News
Warwickshire Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons
The latest issue of the Provincial Mark
Newsletter is
available here.
Archived news items can be seen here
The Senior Past Commander of Silhill Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners 972, W Bro Ewart Percival James RAMGR (pictured left), a sprightly 90 years young, was presented with a 50 year RAM Grand Lodge Service Certificate by W Bro Roger S Mac, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, in a most informative and interesting manner.
The presentation outlined not only Ewart's Masonic career, but also his many years in business following his apprenticeship with the Wolsey Engineering Company at Ward End, Birmingham. This included a period working with other Engineering companies which included the famous Birmingham Small Arms (BSA). One very illuminating revelation was that during the War Years, Ewart was one of the Engineers who worked with Frank (later Sir Frank) Whittle on his now famous Jet Engine. When this was announced, an audible gasp of surprise went around the Lodge, with the comment - "he certainly kept that quiet!".
Later, at the Festive Board, Ewart was presented with two bottles of 25 year old whisky, which he will undoubtedly in due course enjoy drinking at home. posted 10 Apr 2010
We are pleased to announce that the following members of the Mark province are to be appointed to, or promoted in, Grand rank at the investiture meeting at Great Queen Street on 8th June:
First Appointments:
- Kenneth L Downes, Assistant Grand Inner Guard
- Barrie J Dolphin, Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
- Olaf Dankert, Past Grand Standard Bearer
- John L Overton, Past Grand Standard Bearer
Promotions:
-
Richard V Wallis
from Past Grand Master Overseer to Grand Junior Warden -
Eric J Rymer
from Past Grand Steward to Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies -
John B Hardy
from Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies to Past Grand Senior Deacon -
Michael Spencer
from Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies to Past Grand Senior Deacon -
Fred Stewart
from Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies to Past Grand Senior Deacon -
Colin Bryan
from Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies to Past Grand Junior Deacon -
Peter J Wellings
from Past Grand Steward to Past Grand Junior Deacon -
John Searson
from Past Grand Standard Bearer to Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
There will again be an organised trip to London on the 8th June. See the What's On page for information (details will be updated as they unfold).
Our hearty congratulations also go to those brethren who are to be honoured with preferment in Grand Rank at the Craft Annual Investiture meeting at Great Queen Street on 28th April.
First appointments are being awarded to W Bros Philip Hall, Garry Malpas and Anthony Newby, with W Bro Tom Seekings receiving promotion. Full details can be seen on the Craft news page. posted 27 Mar 2010
At the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge last year the Provincial Grand Master announced the formation of the Lodge Support Team set up and organised by W Bro Roger Sargent (pictured) to lend a helping hand to those Mark and RAM Lodges which may appreciate it.
The team comprises enthusiastic Mark and RAM Masons who are willing, at reasonable notice, and at their own expense, to attend Lodges in need of help, either just to boost numbers, or more likely to take an office when a vacancy occurs for whatever reason. Members of the team therefore have a good knowledge of the ritual.
One of the team's recent visits was to The Harry Wilson Royal Ark Mariner Lodge 1574, at the Installation of their new Commander, W Bro Jack Chetwynd, a lovely 78 year old man and mason. The picture includes Jack (on the right of W Bro Roger Mac, Deputy Provincial Grand Master & Presiding Officer), W Bro Roger Sargent, W P Cdr Graham Humphries (the installing Commander), and W P Cdr David Hopkins, the hard working Scribe of the Lodge, together with eight well known faces of the support team.
The evening was a great success, a happy, friendly atmosphere pervading throughout, with the work being carried out to the highest standard. Both the Presiding Officer and the Worshipful Commander thanked the Provincial Support Team for their attendance, and if all evenings are to be as enjoyable, Roger is eagerly awaiting the next request for help!
If you would like to join the team, please let Roger know. Full details and an application form can be seen on the Contacts page under the Support Team button.
