Issue 24

published by the freemasons of the province of durham

ISSUE 24 – WINTER 2016

300 YEARS IN THE MAKING

What’s inside this issue...

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P22

P7

P9

Province goes public

Remembrance

The true nature of Freemasonry

Well Done Brian

GET THE POINT THE PROVINCIAL GAZETTE

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EDITOR’S NOTES

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As the new editor of The Gazette, I am delighted to have been given this opportunity of working on behalf of you all, and look forward to maintaining the high standards set out by my predecessors.

I wish to convey my thanks to Michael Graham for his invaluable assistance and guidance in my formative months in the role. The Gazette has made massive strides in the time Michael has been at the helm, which have culminated in his handing over, on behalf of the Province, a publication that the brethren can be truly proud of.

With the festive season quickly approaching we can look forward to the Provincial Carol Service, once again taking place at Durham Cathedral, on Monday 19th December where the new Dean, The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, has graciously accepted our invitation to conduct the service.

As 2017 approaches, we are all looking forward in anticipation to celebrating 300 years of Freemasonry

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WOMEN’S HEALTH FEELS THE BENEFIT

WHAT’S INSIDE

Women’s Health in South Tyneside found the good work they do boosted by the generosity of the Freemasons of Durham.

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WHiST, as it is commonly known, is based in South Shields and is a voluntary organisation dedicated to aiding the health and wellbeing of women in the borough.

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in its current format. As a Province we will be hosting a number of high profile events embracing this tremendous achievement.

The Tercentenary steering group for some months has been quietly developing a programme of events to be introduced through The Gazette, beginning with a four-page pull-out section within this issue, a feature which will continue throughout the year.

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WHiST supports over 250 different women each week, helping them to become more independent and to feel more empowered and confident about making decisions that affect their own and their families’ health, wellbeing and progression.

Non-Masonic Charities are regularly supported by Durham Benevolence and they were delighted to be able to recognise the fine work done

The Communications Team relies heavily upon your editorial contributions, so please continue to report matters of interest; events both within your lodges and the local community.

Paul O’Doherty Editor

@PGLDurham

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John Leadley and Kevin Carter with a delighted Ruth Berkely, Chair of the WHiST Management Committee

John Leadley, representing Durham Benevolence, accompanied by Kevin Carter, a South Shields mason and full time carer, presented a donation of £500 to Ruth Berkely, Chair of the WHiST Management Committee.

Ruth was accompanied by several volunteers and expressed their gratitude, saying “We are extremely grateful to the Benevolent Committee of the Province of Durham Freemasons for their kind donation of £500 towards our costs. This will be put to excellent use supporting the many aspects of our organisation”.

Anyone who would like to find out more about WHiST can contact them on 0191 454 6959 or by contacting info@whist.org or visiting www.whist.org.uk

LIFE SPAN

If you know of anyone who might prefer or benefit from an audio version of this Gazette then email news@news.pgldurham.org to order a copy for them now!

To ensure your area of the Province is covered in future issues email: news@news.pgldurham.org

PUBLISHED BY THE FREEMASONS OF THE PROVINCE OF DURHAM

WHiST was established in 1986 by a group of local women, working voluntarily, to address gaps in services and support. It has continued to develop services in response to identified local needs, and supports women in their changing needs and circumstances.

by the volunteers who dedicate themselves to providing support to those who need it.

PGLDurham

David Grey, Chairman of the Lifespan Charity based at Minsteracres Consett, can be seen handing over a Masonic Grant of £1000 to Sheila Webb, Operations Manager of Lifespan.

The cheque had earlier been presented to David Grey by George Tilley, the Provincial Benevolent Committee representative.

Lifespan is a local independent charity which provides much needed ease and support to people of all ages living with serious and life-threatening illnesses, through a wide range of complementary therapies delivered by appropriately qualified practitioners.

David Grey presenting cheque to Sheila Webb, Operations Manager of Lifespan

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WINTER PACK

REACT YOUTH THEATRE

A GRAND AFFAIR Frank and Grand officers line up for photo call.

Brian, Beverley Harrison Oliver along with React Youth Theatre

React Youth Theatre received a major cash boost on Sunday 9th October, having been presented with a cheque for £1,000 by Durham Benevolence. The award will be used to help with the costs of putting on their forthcoming show “Peter Pan - a Musical Adventure” at the Empire Theatre in Consett.

All lodges will now have received their ‘WINTER PACK’ which includes many new Christmas card designs, including more provided by the kind permission of Jim Harker. This year the 2021 Festival Team is trying a new initiative, and have added three packs of absent brethren cards. It is the custom of Freemasons to think of our absent brethren at our meetings. Some of these brethren are missing due to age, mobility issues or illness, and may be feeling low when they could be enjoying the fellowship of our meetings.

