & gloves

A roundup of what’s happening in the world of Freemasonry

The grand opening The new UGLE shop is set in the exquisite Art Deco Drawing Room of its London HQ

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The new ‘Shop at Freemasons’ Hall’ was launched in December at the Covent Garden headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), and offers a beautiful and unique range of gifts, souvenirs and Savile Row tailoring related to Freemasonry. The shop is located in the heart of Freemasons’ Hall and is twice the size of the previous one. Sympathetically designed by specialist design studio Lumsden which specialises in historical and protected buildings, the new-look emporium has a museum gift shop feel that respects the heritage of Freemasonry while offering an improved and generous visitor experience.

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Gavels & gloves Out & about

The magnificent space retains the historic feel of the old Drawing Room, featuring several pieces of the original furniture and architrave, as well as portraits of past Freemasons – all of which stayed in situ as part of the new design. You’ll find a unique selection of new products in the store, including books, Freemasonry regalia, men’s grooming ranges, jewellery, scarves, ties, and gift collections based on the museum, library, Art Deco era and Freemasonry in general. Dr David Staples, Chief Executive and Grand Secretary of UGLE said, ‘I am delighted to launch this project, which we planned with so much

attention and dedication during the lockdown. When Freemasons’ Hall opens once again, visitors will be able to enjoy an eye-catching shop, with a wide product range for all ages.’ The expanded product range can be viewed at www.letchworthshop.co.uk, while a new website to support the redesigned shop is coming soon.

The jewel-bright regalia and gifts for sale in the old Drawing Room

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Out & about

1 WEST KENT

Protect & serve

Two masonic centres in the Province of West Kent are being used in the effort to vaccinate vulnerable people against COVID-19. Tunbridge Wells Masonic Centre has hosted vaccination arrangements in the local area since mid-January, while The Westwood in Welling is providing a similar service in Bexley.

Honour bound

West Kent’s Provincial Grand Master Mark Estaugh formally congratulated Freemason Dean Wilson for being awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours List. Dean is a member of Trismegistus Lodge, No. 9020, and was initiated on 23 November 2006. Dean served in the London Fire Brigade for more than 30 years, retiring in July 2019. He is now proprietor of Dean Wilson Funeral Directors and served as a magistrate in Bexley and Bromley for 11 years. Dean received his MBE for Public and Voluntary Services in South East London.

Forum, was framed around a series of questions put forward by the attendees. They were addressed by Provincial Grand Master of Cheshire Stephen Blank, who congratulated Brian Mayoh on reaching 50 years in Freemasonry that evening. Dr Staples told the assembly that a key priority for Freemasonry in 2021 will be to ensure an even greater level of transparency between the fraternity and the public, in order to put an end to the often talked about misconceptions surrounding the organisation. He was also able to shed light on some of the valid fears about the manner in which Freemasons meetings will be held in a post-vaccination world, saying that medical guidance is at the forefront of UGLE’s decision. The work done by masonic halls across the country was applauded, with a special mention for Cheshire View which is being used as a vaccination station (see below). Following a series of questions discussing the use of online meeting platforms such as Zoom, Dr Staples indicated that modernisation of the organisation will inevitably take place, but will be proportionate. He assured members that such new measures would not dilute the significance of actual lodge meetings. However, new forms of communication such as the successful First Rising newsletter will continue after the pandemic is over, with Dr Staples recognising the importance of communication and its relationship with membership retention.

2 CHESHIRE

Working together

The Grand Secretary & Grand Scribe E Dr David Staples addressed the Cheshire Masters’ and Masons’ Forum in the first week of January. With an online audience of more than 250 Freemasons, Dr Staples wished the members a happy new year, describing 2021 as ‘the year Freemasonry gets going again’. The special event, organised by Michael Shiels, Chairman of the Cheshire Masters’ and Masons’

Cheshire Freemasons have been supporting their community in the fight against COVID-19, with the entire ground floor of the masonic hall at Cheshire View being used as a major vaccination hub. A team of doctors and nurses from six large rural GP practices has been based at the hall, along with experienced medics and nurses recalled from retirement, recently retrained vaccinators and a crew of willing volunteers. Andy Tong, COVID-19 Safety Officer and Finance Director for Cheshire View, said, ‘I am proud of the hard work and focus of the team at the hall during these difficult times. Their commitment to our masonic principles has enabled us to find a way to continue to serve our entire local community, working towards unlocking 2021 with every visit and with every vaccination.’

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We’ll meet again

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Above left: Cheshire’s masonic hall is at the heart of the Province’s vaccination drive

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situation unfolded, and with many lorry drivers unable to return to their loved ones for the festive season, the Freemasons of East Kent supplied an early Christmas present of £1,000. This was donated to the Salvation Army South East team who had already been providing food boxes to the stranded drivers. Aware of local Freemasons’ concern for the drivers, Stephen Salisbury, head of Group 7 for the Dover area, was quick to react to support the Salvation Army in their work of delivering food. ‘The money is part of a relief fund provided by the Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons’ Charity, said Stephen. ‘In these difficult times, we are only too pleased to be able to help and support our local communities and, of course, people who find themselves in need.’

3 YO R KS H I R E W R

Captains of industry

Masonic documents dating back 167 years are lifting the lid on a Bradford Masonic Order’s Germanic roots. The now closed Chapter of Sincerity was consecrated in 1854 and it initially met at The Literary Institute on Darley Street. Among the items found were regalia, aprons, robes, banners, collars, certificates, detailed minute books and financial ledgers. The records reveal that a good number of those who founded the chapter were German, or from Germanic descent, who came to Bradford to work in the city’s burgeoning cloth and textiles industry. The founder and First Principal was Joseph Arnold Unna, who is recorded as taking a great interest in local trade and charitable organisations. Born in Hamburg in 1800, he came to Leeds in 1836, before moving to Bradford in 1844, to take charge of the local branch of a Manchester merchanting house, Messrs SL Behrens & Co. Following on from its consecration, the chapter met at various locations in addition to The Literary Institute. These were the Connaught Rooms, Spring Bank Place off Manningham Lane and finally, from December 2015 until its closure last October, Pudsey Masonic Hall. John Watson, who joined the Chapter of Sincerity in 1997, said, ‘The chapter minute books give a fascinating insight into its first meetings and the Freemasons who helped found it back in 1854. While it’s a great pity the Chapter of Sincerity is no more, Bradford still has a strong masonic community, with members drawn from across the community who are keen to be part of our fraternal organisation. ‘My hope is that these records, and those from masonic lodges and chapters across our Province, are digitised and made accessible to the general public.’

5 LINCOLNSHIRE

Recovery position

Right: Freemason Rich Precious played a part in saving a man’s life using CPR

Lincolnshire Freemason Rich Precious of Astral Lodge in Grimsby delivered a Christmas miracle for a Louth family by being on hand to perform CPR on a man who had collapsed in the street. With the help of a passing doctor, ambulance crew and Grimsby hospital cardiologists, Rich played a part in saving the man’s life, but modestly claims that anyone would have done the same in that situation. ‘I was in the right place at the right time, and played a part of what was a real team effort,’ he said. ‘After more than 20 years as a police officer, instinct took over, and we were able to do as much as we could for him until help arrived. I’m humbled to think I’ve made a difference.’ But that’s not how it’s seen by the family of Jess Hill, the man who collapsed in Louth’s Newmarket. His son Tom told the Louth Leader, ‘I am so grateful to PC Precious and all of the people who helped to save his life, and those who continue to provide care in hospital. Our family life would be very different without dad, and the selfless actions of everyone means he is still with us. I can’t say thank you enough.’ Jess’s wife Pauline told the Leader, ‘Thank you so much for your help this morning. You saved his life and I for one will be eternally grateful, there are no words. We owe you, thank you again so much.’ Mr Hill is now back at home continuing his recovery.

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4 E AST KENT

Driving force

The Salvation Army got together with the emergency services to provide welfare support for lorry drivers caught up in severe traffic delays at Dover. Drivers found themselves stuck in Kent when France closed its border to the UK, and they were stranded for a number of days unable to get food or water. As the

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Left: The £4,000 raised at auction will help the Wood Street Mission charity

6 E AST L ANCS

What do I bid?

Manchester Level Club, the group for young and new Freemasons in East Lancashire, recently held a charity auction and raised £4,000 for a cause close to the hearts of all Manchester Freemasons – children’s charity Wood Street Mission. The Zoom event was hosted by Global Auctioneers, a company owned by Manchester Freemason and member of Friendship Lodge, Marcel Duffy. On the night, Darren Fletcher (MLC Chairman) acted as auctioneer for the event. He was joined by Manchester District Chairmen Chris Wildman and Paul O’Carroll. Sophie Bell of Wood Street Mission also attended, and was thrilled by the sum of money that was raised for the various auction lots that had been generously donated by the masonic community. The star lot was a 1981/1982 signed Manchester City shirt which had been donated by Chris Welton and which sold for more than £300. Sophie says, ‘The incredible amount of money raised will support the children that Wood Street Mission helps through their Family Basics project, providing day-to-day essentials like children’s clothes, toiletries, bedding, towels and baby equipment. As a completely independent charity, Wood Street Mission relies on the local community to support work that helps improve the lives of local children. This amount will enable them to fund 160 children through Family Basics for an entire year.’

now sent into the world ill-equipped to deal with their circumstances and with virtually nothing available to them by way of support. Having recognised their plight, Malcolm Prentice (Derbyshire Province’s Heritage Officer) has for the past few years been instrumental in organising a Christmas lunch for them at Freemasons’ Hall, Burton upon Trent. Working with local care teams and volunteers from Derbyshire and Staffordshire Freemasons, he has been able to provide a safe and enjoyable event where they can have a hearty meal, talk to their peers, share stories, support each other and feel valued. They also leave with a gift bag and a Christmas card with a gift voucher. This year, of course, there could be no Christmas party, so Malcolm, along with his band of helpers,

started a fundraising initiative to raise enough money to provide a Christmas hamper for every youngster. Derbyshire and Staffordshire Freemasons, along with members of the community, were quick to respond. The initial target of £1,800 was surpassed and rose to a figure in excess of £9,000. Trandeep Sethi of Lodge of Repose in Derbyshire, a business manager working in safeguarding for a local council, said, ‘Malcolm, I cannot express to you the difference you continue to make in the lives of these children. You have made them smile when they have said they have nothing to smile about, you have made them cry with happiness. The hampers will remind them that people care, they have people that they can turn to and not to give up. I would go as far as saying that some are only here because of you!’

7 D E R BYS H I R E

Comfort and joy

‘Malcolm, along with his band of helpers, started a fundraising initiative to raise enough money to provide a Christmas hamper to every youngster’

For those of us lucky enough to spend Christmas with loved ones, it’s easy to forget that there are people less fortunate. Many spent the festive season alone with no one to share it with. Young care leavers are an example of this – the care system considers its role complete when youngsters are 16, and they’re not eligible for council housing until they’re 18. Many of the young people in this age bracket have suffered through no fault of their own but are nevertheless deemed by the state to be able to look after themselves. Very often taken into care in the first place because of abuse, violence or abandonment, they are 10

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the 3rd Rhiwbina Scout Group in Cardiff met over Zoom. But when group activity was once again allowed in Wales following the national lockdown, it wanted their beavers, cubs and scouts to resume their normal meetings, albeit outside to start with. For this to happen, the scout group needed enough PPE to ensure the safety of the children and the leaders. So it approached the Freemasons for financial help. The group funds its activities through subscriptions and income from the Cardiff and Vale Christmas Scout Post. However, this year income has dried up, mainly because the 2020 Scout Post was cancelled because of safety concerns. Meanwhile, outgoings have not reduced, and this has caused a problem for scout groups all over Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Following the request, the South Wales Freemasons donated £425 for the purchase of PPE, enabling the group to meet safely again.