Tel: 01530 273971 Email: sargentrw@btinternet.com posted 3 Mar 2010
More than 220 guests attended the spectacular Chinese Valentines Ball at Stirling Road organized by the Warwickshire Mark Social Committee, raising over £2,000 for the 2012 Festival Appeal. A full report can be seen in the latest Mark newsletter together with details of a variety of events including the Prestonian Lecture and Annual Meeting, as well as the forthcoming programme of events. posted 3 Mar 2010
Per Ardua Ad Dignitatem Meritam
"Through difficulties to a deserved status - the confluence of the Craft and the Mark" was the title of the Grand Stewards' Lecture for 2009, delivered by RW Bro Dr Roeinton BF Khambatta, PProvGM (London) at their meeting in July.
During his lecture, RW Bro Khambatta guided the audience through the fascinating journey of Mark Masonry from its early recorded days in the mid eighteenth century right through to the present day.
Pictured above are RW Bro Dr Roeinton Khambatta (left) with the present Warwickshire PGM RW Bro David Rawlins.
The Mark degrees were originally conferred within Craft Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters, and still are in Scotland, Ireland and other parts of the world. The growth of popularity in England during the nineteenth century gave rise to considerable activity at the highest levels in Masonic politics of the day, including an attempt to bring the Mark into mainstream freemasonry in 1856. This was partly to put an end to what some perceived as an encroachment of territory, and partly to appease those who felt the Mark should be an integral part of regular Masonry, in the same way as was the Royal Arch. But this was defeated on a technicality, in all probability to the great relief of committed Mark masons who did not wish to see the degree submerged.
Within just three weeks the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was formed, with Lord Leigh, who was the then Craft Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire, becoming the first Grand Master.
The inevitable controversy which followed initially rumbled on for quite some time, but progress was made, with the Grand Lodge of Ireland recognising the Mark and others following suit, in particular the Grand Lodge of Scotland which agreed to stop issuing its own Mark certificates to English candidates. Great efforts to achieve continued harmony were made by the Earl of Kintore, and followed through by his successor as Grand Master, the Prince of Wales, throughout the rest of the nineteenth century. These included aligning Mark Provinces and Districts with those of the Craft, and falling back on the Craft Constitutions in the event that any issue was not covered by the Mark Constitutions. Indeed, the first toast at Mark Lodges was for some time "The Queen and the Craft".
Although the United Grand Lodge of England never formally recognised the Mark, the membership of both Grand Lodges has always been intertwined. Every Grand Secretary of UGLE has been a Mark Mason, as have many other very senior members of the Craft. Finally, at the momentous occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons held at the Royal Albert Hall in 2006, the Grand Masters of both the Craft (HRH The Duke of Kent) and the Mark (HRH Prince Michael of Kent) stood together, as brothers in blood, and brothers in Masonry.
A printed copy of the lecture will be available shortly. posted 4 Aug 2009
'Mark Mason' Lifeboat Named and Dedicated
On 5th June, Provincial leaders from throughout England and Wales, including our Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro David Rawlins and Denise and the Deputy PGM, W Bro Roger Mac and Freda, (pictured left) joined in the celebrations in Pembrokeshire as Angle's new Tamar class lifeboat was named 'Mark Mason' by the Grand Master MW Bro HRH Prince Michael of Kent. The lifeboat was funded from a £1.6M donation from Grand Mark Lodge and by RNLI supporters in Pembrokeshire who donated over £400,000.
The ceremony was attended by many dignitaries including RNLI Chairman Admiral Lord Boyce, who accepted the new lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI Council. A service of dedication was led by the Team Vicar of Angle Parish Church, the Reverend Matthew Dobbs, and included music by Pembroke Silver Brass Band and Pembroke Choir.
Pictured is the MW Grand Master HRH Prince Michael of Kent at the helm of 'Mark Mason'.
The lifeboat was declared operational on 23 March 2009 and had already proved her worth prior to the naming ceremony, having launched on five rescue missions prior to then. Call-outs included escorting a fishing vessel taking on water, assisting a power boat with engine problems, searching for two missing boys and investigating a sighting of red flare.
Further details and photos can be seen on www.anglelifeboat.org. posted 4 Aug 2009
On Thursday 26th March 2009, VW Bro Ewart Percival James, PGJO, PProvGSW, celebrated his 50th year in Mark Masonry, having been Advanced into Silhill Lodge MMMs 972 in March 1959. To mark the occasion the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro David JF Rawlins was in attendance together with 26 Active Provincial Officers, 25 members of the Lodge and 15 visitors, making in all a grand total of 67 Brethren. There was also a very well performed Advancement ceremony, adding to the enjoyment of this auspicious occasion.
