WorcseterSource19.pdf

7/30/2019 WorcseterSource19.pdf

1/12

1

WORCESTERSHIRE

SOURCE

Issue 19 Winter 2013

The Newsletter of Worcestershire Freemasons

to page 2

It has been a privilege and a pleasure

Nine years at the helm

A special message from our retiring Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Richard Goddard

I wish to take this opportunity of sending to all members of the Province of Worcestershire my most grateful thanksfor your support and friendship over the past nine years. It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to have beenyour Provincial Grand Master indeed, an honour I shall always cherish. I wish each one of you good health andfortune for the years ahead and feel confident you will accord my successor the same support you have alwaysshown me. May the Great Architect of the Universe bless you all.

CentenaryAt magnificent celebrationsfor Wyche Lodge No.3638 Centenary Meetingon 29 January, brethrenwitnessed the ProvincialTeam putting on theirexcellent ceremonial ledby the Provincial GrandMaster, Richard G. H.Goddard.During the meeting, thePGM announced theimmediate promotionof Dr. Andrew C. Horn,

PPrGSwdB to the rank ofPPrJGW.The Provincial GrandMaster Designate, RobertC. Vaughan, then surprisedthe audience by naminghis new team.

VWBro Robert C Vaughan and the

man he will succeed, the RWBro

Richard G H Goddard.Simon Rogers, an initiate,was visiting a Kidderminsterlodge for the first time andfeeling rather lost. Thenhe saw another visitormomentarily on his own so

he said Hello, Im Simon,whats your name?Im Richard, was the replyand they proceeded tohave a pleasant chat beforeeverybody went in to openthe lodge.Only then did Simon, amember of Vernon Lodge No.560, realise that hed beentalking to none other than theProvincial Grand Master!

The new team who will leadthe Worcestershire Provincefrom 15 June: VWBro RobertC Vaughan, Provincial GrandMaster, his Deputy, WBro

Stuart I Edwards, and threeAssistant Provincial GrandMasters , WBro Stephen JWyer, WBro KeithM Evans, and WBroGeorge W Barrow.

Im a fourth generationLewis, said Simon, andId been advised to extendthe hand of friendship so Idid. My father Peter is also a

member of Vernon and whenhe told me Id been talkingto the PGM I was amazed.It made me realise that wereally are a band of brothers.The story sums up thepersonality of RWBroRichard George HamiltonGoddard, the gentleand modest ruler of theWorcestershire Province whowill have served for nearly tenyears when he hands overthe reins to his successor,

VWBro Robert C Vaughan, atthe AGM on June 15.He has guided the Provincewith a firm but genial handthrough a difficult timewhen, as they have with allother social organisations,numbers have tended to fallas the demands of modernlife and economic pressuresmake their mark.Throughout those years theRWBro Goddard has metthousands of Masons andhis friendly demeanour hasnever changed. Everybodywho meets him is left with awarm feeling that here is aman who truly believes thatall Freemasons are equal.

Truly a brotheramong brothers...

New team

to take over

Indeed, he says: We are allbrothers together, membersof a wonderful organisation,and we need to do all we canto keep it that way.With that guiding principle,the PGM has presided over a

seismic shift in Freemasonryto clear away the imageof the Craft as being amysterious and secretiveaffair not to be trusted. Hehas played a leading role inthe introduction of a fresh

By Peter Ricketts

The two new Provincial Assistant

Grand Masters to be Keith

Evans and George Barrow.


2/12

2

Adams Hill, Clent, DY9 9PS

Come and visit the newly refurbished FourStones Restaurant with its fresh, elegant

look, and some new dishes added.

Fresh fish & game, and traditional Sunday

Lunch still available.

For full details

www.thefourstones.co.uk

like us on Facebook,

and follow us on Twitter

To book, please ring

01562 883260

policy of openness with the

public, and the creation of amentoring system to ensurethat every newcomer is madeto feel very welcome from theday he joins.The days are gone whenProvincial officers did not talkto initiates, he says. I alwaysmake a point of talking toinitiates. After all, they are thefuture of the Craft.Worcestershire Masons maytake for granted the constantpresence of acting Provincial

officers at their lodge

meetings but go to someother provinces and you finda marked difference. In someparts of the country it is rareto see senior Rulers even atinstallation ceremonies.I have been very fortunatein having such a strong teamaround me, says the PGM.We are more active than inany other province I know.He also praises the hugesupport he has had from hiswife Helena. Without her

help I could not have done it.

Ask him what has been thehighlight of his years in officeand he immediately cites the2011 Festival. The amountraised during the five-yearcampaign over 1.67million was astonishing, hesays. That was a wonderfulachievement .Other special occasionsfor me have been theconsecration of three newlodges - Morgan, GeorgeTaylor and Wenceslas and the building of the new

temple at Kidderminster. Thatwas a fantastic achievementand shows what can be doneif everybody pulls together.He also nominates the closingof the Stechford centre as amemorable event.While it was naturally asad occasion, Stechfordhad its own triumphs whenall the lodges there weresuccessfully accommodatedelsewhere and the sale ofthe premises allowed us toset up our special building

fund amounting to around200,000. This now allowsus to lend money to Masoniccentres who want to improvetheir amenities and donecessary repairs.So how will the PGMspend the extra time thatretirement will bring?Well, he says, I have my

Lodges in the Province haveresponded enthusiasticallyto an invitation to donate toa special fund as a tribute tothe retiring PGM.