The Lodge is not Square Without You’ and ‘Here’s to your Health’ designs have been created to assist. There are no verses inside the cards so there is plenty of room for members to sign when they are passed around the festive board. They are an ideal method of allowing the busy lodge Almoner and

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others to show that we care and are thinking of the missing brother.

Also included in the pack are five copies of the pocket sized Masonic Charitable Foundation diaries. Whilst free to members, any donations would be gratefully received.

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The cheque was presented by Brian Graham who said “It’s a great pleasure to present this award to a worthwhile community group encouraging the young children from Consett and surrounding areas to experience acting, and gain such confidence”. Brian was joined by Oliver Whitwood from Benfeldsyde Lodge No 7807.

Beverley Harrison, on behalf of React Youth Theatre, said “We are very grateful for this generous donation as we are a voluntary organisation and all of our income comes from fundraising.

Receiving such a great amount of money gives our fundraising such a boost and allows us to progress with our forthcoming show”.

If lodges or individuals require further stock please contact Paul Quinn, paul.quinn@durham2021.org

“Peter Pan - a Musical Adventure” is to be staged at the Empire Theatre in Consett from the 14th to 16th March 2017. Tickets are available from the Theatre on 01207 218171 (or book online) Prices £8 (concession £7)

All proceeds from the sales will be credited against your lodge target.

For more information Contact: Wendy Simmons 07835 681763 wsimmons10@gmail.com

We welcome any feedback on our Winter Pack.

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The lodge has three surviving founder members, John Anthony Easton, Master in 1984, Lay Canon Ronald Calderwood Black, Master in 1986 and the Master Elect for the forthcoming year, Frank Alexander Rankin, previously Master in 1988 and a highly distinguished mason.

Frank is currently the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. At this year’s AGM he announced his retirement, stepping down from the office to spend time with his wife Margaret in her recovery from a recent illness.

It was therefore quite fitting

that, on this occasion, the Representative of The Provincial Grand Master, should be Frank’s close friend and Masonic colleague, Professor Denovan Keith Wilson, Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree.

After the lodge was opened and the initial business was concluded, the Representative of the Provincial Grand Master was admitted, accompanied

by Officers of United Grand Lodge of England. When the doors to the lodge room were finally closed there were 25 Grand Officers inside and a total of some 110 brethren in attendance.

Following the customary salutations, Martin Rankin, the Lodge Director of Ceremonies, presented his father Frank for the benefit of Installation.

The Worshipful Master, David Patterson, having completed two consecutive years in the role, installed his successor, in an impeccable ceremony.

Festival, which was gratefully received with an appropriate reply.

The business of the evening being ended, the brethren retired to the festive board, where an excellent banquet was enjoyed by all.

In keeping with the wishes of the Founder Members, the toasts and responses were kept to a minimum. A fine Masonic Evening was enjoyed by all, with one senior Grand Officer commenting “This reminded me of my early days of Craft Installations, a full house “

The most important address of the evening was delivered by Martin Rankin when he gave a moving address to the Master in a most dignified and sincere manner.

At the second rising Frank presented a cheque for £500, to Denovan, for the 2021

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THE PROVINCE GOES PUBLIC! Communications within the Province of Durham have changed dramatically over recent years, keeping pace with the explosion of electronic communications and social media that we can all access so easily.

the creation of the unified Masonic Charity Foundation (MCF) and the introduction of their logo image, allowing a simplified explanation of how Freemasonry is able to support both Masonic and non-Masonic causes.

He added that, by having an agreed corporate image, we can tailor our message to the needs of a particular audience.

The Provincial Executive carried out several questionand-answer sessions across the Province and, acting upon the feedback received, looked at how they could engage further with the public, helping to break down barriers and, in turn, promoting Freemasonry.

As a result of the consultation, Michael Wilkinson was tasked with assembling a media team, with the objective of providing a presence at events where there is participation or input

by Freemasons. When support is given to charitable causes, for example, they ensure that our images are available to provide a backdrop to the presentation.

The display material made its first appearance at the Benevolence Meeting at Ferryhill Masonic Hall. The main display stand and supporting pull-up screens were well received and the feedback on their use and purpose was very positive.

It is intended that any lodge can make use of the equipment and there will

Michael has said that this launch has been perfectly timed as it has coincided with

be a series of roadshows throughout the Province to inform and encourage lodges to make use of the media display stands and materials, particularly when inviting the public to events and presentations.

These are really exciting times, with the 2021 Festival well underway and the Tercentenary fast approaching, and by ‘going public’ we can further enhance our communications.

Should you have any comments, or require any information or assistance relating to this initiative, please contact Michael Wilkinson on 079632 13336, or at Michael.w@ learning4ever.co.uk

PRESIDENTIAL MASTER This is a big year for St Bede Lodge in Jarrow as they celebrate a marvellous 150 years of its existence. The leadership of the lodge in this landmark year has fallen to Phil Dunn, who stepped up to take the reins for the fifth time following an unfortunate twelve months during which their long-term DC, Alan Smith, passed away, and a once-healthy membership suffered as several senior members also fell foul of the inevitable in their advanced years.