The Provincial Grand Master presenting VW Bro Ewart James with his 50 year certificate
When presenting our worthy Brother with his Certificate, the PGM made reference to Ewart's unstinting service not only to the Lodge in general, but also to the Office of Almoner in particular which he had held for many years, resulting in Silhill Lodge being one of the highest contributors to the Warwickshire Mark Fund of Benevolence. Details of his business and private life were also mentioned which proved very interesting.
In conclusion the PGM gave details of events that had occurred in 1959, when Ewart was Advanced. Harold McMillan was Prime Minister - he whose election slogan was "You have never had it so good", Sir Winston Churchill's house was burgled - property was stolen amounting to £10,000. The Mini Car was rolling off the Production lines at a cost of £500 and Petrol cost 5 shillings (25p) a gallon (5p a litre).
The Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies, W Bro Eric J Rymer, GStwd, called the Brethren to Order, and VW Bro Ewart was duly saluted, which he suitably acknowledged.
Later at the Festive Board, Ewart was presented with a Wallet containing a sum of money which had been contributed by the Brethren of Silhill Lodge. posted 29 Jul 2009
The Warwickshire Installed Commanders' Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No 1400 had a splendid meeting when W Bro J Stephen Wright, our Assistant Provincial Grand Master, was installed into the Commanders' Chair, followed by the dedication of a new banner for the Lodge. The beautiful, triangular banner was designed by Worshipful Past Commanders Roy Tidmarsh and Bill Podmore and embroidered by Mrs Anne Hall. It really is a delightful banner and can be viewed in Lodge Room 3 at Stirling Road. Our new Provincial Chaplain, W Bro Victor Keen delivered a truly inspiring oration which was heartily received by those present.
At the Festive Board, our Provincial Grand Master revealed the names of those Brethren who will be appointed to be Provincial Principal Officers at the Annual Meeting in November:
- W Bro Cliff Bull as Senior Warden
- W Bro Cedric Stiles as Junior Warden
- W Bro Ted Belcher as Master Overseer
- W Bro Malcolm Kinder as Senior Overseer
- W Bro Vernon Munton as Junior Overseer
Our hearty congratulations go to these worthy brethren, and we wish them every enjoyment during their year in office. posted 9 Jun 2009
The Mark Province of Warwickshire has a new Deputy Provincial Grand Master, W Bro Roger S Mac, who is well known throughout Warwickshire and beyond as a Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the Craft, as well as for his tireless work in helping bring about the improvements at Stirling Road. He has now accepted yet another challenge on which to focus his seemingly limitless energy and expertise, in which we all wish him every success and enjoyment.
He was Appointed, Invested and Installed as Deputy Provincial Grand Master by RW Bro David Rawlins, Provincial Grand Master, at the recent meeting of the Warwickshire Installed Mark Masters Lodge No 1400. The ceremony, held in the Main Temple at Stirling Road, was attended by over 150 enthusiastic Mark Masons from Warwickshire and other Provinces. Many more had expressed their regret that they could not be present on this historic occasion, but sent Roger their very best wishes.
The Provincial Grand Master took the Chair of the Lodge, and W Bro Roger was admitted to a loud fanfare on the organ, with enthusiastic applause from all present. He was escorted by six brethren representing his Lodge and Provincial links, and, in acknowledgement of the high esteem in which he is held, these included RW Bro Michael J Price, CBE, the Craft Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire, and RW Bro Tony Morris, Provincial Grand Master for the Mark Province of Leicestershire and Rutland.
The ceremony went without a hitch, and at the end Roger was duly Proclaimed by the Director of Ceremonies, and was saluted for the first time as Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Mark Province of Warwickshire. There will be many more opportunities to salute him as he performs his official duties in and around the Province in the years to come.
The meeting also included the Installation of W Bro Spencer T Fenn as Worshipful Master, who gave a most interesting presentation about the background and discussions with various parties culminating with the acquisition of our present London headquarters, Mark Masons' Hall, in St James's Street. posted 9 Jun 2009