8 WA R W I C KS H I R E

Those in need

Knowle Masonic Centre (KMC) hosted an initiative on 5 December 2020 to collect food, toiletries and toys for less fortunate people at Christmas. All donated items were taken to the Renewal Church in Solihull – the main distribution centre for the Trussell Trust. All items were sorted and stored to provide emergency access to thousands of people who rely on the support of caring communities. The church made nearly 100 food drops a day to deserving people in the local Solihull area. KMC also donated £500 to them from its members in order to buy further food bank items. The toys were originally destined for the local hospital but the pandemic put a stop to that. Instead, KMC took them all to Birmingham City Mission – an organisation that delivers toys, books and puzzles to around 3,000 children in the area. Bearing in mind the situation, KMC wants to express its gratitude for the generosity of its members, lodges, chapters and other units. KMC particularly extends its appreciation to Junior Chamber and Grosvenor Lodges for their commendable cash donations. The sum of £1,000 received by KMC’s community funds account has been shared equally between the Trust and the Mission so that more food and toys could be provided to help members of the community.

10 CAM BRIDGESHIRE

Take a seat

9 S O U T H WA L E S

Safety first

South Wales Freemasons have come to the aid of a Cardiff scout group, with a £425 donation to purchase PPE. Over the spring and summer of 2020,

Left: thanks to the South Wales Freemasons, Cardiff scouts can meet again

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The education and meeting facilities at Arthur Rank Hospice will be able to accommodate more people during the COVID-19 restrictions, thanks to new furniture provided by a £2,500 grant from Cambridgeshire Freemasons. Until the rule of six commenced, government guidelines about maintaining a two-metre distance meant the hospice was restricted to meetings with a maximum of 15 people. Now, thanks to the donation of new chairs, that number can be increased to 20 as soon as restrictions are lifted. This will enable training sessions, meetings, events and fundraising activities to take place much more easily and efficiently. As well as accommodating its own activites, the Hospice’s Education & Conference Centre – which can host up to 90 delegates – is also available for hire. This provides another important income stream, contributing to the £4.27 million that needs to be raised for the charity annually to supplement the NHS contribution. Kay Hardwick, head of education and practice development at Arthur Rank, said, ‘We’re so grateful to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire and the Masonic Charitable Foundation [MCF, the Freemasons’ charity], for this support. They will help us to provide our specialist education to medical and healthcare professionals while keeping everyone safe.’ 11

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donation from the North Wales Freemasons’ Charity, together with a further £2,000 from A&M Catering and £3,600 from individuals and lodges in Groups 1 & 2. Member of Royal Leek Lodge Martin Wynne Jones, together with a team of volunteers, delivered the free lunches during the first lockdown. Deliveries were sent out over 14 weeks to places far and wide: from Llanberis to Holyhead and from Penygroes to Penmaenmawr. Pete Williams from Telford said, ‘Many thanks to North Wales Freemasons for firstly thinking about and including my 95-year-old grandmother, Megan, in this very generous endeavour. And secondly, for delivering the Sunday lunch to her door. She was truly grateful.’ Martin Wynne Jones, Manager at Bangor Masonic Hall, said, ‘It typifies the spirit of North Wales Freemasons to help our local community. I would like to thank everyone who supported this initiative, giving their time on Sundays to deliver more than 8,000 meals to those vulnerable and in need within our community.’

11 CU M BER L AN D AN D WESTMOR L AN D

Supply and demand

The Freemasons of Cumberland and Westmorland were busy supporting the Cumbrian community with donations and voluntary activity during 2020. The Province made donations of more than £87,600, supporting five local hospices and five food banks which provided and delivered much-needed supplies to local families that were in severe need. Among the donations was one of £15,000 presented to LifeLites, a children’s charity that has been a great supporter of the Jigsaw Children’s Hospice in Carlisle for many years. Westmorland Youth Orchestra, Scarbrough Court RMBI home and 18 smaller charities also received donations from the Provincial Grand Masters’ Charity Initiative, enabling them to carry on their community work during lockdowns and other restrictions. Cleator Moor Civic Hall and Masonic Centre has played a huge part in providing a base for food banks and community services in West Cumbria. For example, voluntary community sewing group Scrub Hub has relied on the centre to co-ordinate its production of more than 3,000 handmade scrubs for NHS staff across the county. Material was measured, cut, sewn together, packed and distributed from the Masonic Centre. And at the end of 2020, Freemasons were able to celebrate the delivery of the 50,000th teddy bear to A&E departments across Cumbrian hospitals as part of the TLC bears programme.

Comfort food

1 2 N O R T H WA L E S

Sunday service

North Wales Freemasons have delivered 8,271 free Sunday lunches to people living in Bangor and Anglesey. The initiative was funded by a £4,000

North Wales Freemasons have delivered more than 8,000 free Sunday lunches

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Through the COVID-19 Response Group, North Wales Freemasons have donated £9,500 to support Nightingale House Hospice’s new mobile food service Meals Matter. Meals Matter is an innovative food service by the award-winning team and chefs at the hospice’s Caffi Cwtch. The programme helped some of the most vulnerable people in the Wrexham area by delivering meals to their homes during lockdown. ‘We have already received excellent feedback on the Meals Matter service and the speedy delivery,’ said Steve Parry, chief executive of Nightingale House. ‘We have also found the phone calls have been a good chance to speak to those who are self-isolating and may be feeling lonely. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to North Wales Freemasons for their generous support at this most difficult time for our community.’ John Charles Hoult, Provincial Grand Master, said, ‘I visited Nightingale House Hospice before the COVID-19 crisis and was impressed by their first-class facilities. The warmth of the welcome from all the staff and volunteers highlighted why this is clearly a special place within the community. I am delighted to see our significant support for this vital project and wish everyone at the hospice well with their new Meals Matter initiative.’ For more information on Caffi Cwtch and fundraising for Nightingale House Hospice, visit www.nightingalehouse.co.uk

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Out & about Care in a crisis

Street force

Thanks to the work of UGLE’s Covid Response Team, the homeless will receive more than £850,000 in donations to protect them this winter

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aving donated £1 million between April and July to help those impacted by COVID-19, Freemasons are now focusing on protecting the homeless with a new series of donations across England and Wales. The homeless crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic, with many people losing their jobs and finding themselves either living on the streets or in unsuitable living conditions. In 2019, Shelter estimated that 280,000 people were homeless in England, while the Greater London Authority reported 4,227 people sleeping rough in London

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Care in a crisis Out & about

In 2019, Shelter estimated that 280,000 people were homeless in England

between April and June 2020. Of those, 2,680 were sleeping on the streets for the first time. The funds raised will help provide safe living conditions, healthcare, meals and employment opportunities, as well as protecting homeless people from the winter weather, which kills hundreds every year. In addition, Freemasons will be volunteering their time at 26 homeless support organisations. Dr David Staples, Chief Executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said, ‘We are expecting a harsh winter so it’s essential to protect and support the

homeless. Hundreds die every year on our streets during these months, which is a shocking statistic. And due to the pandemic, many vulnerable people have found themselves on the streets for the first time. ‘In this second phase of donations, following our initial contributions during the COVID-19 crisis, we have donated the largest part of the funding towards helping the homeless. We hope this will provide those in need with somewhere safe to stay during the winter, but also offer them more long-term help to get off the streets and into secure accommodation.’ Among the organisations being prioritised by UGLE is homeless charity Emmaus. The money is being distributed to Emmaus centres in Surrey, Yorkshire, Kent, Oxford, Bedfordshire, Lancashire, Hampshire, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Middlesex. In London, Freemasons are supporting Only a Pavement Away – a charity that provides employment for the homeless within the hospitality industry. The donation will fund courses in the charity’s life skills programme for homeless people, helping them to live independently. The Freemasons’ donations will also fund an in-home starter kit containing a cookery book, cooking utensils, and an essential ingredients box. This is in addition to the provision of key items of kitchen equipment, such as a cooker, microwave and fridge. Participants will be supported after the course finishes with access to the Employment Pathways support service.

‘Freemasons are now focusing on protecting the homeless with a new series of donations across England and Wales’ FMT Spring 2021

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WAYS I N W H I C H F R E E M A S O N S WI LL BE SU PPORTI NG PEOPLE AC R O S S T H E C O U N T RY More than 40,000 homeless people will be provided with essentials, transport and support, as well as help to access services such as counselling, healthcare and benefits.

Approximately 600 people are being given employment and training opportunities. Nearly 1,400 individuals are being provided with accommodation and support.

Almost 197,000 meals will be provided to homeless people.

In Wales, Brenda Fogg started Hope Restored in 2010 to distribute food and blankets to the homeless community, having been homeless herself for a time. The Freemasons are now supporting the project. Brenda said, ‘Each and every person who comes through our doors is met with a smile and a warm welcome. Our relaxed friendly atmosphere provides a welcome respite from the harsh realities of their lives, if only for a few hours. I want to thank the Freemasons for their generous support.’ For the past few years, Freemasons in Northumberland have donated both their time and Christmas gifts to the residents of homeless veterans’ charity Launchpad, and they returned to visit on 23 December to deliver fresh fruit and festive presents. These initiatives are just the start of phase two of the Freemasons’ donations, and UGLE will announce the next round of funding packages and charitable initiatives in due course. 15

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Stories

Cameraderie & the Craft Stories

People, places, history and more

Written by D-Day veteran Harry Billinge MBE, P18

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Stories Brothers in alms

Royal Marine Mark Ormrod was awarded the MBE in 2020

FORCES FOR GOOD Despite being separated by six decades, military Freemasons Harry Billinge and Mark Ormrod are united in Brotherhood

W O R D S P E T E R WAT T S P O R T R A I T S J O O N E Y W O O D WA R D

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Brothers in alms Stories

n March 2020, two men of different generations but similar experiences were awarded the MBE. Both were military veterans who had suffered unbelievable trauma during warfare – Harry Billinge on D-Day in 1944, Mark Ormrod in Helmand in 2007. They spent the following years devoting time and energy to other people and taking part in charitable endeavours. Both are also Freemasons. We talked to Harry and Mark about their military careers, their charity work and the importance of Freemasonry to their lives.

HAR RY BI LLI N GE M BE, 95 It’s almost 77 years since Harry Billinge landed on Gold Beach at dawn on 6 June 1944. But even with the distance of seven decades, he’s liable to break down in tears when he thinks about what he witnessed on D-Day. Harry had followed his father and brothers into the army in 1939, turning down the chance to be an enlisted officer and instead serving as a sapper in the Royal Engineers. He was just 18 on D-Day, when he became one of four in his unit to survive the landing and subsequent battles in France. He waves away any attempt to describe him as a hero, offering only stark thoughts on the horror of battle. ‘There are no words to describe that terrible day,’ he says. ‘22,442 British men died in Normandy, and it made a terrible impression on me. The sea on D-Day was red with human blood. It still brings tears to my eyes.’ Although Harry is now 95, he still spends every day striving to ensure the fallen will never be forgotten. His energy is focused on raising funds for the British Normandy Memorial that will be located in a field overlooking Gold Beach. Etched on the stone will be the name of every individual who died serving in a British unit during the Battle Of Normandy.