Phil doesn’t devote all his attention to Freemasonry though; in 1978 he decided to further his interest in photography by joining the South Shields Photographic Society. Phil being Phil, he took post on the committee only two years after joining, becoming Competition Secretary for several years, and President for the first time in 1990, a position that he also holds now, thus being both Master and President in the same year. Phil’s contact book must be quite full and

challenging to avoid emails going to the wrong people as he performs secretarial duties for the Society and St Bede Chapter No1119.

Parallels between Freemasonry and the Photographic Society don’t stop there though, as several society members were also masons, including the founding President who was a Past Master of St Hilda in South Shields, together with several other faces familiar to Phil from masonic halls.

Another comparison that will strike a chord lies in the need to modernise and change; as times and technology advance, the most significant change being the prevalence of digital cameras, which can seem somewhat contrary to the more traditionalist photographers, but the society has successfully accepted this progressive move and the two formats sit happily alongside each other now, suggesting that forced change can sometimes work.

The South Shields Photographic Society meets at 7:30pm each Tuesday between September and May, at St Bede’s Catholic Church in Westoe Road, NE33 4LZ. Similarly, as with many masonic meetings they put on lectures, practical nights and competitions and extend a welcome to amateurs and those of all abilities to come along and meet the members to discuss and advance their photographic knowledge and ability.

THE TRUE NATURE OF FREEMASONRY WAS DEMONSTRATED BY JOHN PERRY

Michael and Ken Moore with the Provincial Media display

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The true nature of Freemasonry was demonstrated by John Perry, a member of the Royal Naval Lodge in Plymouth, when he journeyed all the way north to St Bede Lodge in Jarrow, to return some masonic regalia, dating back to 1911, to the lodge where the previous

owner, Frank Sissons, had been a member.

Frank’s brother was married to John’s aunt and it was she who, knowing he is a mason, gave him the regalia. After checking the Grand Lodge certificate, issued to masons after joining the fraternity, John was

intrigued and duly inspired to allow the memorabilia of an exiled Geordie to return to Tyneside.

So followed the near 700 mile round trip on the 26th October. As it happened this was the Installation meeting of St Bede as our pictures show,

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their very own ‘Presidential Master’ welcomed him with open arms.

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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED AT

WELL DONE BRIAN!

BOUNDARY COURT A fundraising challenge, set by Macmillan Cancer Support, to create the “Worlds’ Biggest Coffee Morning” was well and truly accepted by the residents of Boundary Court in Bishop Auckland recently. The residents, accompanied by their families and friends joined John Watts, Chairman of Durham Benevolence, and Stan Hunter, the organisation’s Liaison Officer, in an array of enjoyable activities, all in the name of charity.

Brian Footitt of Haven of Rest Lodge would like to thank all the masons for their best wishes and sponsorship on his successfully completing the 2016 Great North Run. He would also like to thank the brother who offered to lend him a torch to help him complete the course, but this wasn’t needed as his time was a very respectable 3 hours and 19 minutes.

Stan taking the chair

“I was privileged to lead a team of 96 runners who were fundraising for the Teesside Hospice. I raised £2000 and the team to date have raised £36000. My challenge was to get to the starting line, having had open heart surgery several years ago. To have actually finished the run demonstrated that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

Congratulations Brian - a shining example to us all.

“I would like to thank everyone who was involved in our coffee morning. This is yet another example of the strong community spirit and charitable nature of Freemasonry and our residents. “ Coffee, cakes and treats adorned the tables and were enjoyed along with the many other activities, including a tombola, various raffles and a rather special “Spot the Cake” competition, the aim of which was to guess the number of “spots” which adorned a decorated cake baked by the residents. This was eventually won by John Watts who guessed a total of 485, his former Durham Police collar number. He was the closest to the 495 spots which had been painstakingly hand crafted, and John readily donated his cash prize to the Durham 2021 Festival in the name of “The Residents of Boundary Court” bringing their contribution to a magnificent £500.

Boundary Court is one of three Durham Benevolence retirement complexes within the Province, and John and Stan took the opportunity

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to admire a newly installed stair lift, fitted to provide the residents with increased freedom of movement, and allowing them to enjoy the many facilities within the complex should the main lift may be out of service for scheduled maintenance.

ROLL OF HONOUR The following brethren qualified to receive certificates to mark long service to Freemasonry.