At his request, the fundwill pay for a Day of Musicat Worcester Cathedral inperpetuity. He expressed a

own Masonry still, of course,and will be able to devotemore time to my othergreat hobby the Goddard

Association.This is a world-wide societywith about 300 members ofthe Goddard clan. It beganin America and our RW Broof that ilk has been a leadinglight in setting up a GB branchand as its president producesa quarterly newsheet.His own personal researcheshave so far traced ancestors

back to the 14th century.He says he will also havemore time for his largegarden at his home at LeighSinton, near Malvern. Mindyou, Helena does the expertstuff, Im just the labourer.W Bro Peter Ricketts is a

member of the Lodge of Hopeand Charity No 377

A lasting tribute

A strong team around mefrom page 1 Every Master Mason in

the Province is eligible

to attend the Installationof the new PGM.It will take place atabout 10.45am onJune 15 in the GreatHall at the University ofBirmingham.The Provincial AGM willtake place in the GreatHall after lunch. Detailswill be given in the AGMsummons sent to everybrother.

Wall-to-wall Provincial Wardens was a

rare sight when they supported RW

Bro Richard Goddard (centre) as he

officiated at his last installation as PGM.

The Wardens had all been appointed by

the PGM during his years in office. The

event took place at Northfield when W

Bro Tony Swain assumed the Masters

chair of the Provinces youngest lodge,Wenceslas No 9836.

With the PGM are Maynard Burton, Mike

Dancer, Bob Clark, Gerrard Oldham,

Chris Firminger, Kerry Parkes, Julian

Turner, Joe Marzouk, Alan Dally, Keith

Evans, Rick Abbotts, Stephen Wyer,

Charles Dyer, Bob Gameson, Irving

Home, Patrick Firminger, George Barrow,

and John Phenix.

An historic event

wish that he did not receive apersonal gift.

The chosen day is 19 January the PGMs birthday and italso coincides with the birthof St Wulstan, the Saint mostclosely associated with thecathedral.


3/12

3

NewPremi

ses!

www.cocomochocolate.com

Handmade chocolate, made in Worcestershire by

a team of penguins. Thats only half true.

Pengu

inApp

roved

www

.

cocomochoco

late

.

com

Cocomo Chocolate, Stockwood Business Park,Stockwood, Worcestershire, B96 6SX

l Wide selection of chocolates for Ladies Evenings

l Exclusive Masonic Chocolates for Festive Boards

l Chocolate Masonic Aprons for gifts and presentations

l Tasting sessions - ideal for small informal groups

To arrange a visit to our workshop, or to discuss your chocolate desires, please call Enda on01905 617213 or 07973-886417 or email [email protected]

Memories of great occasionsBy Robert Vaughan - Deputy Provincial Grand MasterHaving accepted the great

honour of being invited tobe the next Provincial GrandMaster of Worcestershire,I am very conscious offollowing in the footsteps ofRW Bro Richard Goddard,to whom I have been Deputysince his installation in 2004,and before him the RW BroBarrie Cooper, both of whomhave made significant andlasting contributions to ourProvince.Working so closely with BroRichard has given me thebest possible grounding forthe task that lies ahead, andI pledge to do my very bestto apply the same dedication

and application as he hasshown, when I succeed himin June.The recent years have left uswith indelible memories ofgreat occasions.W Bro Richards installationitself on 29 January 2004 at theThree Counties Showground,near to his home and toMalvern College, where hetaught, was a splendid day ofcloudless blue skies with thesnow capped Malvern Hillsas the backdrop.

In 2006, many members of

the Province accompaniedthe Provincial GrandMaster to Andorra wheretogether we took offices forthe consecration of a newlodge, the Andorran LodgeMasonry Universal No 6, andits associated Royal ArchChapter. Many of us becamehonorary members and retainclose contact with Andorra.I have happy memoriesof a visit to Malvern tocelebrate the 100th birthdayof Richards mother, a livelyand strong-minded lady who

reminisced of meeting Sir

Edward Elgar in her youngerdays, and who lived on to theage of 104.

A highlight of 2009 was thevisit of the Grand Master,HRH The Duke of Kent, to theLibrary & Museum at RainbowHill, Worcester, where he then

joined the Provincial GrandMaster for lunch.More recently, our ProvincialGrand Master oversaw anddedicated an impressivenew Masonic Centre atKidderminster. This wasthe first new temple in the

Province for many years,designed and built byKidderminster brethren.

