Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Service
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The Freemasons of Durham once more turned out in large numbers to pay their respects in the many organized parades and marches throughout the province. Here is a selection of photos from those submitted and many more will be added to the Provincial Flickr page later.
Never forgotten
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Brian served with the Royal Air Force over several years, seeing service in many parts of the world. As a senior officer he held several operational and staff appointments. He was appointed an MBE in 1973 for operational services in the Middle East. During his time in the Ministry of Defence he was appointed Escort Officer to the Prime Minister, James Callaghan, and accompanied him on his visits overseas.
He served in the Royal Air Force, leaving on early retirement in 1984 having seen service in Malaya, Africa, Aden, the Gulf, Malta, Cyprus, and Germany. He became a director with Westminster City Council before taking over as Chairman and Chief Executive of the Capital Group. In 1992, he became a director with London Transport and since retirement a non-executive director of several companies, Chairman of NHS Community Health Services in the North and President of British Gymnastics.to develop a second career. initially with the City of Westminster and then as a main Board director with London Regional Transport in 1991.
Since then, he has been the President of the London Transport Old Comrades Association and, as such, has led the contingence in the Whitehall parade for the last 25 years. This year he was one of only 26 participants who represented the many thousands of services and ex-servicemen and women at the Remembrance Day Parade in Whitehall.
The experience, he said, was extraordinary in so many ways; the lack of other participants and of the absence of crowds who normally line the route, made it more poignant. Nevertheless, in remembering those who had given their lives in many conflicts around the world, it was most humbling and an honour to be there on this occasion. During the two minutes silence he thought about the words of John Maxwell Edmonds who, in 1918, published the epitaph, “When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today”.
As in the past 30 years, as President of the London Transport Old Comrades Association, Brian will again be heading the LTOCA contingent during the Whitehall Cenotaph Remembrance Parade.
He will also be laying the wreath, immediately following the Diplomatic Representatives. This year they will commemorate the centenary of their formation as the only civilian organisation approved by King George V to participate at the Cenotaph.
To View Video of Brian Laying wreath; Click Here
Stronger Together
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Saturday 25th November – ALL Lodge Charity Stewards and Almoners are invited to attend a conference designed to raise awareness of the Lodge Charity Stewards role whilst not in festival and bring Almoners up to date with the many options for supporting our Brethren available in the province of Durham and an update on the Membership challenge and how both roles can help further the Provinces Strategy of recruitment and retention.
This event is not to be missed and is fast approaching. Charity Stewards and Almoners – Please sign up ASAP
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/provincialgrandlodgeofdurham/1038680
A light buffet will be provided at the end of the conference.
Those attending are also welcome to remain and attend the Lodge Charity Stewards/ Almoners Seminar which follows the forum between 10.30am and 1.00pm.
Stronger Together
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25th November – Benevolent Representatives are invited to attend a round table forum to discuss how to increase the impact of the Benevolent Representative and their role.
This is designed to provide an opportunity to Benevolent Representatives to contribute ideas to improve the impact of our Masonic Charity in the Province of Durham.
Those attending are also welcome to remain and attend the Lodge Charity Stewards/ Almoners Seminar which follows the forum between 09.00am and 10.00am.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/provincialgrandlodgeofdurham/1038670
Stronger Together
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We are looking to assemble a small merchandise team to develop and manage exciting new ideas for our Province. Primarily we are looking for people with sales, distribution, and design experience but anyone who believes they could help with some ‘out of the box thinking’ would be more than welcome.
Please contact The Deputy Provincial Grand Master mgraham@durhamfreemasons.org if you think this is a project you would like to get involved with. Durham Freemasons
Stronger Together
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Saint Cecilia Lodge is a lodge of musicians and music enthusiasts. One of its main aims is to support local young musicians from within the Province. This is achieved by giving bursaries to local young musicians to help with instrumental lessons, purchase of instruments and fees for attending major musical courses and workshops. For twenty years they have also organised an annual competition for young composers. After the compositions have been judged, a trophy is given to the winning school and cheques are presented to the winning composers. This all took place at the September meeting of the lodge, when the winners, their parents and teachers were invited. Members of the Lodge also invited non-masonic guests to the presentations and dinner.
After the dinner, all guests were able to hear performances of the winning compositions before the cheques and trophies were presented.
This year the Saint Cecilia Trophy was presented by the Worshipful Master Michael Liddle to Mrs Jessica Holmes of Durham Johnston School. He then presented cheques for £100 and £50 to the winner Joseph Sollis and runner up Aine O’Sullivan, in the senior competition.
R W Bro. Eric Heaviside then presented the Benfeldsyde Trophy to Durham Johnston School as the winner of the Junior Section. RWBro Heaviside then presented cheques of £50 to Tilly Stacey and £25 to Amy Hall.
The Lodge will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary next year. It meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month and at the January meeting, it will have a performance by the Chapel Choir of University College Durham.
Anyone wishing to attend and dine should contact the secretary: Bill Watson bill@billwatsonband.co.uk
Stronger Together
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On Wednesday 8th November the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent John Thompson, accompanied by a host of Durham Royal Arch Companions, made their way to Great Queen Street for the regular convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter.