60 Years Craft: Gordon Fletcher Matthew Lynn Jolly Frank Lawrence Jones Raymond Atkinson Shaw

Doric No5455 St John’s No80 Bede College No4840 Fraternity No1418

Norma and daughter Anne enjoy the day

50 Years Craft: Norman Brookes James Ericson Crawford Stanley Fitches David Grice Wiiliam Kirkbright Colin Anthony Knight Dr Alan William Lillington Raymond Suttron

Norma Robinson, Secretary of the Boundary Court Residents Association was on hand to announce the total amount raised on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support, a monumental £587.

She added “I would like to thank everyone who was involved in our coffee morning. This is yet another example of the strong community spirit and charitable nature of Freemasonry and our residents.

We are delighted to be able to continue our support for this and the many other charities that are close to our hearts”.

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Brian in the frame

City No3568 Avalon No7647 St Aidan No4080 Bedic No5915 St Georges No5720 Whitworth No1932 Universities No2352 Fawcett No661

60 Years Royal Arch: Alfred Paxton

Concord No124

50 Years Royal Arch: Dennis Fitton William Harrison Shaun Murray

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St Bede No1119 Hudson No2791 John George Gibson No2929

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SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW...

A REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE Dentures

The Masonic Hall at Archer Street in Darlington is a second home to many local masons.

The Hall is constantly in use with 15 Craft lodges and various other side degrees meeting in the building.

John George Dobson was born in Hebburn in 1946 and, after his school years, like many Hebburn youngsters, served an apprenticeship at Hawthorn Leslie. Many members of John’s father’s family were Freemasons and, at his Father’s funeral in 1965, his Uncle Neil spoke to him about joining the Craft. John, a busy man, decided to consider it at a later date.

In 1972 John and his wife Sheila emigrated to South Africa, where they spent many happy years and raised a family of three boys and one girl. In 1993 John was approached by friends to join a lodge in Durban and it was then that he decided the time was right to join Freemasonry.

Lodge room during refurbishment

The lodge room was last refurbished in 1981 and by 2015 was in need of an overhaul. Accordingly, the Hall Management Committee proposed a major restoration, giving something back to the brethren. After a considerable amount of time spent with the lodges and the Hall Management Committee, the refurbishment of the lodge room was undertaken during the summer recess this year.

Ken Tait, Worshipful Master of Dunelm Lodge, was asked

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In 1996 the family left South Africa and settled in New Zealand, where they are currently living. John joined Lodge Hamilton and then Te Aroha Lodge, where he is currently Master for the second time.

Lodge room on completion

to oversee the refurbishment as project manager, due to his expertise and experience. After the seats and fittings were removed, the original tiled black and white floor was revealed. It was a delight to see the history that sits under the carpet at the heart of the building.

the subs were £39, including dining fees. Perhaps the most surprising find was a partset of dentures, presumably coughed up by a brother during a particularly entertaining ceremony. Whatever the reason, it must have been soup at the festive board that evening!

Other interesting discoveries included a receipt from Dunelm Lodge from a time when the dues were three guineas, a chapter summons from 1925 and also a receipt from Darlington Lodge where

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Completed by the end of August, ready for the first meeting after the summer break, the works are too vast to list; however, the grand refurbishment to the lodge

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room does the building and the Province of Durham proud.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the building will serve well those who use it for decades to come.

If any brother knows the “tooth” about where the dentures came from or want to “gum” and see them close up before “filling” in a claim form, please contact the Hall Management Committee in Darlington. The best time to get in contact by telephone is after “tooth-hurty”!

John has always had a burning desire to return to Hebburn, to visit the lodge he would have been initiated into, if he had said “Yes”, all of those years ago, and it was this desire that led to an amazing twist of fate, as he drove past the Masonic Hall, on a recent visit to Hebburn, just as a group of brethren were leaving a lodge practise.

John proudly takes the chair

One of the brethren was our editor, Paul O’Doherty, who was more than happy, with the other brethren present, to show John around the lodge room and, in particular, the Past Masters board of Ellison Hall Lodge. It was clearly a very emotional moment for John, seeing the names of his family members displayed on the board in front of him.

John simply stated “This is a moment I will never forget”.

Unfortunately, there were no meetings being held in the short time that John was visiting Hebburn but he was invited to return with his wife Sheila and, properly clothed, to symbolically take the Master’s Chair, as a memento of his visit.

John left by saying “I will be returning soon to New Zealand with a happy heart.

I will always be thankful that I passed the Masonic Hall, at that exact time, on that particular evening. I leave with a lifelong dream achieved. This is true testament that Freemasonry is universal”.

John and Sheila arrive at William Gillhespy Masonic Centre

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300 YEARS IN THE MAKING

COLLIERY BAND DONATION HITS HIGH NOTE Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band is at the Old Chapel in Esh Winning. Formed in the early 1900s as the Esh Winning Colliery Welfare Band, the group unfortunately disbanded at the start of the Great War before being re-established in 1950. In the ‘70s the band was invited

by Bearpark Colliery to take its banner into the Durham Miners Gala. They were also offered some funding, and hence the name Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band was born.