Perhaps the pinnacleof achievement duringRichards time as ProvincialGrand Master has been the2011 Festival in aid of theRoyal Masonic Trust for Girlsand Boys, which raised themagnificent sum of 1.67million and culminated in asplendid Festival celebration.Richard will carry on servingas an influential member ofthe Grand Masters Counciland 2013 continues to bea busy year for him, withthe centenary celebrationsat Wyche Lodge and at

Campbell Lodge and aBanner Dedication for ThistleLodge.Will I match his enthusiasmand dedication as yourProvincial Grand Master andbuild upon the foundationsthat he and his predecessorshave laid? Well, it certainlywont be for the want oftrying. I hope that, with thesupport of the brethren ofWorcestershire, we shallhave similar successes in thefuture.

An occasion to treasure... the PGM and Deputy flank the Duke of Kent during

the Grand Masters visit to the Library and Museum at Worcester.


4/12

4

A message from V.Ill. Bro Dr

Richard N Hoare 33 whowas Invested as Inspec-tor General of Rose Croixfor the District of Worces-tershire on 26November.

It is a privilege to bechosen as the In-spector General,having beenperfected intothe St Francis of

Assisi Chapter No711 in 1972.

Worcestershire isone of the largestareas in the countryand I am pleased tohave inherited its tradi-tions along with its size.

Among the 20 Chap-ters, our oldest is StDunstans No 12 over150 yrs old. There arealso a number of Chap-ters nearing their Cen-tenary celebrations.

Chapters meet in nine of the

Craft meeting placesand all details are inthe Worcestershire YearBook. It is my intention,

along with my Dis-trict Recorder, Ill BroJohn Chattin 31, tosupport all the Chap-ters and Princes toallow the Order togrow. There will alsobe a dedicated Web-site for the District tokeep all Chapters

and Princes up todate with news andevents.

Finally, we are host-ing the MRCCI Festival

in April 2014 which willneed the support of allour members.

I look forward to meetingyou all on the circuit andam available should youwish to contact me.

New chief forRose Croix

Richard N Hoare

Lodges are involved in allsorts of activity involving thenon-Masonic community,but none is more poignantthan the Onaway Scout andGuide Group.It was started ten years agoby W Bro Malcolm Bird,OBE, of Pathfinder LodgeNo.8596 when he set up thegroup to take Scouting intothe wards at BirminghamChildrens Hospital. EveryThursday, Leaders visitthe wards and invite seri-ously ill children to spend90 minutes in all sorts of funactivity such as colouring,quizzes, handicrafts, knot-

ting, and music.It takes them out of theirhospital environment andalso often gives parentsand nurses a respite fromtheir role as carers, saidMalcolm. And the childrenlove it because we make itall fun for them.W Bros Dennis Clark andGordon Hodgson, bothpast masters of PathfinderLodge, work with MalcolmBird in organising and

fund-raising but Malcolmis the dynamo that keepsthe scheme buzzing along.

As an experienced publicspeaker, he will give a talkto anyone who will helpus and he finds WomensInstitutes particularly sup-portive.One of Malcolms main aimsis to recruit more Leaders.

At present he has six. Thatmeans that only two of the17 wards at the hospital arecovered but he has highhopes that a special meet-ing of the lodge in April willhelp. Anyone interested inScouting will be welcome.Just contact WBro Malcolm.He called the scheme Ona-way (meaning alert orawake after the name ofthe first Scout group he

joined as a lad).t Pathfinder Lodge wasfounded in 1974 primarilyfor men having an affiliationto the Scout movement buttoday it has a wider mem-bership. For more infor-mation, contact Malcolm([email protected])

Scouts take funinto the wards

a co


5/12

5

We would love to havea chat with you.

Thinking about Equity Release?

Based in Bromsgrove

0844 995 1000

WWW.INTEGRITYFA.CO.UK

Its not just residential we can help with.

Did you know we have access to over 100

commercial lenders? Well, you do now!

For a chat about how we could assist you and your

business please feel free to call us and ask for Rob

07967 252962

dontforgettodownloadourapp!

Meeting as they do at TenburyWells, members of the Lodgeof St Michael No 1097 mayman one of the outposts ofthe Worcestershire Province,but they set a fine examplein how to build links with thelocal community.They hold all sorts of socialevents to raise funds andonce a year leaders of aselection of the townsorganisations are invited tothe lodge for a grand cheque-giving evening. This year

the Provincial Grand Masterhimself turned up to do thehonours.

How it beganIt all began seven years agowhen, as Charity Steward,W Bro Brian Roberts held aseries of cheese and wineparties to raise special fundsto help community groups.Its grown since then, saidBrian, and this year we wereable to hand over cheques

More than 350 peoplecrowded into All SaintsChurch at Evesham tosupport W Bro Rev SteveJordan as he took anotherstep in his new life as aChurch of England minister.

He was ordained 18 monthsago and in this second levelof progression was priestedby the Bishop of Dudley, theRev David Walker.Steve is an assistant curatein a rural benefice northof Evesham and says thatSundays are Monte CarloRally days as he goes fromchurch to church.