The Companions entered the Grand Temple, many of whom were on their first visit to Supreme Grand Chapter, to witness the convocation, which was presided over by the Second Grand Principal Most Excellent Companion Russell John Race.
Afterwards the Companions retired to the Hercules Towers pub for the festive board.
They were joined by companions from the Northumberland province.
A fabulous day was had by all.
Stronger Together
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At the amalgamation of the OSM Provinces of Durham and Northumberland in July 2023 into the North-East Province the inscription on a ceremonial sword “presented by R W Bro W Robinson PGV on the occasion of the constitution of N-E Province 17th October 1973” inspired members to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that event.
The Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler RWyBro John David Watts therefore led the first full provincial visit of the reconstituted province to Wudcester Conclave at Ashington on 24th October 2023, the first possible meeting after the anniversary on 17th.
20 Acting Provincial Officers supported by 11 members of the Provincial Arch of Steel witnessed second degree candidate Bro Andrew Charles Jennings (Mark DepGDC) become a Prince of the Order in a ceremony well delivered by SR WyBro Paul Dunning.
At the festive board which followed three Past Provincial Supreme Rulers of the Northumberland and Durham Provinces formed in April 2002, RWyBros John Warham, Kenneth Embleton and Colin Hume assisted John Watts to use the ceremonial sword and cut a celebration cake.
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MCF Grant – The Haven Charity Hartlepool.
On Monday 30th October 2023 the Assistant Provincial Grand Master Andrew Moule and the Provincial Grand Charity Steward Paul Quinn attended the Haven Charity, which is based in Hartlepool Town Centre, to present a grant of £4,500 over 3 years on behalf of the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
They were welcomed to The Haven by Dawn Grover – Project Co-ordinator and Peter Gowland – Trustee. Dawn explained that the charity works on referrals from all agencies within Hartlepool for young people aged between 11 – 25 years old. These young persons have various issues including MePntal Health and ADHD and offer counselling on a one-to-one basis. At present they currently have over 70 young people on their books, however they have the capacity to go up to 200. The young people have a safe place to talk in confidence about anything that is on their mind without being judged and will help the young people explore their feelings.
The grant will help the charity in the day to day running of the building and go a long way to look after the local young people in the Hartlepool area, being in the Centre of the town is a perfect place for them to make an appointment and get the assistance they need.
Stronger Together
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Stuart Major, of Winlaton St Paul’s Lodge, headed out to Ypres to perform with the Massed Bands of the Pegasus Memorial, a band that continues the formal dress traditions of the bands that formally performed at the D-Day Commemorations, and thus Stuart was unable to wear his provincial collar. The members of this band travel and perform at their own expense, using holiday time from their jobs to travel and perform at these events. This was the first time the Massed Bands of the Pegasus Memorial have performed in Ypres.
The Massed Bands of the Pegasus Memorial performed at the Menin Gate Memorial for the Missing on Saturday 28th of October and Tyne Cot War Cemetery and Memorial for the Missing on Sunday 29th of October. In between these performances, Stuart provided some of the band with a battlefield tour. On Saturday 28th of October, during the battlefield tour, Stuart laid a wreath, which he had purchased, on behalf of Durham Freemasons at the Grave of Captain Robert William Pearson of Marquess of Ripon Lodge No. 1379. Captain Pearson was found for this tour, which Stuart had researched, by chance as he was listed as Durham Light Infantry and as a pre-war analytical chemist.
On the evening at the daily 8 p.m. Service, the Massed Bands of the Pegasus Memorial marched through the Menin Gate, to begin the service. During the service, Stuart fell out from the band and laid the Provincial Wreath at the Menin Gate. Stuart then fell back into the band before the return march to the Cloth Hall, which was destroyed in the fighting of 1914-18 and carefully rebuilt post war.
The Menin Gate Memorial for the Missing contains the names of the 54,583 men of the forces of the British Empire, who died in the Ypres Area, but, due to the circumstances of war, were not afforded a known burial. This is one such memorial of its kind on the Western Front. Of the cemeteries and memorials visited on this trip, there are 6 Durham Freemasons either buried or commemorated.
Menin Gate Memorial for the Missing
Private Robert Coyne 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, Marquess of Granby Lodge No. 124, Initiated 2nd October 1906, Died 29th October 1914.
Captain Frederick Wawn: 1st/7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Fenwick Lodge No. 1379, and Vedra Lodge No. 3137, Initiated 20th December 1901, Died 25th May 1915.
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery
Captain Robert Pearson: 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Marquess of Ripon Lodge No. 1379, Initiated 5th March 1908, Died 15th May 1915.
Tyne Cot Memorial for the Missing
Corporal Ernest Walls: 17th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Whitworth Lodge No. 1932, Initiated 10th July 1912, Died 18th April 1918.
Corporal Frederick Storey: 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, Coronation Lodge No. 2929, Initiated 15th April 1914, ied 4th October 1917.
Ploegsteert Memorial for the Missing:
2nd Lieutenant George Borland: 9th Battalion Northumberland Hussars, Barnard Lodge No. 1230, Initiated 2nd December 1910,Died 4th April 1918.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