The band encourages youngsters to read, learn and play music and is well known for working alongside local schools. It has also actively helped many charities and organisations over the years, including the Royal British Legion and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, and has played at Remembrance Day parades, weddings, funerals, fetes and carnivals across the length and breadth of the Province.

needs to raise at least £8,000 per annum to survive and, as with many organisations, it can be a struggle.

Brass bands are finding it increasingly difficult to survive in today’s financial climate, and the world would surely be a sadder place without them. With this in mind, Stewart Bell and Simon Cowley, representing Durham Benevolence, accompanied Donald Rutherford, Almoner of Flambard Lodge, to present the band with a £1,000 Community Support Grant awarded by our charity here in Durham.

With rising costs of uniforms, insurances, hall maintenance and utility bills - as well as a whole host of other expenses - the band

Marion Waterworth, the Band’s Secretary, gratefully received the grant on behalf of the band, and expressed her appreciation for the support of the Durham Freemasons.

Brass bands are part of our history, particularly in our rural former mining communities. Let’s hope this grant will help make them part of our future.

Donald Rutherford and Stewarthand over to Marion Waterworth, the Band’s Secretary.

THE TERCENTENARY EVENT OF THE YEAR

12 t h August 2017

PA R T Y I N T H E PA R K Wynyard Park and Walled Gardens A summer’s evening of celebration. Starting early evening with free entry to the Walled Gardens, musical entertainment whilst you enjoy a summer cocktail, followed by a song and dance show, then the evening continues with a five-course dinner, a variety of cabaret entertainment, dancing to live music, entry ticket draw and then, for those with the energy, the evening will continue with disco dancing from 11 pm until 1 am.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Durham Freemasons and their partners and friends to enjoy a very special and unique celebration of 300 years of Freemasonry.

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Tickets will be on sale in the new year. Do not miss your chance of attending this one off event.

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Celebrating 300 Years of Freemasonry

IMPORTA N T DATES

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3 1 s t O c t ob e r 201 7

SP E CIAL MEETI N G OF GR AN D LOD G E Royal Albert Hall On the 31st October 2017 there will be a special meeting of Grand Lodge, at the famous Royal Albert Hall.

Apart from some traditional elements, such as addresses and processions, there will be a theatrical extravaganza.

Some 2,000 guests will then go on to dine at Battersea Evolution, this will include a reception, wine with dinner, and drinks afterwards.

Our Province has been allocated 90 tickets and in the interests of fairness the following format has been chosen: 15 Grand Officers, 15 Provincial Grand Officers, 15 Worshipful Masters, 15 Master Masons, 15 Royal Arch Masons and 15 Executive and Provincial Staff. We have been allocated 33 tickets for Battersea Evolution of which the dining fee will be £160; those attending must also be attending the Royal Albert Hall.

All ‘Expressions of Interest’ must be entered by posting to Provincial Office or emailing pgl@pgldurham.org by 31st December 2016. In the event of over subscription a ballot will take place.

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity — register your interest today!

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MORDAUNT COHEN CELEBRATES 100 YEARS At the September meeting of King David Lodge, the Provincial Grand Master, Norman Eric Heaviside, joined the Shiney Row brethren to celebrate the very special 100th Birthday of Mordaunt Cohen.

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T ER CENTEN A RY BI K E RI D E Whitehaven to Sunderland Friday 2nd June will see 30 cyclists from our Province complete a three day Whitehaven to Sunderland Coast to Coast in a joint Tercentenary/2021 Festival venture.

This ride is limited to 30 cyclists (each rider representing ten years of Freemasonry as we know it) demand will be high for this event so contact Gavin Rowell on CYCLE300@pgldurham.org for more information or to reserve your place.

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OPEN WEEK EN D & TEDDY B E ARS P ICN IC Masonic Halls Across the Province On the weekend of 24th June 2017 we are encouraging Masonic Centres Province wide to throw open their doors to the local communities, in whatever format best suits your demographic or particular hall.

Maybe you could host a craft fair or a summer fete, maybe a jumble sale or a social evening, maybe you could do all of them. Whatever activity you decide, this is an ideal opportunity to engage with our communities, help to break down the barriers and dispel the myths and welcome people with open arms into our halls. This would also be an ideal time to host a very exciting project that will be rolled out in the new year and that is the Teddy Bears Picnic.

This brand new Grand Lodge initiative is a brilliant way to take the TLC Teddy campaign to the next level by hosting parties for local children and helping them to have fun and make friends. More on this scheme will be revealed in the new year. To let us know what your hall is planning or to get more information or ideas email Stephen Walker on OPENWEEKEND@pgldurham.org

The Northumberland Masonic Demonstration Team (NMDT) was in attendance, having made their way south of the river, to demonstrate an early 19th century Third Degree. The team has raised more than £19,000 since its formation, its members paying their own travel and other expenses. Every penny received is distributed in support of Masonic Festivals, charities and deserving causes.