As a member of the WestMidlands Police Force, hereached the rank of Chief

Superintendent but says:For many years I struggledbetween my job in the policeand the call to serve God.

Unsurprisingly, God won andI look forward to serving Himand His people in my newrole.He has been a leadingWorcestershire freemason formany years and is a memberof Northfield 5056, Perfection8430 and Custos 9320 aswell as other orders. He wasan acting senior warden andholds Grand rank as PAGDC.Our picture shows Steve withthe Bishop.

Tenbury showshow to do it

totalling 1,650. Its a greatway of forging links with thelocals. Its brought the localcommunity into the lodgeand vice-versa. Its the bestPR weve ever done.It works well in Tenburywhich is a tightly-knit townwith around 200 differentcommunity groups butmaybe it wouldnt go so wellin big towns.

Among events planned for2013 is a Ball in the Barn but,said Brian, farmer and lodge

member Robert Hanley willhave to get rid of the cattle inthe barn first!The lodge, which meets onthe last Thursday Octoberto April, is renowned for itsexcellent and bargain-pricedmeals, masterminded byanother member, chef andlocal butcher Phil Gibbs.Brian Roberts has retiredfrom his tree-surgery andlandscaping business but,now 70, he is as busy as ever.

Special day for theRev. Steve


6/12

6

Youcanthaveitall!!Youcanthaveitall!!Youcanthaveitall!!Sad,buttrue!!Inlifewehavetomakecompromisesandtrytoachievethebestresultswecan.Itsthe

sameinyournancialworld.Wewantmoremoneytospendbutneedtosaveforthefuture.Weliketosaveandbuildupour

capitalbutweneedtopayfortheholidays.Weneedtopreserveourcapitalbutweneedto

increaseourincometomeetthebills.Thesedecisionsalonearehardenoughtomake,butwhen

weaddontaxes,allowances,exempons,trusts,reliefsandamyriadofrulesandregulaonsthey

becomeveryhardandmeconsumingindeed!

Ifyouarerunningabusinessthenyouhavealloftheabove

plusthelatestscamfromthegovernment,theEUandany

numberofinterestedpares(interestedininterferingin

yourbusinessthatis!).

Wearenancialadvisersanditisourjobtohelpourclientsmakesenseoftheirpriories.

Wecantpromisedeliverancefromalloftheabovebutwecanpromisetohelpyoumake

senseofsomeofit!Thatway,thedecisionsyoumakewillbeinformeddecisions.Youcanthaveitall,butyoucanhavethe

mostthatyoucanhave!!Giveusaringonanyoftheareasbelow,oranymaeronwhichyouthinkwemaybeabletohelp.

RegulatedbytheFinancialServicesAuthority

CallPhilHannahon01216021602

PersonalPensions

Invesngforgrowth

Providingforyourfamily

Preservingyourestate Carefeesadvancedplanning

AutoEnrolmentInvesngforincreasedincome

MinimisingIHTonyourestate MinimisingIHTonyourestate

ADVERTISEMENT

Reringsoon?

Inial

Consultaonat

ourexpense

Nick Plotnek, Master ofGeorge Taylor LodgeNo.9819, describes hislatest hare-brained charitychallenge thus: 10,000miles, 19 countries, 8 weeks,5 mountain ranges, 3 deserts,2 idiots on two motorbikes,and one destination.The destination was UlaanBataar. Id never heard of iteither, but its the capital ofMongolia and Nicks journey,which began at BirminghamChildrens Hospital, was on atiny 125cc bike just in case

the trip proved too easy.Easy? The event is calledthe Mongol Rally but, saidNick, it was nothing like anyrally hed ever experiencedbefore. Theres virtuallyno organisation, he said.Theres a start and a finishand apart from that youreon your own. Folk travelin cars and vans and, yes,motorbikes, but few try it on a125cc machine.Sometimes camping,sometimes finding adodgy hotel, Nick and his

Nick beats the odds onepic10,000-mile trip

non-Mason friend KevinStrickland, rode on throughstorms and 50-degree heatwaves, sometimes on roadsas smooth as a billiard tableand often on rough trackswhere small boulders andpotholes threatened, overmountain passes, downinto deep valleys, mile aftermile after mile on a road tonowhere.

PunishmentCountry after countryhammered away at their

tyres, and the punishmenthad its impact on the bikes.Bent spokes, petrol leaks,broken oil seals, damagedpistons the problems cametheir way in profusion butthey solved them all in oneway or another.Petrol was always a concernwith supplies sometimes 150miles or so apart. One day,stuck in a desert, they wereforced to buy black marketfuel served to them in plasticbottles.