Joining Mark on the 2020 honours list, D-Day veteran Harry Billinge MBE

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Stories Brothers in alms

Since 2018, he has been a regular presence on his local high street in St Austell, Cornwall, collecting funds and creating awareness for the memorial. He has raised more than £25,000 and displayed a dedication that has inspired other fundraisers – dubbed Harry’s Army in honour of their relentless figurehead. Harry arrived in Cornwall having struggled in London following his discharge from the army. He couldn’t sleep at night, and instead, would walk the streets of Petts Wood and Chislehurst. ‘It was still haunting me,’ he says. ‘They call it battle fatigue. My country taught me how to kill people and when you’ve done that, you have to live with it.’ He found some peace in Cornwall. There he opened a hairdressers, working with his scissors until he retired at 83. He also performed as a licensed reader in the Anglican Church, preaching in 44 different churches, including up to five each Sunday. Harry has been an active Freemason for decades, having followed his father into the Craft. His father was initiated into a lodge in Pune, India, where he was posted after World War I, but later became a member of St John’s of Penge, No. 5537. Harry joined the same lodge in 1964. He served as Master and is also a Past Master of Lodge of Fortitude, No. 131 and Plym Lodge, No. 3821 in the south west. ‘Freemasonry and the army both need discipline,’ says Harry. ‘ I always do what I can with all my might, I don’t take anything out – I put a lot in. That’s what a Freemason should do.’ His charitable work has included raising money for the Royal British Legion, selling poppies for more than 60 years. In 2020, his efforts were recognised by Great Western Railway, which named a train after him, an honour to go alongside his MBE, Légion d’honneur and dozens of other medals. ‘I went to Penzance to see the train named after me. That was another lark. I’ve met Prince Charles at St Austell, we spent a long time at the rugby club having a cup of tea and chatting. When I got my MBE it was lovely to meet the Queen.’

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During his lifetime, Harry has earned many medals, including the Légion d’honneur

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Brothers in alms Stories

COVID-19 might have slowed Harry’s activities, but he’s continued to raise funds for the British Normandy Memorial whenever possible. Those unthinkable experiences on the beach at D-Day have defined his life. ‘What I remember is the lovely men, all loving one another,’ he reflects. ‘Normandy veterans loved one another beyond the love of women. If you laid in a hole with a bloke being bombed and shelled and shot at, you became part of him and he became part of you. You know that bloke, you know his soul, and if you know that bloke, you have to love him. ‘When I was in the church, I conducted many funerals for Normandy veterans and Freemasons. I have done my best at everything I do and I still collect money for these people whenever I can.’

www.normandymemorialtrust.org/ harrys-army/

M A R K O R M R O D M B E , 37 Mark Ormrod’s life changed forever on Christmas Eve 2007. The Royal Marine was serving in Helmand, Afghanistan when he triggered an improvised explosive device. In the explosion, he lost an arm and both legs, and only stayed alive thanks to the skill of the medical response team. He was the first British serviceman to survive a triple amputation in Afghanistan. The doctors told Mark he would never walk again, but he was determined to defy medical opinion, and did so six months after sustaining his injuries when he walked across the parade ground to collect his operational medal. Since then, he hasn’t stopped, using his experiences not to hold him back but spur him on to ever greater achievements. He’s been a motivational speaker, written a book, won 11 medals in two Invictus Games, carried the torch at the 2012 Olympics, raised thousands of pounds for charity and been an active Freemason. So what has been his greatest accomplishment? ‘It’s hard to find a single thing as it’s all part of my personal journey,’ he says. ‘I am constantly striving to improve myself and help other people along the way. As a result of that, a lot of cool things have happened.

‘I am now into the idea of surrounding myself with good people and that’s what Freemasonry does for me.’ FMT Spring 2021

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Stories Brothers in alms

FMT took all COVID-19 social distancing, PPE and safety precautions for these shoots

‘However, in March 2020, I was very fortunate as I was awarded an MBE, which feels like the icing on the cake for all the other things that have happened along the way. It’s like a culmination, although

it’s exciting to think that there is so much more to come.’ This includes plans to publish a second book, write a children’s title, get his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and raise money for communities devastated by COVID-19. Much of 2021 will be occupied by the film being made about his life. Mark is assistant director and will be on set throughout; he isn’t worried about suffering flashbacks during some of the bloodier scenes. ‘I’m there to help to guide filming and make sure it’s accurate,’ he says. ‘I will probably end up asking for more blood and more screaming. I’ve spent eight years as a speaker travelling around the world telling my story, so I have seen all the graphic slides of me chopped up in a tent in Afghanistan. It doesn’t bother me now.’ One thing that got Mark through those first few months was Freemasonry. He believed this would replace some of the camaraderie he would no longer get from the military. His interest in Freemasonry started before he was deployed to Afghanistan, when he was approached by a relative who suggested he become a Freemason. Mark was sufficiently attracted by the principles to want to join the Royal Marine Lodge in his hometown of Plymouth. Then came the injury. ‘After what happened on Christmas Eve, I thought that would end my chance of joining the Freemasons because of the things that are required in initiation ceremonies,’ he says. ‘But the lads in 22

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the lodge were determined. They spoke to people higher up the Province and adapted the ceremony. ‘I did my first degree in a wheelchair, my second degree on a short set of prosthetics called stubbies, and my third degree on full-length prosthetics. I’ve since managed to progress to the Chair and held every office in the Craft. After my medical discharge, knowing that I was joining the Royal Marines Lodge was very comforting, but the more I’ve learnt about Freemasonry the more I realised it didn’t matter what lodge it was. All these people were similar to the people I was around in the military, which was one of the biggest reasons I didn’t want to leave.’ Mark remains connected to the military, working full-time for the Royal Marines Charity, and he intends to continue his Freemasonry adventure. ‘Every time you do that there are all those offices to go through again,’ he says. ‘And that means forcing yourself to grow, getting outside your comfort zone and moving forward as a person. I am a big advocate of personal development and that’s something the military and Freemasonry are good for. ‘I have been through moments in my life and around people where negativity can get into your head, but I am now into the idea of surrounding myself with good people. And that’s what Freemasonry does for me. It’s being around good people with similar interests, morals, ethics and values, and wanting to help make them even better people.’

FAC T F I L E : M I L I TA RY FR EEMASONS

Sergeant Johnson Beharry Born: 26 July 1979 Queensman Lodge, No. 2694. Awarded the Victoria Cross for saving members of his unit, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, in Iraq in 2004. Pictured here at the unveiling of the Victoria Cross Remembrance Stone at UGLE in June 2019.

Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome 24 Jun 1850–5 Jun 1916. Secretary of State for War in 1914. He served as District Grand Master of Egypt and the Sudan, and of the Punjab in India.

John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe 5 Dec 1859–20 Nov 1935 Admiral of the Fleet, he commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. He later served as First Sea Lord and as Governor-General of New Zealand, where he also served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge. FMT Spring 2021

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Stories 60 seconds with...

Fa m i l y va l u es

Meet Steven Varley, retired solicitor, rugby devotee, Provincial Grand Master for Derbyshire and committed lifelong Freemason With a long family history of Freemasonry, it was inevitable that Arthur Steven Varley – always known as Steven – would become a Freemason himself. ‘My grandfather was the fourth initiate into St Werburga Lodge, No. 4147, in Derby when it was consecrated in 1920,’ says Steven. ‘He initiated my father, who in turn initiated me in 1983. I am third generation, and it was a fair cert I was going to become a Freemason. I became Worshipful Master in 1994 and had my first Provincial acting rank in 2001. I was then Provincial Junior Warden in 2006, Past Assistant Grand Registrar in 2011, APGM in 2012, Acting Senior Grand Deacon in 2013 and Provincial Grand Master in 2015. I am the fourth PGM to come out of the St Werburga Lodge in its 100 years.’

Steven retired as senior partner of his firm of solicitors VHS Fletchers (known as the VHS ‘video’ boys) in 2016, but the quiet life is not for him. ‘I have been Provincial Grand Master for Derbyshire since 1 April 2015, I’m Chair of the Pathway Working Party, Member of the Board of General Purposes, and Member of the Membership Working Party and the GMCCC MCF Advisory Group.’ Married for 33 years and with two children, he’s also been a governor of Denstone College Preparatory School and was chairman for eight years. 24

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What inspires you about Freemasonry? The way in which Freemasons always rise to the occasion to provide support and assistance, not only to Freemasons but to the wider community, no matter what the circumstance. Also, the camaraderie and friendships forged. Has Freemasonry improved your life? It grounds you and creates a moral framework with which to live your life by. Most memorable part of your initiation? Hearing my father’s voice and then, when I was able to look around, realising just how many members of Derby and Nottingham RFC, my old school – Denstone College – and Derby Rowing Club were present. Is there a hero in life you aspire to? Hero is overused these days. I have several people who I admire or who have influenced my life. Lord Denning, the former Master of the Rolls, was never worried that his judgements might not be universally liked, and was his own man. John Dawes and Willie John McBride, former captains of the British Lions, for their quiet, calm but firm leadership qualities. Sir Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads was definitely his own man. My late father, W Bro Arthur Varley, influenced me greatly in both my home life and career as well as being my guide in Freemasonry. I wish I had listened more closely to him. Then there is RW Bro Martin Jones, a past Derbyshire PGM, who was tremendously supportive to me after my father’s death.

at university and then spent the rest of my senior career playing for Nottingham and the county championship side of Notts, Lincs and Derby (The Three Counties). Injury ended my career in 1984 but I continued to be involved in a small coaching capacity at Nottingham and Derby and as a spectator. I have been a vice president of Derby for many years. I enjoy watching my son play for Derby Bucks, which is a Mixed Ability side and which the Derbyshire Freemasons are proud to sponsor. Which book would you recommend? The Lord of the Rings. I used to read it on long coach trips to away games. I’d also recommend the Bernie Gunther detective novels by Philip Kerr and the Inspector Montalbano novels by Andrea Camilleri. Where would you most like to visit? Cuba, before it gets too modernised. Also New Zealand (for rugby and The Lord of the Rings), Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Sicily, and to travel on the Ghan (the passenger train from Adelaide to Darwin). Who is your favourite band? I have an eclectic taste in music ranging from the Beach Boys and Fleetwood Mac through to Tina Turner and Iron Maiden. My favourite band has to be The Beach Boys, but Albatross by Fleetwood Mac is my all-time favourite number. Steven’s favourite band, The Beach Boys

Is there advice that you live your life by? Be your own man. What is your favourite hobby? Rugby. I played as hooker for New Brighton, Derby and Derbyshire while FMT Spring 2021

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Stories Provincial fact file

Spotlight on Bedfordshire

Right, clockwise: Go Dharmic, Martin Foss Award, Magpas Air Ambulance, Sister Nicola Lane with a TLC bear

In the first of our series of Provincial guides, we reveal the causes, clubs and characters of Bedfordshire Freemasonry C O M P I L E D BY P R OV I N C I A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S O F F I C E R D E A N O ’ C O N N E L L

W H O ’ S W H O I N T H E P R OV I N C E Provincial Grand Master Anthony Henderson Deputy Provincial Grand Master Nicholas Edwards Assistant Provincial Grand Master Hugh Love Provincial Grand Secretary Clive Walsh

Famous brothers past

Arthur Oliver Villiers Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill (19 Feb 1869-7 Jul 1935) served as Governor of Madras from October 1900 to February 1906, and as acting Viceroy of India from April to December 1904. He was appointed Provincial Grand Master of Bedfordshire in 1900 and as District Grand Master of Madras from 1901 to 1906. He served as Pro Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1908 until his death in 1935.

Clubs and societies

The Bedfordshire Light Blues Club was established in 2016 as a forum for new 26

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Clockwise from top left: Arthur Oliver Villiers Russell, Bedfordshire Light Blues Club, The Beda Chapter Widows Sons, Bedfordshire Masonic Sports Association, Bedfordshire Scouts facility, gavels from Roger De Somery Lodge, Bedfordshire Centenary Fishing Lodge, Bailey Boulding

and younger members to meet and socialise. There are no membership or subscription fees as the club wants no barriers to participation. The Beda Chapter Widows Sons has a membership of 43, of which 25 are Freemasons and the remainder are associate members. Despite the lack of opportunity to meet this year, they have raised more than £5,000 for charity. The Bedfordshire Masonic Sports Association has sections for shooting, fishing, golf, bowls and walking football. Everyone is welcome, of all abilities, Freemasons and non-Freemasons alike.