As Mordaunt now lives in London, a telecast Skype link was set up. This is the first time anything like this has been tried in the Province. Nevertheless,

Graeme Hall, Master of King David Lodge, managed the whole problematic process, having three backup laptops and two USB dongles on hand, just in case anything went wrong.

Prior preparation and planning, as they say!

Mordaunt proudly showed the brethren his framed telegram from the Queen, congratulating him on his 100th birthday. He was initiated in 1940 and has seen many changes in masonry over the years. His biggest regret is that his mother Lodge, Benedict Biscop, is sadly no longer in existence. His is still

the fantastic sum of £500 to the 2021 Festival. Eric was taken aback by the generosity of the donation and warmly thanked the Northumberland brethren for the tremendous donation.

an active mason and had just returned, the day before, from a trip to Israel, to a lodge he had founded.

Eric roused the brethren into a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ followed by ‘For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow’, loudly sung by everyone at the festive board.

Mordaunt thanked everyone for making the evening so special for him, before bidding goodnight.

Brian Denton, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland and NMDT member, then presented Eric with a cheque from the team for

It was King David Lodge that made the next donation of the evening, with a cheque for £275 to the NMDT which, when combined with the £16.26 paid out in ‘fines’ during the demonstration, made for a total of £291.26. This was a wonderful way to bring a celebratory evening to a successful end.

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GR EAT NORTH RUN Newcastle to South Shields Since being devised in 1981 by Brendan Foster, the Great North Run has established itself as the largest half-marathon in the world and we as a Province have secured at least 23 places for 10th September 2017.

Eric accepts generous donation from Brian Denton, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland

Mordaunt breaks new ground via telecast Skype link.

With such limited numbers, demand to participate is expected to be extremely high so register your interest today by emailing John Thompson at GNR300@pgldurham.org. All applications must be received before the 31st December 2016.

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CHARITY SWINGS INTO PLAY!

FUTURE HOPE

The Sports and Recreation Department of Blind Veterans UK has been presented with two sets of golf clubs, each courtesy of the Freemasons of Durham. One set has been provided for each of their centres in Brighton and Llandudno, to allow members to get involved in the sport once again, despite their loss of sight.

Paul O’Doherty, Deputy Communications Officer of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham, is pictured handing over one of the sets to Colin Williamson, Contributing Editor of Blind Veterans UK’s magazine ‘The Review’, after Durham Freemasons responded to a plea for spare sets of clubs that could be donated to the charity.

A day at the office

At the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge in June, Bernard Hope was appointed as the Province’s new Grand Orator. Bernard is a well-known mason in and around the Province of Durham, and is best known for his talks and lectures covering a wide and diverse range of subjects. Bernard is a Sunderland mason and a member of Sunderland Lodge No. 4114 which he joined as a Lewis in 1980, before becoming Worshipful Master in 1984.

In his garden he has a summerhousecum-writing den, where he researches many of his presentations and talks.

The summerhouse is named Kohima in memory of his late father who fought with the Durham Light Infantry at the battle of Kohima. Its victory marked the turning point in the war in the FarEast. (Incidentally the Battle of Kohima is the subject of one of Bernard’s talks.) Sadly, Bernard’s father died in 1997, however, he was very proud of Bernard and his “masonic career”.

Bernard’s journey of presenting to lodges started in 1995. Initially these were just simple talks but, with changing technology, he has adapted most of them to incorporate PowerPoint presentations. Their audio-visual nature gives them a more dramatic and documentary effect.

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Bernard was a teacher and taught physics and mathematics for 36 years; 25 of them also spent as a Housemaster before becoming a senior teacher. This gave him the experience of public speaking to large audiences, as stimulating teenage brains at 9:00 am can be quite a challenge!

Paul, himself a keen golfer, tells ‘The ‘Review’: “There’s no better way to spend a few hours on a nice sunny

Bernard was a member of Sunderland Round Table 103 between 1975 and 2000; this gave him further opportunities for public speaking, particularly when he became Chairman in 198889. Since taking early retirement from teaching in 2008, Bernard has worked as an examinations inspector, making unannounced inspection visits in about 70 northern schools. Bernard is married to Christine, also a teacher, and they have two adult children and two grandsons. When not working or involved with Freemasonry, Bernard enjoys walking with his black Labrador, Jack, reading, gardening and researching his talks.

On behalf of the Province, Bernard co-ordinates a team of 14 brethren who give talks to lodges. He is, however, always on the lookout for new talent.

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day, than playing a round of golf, and I was amazed when I heard that blind and visually impaired people actually participated in the sport. As a sighted golfer, I know only too well how difficult the game can be, so to be able to play with sight loss is quite remarkable, and I applaud those who do!”