And so they arrived at theMongolia border. Troubles

over? Not on your life!The border guard pinchedmy visa and forced me tobuy another one, said Nick.Then Mongolia turned outto be an awful country withhorrific roads and it was still1,100 miles to the capital!Still, the intrepid bikers madeit and lived to tell the tale.They dumped the bikes andgot on a plane home as soonas possible. And at 55, Nickwas pleased with the wayhis body had coped with thechallenge.Mind you, hesaid, if I hadnt trained in the

gym for three months it wouldhave killed me!His venture raised amagnificent 16,000 or sofor charities, including 500each to the Worcestershireand Warwickshire MasonicProvinces and the vastbulk going to BirminghamChildrens Hospital.Nick has a special reason toraise funds for hospital. Hisson Robert, born with a heartdefect in 1990, died there in2003 after years of surgeryand a heart transplant in1999.

By Peter

Ricketts

Nick Plotnek prepares for

the big venture


7/12

7

Ida Parkinson was absolutelyastonished. In all her 20

years of fund-raising this wasthe biggest donation she hadever received and she wasalmost speechless.I would have been delightedwith 200-300 but thisamount was staggering, shesaid.The amount, in fact, wasfor 9,800, part of a totalof 32,000 handed out byour PGM, RWBro RichardGoddard, during thepresentation of funds from theFreemasons Grand Charitywhich took place at Ellard-

Hanson Court, Bromsgrove.Ida received the cheque aspresident of the Redditchand District MacMillan Fund-Raising Committee. Thiswonderful lady was a pioneerof the movement because,60 years ago, she becamethe first MacMillan nurse inthe area and for nine years.

As the organisation grew uparound her, she played a keyrole in providing support forcancer patients before beingasked to lead the task ofraising vital funds.

Now, at 80, she is still there,

Large cheque

delight for pioneer Idaas busy as ever.She has happy memories

of the days when her latehusband, Douglas Parkinson,was an ardent Mason. He wasa member - and WM in 1987-of Bordesley Abbey LodgeNo. 4495 in Redditch, as wellas belonging to Royal Arch,Mark, and Knights Templar.Like Ida, Douglas was anenthusiastic fund-raiserand was an accomplishedafter-dinner speaker andcomedian. He performedat many Masonic eventsbut would never take a fee,requesting instead that a

donation be made to the nowdefunct Masonic Hospital. Hedied nine years ago.Five Worcestershire hospicesalso benefited from the annualMasonic share-out of funds

Acorns, Kemp, St Richards,Primrose, and Mary Stevens.The 32,000 from the GrandCharity was part of grantstotalling 600,000 donatedto hospices throughout thecountry this year and wasboosted by another 400and allocated to the localhospices by Worcestershire

lodges .

The Village Square outside AllSaints Church in the centreof Kings Heath has won anational award and is a primeexample of how Freemasonrycan become involved in thecommunity.The square, with substantialfinancial help from KingsHeath masons and ProvincialGrand Lodge, was beautifullylaid out with fine paths,lawns and flower beds. Itwas opened in 2011 and has

won the Regeneration and

One brick at a timeRenewal Award for 2012 forbest use of arts and culture inregeneration.To help to pay for theproject, over 100 individualFreemasons and Lodgesmeeting at Kings Heatheach paid for a sponsoredpaving brick. In addition,the Provincial Grand Masterpresented a cheque for5,000 towards the cost of theproject at the 2011 ProvincialCarol Service held at All Saints

Church.

Ida Parkinson receives

her cheque from the

Provincial Grand Master.


8/12

8

Every Tuesday and Thursdaythe Masonic Library andMuseum at Rainbow Hill,

Worcester, is buzzing with lifeas The Team goes to work.These Masons about adozen of them are dedicatedto the job of keeping the L&Min good order and constantlymaking improvements.The result is a superb displayof Masonic historic artefactsand literature which, it issafe to say, is by far the bestoutside of London and it isthere for all Masons (and thepublic) to browse over.

New displayAt the centre of the activity isthe Librarian and Curator, WBro John Tapson, who tookover when John Hart diedabout a year ago, and applieshimself to the task with thesame infectious enthusiasmas his predecessor. Whichmeans you wont find himhiding away in an office. WhenI called he was beaveringaway with members of his

The history men of Worcester

team creating Beyond theCraft, a new wall displaydepicting regalia of the otherOrders.

He wants to make themuseum more accessibleboth to Masons and thewider public and to thisend he has joined theWorcester Heritage Group.

As a result, tourists pickingup a city attractions leafletwill find WorcestershireMuseum of Freemasonryon the list along with suchas the cathedral and theCommandery.

His career, until he retiredeight years ago, was farremoved from the worldof museums. He was an

engineer with Severn Trent,but he had a good groundingworking as John Hartsdeputy for a number of yearsand is now immersed in it.His dream is to have abrown sign on the M5 witha square and compasseson it, directing the world toRainbow Hill.