Above and beyond award

Despite being officially retired, Tony Green, Provincial Grand Almoner, has been at the forefront of COVID-19 planning for Bedfordshire. ‘In March 2020 I was asked if I would assist in the combined emergency response for the

COVID-19 crisis,’ says Tony. ‘I was asked to set up and manage a temporary mortuary facility for the county. Between the end of March and the beginning of July 2020, we looked after 257 deceased on behalf of their families. Among that number were Freemasons and family members of Freemasons from the Province. In November 2020, I also set up three rapid testing centres for COVID-19.’

A warm welcome to…

Bailey Boulding was initiated into Sir William Harpur Lodge on 12 March 2020. He had always been curious about Freemasonry, its symbolism and the idea of being a better version of yourself. Due to COVID-19 he had only attended one meeting but it made quite an impact. ‘My initiation was fuelled by nerves and the fear of the unknown. What followed was an experience unmatched by anything I had encountered before.’

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Provincial fact file Stories

Specialist lodges in the Province

Luton Town FC Community Trust An initial grant of £5,000 was made following the success of the walking football scheme, and Bedfordshire agreed to make an annual donation of £500 to the Community Trust.

Cumberland Lodge applied to join the university scheme and became a university lodge in 2018 – the same year that it celebrated its centenary. Since joining the scheme, membership has increased by 20 and many members are under 30 years of age.

The Bedfordshire Centenary Fishing Lodge

The Masonic Fishing Charity (MTSFC) was formed in 1998, and now has more than 37 Provinces operating branches throughout the UK. The Bedfordshire Branch was formed in late 2015 and caters for organisations and schools in Bedfordshire that are working with children and young adults with special needs. Children are taken for a day’s fishing and countryside experience. The charity required a themed masonic lodge dedicated to fishing and the work it does. Bedfordshire Centenary Lodge, No. 9151, was actively considering handing in its warrant, but members agreed to change the name to The Bedfordshire Centenary Fishing Lodge, No. 9151, serving both needs.

Roger De Somery – Rugby

Roger De Somery Lodge, No. 6488, was consecrated in 1947, but numbers declined to the point where the lodge was struggling to survive. Luckily, four rugby-mad Bedfordshire Freemasons hatched a plan to form a themed lodge, and gathered support from around 30 prospective members. They voted to save the lodge and adopt both the rugby union theme and the new members. The plan was for them to join at the next meeting in 2020, but the pandemic put a halt to that. When the meeting eventually happens, they intend to apply to UGLE to become the Roger de Somery Rugby Union Lodge, No. 6488 (or similar).

Caring for the community

The Scouts Activity Centre, used by the Bedfordshire Scouts in Bromham, had accommodation facilities that were no longer fit for purpose, but they didn’t have the funds to replace them. Bedfordshire Freemasons raised £500,000 to design, construct and pay for a 48-bed state-ofthe-art lodge. This new building will ensure that the facility can be used and enjoyed by young people for many years to come.

Following a grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF, the Freemasons’ charity), 10 organisations have been supported in Bedfordshire: Leighton Linslade Homeless Shelter £1,000 SERV Herts & Beds Blood Bikes £1,000 Dine With Us on the Streets £1,500 Go Dharmic £1,500 Music 24 £500 Preen Biggleswade £1,000 Luton Foodbank £1,000 Leighton Linslade Helpers £1,000 Hospice at Home Volunteers £500 Signposts – Luton £1,000 Food banks that have benefitted from the MCF grant: Leighton Linslade Food bank £500 Dunstable Food bank £1,000 Bedford Food bank £1,000 Need Food bank £1,000 Lodges donated £1,250 to the Need Project. Women’s Refuges In addition to the £5,000 they donated FMT Spring 2021

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to Bedfordshire Women’s Refuges in May 2020, a grant of £5,000 from the MCF in September was used to purchase 25 ‘love2shop’ gift cards for each of the five women’s refuges, together with a supply of TLC bears for the children. Martin Foss Award The annual award named after the late Martin Foss, Past Provincial Grand Master for Bedfordshire and a former surgeon, was made to a final-year student in nursing and midwifery who has made the greatest contribution to the Faculty of Health and Social Science. Community Wanderbus Bedfordshire Freemasons donated £5,000 to help purchase a community bus to serve residents of 12 villages situated in central Bedfordshire. Hospitals Hospitals at Luton and Bedford have long been the focus of fundraising efforts by Bedfordshire lodges. TLC bears are delivered regularly (more than 29,000 so far) along with special deliveries at Christmas and Easter.

PSA testing In 2019, two days were organised where blood tests were carried out to find indications of prostate cancer. From 139 tests, 10 people were identified as needing further investigation and, of those, two have had operations while two others have undergone alternative treatments. Schools Balliol Primary School needed more space, so Bedfordshire Mark Master Masons funded an outdoor classroom and play area. Round Green Pre-School in Luton required a new fence and the Bedfordshire team was pleased to help. Air Ambulance Bedfordshire is covered by East Anglian Air Ambulance and Magpas. In March 2020, the Trustees of the Provincial Charity Fund awarded £3,935 to provide a oneyear supply of ventilator hoses and filters for cardiac arrest patients. A further £2,500 was presented to both EAAA and Magpas. This is being matched by the MCF for a total of £10,000. Fundraising Freemasons With a target of £1 million, 2021 marks the launch of Bedfordshire’s 2026 Festival in support of the MCF. 27

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Michelle Worvell The interview

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS Director of Communications and Marketing Michelle Worvell has an ‘outsider looking in’ approach, which means she’s not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to opening up Freemasonry to the wider public

W O R D S P E T E R WAT T S P O R T R A I T S A L U N C A L L E N D E R

hen Michelle Worvell was overseeing an expanded Open House event at Freemasons’ Hall in September 2019, she found it completely natural to take a more hands-on approach. Michelle had arrived in March 2019 as the UGLE’s bustling new Director of Communications and Marketing and one of her first initiatives was to get the organisation more heavily involved in Open House than previous years. She particularly wanted to make the event more family friendly, recognising this would be an important way to attract visitors while cementing positive perceptions of Freemasonry at an early age. So, when Michelle saw a small boy outside, accompanied by a more enthusiastic parent but reluctant to visit the building himself, she made it her business to keep him happy. Michelle escorted the boy around the building with his mother, introduced them to the children’s trail, helped locate hidden features in the stained glass windows and showed them where to get plastic bricks to make a model of a dragon. ‘He’d been dragging his heels about coming in but was one of the last people out of the building,’

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says Michelle, still thrilled at the reaction. ‘I’ve got a six-year-old and I know what they expect. So when I organised Open House, I created things for children to do. We made it fun and that attracted families through the door. We went from 3,000 visitors the previous year to 9,000 over the weekend and were the second most popular attraction in London.’ The incident illustrates the enthusiasm and enterprise that Michelle has brought to the role since she joined UGLE, as she strives to change negative perceptions of Freemasonry, spread positive stories and improve communication among members. Michelle’s background had been in the insurance and financial industries, but when she saw an advertisement for the job at UGLE, she was intrigued, knowing little about Freemasonry. After doing some research, she realised that UGLE Chief Executive Dr David Staples was starting to fight back against Freemasonry’s negative image but she felt it should go further still. ‘I could see an opportunity to move into positive proactive messaging,’ she says. ‘I noticed there was FMT Spring 2021

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The interview Michelle Worvell

Michelle has been opening up Freemasonry to families, children and a new audience

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Michelle Worvell The interview

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‘I have become extremely passionate about Freemasonry. And I am a strong advocate of the Craft’

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The interview Michelle Worvell

little coverage in the press. Lots of people were talking about Freemasonry but not about what Freemasons were saying themselves. There was no move to change perceptions and build relationships with journalists. ‘The scale of the problem was scary. It would be like turning an oil tanker. But I have passion and I wasn’t going to take the job unless I could make a difference. I recognised there was massive potential, and that David really wanted to change things but needed a communications team that could work closely with him.’ To turn that tanker around, Michelle rebuilt her team, promoting from within and recruiting externally to broaden the department’s skillset. Responsibilities are broad, covering corporate communications, marketing, events, PR, internal and membership communications and website and social media. Michelle realised she had several assets she could utilise, including the work of the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF, the Freemasons’ charity), FMT, the Museum of Freemasonry and the relationships some of the Provinces had established with local newspapers. Working directly with the Provinces to leverage those connections proved to be a successful approach. ‘In January 2020, we had a forum for Provincial Communication Officers, getting them together so they could network and share best practice,’ she says. ‘We created a brochure and allowed the Provinces to adapt it locally. They can use local photos, local quotes and their own crest and contact details so there will be 48 Provincial versions that give the same message to the public. We are doing the same with press releases. We can also take ideas from the Provinces such as #TimeToToast, which got us trending on Twitter for the fi rst time.’ Michelle’s plans for 2020 were disrupted by the pandemic, which made communication more important than ever. Contacting members doubled, and the First Rising email newsletter was created to correspond directly with them. This was sent every three weeks to 157,000 members and had an excellent rate of readership. The charitable work carried out by MCF and Provincial charities during the pandemic provided a valuable source of positive news. The team got hundreds of stories about how Freemasonry was supporting those affected by COVID-19 published in local and national press. These articles were seen by more than 53 million people. As the situation improved over the summer, Freemasons’ Hall was able to take part in

Open House 2020 and was again the second most popular attraction in London, with a further 5,000 people watching virtual tours. An organ recital at Freemasons’ Hall received almost 40,000 views on YouTube, while a projection of poppies that lit up Freemasons’ Hall to mark Remembrance Day became yet another viral hit. The team also maintained strong internal communications so UGLE staff could stay connected as they worked remotely. ‘We have had the largest number of enquiries ever of people interested in becoming Freemasons, as a result of the press we are getting about COVID-19,’ says Michelle. ‘We have achieved a lot in two years, especially given the pandemic and the fact we didn’t even have a basic structure when we started.’ There will be no slowing down in 2021, with a new external website being created. The PR blitz will continue, with UGLE following up on the positive stories created during the pandemic as Michelle builds on new relationships in the national press – ‘even The Guardian’, grins Michelle. She is particularly pleased that a website revamp has already seen the UGLE page become the fi rst Google result when people search for ‘female Freemasons’. As a woman and non-Freemason, Michelle is sometimes asked how she is able to represent Freemasonry. ‘My answer is that it is sometimes better to be outside looking in,’ she says. ‘I have become extremely passionate about Freemasonry. And I am a strong advocate of the Craft. I have access to expertise as I have Freemasons in my team but sometimes it takes a person from outside to push the boundaries. I hope people can see that my enthusiasm is infectious.’ Top to bottom: Time to Toast, The Guardian website covers the opening of the shop, Open House London at Freemasons’ Hall, UGLE’s new-look website

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A daily advancement Extending knowledge of Freemasonry 34 Piecing it all together

36 Faith and Freemasonry

38 A call to alms

Researching masonic history is akin to a curious jigsaw puzzle

Dr Ric Berman on Georgian architect Nicholas Hawksmoor

An insight into historical summons to attend meetings

St Alfege Church in Greenwich was rebuilt in 1712-1714 to a design by Nicholas Hawksmoor

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A daily advancement Rich history

STREATE’S AHEAD

Dr Ric Berman on the interesting characters he comes across while researching and writing about Freemasonry. None more so than Leonard Streate