Colin would particularly like to thank Durham Freemasons Paul Weldon Johnston and Alan Hobbs for their kind donations.

SEEK ANDYOU WILL FIND It all begins here

Bernard with his number one fan

www.durhamfreemasons.org

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ALL THESE THINGS CAN BE FOUND IN A LODGE ROOM WORDS CAN BE FOUND IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

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IMMEDIATE PAST MASTER PERFECT ASHLAR ASSISTANT DC TRACING BOARD JUNIOR DEACON INNER GUARD GAVEL JUNIOR WARDEN PILLARS CHAPLAIN COLUMNS SENIOR DEACON KNEELING STOOL SECRETARY ROUGH ASHLAR

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SENIOR WARDEN WORSHIPFUL MASTER SQUARE TYLER PEDESTAL STEWARD MENTOR TREASURER JEWELS WARRANT DC WANDS PAVEMENT COMPASSES SACRED LAW

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DURHAM MASONIC CAMPING AND CARAVAN CLUB PITCHES IN! The Durham 2021 Festival continues to benefit from the wonderful efforts of many Freemasons and the various Masonic clubs and organisations of which they are members. The Durham Masonic Camping and Caravan Club certainly pitched in during the Raby Gala weekend raising funds in many ways, including donating the pitch fees taken during the Gala weekend and holding raffles.

On a recent visit by Festival Director John Thompson and APGM John Watts to Peter Stracey House in Sunderland, the Secretary of the DMCCC, George Slater, certainly pitched in on behalf of all the Club members when he presented the Assistant Provincial Grand Master with a cheque for the magnificent sum of £3500. John was certainly not static when he expressed his delight in receiving such a wonderful donation and quickly passed the cheque on to the very animated and grateful Festival Director who gracefully thanked George and the members of the DMCCC for their efforts in raising such a large amount.

The day was not over, however, and soon another tremendous donation of more than £400 was wheeled in

by Graham Scott, Manager of Peter Stracey House, who raised funds by cycling to the Gala site at Raby Castle from the sheltered accommodation development complex in Sunderland.

This certainly left everyone geared up for planning future fundraising events.

The Durham Masonic Camping and Caravan Club is just one of the many social and leisure clubs that Freemasons enjoy, and their regular outings and meetings enable members to share quality time with their friends and families and also to meet and make new friends. Freemasonry is fun, and social activities play a big part in ensuring that continues.

For details on how to join the DMCCC visit www.dmccc.co.uk Information on other masonic clubs and groups can be found on the Provincial website. www.durhamfreemasons.org John Watts presents George Slater with the Award

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Brethren, as we come to the end of the first year of our 2021 Festival, we’ve had two very successful Provincial events, in our Sage launch and the Raby Gala in July, with many lodges and individuals playing their part with further sponsored events across our Province. We would love to see this continue into 2017 and beyond. We have found that working together makes a significant difference to the support we as a Province can give the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF). I call on all the Hall Ambassadors to work with the Charity Stewards and lodges to ensure that we continue to raise much-needed funds. There are still many lodges who haven’t yet had a festival presentation. Our new presentation focuses on the MCF and how it can support the freemasons in our province, should the need arise. I urge any lodge who has a quiet night to invite us along and help us educate and inform the brethren on our new charity. Our total raised currently stands at £1,100,000 - which is a tremendous effort by all concerned - and I thank you for your continuing support in helping those children who have suffered a life changing event.

Money raised to date

£1,100,000

HAVE YOU GOT YOURS?

Graham Scott receives Festival Award

33 pence a day (£10 per month over 48 months) for the duration of the Festival will entitled you to be a Steward of the Festival and receive the Steward’s Jewel.

You can also qualify as a Steward if you raise £480 in sponsorship.

If you have donated during continuous giving, your donation will count towards Jewel qualification, if you need to confirm how much you have donated to date please contact the Festival Secretary paul.quinn@durham2021.org We currently have more than 1200 Festival Stewards.

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REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADES Sunday 13th November saw hundreds of our members proudly take part in organised Remembrance Day Parades the length and breadth of our Province.

In recent years this has become traditional among Durham Freemasons as we stand shoulder to shoulder with other organisations who have also lost so many people in the line of duty over the years.

This massive display of remembrance and respect, although extremely poignant and sad, has become a highlight

of many a mason’s year as we proudly march, wearing the collar of our office, whilst paying our respects to those brave souls who laid down their lives, making the ultimate sacrifice to enable us to live in peace and freedom.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

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Lived Respected and Died Regretted

WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2017 Whitworth Chapter No1932 Full team Visit

Officers of United Grand Lodge of England Bilton Edward Penshaw No3194

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Paylor Kenneth Mark Willington No8800

TUESDAY 11TH APRIL 2017 Tristram Lodge No2415 125th Anniversary

Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham Burns Thomas Vincent Lodge of Loyalty No8635

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TUESDAY 6TH DECEMBER 2016 Speech Workshop, Shiney Row Masonic Hall

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WEDNESDAY 24TH MAY 2017 Chapter Annual Convocation, Rainton Meadows Arena

Connorton Paul Francis Stockton-on-Tees No9667 Fishwick Thomas Heugh No7773 Fraser Donald St Hilda No240

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This year was no different as Durham masons once again turned up in force to show they care.

SATURDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2016 Hedworth Lodge No2418 125th Anniversary

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SATURDAY 17TH JUNE 2017 Craft AGM, Federation Brewery, Dunston

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We should never forget, we should always remember, as usual, Durham Freemasons did just that.

MONDAY 19TH DECEMBER 2016 Durham Cathedral Provincial Carol Service

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SATURDAY, 12TH AUGUST 2017 Tercentenary Party in the Park Wynard Hall

Johnson Kenneth Joseph St Aidan No4080 Lowe Eric Roger de Fery No5879 Nokes John William Lodge of Benevolence No6457

Once again it is my privilege to send to you, on behalf of Sue and myself, our sincere good wishes for the coming Festive Season. Christmas is a time for our families to enjoy the festivities, in whatever way they choose. We trust that you will all be able to share the joy of Christmas and keep in mind those of our fraternity who may be alone over the holiday period.

I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend our Carol Service at Durham Cathedral, on Monday 19th December at 7pm.

This has been a very exciting year in many different directions. We had the most fantastic Launch of our 2021 RMTGB Festival in January and the finances have continued to flow in unprecedented amounts.

The Raby Gala was another

PUBLISHED BY THE FREEMASONS OF THE PROVINCE OF DURHAM

Hindmarsh John George Lodge of Justice No8361 Hopper Keith Robson Surtees No4593

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER - 2016

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Gibson John Edwin Beacon No6891

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Peacock Wilfred Edward Ionic No6844 Postgate Ernest Vincent Yoden No5684 Thompson Alan Achates No9465

outstanding success, raising a total of £72,800 which, of course, goes towards our Festival Target. As you will have read elsewhere in this Gazette, we have now raised £1.1m and I am most grateful for the excellent support you are giving to the Festival.

Walker Leonard Fullard Hebburn Chapter No1643 White David Eden No8162 Wilson Allison Yoden No5684 Winn James Howie Finchale Priory No7059

Next year, we are celebrating the Tercentenary of our organisation, which was formally created in 1717. There will be many important events throughout the year and yyou can read about some of them in this issue of The Gazette.

Brethren Ayre Robert Phoenix NoL94 Newman Stanley Pele Tower No4435 Piper Ronald Rowlands Gill No4694

May God grant you all a blessed Christmas.

Walker Raymond Hugh de Pudsey No4490

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THEATRUM MUNDI CHEQUE PRESENTATION

Mind the fingers Nice to meet you Paul

Albany Park in Washington, on a glorious mid-September, Saturday morning, was the setting for one of the more unusual Durham Benevolence cheque presentations. Paul Debenham had the pleasure of presenting a cheque for £1,000 to Durham University’s Theatrum Mundi Theatre Group, at the recent Albany Carnival.

The Local History tent, in the shadow of the winding gear of the Washington ‘F’ Pit museum, with its display of local Miners’ lodge banners, offered a unique and very distinct backdrop to the presentation.

Theatrum Mundi celebrate the dramatic traditions of the North East, during the Medieval and Renaissance periods, resurrecting early North Eastern drama and performances.

Many schoolchildren in the area grow up hearing the story of the Lambton Worm but this is just one of a number of similar local legends.

One particular example, discovered by Records of Early English Drama North East, comes from 1569, when a “certain Italian” came to Durham, putting on show “a very greate, strange & monstrous serpent in length sixteene feete… greater than

a great horse”. This monster allegedly came from Ethiopia, where it had “devoured more than 1000 persons and also destroyed a whole countrey”, an exaggerated claim, designed to draw an audience to see what, essentially, was a medieval stage dragon.

the Durham dragon back to life.

To commemorate this spectacle, Theatrum Mundi called on Phenix Studios Hexham and Miscreation’s Theatre, to bring

Durham Benevolence were delighted to support this wonderful Theatre Group.

As you can see, the dragon not only roamed Durham’s World Heritage Site – an appropriate setting for a 400-year-old beast – it also got into mischief in some of Durham’s more modern establishments.

DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE IS 31ST JANUARY 2017 NEWS@NEWS.PGLDURHAM.ORG

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Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham • 8 The Esplanade • Sunderland • SR2 7BH • T: (0191) 5675365 • www.durhamfreemasons.org PUBLISHED BY THE FREEMASONS OF THE PROVINCE OF DURHAM

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www.durhamfreemasons.org