LunchesJohn also wants to seemore visitors from lodges

and points out that he andhis team will always try toaccommodate brethrenwishing to visit on days otherthan the official openingtimes. Sunday lunches areoffered to groups.First time visitors to themuseum are invariablystaggered by the richnessand diversity of the thousandsof artefacts and books ondisplay at Rainbow Hill. Ifyou want to see for yourself,

call 05603 102654 or e-mailJohn on [email protected]

To improve medical facilitiesat Kings Heath Masonic Hall,an automated defibrillatorhas been purchased so thatimmediate action can betaken if a lodge member orguest suffers a heart attack.To try to ensure that eachlodge/chapter or other Order

has trained personnel aTraining Session was heldon 26 January 2013 whenevery unit that meets at KingsHeath was invited to sendtwo members.

All interested brethren shouldcontact WBro Trevor Barneson 0121 778 2738 or e- [email protected]

After a whirlwind year inthe run up to the Olympics,Tommy Godwin has diedaged 91. The winner of twobronze medals in the 1948Games had been a memberof St Oswald Lodge No. 5094for more than 55 years.

He former racing cyclistrevelled in his role asBirminghams Olympics

Ambassador and spent theyear attending numerousfunctions. Just before theLondon Olympics were aboutto begin, Tommy became

The Team includes (from left): Bob James (Deputy Curator), Henry France-Sargeant, Mark Lodge, John Tapson (Curator),

Colin Young (Executive Chairman), Roy Padden (Executive Deputy Chairman), Mike Pearman, Peter Merris, and Alan Dally

(Executive Secretary).

Tommy Godwin dies

Training

to savelives

seriously ill. Cancer wasdiagnosed but he still insistedon carrying the Olympictorch through Solihull andattending the Velodrometo watch our modern daycyclists beat the world. Hedied on November 3.

For more than half a centuryhe hardly missed a meetingof St Oswald. I love mymasonry, he said. Im veryproud of my lodge. Its theonly one Ive ever joined andits always been an importantpart of my life.

www.worcestershirepgl.org.uk

KEEP IN TOUCH:

visit thewebsite


9/12

9

Emily startstrainingEmily Draper (pictured),the trainee stonemasonsponsored by Worcestershire

Masons to the tune of 50,000,is settling nicely into herapprenticeship at WorcesterCathedral.She has all the enthusiasmand passion for the job that wewere looking for, said headstonemason Darren Steele.The 26-year-old won theapprenticeship against a hugedemand for the job. I lovethe cathedral, she said. Itssuch a great place and theresso much to learn, and Im sograteful to the Freemasons formaking it possible.

The Royal Arch Chapterswithin the Province continueto give generously to the2013 Bi-Centenary Appealon behalf of the Royal Col-lege of Surgeons.The appeal will continue un-

til September and will cul-minate in two celebratoryevents in London on 16thOctober.The first, in the morning,will be a Presentation bythe Grand Stewards Chap-ter in Grand Lodge followedby lunch in the ConnaughtRooms and then, in the after-noon, The First Grand Princi-pal, HRH The Duke of Kent,will preside at a Convocationof Supreme Grand Chapterfollowed by a dinner at theSavoy Hotel.Within the Province, The MostExcellent Grand Superinten-dent, Excellent CompanionColin P. T. Brown, and his Ex-ecutive Team continue theirtask in seeking to encourageMaster Masons to completetheir journey through AncientFreemasonry by joining theHoly Royal Arch, given thatin the Book of Constitutionsit quite clearly states:There are but three degreesin Ancient Freemasonry,

those of the Entered Ap-prentice, Fellow Craft andMaster Mason including theSupreme Order of the HolyRoyal Arch.

As further encouragement,the Deputy Grand Superin-tendent, Excellent Compan-ion Geoffrey R. Weston, andthe Provincial Presentation

Team continue to visit lodgerooms in the Province to pre-sent Why join the Holy Roy-al Arch to Master Masons.Such presentations normallyfollow a Chapter Meeting sothat Master Masons can be-come familiar with the layoutof the Chapter Room.Two such presentations haverecently taken place at KingsHeath. It is interesting to notethat of those Master Ma-sons who attend, 80% thenseek to join the Order. All

Companions are thereforeencouraged to invite a Mas-ter Mason to one of theseevents.The Appointments and Pro-motions Committee sat inNovember, and those Com-panions selected are nowaware of their appointmentor promotion, which will

be conferred at the AnnualMeeting of Provincial GrandChapter on Saturday 13th

April in the Avon Room atthe University of Birming-ham.This meeting will also seethe Installation of the newThird Provincial Grand Prin-cipal, Excellent CompanionDavid J Bell, PPrGSN, wellknown throughout the Prov-ince as a former ProvincialCraft Director ofCeremonies.