One of the joys of researching any subject is putting together disparate pieces of information and, rather like completing a jigsaw puzzle, creating a coherent picture. Masonic history is no different, except that the pieces come in multiple shapes and sizes and involve individuals across a wide range of different contexts: social, political, geographic, and even philosophical. Understanding and explaining that texture or context is essential if one is to bring historical research to life, as is an appreciation of the people involved. For someone like me who has specialised in 18th century history for more than a decade, this can translate into an almost granular awareness of how people interact within their social and business circles, and the probable outcome of those connections, even when private. A good example of this is a figure I first came across 12 years ago: Leonard Streate. Like many men in the 18th century, Streate’s name was written phonetically, and the different spellings include ‘Streat’ and ‘Streete’, which can make identification problematic. It took me more than two days before I could pin down this chap, and I only succeeded by cross-checking his relationships with other figures within the same circles. Streate was a member of the Horn Tavern Lodge in Westminster, No. 4, and a lawyer and barrister, a member of the Middle Temple. He was also a senior magistrate, first appointed to the bench in 1719. He was elected to chair the Westminster bench in 1722 and was re-elected in 1725 and 1727, on the last occasion ‘unanimously chose’ 34

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Martin Folkes, drawn and engraved by William Hogarth

(The London Evening Post, 16 December 1727). Anecdotally, a masonic colleague from the Horn Tavern, William Cowper, the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England, chaired the bench in 1723-4, and 1726-7. Both were appointed to the Commission of Bankrupts, an enviable position that could be quite lucrative; it was used as a sinecure by the government to reward political loyalty. Streate was well connected within London, including masonically. His wife, Gratiana, was the daughter of Sir Charles Cox, a wealthy brewer and investor, and MP for Southwark, where Streate was Steward of the Borough Court. Cox was a leading member of the lodge at the Bedford Head

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Rich history A daily advancement

Map of London’s streets in the late 18th century, when Leonard Streate was a member of the Horn Tavern Lodge

the first man to be made a Provincial Grand Master in America, I was delighted to find a previously unknown and unexplored link to Streate, who was employed by Coxe and his father, Dr Daniel Coxe, as their London attorney and agent. The Coxe family were among the largest landowners in America, owning hundreds of thousands of acres in New Jersey, on Long Island, and in New York and Connecticut. Coxe Sr also held the title to ‘Carolana’, which comprised North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, albeit ownership of most of that territory was contested by the French and Spanish. Colonel Coxe was a member of the lodge at the Devil Tavern within Temple Bar, No. 8, in the 1729 Grand Register. But his appointment as PGM of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania in June 1729 was probably a function of Streate’s influence on his behalf. The power within Grand Lodge lay less with the figurehead of the Grand Master and more with the Deputy Grand Master who, in 1728 and 1729 was Nathaniel Blackerby. Streate and Blackerby were members of the Horn Tavern Lodge and of the Westminster magistrates’ bench. Following Cowper’s resignation as chair in 1727 and with Blackerby nominated as his successor, Streate agreed to stand in for Blackerby when he chose to defer his appointment. Streate also acted as Blackerby’s financial guarantor in connection with his position as Treasurer of the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches (Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers: 29 June 1731). Streate suffered ill health towards the end of 1728 and died shortly thereafter. His obituary was published in the Daily Post on 27 January 1729 and referred to him as ‘an excellent magistrate, using no mean artifices to draw business, never making Justice a Trade’, meaning that he had not used the position for financial gain, something common among many magistrates who shared in the fines levied from the bench.

in Covent Garden, where Martin Folkes presided. Folkes, a Vice President of The Royal Society under Sir Isaac Newton and then Sir Hans Sloane, was appointed Deputy Grand Master by the Duke of Richmond in 1724. He was elected President of The Royal Society on Sloane’s retirement. Streate had very little bearing on my historical research until a few months ago when I was working on my most recent book The Grand Lodge of England & Colonial America: America’s Grand Masters, the first analysis of those endorsed by the Grand Lodge of England to act as Provincial Grand Masters in Britain’s American colonies. When looking into the history of Colonel Daniel Coxe Jr,

‘Streate was well-connected within London, including masonically. His wife, Gratiana, was the daughter of Sir Charles Cox, a wealthy brewer, investor and MP’ FMT Spring 2021

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11/02/2021 15:16

A daily advancement Brothers past

Hawksmoor was responsible for some of London’s most outstanding architecture

Images: National Portrait Gallery, London, Getty, Alamy, Shutterstock

n 1711 Parliament passed an act for ‘the Building of Fifty New Churches in the Cities of London and Westminster’ and commissioned the great and good to manage the works. The Commission appointed a small staff, including two supervising architects, known as surveyors – Nicholas Hawksmoor and William Dickinson. Dickinson left in 1713 and was succeeded by James Gibbs, who was himself replaced in 1716 by John James. Hawksmoor, however, remained in post throughout the life of the Commission, which concluded in 1733. The buildings were more expensive than originally predicted and only 12 churches were completed before funding ran out. Six of these were designed by Hawksmoor alone, while two others were by Hawksmoor and John James jointly. Another senior figure at the Commission was its treasurer. From 1722 this was Nathaniel Blackerby (d.1742), who worked closely with Hawksmoor. They had shared responsibility for signing completion certificates for the works undertaken, with Blackerby disbursing funds. These were so large that they made the news, not least in January 1729, when The Country Journal reported that Blackerby had paid £1,000 to the workers then employed, a sum equivalent to £2 million today. Blackerby and Hawksmoor were fellow Freemasons, as was John James. Hawksmoor had joined the lodge at the Oxford Arms in Ludgate Street, where the antiquarian Richard Rawlinson was a member. John James joined the lodge at the Swan in East Street, Greenwich, where court painter and MP, Sir James Thornhill was Master. The Swan was close to Greenwich Hospital where James had been the assistant clerk of works and Hawksmoor his superior. 36

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BUILDING THE BA R O Q U E

Once clerk to Sir Christopher Wren, Freemason and English architect Nicholas Hawksmoor was responsible for the design of some of London’s most notable churches and buildings. Dr Ric Berman details his legacy FMT Spring 2021

11/02/2021 15:22

Brothers past A daily advancement

Blackerby was the most senior Freemason of the three. A member of the Horn Tavern lodge in Westminster, he was appointed a Grand Warden in 1727 and sat as Deputy Grand Master in each of the following two years. He was subsequently Grand Treasurer from 1729 until 1738. Hawksmoor and Blackerby were friends and toured England together in the early 1730s, visiting Blenheim (on which Hawksmoor had worked with Edward Strong Jr and Sir John Vanbrugh), and Castle Howard, where Hawksmoor had worked again with Vanbrugh. The circle of leading architects in Britain was small and it was not a coincidence that both Vanbrugh and Sir Christopher Wren, with whom Hawksmoor had also worked, had been responsible for Hawksmoor’s appointment at the Commission for Building Fifty Churches. In 1735, Blackerby married Elizabeth, Hawksmoor’s daughter, and when Hawksmoor died in March the following year, Blackerby wrote this obituary. Thursday morning died, at this house on Mill-Bank, Westminster, in a very advanced age, the learned and ingenious Nicholas Hawksmoor, Esq, one of the greatest Architects this or the preceding Century has produc’d. His early skill in, and Genius for this noble science recommended him, when about 18 years of age, to the favour and esteem of his great master and predecessor, Sir Christopher Wren, under whom, during his life, and for himself since his death, he was concerned in the erecting more Publick Edifices, than any one life, among the moderns at least, can boast of. In King Charles II’s reign, he was employ’d under Sir Christopher Wren, in the stately buildings at Winchester; as he was likewise in all the other publick structures, Palaces &c, erected by that great Man, under whom he was assisting, from the Beginning to the Finishing of that grand and noble Edifice the cathedral of St. Paul’s, and of all the

DIVINITY & DESIGN: H AW KS M O O R ’ S C H U R C H E S St Alfege Church, Greenwich Hawksmoor was inspired by engravings of monuments of ancient Rome. St George’s, Bloomsbury The typically grand portico is based on the Temple of Bacchus in Lebanon. Christ Church, Spitalfields Hawksmoor incorporated tall spires to tower above non-conformist chapels. St Georgein-the-East, Wapping Built from Portland stone and one of the few completely new churches. St Mary Woolnoth, City of London Damaged by the Great Fire of 1666. Rebuilt by Hawksmoor to a compact design. St Anne’s Limehouse The height of its Gothic tower is second only to the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament. FMT Spring 2021

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churches rebuilt after the Fire of London. At the building of Chelsea-College he was Deputy-Surveyor, and Clerk of Works, under Sir Christopher Wren. At GreenwichHospital he was, from the Beginning ‘till a short time before his death, Clerk of Works. In the Reigns of King William and Queen Anne, he was Clerk of their Majesties Works at Kensington, and at Whitehall, St. James’s and Westminster. In the reign of King George I, he was first Surveyor of all the new Churches, and Surveyor of WestminsterAbbey, from the death of Sir Christopher Wren. He was chiefly concern’d in designing and building a great number of magnificent Nobleman’s Houses, and particularly (with Sir John Vanbrugh) those of Blenheim and Castle-Howard, at the latter of which he was at his Death, carrying on a Mausoleum in the most elegant and grand Style, not to mention many others… His numerous Publick Works at Oxford, perfected in his lifetime, and the design and model of Dr Ratcliff’s Library there, his design of a new Parliament-House, after the thought of Sir Christopher Wren; and, to mention no more, his noble Design for repairing the West-End of Westminster-Abbey, will all stand monuments to his great capacity, inexhaustible fancy, and solid judgement … He was bred a scholar and knew as well the learned as the modern tongues. He was a very skilful mathematician, geographer, and geometrician; and in drawing, which he practised to the last, though greatly afflicted with Chiragra, few excelled him. In his private life he was a tender husband, a loving father, a sincere friend, and a most agreeable companion; nor could the most poignant pains of Gout, which he for many years laboured under, ever ruffle or discompose his evenness of temper. And as his memory must always be dear to his Country, so the loss of so great and valuable man in sensibly, and in a more particular manner felt by those who had the pleasure of his personal acquaintance, and enjoy’d the happiness of his conversation.

‘Both Vanbrugh and Wren had been responsible for Hawksmoor’s appointment’ 37

15/02/2021 14:20

A daily advancement Places

Call to alms

Assistant Archivist Louise Pichel turns detective to throw some light on the Museum of Freemasonry’s summons to attend meetings. The results give a fascinating insight into the history of these masonic lodge events

t the end of the Museum of Freemasonry’s North Gallery, where we attempt to fit the 300-year history of Freemasonry into one room, sits a display case we call ‘suitcase stories’. Stacked at the bottom of it are 18 cases, and among the usual regalia are a number of items of ephemera. The most recognisable of these is the summons to attend meetings. They may not look like much, but as these examples from our collections show, you’d be surprised what they can reveal if you’re willing to do a bit of detective work.