Big eventsto mark

200 yearsROYAL ARCH REPORT David J. Bell


10/12

10

The WorcestershireMasonic Golfing Societyis celebrating its 50th

anniversary this year witha special charity event inaid of the childrens AcornsTrust. It will take place atKings Norton Golf Club onJuly 9 and is open to all Masons, non-Masons andladies and will be followedby a splendid dinner, prize-giving, and entertainment.Its going to be a wonderfulgolfing occasion, said

Members of BromsgroveLodge No 5414 are celebrating

the 50th anniversary of theirmeeting hall in the town thanks to an amazing gesturemade by a brothers widow55 years ago.For many years after the warthe brethren had dreamsof having a home of theirown. When the lodge wasformed in 1933 they met atthe premises of one of theirmembers, Bro W H de Grey.Then in 1940 they moved toSt Johns Church parish hall,but more and more they grewrestless and in 1947 held aspecial meeting and a seriousattempt to build a new hallwas determined.

ObstaclesSuitable land was found inKidderminster Road andby 1948 they had obtainedbuilding permission but therewere severe obstacles in theway, not least the amountthey had in the building fund.By 1953 the projected cost

Kings Heath Masonic Hall isnow the home to 91 MasonicUnits and a significantMidlands meeting place,having been consecrated in1937 by R W Bro Gen FrancisDavies.The evening to celebrate its75th anniversary took placeon Monday 10 September

with just over 100 Masonsseated in Lodge Room No 1.After the opening by WythallLodge members, and thereading of the dispensationto hold an extra meeting,a number of papers weredelivered by representativesof the Lodges who eithermoved there from InstituteRoad and were first to use therooms, or by Lodges newlyconsecrated there.Two presentations weregiven by the Hall Secretary,W Bro Jim Coxon, covering

the early days and then amore recent history of events.Presentations by the Lodgesof Masefield, LechmereVolunteers, Wythall,Coronation (unfortunately,now closed) and St Georgewere all well received.These were followed byPattison-Hughes, whotook over the catering in1958. Then there was acompendium presentationfrom the Stechford Lodges,who arrived in 2011. Thehonour of being Tail endCharlie was given to W BroDerek Owen of Kings HeathWorcestershire AssociatedMasonic Lodges.Pre-dinner drinks and asplendid dinner were gracedby the presence, in depth,

50 Years of golfHow Edith cameto the rescue secretary Paul Battle. It is

limited to 26 teams of four,so I urge people to get in

touch with me as soon aspossible.The society will also beholding its usual highlyenjoyable matches againstfive neighbouring provincesand if youre not a memberalready youre missing atreat. Paul Battle will bedelighted to hear frompotential new members on0121 445 1981.

49 Smith Street,Warwick, CV344JA

01926 [email protected]

www.journeytheworld.com

Specialists in flights, holidays& tailor made travel

Our aim is to offer a personal service, tailored to theindividual requirements of our clients. Our emphasis is ongood old fashioned customer service. From f inding the hotelwith the best view of the Taj Mahal to booking the RioCarnival, we can help!

1683High Street,Knowle, Solihull B93 0LL

01564 [email protected]

of the hall was 9,926. Totalassets were 1,202 11s 11d!

Then came another blow. Thesite on Birmingham Roadwas reclassified as parklandbut fortunately another wasavailable in Churchfields. Butstill there was the financialmountain to climb.Then came a dramaticchange in fortunes. Out of theblue, Mrs Edith Poole, widowof former prominent member

Arthur Poole, offered thebrethren a 6,000 gift!This was as a direct result ofthe lodges policy of keepingin close contact with thewidows. W Bro Wilf Websterwas paying her a visit toensure she was being lookedafter when she asked him tohelp her to put into effect abequest from the late Arthurto create a new ward at aBristol hospital.The cost proved to be far inexcess of the funds availableand W Bro Webster tactfullysuggested that the buildingof the Bromsgrove LodgeMasonic Hall was a suitablealternative. She gladly agreed

...And 75 years atKings HeathBy W Bro Jonathan Whittaker Anniversary Chairman

of Provincial Grand LodgeOfficers, including the PGM,R W Bro Richard Goddardand Dep PGM, VWBro RobertVaughan, himself a memberof the Lodge of St George. TheLord Mayor of Birmingham,W Bro Councillor John Lines,was also in attendance.To give the evening some

relevance in the world oftoday, W Bro David Rice, theCharity Steward of MoseleyLodge No 5224 made theCharity Appeal.

PresentationDavid was suitably dressedas a member of SolihullFas+Aid (the MedicalEmergency CommunityResponder Scheme) andgave us a fascinatinginsight into his role in theorganisation and why it was

in need of charitable fundingfrom within the community itserves.

Additionally, Fas+Aid havebeen providing defibrillatortraining. A presentation oftwo cheques totalling 1,400from the PGM and thecollection of 591 gave him avery worthwhile return for hisefforts!In his Preface to the 75th

Anniversary Booklet, whichsupported the evening, thePGM wrote: I encourageyou to use this document as

a vehicle for information andentertainment. The bookletis still available, in a highlyillustrated colour 24 page

A4 format. If you would likeone please ring ore-mail me on: 0121 745 1469

[email protected]

to page 11


11/12

11

The heart-rending story ofa boys long battle againstcancer was the subject of thecharity collection when BroDean Finley, WM of MoseleyLodge 5224, and his wife Liz,held their Ladies Night.Brethren, their ladies, andguests gave freely. Eventhe band returned their fee,and the result was that atotal of 3,000 was sharedbetween Wards 10 and 15at Birmingham ChildrensHospital where young MaxLoxley, son of a close friend

of Deans, has receivedfantastic care duringnearly two years of majoroperations.