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My first summons (above) presented a bit of a puzzle. Instead of the name and number of the lodge, as you would expect to see today, there was only the request to attend a lodge night at ‘Mr Forrester’s at the One Tunn in the Strand’. This was common in the early years of Freemasonry as before lodge names were formalised they were referred to by the tavern they happened to be meeting in at the time. Interestingly, it’s obvious that ‘the One Tunn in the Strand’ was not the regular meeting place of the lodge which produced this summons. Reading through the correction, it looks like this particular

lodge usually met at ‘the Bunch of Grapes in St Martins Lane’. It is possible to find details of lodge meeting places by using Lane’s Masonic Records (www.dhi.ac.uk/lane). This helpful online resource allows users to search for particular lodges by name, number, where they met and general location. However, the Georgian tendency for vague address locations often makes things a bit tricky. More on that shortly. The crossing out suggests these summonses were being printed in large quantities and used over an extended period of time, possibly years, given that

FMT Spring 2021

11/02/2021 15:24

Places A daily advancement

Far left: Summons for the lodge at the One Tunn in the Strand, c1734 Left: Summons for Gastvrijheid Lodge, 1915

My second example (above), while not as visually appealing, certainly has something to say about the tenacity of Freemasons and their desire to meet, whatever the situation. It’s a summons for Gastvrijheid Lodge, formed in an internment camp in the Netherlands during World War I. Internee Commodore Wilfred Henderson, a member of Royal Naval Lodge in England, took advantage of the relaxed conditions and asked the local Dutch lodge for permission to meet in their temple. They met for the first time in May 1915. The real story of this summons is that it represents how important Freemasonry was to these interned members.

‘They provide a tantalising glimpse back in time, through the lens of the masonic lodge and its members’ FMT Spring 2021

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This particular example was sent to Edward Stanley Harding, summoning him to attend a meeting to initiate him as a member of the lodge. In a rather charming nod to attention to detail, Edward’s standing as an initiate is recognised in the alternation of the printed greeting from ‘Bro’ to ‘Mr’. To me, its survival is testament to how much his Freemasonry meant to him. There are hundreds, if not thousands of different examples of summonses, each with its own story. What I hope I’ve managed to illustrate, is just how much information you can glean from these small, often discarded fragments of a lodge’s history. Where they have been retained, they provide a tantalising glimpse back in time, through the lens of the masonic lodge and its members. Visit www.museumfreemasonry.org.uk. You can search our online catalogue, register as a reader to view the collections and sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with what we’re working on.

Images: Museum of Freemasonry

the summons itself doesn’t specify a date. In an effort to pin one down, I searched a website of historical calendars to narrow the field to years where 9 September fell on a Monday. I knew the date had to fall within the lifetime of the printer, Benjamin Cole (whose name appears at the bottom of the summons), and the website identified several possible years, including 1734, 1745, 1751, 1754 and 1765. Based on what the gentlemen on the summons are wearing, and after consulting colleagues, I concluded that 1734 was the most likely choice. With that in mind, I was able to go back to Lane’s to investigate whether any lodges were meeting in the One Tunn in the Strand or the Bunch of Grapes in St Martins Lane in the 1730s. Results were mixed. I couldn’t find any lodges recorded as meeting regularly at the One Tunn in the Strand at that time, but I did find a record of St Alban’s Lodge meeting at the Bunch of Grapes, Drury Lane, in 1736 which, given the proximity to St Martin’s Lane, made it a likely candidate.

15/02/2021 14:25

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27/01/2021 16:22 16/02/2021 09:55

Grand Lodge News from Great Queen Street

Ch’ien Lung punch bowl, c.1780, presented to Royal Jubilee Lodge, No. 72, in 1843

48 The future of Solomon Taking Learning & Development to the next level

42 In Quarterly Communication

50 Museum of Freemasonry

Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes on coming together in a crisis

The quest to return loaned items to lodges and chapters

44 Project Hermes The Transition and Rollout Working Party provides an update

FMT Spring 2021

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16/02/2021 09:56

Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication

Come together

In his January address, Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes lauds the Freemasonry fraternity for its fortitude in the face of the pandemic

feel it is inevitable at this time of year that our families are at the forefront of our minds and all the uncertainty that surrounded our Christmas arrangements made life very difficult for the majority of families in the country, Freemasons most certainly included. I and my family were incredibly fortunate in being able to continue as planned within the rules laid down, but so many were not so lucky which, almost, makes us feel guilty. Whatever your circumstances, I just hope you managed to derive some family enjoyment from the holiday period. I feel lucky in another sense as well, being part of the masonic family that has demonstrated since the first lockdown started last March what an amazingly robust unit it is. I am delighted to say that much of the excellent work carried out across all Provinces and Districts has been well documented, not only in our internal communications, but also in the national and local press. How pleasing and unusual it is to be able to report that. Great credit is due to the highly professional way this was all highlighted by our communications teams, both in Freemasons’ Hall and around the Provinces and Districts. However, it is not just the high profile public action that should receive our praise and gratitude, and none of the fantastic work done at local and lodge level should go unnoticed. When I joined Freemasonry, the office of Lodge Almoner was often taken by a senior brother who wanted to wear a lodge collar. Not now. So much work has been put into the training for Provincial and Lodge Almoners. This training has been put to good use and there are some wonderful stories being reported. Of course, it is not just the Almoner who should take on responsibilities with respect to their lodges and chapters. The Master, Secretary, Charity Steward, indeed, every member of every lodge and chapter should consider themselves, and be considered, an important member of the family.

‘I think it bears repeating that we are all so lucky to have been members of such a united fraternity’ 42

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Continuing the family analogy, I am quite sure that many, many families around the world have kept in regular touch through Zoom or its equivalent. I don’t pretend to be an expert in technology – far from it – but we, as a family, have found this a wonderful tool and simple to use once someone else has set it up. Similarly, I know that by the same method our Brethren have been very regular users both for personal and lodge/chapter social meetings. I have been able to attend – virtually, of course – Provincial and District Grand Lodge Meetings as have the other Rulers in both the Craft and Royal Arch. We have all been impressed by the ingenuity of those concerned in setting things up in a useful and entertaining way. It is so important that we keep in contact with each other and I know that many lodges held actual meetings when allowed during the autumn, and managed to conduct some ritual ceremonies with the numbers permitted and using the recommended ritual changes. To have been able to initiate new members has been a great bonus and, although there are hundreds of candidates still waiting in the wings, it was a start and an indication of how determined we all are to get back to normal as soon as conditions allow. The last few months have been a rollercoaster ride and we must all hope that the vaccination programme will enable us all to meet up as we would like. It will be wonderful when we can again join together to welcome new candidates, progress others through their degrees and enjoy dining together, even toasting a new Master. I think it bears repeating that we are all so lucky to have been members of such a united fraternity during the last year and we should not forget what a magnificent job the RMBI homes have done through all the trials and tribulations. They are very much part of our family and we should be proud of all who work in them, just as I am sure we are of all our charitable workers through all our charities and the ones that we have supported. Changing the subject, in 2015 we launched a five-year strategy for the Craft and that, in normal circumstances, has now run its course. The Deputy Grand Master, at my request, has been chairing a committee to draw up and develop a new strategy for the next five to seven years. Inevitably, the last year has slowed this process and there seems little point in launching the new strategy until we know that it is both plausible and attainable under the prevailing circumstances. I think it therefore appropriate to extend the current 2015 strategy until the end of 2021. This is in the hope and expectation that we can roll out the new strategy during 2022. In the meantime, let’s continue the excellent teamwork developed, particularly in recent years, with us all working as one organisation and demonstrating all that is good about Freemasonry.

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27/01/2021 16:26

Grand Lodge Project Hermes

Data & digitisation Richard Gutteridge, Grand Superintendent for Nottinghamshire and the Chairman of the Hermes Transition and Rollout Working Party, provides an update on Hermes

s well as my role as Grand Superintendent in and over the Royal Arch Province of Nottinghamshire, I am also the Chair of the UGLE Working Party tasked to plan for the transition and rollout of Hermes. My entire working career was spent developing computer software and for 30 years I ran my own software development company. I am also a Fellow of the British Computer Society. When I retired, my objective was to decrease my golf handicap and increase my ability to sing and play the guitar. To date, I have fallen short on both these targets. I must state that my role on the Hermes project is not the only reason I haven’t met these goals; talent is also a factor.

Hermes: a summary

The membership computer database used by UGLE is called Adelphi and has been developed internally 44

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over a number of years. As well as being used by the administration teams at Freemasons’ Hall in London, Adelphi allows remote access from regional centres around the country and District centres around the world. However, individual lodges and chapters do not have access to Adelphi and have to manage their units by submitting paper forms to their regional centres. This risks delays and inaccuracies. So, while Adelphi will remain at the heart of our membership system, the new Hermes approach will provide a ‘front end’ to connect lodges and chapters to the data held in Adelphi. Of course, this will mean that lodge Secretaries and chapter Scribes Ezra must have a reasonably modern computer or smart device, and access to the internet. Where this is not possible, it will be perfectly acceptable for another member of the masonic unit (e.g. Assistant Secretary) to take on the Hermes role.

Chairman of the Hermes Transition and Rollout Working Party Richard Gutteridge

FMT Spring 2021

11/02/2021 15:59

Project Hermes Grand Lodge

WHO ELSE SERVES ON TH E TR ANSITION A N D R O L LO U T W O R K I N G PA R T Y? David Swain is the Grand Secretary and Scribe Ezra of Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Chapter and with almost 1,800 lodges and chapters, clearly has a keen interest in ensuring the project is a success. Michael Dyson was, until recently, the Provincial Grand Secretary and Scribe Ezra of Yorkshire West Riding but has been promoted to Assistant Provincial Grand Master. He is someone at the Provincial ‘sharp end’. Tom Gittins is the Provincial Grand Secretary and Scribe Ezra of Durham. Someone else at the Provincial ‘sharp end’. Carlos Cruz is the Chief Information Officer at UGLE. The Chief Architect. Our lodge Secretaries and chapter Scribes are the beating heart of our masonic units and while Hermes will present them with a new challenge, the benefits are huge – streamlined processes, elimination of duplication and removing the drudgery from their role.

Prity Lad is the Director of Member Services at UGLE. Reminds us that our members are the primary customer.

Tony Keating is the Hermes Project Manager and an external consultant. He keeps us on track. Neil Tomkinson is the Adelphi Development Team Leader at UGLE. He is the head honcho of those glamorous designers. Nigel Codron is the Secretary of the group, a past Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Middlesex and Assistant Training & Support Officer at UGLE. He is someone who can see both sides of the table. So, that is the team. Of course, the pandemic has meant that our only way of meeting is by video conferencing, which we do regularly.

Andy Croci manages the Member Services Registrations team at UGLE. A key player particularly during the transition.

Where we are with Hermes

At present, we are in the middle of the build phase. The Great Software Architect’s detailed plans have been circulated and approved with a broad consensus that the result will be a truly splendid edifice fit for the 21st century. However, now it is a job for the craftsmen (designers, programmers and testers) to deliver the intended structure and that is happening now. We are starting to see the first working screens emerge from the development team and they look really exciting.

Lister Park heads up the Member Services District Support team at UGLE. He represents our lodges and chapters overseas. FMT Spring 2021

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Ed Feist is the Training Officer at UGLE. A key player in ensuring our 10,100 Hermes users know what to do when they get access to the system.

11/02/2021 15:59

Grand Lodge Project Hermes

The task for my working party is nowhere near as glamorous as that of the design team. Ours is to use the time while the build phase proceeds to plan how we can make the transition to the new system as smooth as possible, and to consider the order and the rate at which the total UGLE and Supreme Grand Chapter community can be rolled out to the new system. Within the constitution, there are around 10,100 lodges and chapters. That is the size of the challenge.

RICHARD GUTTERIDGE

D AV I D S WA I N

M I C H A E L DYSO N

TOM GITTINS

CARLOS CRUZ

PRITY LAD

A N DY C R O C I

L I S T E R PA R K

ED FEIST

NEIL TOMKINSON

NIGEL CODRON

Data integrity

An important part of our preparations for Hermes has been examining the existing data that Adelphi holds about our members and ensuring this is as complete as possible. We have been working with regional centres to identify and correct wrong or missing information. We need Hermes to have accurate and complete information with which to guide the lodge Secretary or chapter Scribe Ezra. We can all help by ensuring that our Secretary or Scribe has accurate details, such as date of birth, postal address, email address and phone numbers. More difficult to resolve are missing details of events in our Freemasonry history. Using myself as an example, imagine that I agree to go through the chairs of my chapter, something I last did in 1984. To qualify for that honour, I must have served certain regular offices in a chapter, and according to the existing Adelphi data I have not done so. I have, of course, but it was long before that information was recorded on a computer system. As Hermes will check this information, it is my chapter Scribe who will face this problem and you can imagine how perplexed he will be to fi nd his Grand Superintendent is not qualified to take a chair in the chapter. The fi x is simple, refer to the minutes or summons from days gone by, and use Hermes to add the missing history and all is well. So, I hope you can appreciate how important it is that the data is as complete as possible, and I hope that you understand if you are asked to supply information missing from your Freemason records. By doing this, you will be making life easier for your lodge Secretary or chapter Scribe Ezra.

Training and support for Hermes users

Hermes is being designed to be easy to use and intuitive in its operation, similar in complexity to internet banking systems. Every task to be completed will be a set of simple steps with entries being checked for validity before proceeding to the next step. A key task of our working party is to ensure that the training package being designed by our professionals at UGLE is also top class. In the fi rst instance, key individuals in every regional centre will receive the training package and will become a local centre in Hermes excellence. This team will deliver the Hermes 46

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Tony Keating

T O N Y K E AT I N G

training to Secretaries and Scribes and be part of the fi rst line support team when assistance with Hermes is required.

Local steering groups

The implementation of Hermes will mean major changes to the administration currently carried out in our regional centres, be it Metropolitan, a Province, a district or an Inspectorate overseas. These centres will also have a huge part to play in the transition to Hermes, delivering the training package and providing advice and support to the Hermes users in their lodges and chapters. For this reason, we have asked regional centres to form their own steering groups to work in conjunction with us.

Summary

The development of Hermes and the enhancement of Adelphi to interface with Hermes is progressing well. We are working on the training packages and support programmes that will be required to enable Hermes to be successfully rolled out in every lodge and chapter. My working party is collaborating closely with similar groups in your own area to ensure that we are all fully prepared for this exciting development in our membership services.

Members of the Transition and Rollout Working Party meet by Zoom

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27/01/2021 16:20

34k 34 -

Solomon now has more than 34,000 registered users

90%

of recent initiates report that Solomon helps them get a better understanding of Freemasonry

More than 75% of those with 40+ years’ experience agree

The future of Solomon

Taking Solomon to the next level, the Learning & Development Team aims to transform a personal advancement into a shared experience we will all enjoy

Over 50% of users share Solomon Nuggets and Papers one to one with other Freemasons

90% of Solomon users report that there’s a lot of material they want to revisit

700 users of Solomon surveyed

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olomon has been built from the ground up and now has more than 34,000 registered users – around 17 per cent of the UGLE membership. To take it to the next level, we have to understand the needs of our users. After all, Freemasons are highly diverse. Different lodges and chapters have clear and distinct cultures, and Solomon needs to cater for as many of these as possible. Additionally, past research has identified a range of different motivations that bring people into Freemasonry. Two of these are a curiosity about symbolism and the underlying moral lessons which lead someone to be a ‘better person’, another is an interest in the history and tradition of Freemasonry. These are already addressed in the content of the many Nuggets and Papers that Solomon contains.

Around 17% of the UGLE membership use Solomon

55%

report that their lodge or chapter has not yet used Solomon in meetings, but intends so to do

A significant proportion of our membership was motivated by charity, while some sought like-minded people. Others wanted to meet people from different backgrounds, or were attracted because Freemasonry represents a tradition and an enduring set of values that give a sense of stability in an ever-changing world. Perhaps what we have not done sufficiently is to think about how Solomon might support those who have a more social orientation to Freemasonry. We also need to consider how to market Solomon to make its benefits clearer and more motivating for those with particular interests. To achieve this, John Roscoe undertook a survey of users. To date, 700 members have responded, from new initiates to members with more than 40 years in the Craft and Royal Arch. Here’s what they told us.

All users find Solomon helps them better understand Freemasonry

It’s clear that people across Freemasonry go to Solomon for their personal use and to develop their own understanding, with 90 per cent of recent

FMT Spring 2021

11/02/2021 16:22

Solomon Grand Lodge

initiates reporting that Solomon helps them get a better understanding of Freemasonry. More than 75 per cent of those with more than 40 years’ experience agree. Over 90 per cent of all users say that there’s a lot of material they want to return to.

Solomon wisdom is shared by more than half of users

More than 50 per cent of users share Solomon Nuggets and Papers with other Freemasons on a one-to-one basis. It’s mostly more experienced members sharing with junior ones. However, 55 per cent say that their lodge or chapter has not yet used Solomon in meetings but intends to. We found that less experienced Freemasons tend to use Solomon for their own benefit, with those with 15+ years of experience sharing content more regularly. This peaks for those with 20 to 30 years of experience – presumably when they have been through the Chair/s and are likely to have had further promotion in their masonic careers.

Specific feedback gave us inspiration

Almost 50 per cent of respondents gave specific comments on Solomon, some challenging, others neutral, but the majority supportive of our current approach. This gave some great insights on how to take the platform forward. The 13 per cent of comments that questioned the current approach mainly had reservations about ease of navigation or the content itself. The team is taking these comments on board and are maximising the ease of use of the platform. Neutral feedback made up 30 per cent and was generally from those who felt they had not yet fully grasped the platform, but indicated they wanted to know more. They were less likely to use Nuggets or Papers in their lodges and chapters and felt that Solomon had made less impact in their unit. This group is most in need of explaining the benefits of using Solomon beyond their personal learning. Some 57 per cent of feedback was positive and focused on great content, good variety, and ease of access. This group was also the most likely to share content with others and reported the biggest benefit to their units. We are developing Solomon to further engage this audience with audio, video, quizzes, webinars and increased social interaction.

Almost 50% gave specific comments on Solomon, the majority supportive. They gave some great insights about how to take the platform forward

57 %

13% had reservations about ease of navigation. The team is taking on board these comments to maximise usability

of feedback was positive and focused on great content, good variety and ease of access

30% gave neutral feedback. They had not yet fully grasped the platform but wanted to know more

Solomon is working for individuals, but not enough in lodges and chapters The fi rst conclusion to be drawn is that Solomon is succeeding in its ambition to satisfy the needs of those who want to use it for personal study. Almost 80 per cent of respondents stated they were using Solomon for their own use and were very satisfied with how it worked for them. There were few negative comments about content, so it is evident that we are clearly succeeding in the material that we present.

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Nearly 80% were using Solomon for their personal use and were very satisfied with how it worked for them

Another positive is that 50 per cent of respondents (mainly experienced Freemasons) have passed on material to other members. We need to work more on how Solomon could penetrate into the life of lodges and chapters. Only 40 per cent of respondents reported that they had used Nuggets while 30 per cent of them had used Papers in their lodges and chapters. Nearly 20 per cent who do not use Nuggets are in lodges and chapters that do not report an intention of using material from Solomon in the future.

What next for Solomon?

Our plan is to increase our focus on how we market and publicise Solomon and the whole UGLE Learning & Development approach to provide evidence of the benefits for those who are reserving judgement. We will also devote more of our energy to uncovering the benefits of Solomon for lodges and chapters using the material, and incorporate this on how we develop and communicate these benefits that are available beyond personal learning. After all, for most, Freemasonry is about a fraternity that makes you a better person. The content Solomon offers can be a catalyst for this by making understanding a social experience, and bringing about a shared sense of progress. 49

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Grand Lodge Museum of Freemasonry

he museum collection at Great Queen Street has around 30,000 items related to Freemasonry and other fraternal societies from the United Kingdom and around the world. Since the beginning of the 20th century, items have steadily entered the museum on a loan basis from approximately 100 lodges and chapters. These consist of a vast range of materials, such as lodge furniture, paintings, jewels and regalia, which are often of great significance to Freemasonry. Many of these items came into the collection for previous exhibitions and were then retained. As the Collections Manager for the museum, I’m responsible for the care of all of the incoming loans. In early 2018, I began a project to review all of these lodge and chapter loan items. Currently, there are some loan items on display in our North and South Galleries. However, many more are being cared for in our stores, which are only accessible to the museum team. Some are available

BURIED TREASURE Collections Manager Emma Roberts is on a quest to return and rehome loaned items previously held at the Museum of Freemasonry

Returned items 1. Ch’ien Lung punch bowl c.1780, Jubilee Lodge, No. 72 2. Silver commemorative plate, Wrekin Lodge, No. 2883 3. Dispatch box used by King Edward VII as Grand Master 4. Copper printing plate, Grenadiers Lodge, No. 66

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Museum of Freemasonry Grand Lodge

to view on our online catalogue, but not all, so a lot of these items were considered inaccessible to our visitors. It was apparent that this needed to change, as one of our aims is to make our items available to all. Once the initial review of the items had been completed, I began contacting lenders about their loans, and the replies have been encouraging. Some of the Secretaries and Scribes E were surprised to be contacted, as they were unaware the items existed let alone residing in the museum. One Secretary was relieved to know that the treasures of his lodge were safe and sound, as he had been searching for them for two years. I have worked closely with lodges and chapters to return items back into their care, and have also helped to find new homes for others. One particular success has been Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2, which up until 2018 had more than 60 items in our collection. Most of their items were in the museum stores and the Secretary and other lodge members thought it a shame

that their beautiful and significant items were not being shared with our visitors. So in mid-2018, three members of the lodge visited us to review the items in person. This resulted in 10 being returned to the lodge directly, some of which were jewels that could be used by current members. There were other items on loan from the lodge, such as paintings of George IV, the Wren Maul and Cleopatra’s Needle ashlar, that have remained on loan, as they are significant items and integral to the displays in our galleries. However, there were another 22 items that were not being displayed, which was a conundrum. The Museum of Freemasonry at Great Queen Street is not the only masonic museum in the UK. There are Provincial masonic museums and libraries around the country. Warrington Museum of Freemasonry in the Province of West Lancashire was established in 2010 and achieved Arts Council England accredited status in 2018. For this reason it was felt that it could offer a new home for

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the remaining items belonging to Lodge of Antiquity. The curatorial team at Warrington were delighted to accept the offer. The accredited status of this museum also assured the lodge members that their objects would be cared for with the same standard as they always have been at Great Queen Street. In November 2018, the remaining items were carefully packed and transported up to Warrington. They are now proudly on display in the museum there. This has been a fantastic outcome, as they are now being seen by a much wider audience. Up to the end of 2020, I have continued to contact lodge and chapters and will continue to do so throughout 2021. The Museum of Freemasonry is very grateful to all the lenders who kindly loan items to us for our displays. However, we are not seeking new loans for the collection at this time. You can explore our collections by visiting us in person or using the online catalogue on our website. www.museumfreemasonry.org.uk

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Contents The Royal Arch

The Royal Arch Thoughts from the Supreme Grand Chapter

54 Founding Freemason Laurence Dermott and the Antients Grand Lodge

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Royal Arch Founding Freemason