The story started in April2011 when Max, then aged

Why everybodypitched in...

12, was diagnosed with abrain tumour andhis and his familys world

was upside down.In May 2011 he had his firstoperation, which was 11hours long, to remove someof the tumour, and then in

April 2012 he had a furtheroperation to remove somemore.Max then underwent another12 hour operation in Augustand then another six smalleroperations, and so the fightcontinues.

David Rice, Charity

Steward; Max; and

Dean Finley, WM.

If youve never attendeda St. Davids Day meetingof Cyfrinfa Dewi Sant No.9135 (the Lodge of St. David,

meeting at Bromsgrove)youve missed an eveningto remember, says W BroGraeme Collins, their WM.He adds: The uniquelyenjoyable Welsh flavour, and

our interactive singingextravaganza, will leave youwanting to return.Their festival this year fallson Friday, 22 February. If youwould like to attend, contactGraeme Collins 01562 741777or [email protected]

Bromsgrovecelebrates

and, to speed the project up,she increased her offer from6,000 to 10,505.By 1961 the building wascomplete and in the followingFebruary the BromsgroveLodge held their first meetingthere. The dream had cometrue.Now the centre is thrivingwith five Craft lodges andmany other Orders meetingthere. And, to commemoratethat marvellous gesture, it isnamed The Edith & ArthurPoole Memorial Hall.I am grateful to W Bro Peter

Roberson, chairman of theBromsgrove Masonic HallBuildings Committee, for the

story of how the hall was built.

Editor.

from page 10

New PrSGWA prominent Worcestershiremason, W Bro Peter Manning,has been selected as thenew Provincial Senior GrandWarden of Warwickshire.Bro Manning was a foundermember of Morgan LodgeNo. 9816 in 2006 and wasWM two years later. The newPJGW is John Harris. Theywill take up their posts at theWarwickshire AGM in May.

Welsh treat


12/12

12

12 APPEAL 2011Published by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire, 94 BirminghamRoad, Bromsgrove B61 ODF.

Editor Peter Ricketts 01562 630794. E-mail [email protected] f i Offi d S Ad i i M Ed B k 87979 757074 E il i d b k

SUIT HIRENot just for

weddings but for

every

Special Occasion

The average age of Morgan

Lodge, 9816, at Malverncame down with a bumpwhen brothers Mark andSean Penney were initiated.Mark was 21 and Sean 18.Eighteen? Well, yes. Whentheir father, Andre, proposedthem, a special dispensationwas sought and approvedfor Sean, making him one ofthe youngest Masons in theProvince.

Andre, of course, is thrilledthat his sons should want

to follow in his Masonicfootsteps. They are bothvery keen, he said, and Ithink they will both becomevery good ritualists.But first the two lads havemore pressing learning todo, Sean studying IT atWorcester University, andMark tackling sports scienceat college.

Sons are nowhis brothers!

The lads were initiated

by the WM, W Bro BrianWhittingslow and theircousin, Sebastian Penney,presented the working tools.Morgan Lodge is unique inthe Province. It was formedin Malvern home of theMorgan Motor Company- in 2006, and meetsonly in March, June, andSeptember. Its membersare generally self-confessedpetrol heads with a love forMorgan cars, or any other

racy motors. The idea for thelodge came from Andresbrother, Delmund, and he and

Andre were both founders.Sadly, Delmund, then a livelypresence in WorcestershireFreemasonry, has sincedied.

Andre, PPrGStB, was Masterof the lodge in 2006 and isnow Assistant Secretary.

Andre Penney with sons Mark and Sean

The Ladies Gift Fund celebrated60 years of fundraising forMasonic charities with its 2012Christmas Fayre..It was a bumper successwith over 5,000 in takings asMasons from the Provinces of

Warwickshire, Worcestershireand Staffordshire, with theirfamilies and friends, flockedto the Clarendon Suite,Birmingham.The Fayre was graced withthe presence of the RWAssistant Grand Master, DavidK Williamson - who openedthe proceedings - and his wifeMargaret.Ladies and brethren, staffingtables piled high with jewellery,

toys, crockery, cakes andgoodness knows what else,were rushed off their feet as thecash rolled merrily in.After expenses, around 4,900will be added to other moneyraised during the year and

shared between the threeProvinces and The MasonicSamaritan Fund.The next event, with thepresentation of cheques, isthe annual Spring Lunch onSunday, 24 March at KingsHeath Masonic Hall.

All those who knew herwere saddened at the deathlast October of Barbara IreneDavies, a leading worker for theLadies Gift Fund for 32 years.

Fun at the Fayre

WorcseterSource19.pdf

Documents

Transcript of WorcseterSource19.pdf