Antient history

Freemason Rob Soames revisits the story of Laurence Dermott, an immigrant in 18th century London and an early trailblazer in the Royal Arch

he ambivalent tone is set in Volume 4 of RF Gould’s 1882 The History of Freemasonry. ‘Laurence Dermott, the first Grand Secretary of the Seceders…was the most remarkable mason that ever existed.’ Gould continued, quoting another writer, ‘[Dermott] was sarcastic, bitter, uncompromising, and not altogether sincere or veracious.’ But, ‘Yet although a very unscrupulous writer, he was a matchless administrator.’ Hatchet job done? Damned with faint praise? Gould’s judgement has followed Dermott into masonic history. Dermott didn’t have the conventional personal life expected by some in Victorian times either. The 1700s were very different from the 1800s. Dermott was born in 1720 in Ireland and died in 1791. During his 70 years, the world outside Freemasonry changed a lot, and for good measure, Dermott turned the world of Freemasonry upside down too. In Ireland, his family was reasonably well off. But Dermott was probably the illegitimate son of an illegitimate father. And there is another complicating matter. Were the Dermotts Catholic or Protestant? If Catholic, they wouldn’t be able to inherit property – this was part of the way the English kept down the Irish. Dermott seems to have had a good basic education, but he was soon learning draughtsmanship and painting for a large building works contractor. The 1740-41 Irish Great Frost was followed by famine. Well over half a million died. The pandemic has probably given us all a far better understanding of the situation. The 20-year-old Dermott survived and became a Freemason. By 1746, he was Worshipful Master and, as this was Ireland, a Royal Arch mason. He went to London to seek his fortune. As immigrants had done for centuries, he first lived near Moorfields and Brick Lane, working as a painter. In 1752, 54

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Founding Freemason Royal Arch Below: The Triple Tau – symbolism in The Royal Arch

he and lrish masons in London set up the organisation that became the Antients Grand Lodge. They chose Dermott as Grand Secretary. For nearly 20 years he developed the Antients Grand Lodge. They started with no money, few members, and were not much more than a lot of Freemasons in a talking shop. This quickly changed, thanks to Dermott. When he stood down in 1771 they were doing very well. In 1759, he married a ‘widow’, Susannah Neale. Between 1753 and 1757 they had had three daughters, all surnamed Dermott. Marriage was something of an optional extra in the highest and lowest ranks of society then, but among the lower middling people, with whom Dermott was mixing, a conventional marriage was probably more usually expected. Research has suggested that Susannah Neale had a husband living while she had Dermott’s daughters. If so, it probably explains a certain reticence about their private affairs, at least until they married. Life wasn’t easy. Two children died as toddlers and Susannah herself died at the end of 1764. A year later Dermott married Mary Dwindle, mistress of the Five Bells Tavern, where the Antient masons had been meeting since 1752. They must have known each other for years, and no doubt Laurence wanted a stepmother for Susanna Mary, then aged seven. However, only three months later Mary died and Dermott was left as temporary landlord of the tavern. In November 1766, Dermott married for the third and final time. Elizabeth Merryman’s late husband had been

‘Although he was an awkward character, everyone knew he was dynamic, honourable and honest’ FMT Spring 2021

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a wine merchant, and we now find Dermott referring to himself as a vintner. This was a respectable profession, certainly a few steps up the greasy pole from painter. Dermott had arrived. However, nearly 20 years of hard work, including, no doubt, quite a lot in the bar of the Five Bells, had exacted a toll on his health. By the late 1760s, he suffered badly from gout. Laurence and Elizabeth had a boy, Laurence, in 1767. He died aged three. According to the Antients’ attendance book, Dermott did not attend Grand Lodge at all during his short life. Were both invalids all this time? We don’t know. At times, Dermott was completely overcome by gout and this is probably why he was known as touchy and cantankerous. For example, in 1770 he had to be carried into lodge, unable to wear shoes, stockings or even his britches due to the pain. As secretary of the Antients, he had gone into battle with the Moderns, as the Premier-1717-Grand Lodge had become known. Their type of Freemasonry was why the Antients had been set up. He had few friends there, but he made it worse by his aggressive attitude towards them. In 1771, he became Deputy Grand Master – although he was an awkward character, everyone knew he was dynamic, honourable and honest. His last appearance at lodge was in March 1789. Dermott now lived in the respectable end of Mile End Road, Stepney. He died there in 1791. He had ceased to be Grand Secretary nearly 20 years before, but there was no one left who really understood what he had achieved. In the 1790s, the English were fighting for a way of life against the French. He was just history. Get a copy of Laurence Dermott, Enigma and Trailblazer from the Met Office at Freemasons’ Hall. Or email Dermott1720@gmail.com 55

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Culture From book reviews to crosswords

60 Reviews Freemasonry in the face of WWI and the Allied Masonic Degrees

62 Word play Test your knowledge of the Craft with our masonic crossword

Lodges forged on regardless during the Great War

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Culture Book reviews

TH E O R D E R O F TH E ALLI E D MASO N I C D EG R E ES BY B R I A N W P R I C E

TH E N EW MASO N ’S FR I E N D BY K I M M A R C H

A fast-growing order

Finding one’s feet

This fi ne collection of bite-sized lectures is based on Harold Prestige’s A Century of the Allied Masonic Degrees from 1979, updated in 1999 by Freddie Smyth. Clearly designed to educate existing members, it is also capable of stimulating the curiosity of those, like myself, who know nothing of the order. Said to be one of the fastest growing orders beyond the Craft, the Allied, as it is colloquially called, is based at Mark Masons’ Hall in St James’s Street, London. By the end of the 18th century, more than 1,400 new degrees existed. Most lasted briefly, but, by 1870, some 270 side degrees of one sort or another were still being worked. In 1879, the forerunner of the Grand Council of the Allied Degrees was formed to oversee five of them. The five degrees are St Lawrence the Martyr, Knights of Constantinople, Grand Tilers of Solomon, Red Cross of Babylon, and Grand High Priest. Candidates need to be both a Mark Master

Most people who became Freemasons before the 1990s will remember that when they joined there was little or no explanation of what they had experienced. Only on being raised was some printed information given to them: the Book of Constitutions. Although doubtless eagerly pored over, it still explained very little. From the 1990s on, that situation slowly changed, with pocket-sized booklets of one sort or another sometimes being handed out, often depending on whether individual lodges liked the idea or not. With the coming of the 21st century, the pace picked up, perhaps stimulated by an increasing number of masonic websites (which themselves got better as time went on). Now, there is all sorts of helpful information for those new to Freemasonry. Kim March’s book is very near the front of the pack. Clearly planned and well written, it tackles pretty much all the areas new Freemasons

Guide to a popular order beyond the Craft Mason and a Companion of the Holy Royal Arch. To give a brief taste of two of them, the basis of the Red Cross of Constantine is the idea of the soul having to cross the river of death, usually alone, reflected in the Welsh hymn Bread of Heaven in the lines: ‘When I tread the verge of Jordan… Land me safe on Canaan’s side’. In the Grand High Priest degree, candidates are left in no doubt of their high duties and responsibilities in life. If I have a criticism it may be that an explanation of ‘Allied’ in the introduction could lead to a wider audience. Little would be lost and much gained. Certainly worth reading nevertheless. Review by Jim Murray The Order of the Allied Masonic Degrees, Brian W Price, Lewis Masonic, 196pp, £20.00

A source of information for new Freemasons might wonder about. In six sections, it deals with commonly asked questions, key events in Freemasonry’s history, its operative past, understanding the initiation ceremony and how to get good at ritual. The section on commonly asked questions is particularly helpful. These are a few examples of what it covers: how Freemasonry’s philosophy works, what Freemasonry defi nitely is not, what the basics of masonic etiquette are and what the progressive offices in the lodge are. I’ve been a Freemason for goodness knows how many decades and when I joined there was virtually nothing by way of explanation. Now we have a wealth of information, much of it very good, such as this clear and eloquent book. Well worth buying, even for a hoary old codger like me. Review by Aubrey Buchanan The New Mason’s Friend, Kim March, Lewis Masonic, 160pp, £10.00

Books wanted for review. FMT welcomes book submissions for review. We will consider all genres, and the only requirement is that the book has a connection to Freemasonry. To submit a book for review, go to the link below and complete the form. We will let you know if we need a physical copy. The book must have an ISBN and be available for purchase by the general public (printed book, ebook, audiobook). www.freemasonrytoday.com/booksubmission

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Book reviews Culture

F R E E M A S O N RY A N D T H E G R E AT WA R : M A S O N I C R E AC T I O N T O T H E WA R Y E A R S BY M I K E K A R N

Freemasonry and WWI

A fine Prestonian lecture on a tricky subject The title is self-explanatory and, being only 60 pages, the book is easily read in one sitting. Despite its brevity, Karn has written a captivating reflection of Freemasonry just before the Great War, followed by developments within

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Freemasonry during the war years and immediately after the end of the confl ict in 1918. The reader is treated not only to an informative overview of masonic reaction to the war, but also to a synopsis of landmark events.

This is no dry historical account, however. Karn successfully weaves the military detail and the effects of the war on Freemasonry into an enjoyable and enlightening account that keeps the reader turning the pages. His commentary is interspersed with carefully selected extracts from lodge histories and minute books in a seamless and conversational style, making the detail accessible to everyone and reducing any temptation to skip passages. The book is full of surprises, not least the suggestion that Freemasons were implicated in the events leading up to the war. Equally worth reflecting on are the lengths Grand Lodge went to in order to remain politically neutral in regard to the war. Striking too is the stoical way in which

lodges continued to run their business, lodge minutes often reflecting the English capacity for understatement and veiled humour. Indeed, there are some splendid turns of phrase that induce more than a wry grin. Karn has handled a sensitive and important subject with lightness and delicacy. The result is a very good masonic insight to a significant time in history. I have no doubt many Freemasons will advance their knowledge by reading this enjoyable account. As Prestonian Lecturer for 2019, Karn has maintained the high standards of his predecessors. Review by Robert Jaggs-Fowler Freemasonry and The Great War: Masonic Reaction to the War Years, Mike Karn, Carrfields Publications, 60pp, £10.00

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Culture Crossword

Culture crossword by Hekebolos ACROSS 1. Attests gratitude to politician on board ship (6) 5. Ghanaian Primate sounds like a whinger (4) 7. Mason’s diminutive turns circle (3) 10. In the spirit of openness, big pop festival is curtailed and includes short numbers (8) 11. Trim wild orpine (6) 12. In Masons’ Ceremony after this month, everybody is seen at one on preparation (12) 14. Swollen Henry’s house has no alternative note inside (5) 15. Fast aircraft for keeping alien in his nightwear (8) 18. See poor metals treated to stay fresh (4-4) 19. Green on green turn out (5) 21. They say you’ll abandon Tory red line – but movement is not sufficient (12) 24. Quietly percolate to make a hedge (6) 25. Cheeky but unlucky to end up here in Cowes Week (8) 26. Vintage Doctor leaves morsel (3) 27. Tool sums it up for listener (4) 28. Australian one, not Scottish – sounds like it’s not discharge (6) DOWN 2. Guard lodge when Mediterranean port swaps sides (4) 3. Apprehension of what Charity Stewards are said to do during suspension of Meetings (9) 4. Half of semolina dish in Kent is from Liverpool (6) 5. Gas about speed and friend in France when high on this? (15) 6. Confidently recommend – bravo! – acceptable gold coin (8) 8. Bishop follows organist playing for one of fabulous quartet (5,5) 9. Part of horse’s bit left Rio (4) 13. Twenty seven left in bloc bellow about Barbie, say, for offshore currency (10) 16. In Rome Caesar’s daughter has come inside for some very early works (9) 17. Puzzle may be fiendish, strangely, but still this (8) 20. When parts of the Mafia score an own goal, it’s a disaster (6) 22. Critically examine St John? (4) 23. Author of adespota is written about, not by a Roman (4) 62

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Freemasonry Today - Spring 2021 - Issue 52

Articles inside

Thēsauros

Your tweets

Next level for Solomon

Hidden gems

Project Hermes

Quarterly Communication

Museum of Freemasonry

News and views from the Provinces

Provincial profile

Brothers past

60 seconds with

Bravery and brotherhood

From the Grand Secretary