London Royal Arch Digest Sept 2021
London’s Royal Arch Chapters and Companions have in recent times started to meet, revelling in being back in each other’s company, and there is a crackle of excitement in the air as masonic friends are physically back together. Dressing in suits and ties, which may or may not feel a little snugger than before, or […]
Peckham Chapter No. 1475, Makes a spectacular return
W Bro Tony Shepherd reports On Monday 19th July at Freemasons’ Hall, the hottest day of the year, over 40 members and guests of Peckham Chapter No 1475, Metropolitan’s Royal Arch Escorting Officers’ Chapter, celebrated being able to meet once more. Following the easing of Government Social Distancing restrictions, the Chapter was able […]
Men at the Top E Comp David Richard Ellis
E Comp David Richard Ellis OBE PJGD PAGSoj MetGInsp (Royal Arch) In conversation with W Bro Simon Bennett LGR Born on 26 April 1955 at the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, E Comp David only lived in the North East for a short time. Moving to Edinburgh for two years and then to […]
A meeting of two exclusive social clubs
W Bro David Seddon reports On the evening of 29th July, Freemason's Hall, witnessed a special gathering. Members of two social organisations that pride themselves on the quality of their members met for the first time. A few Freemasons had invited fellow members of Mensa to visit the exquisite building that we know and love. […]
Why Master Masons (and above) should join the Royal Arch
A personal perspective from E Comp Ian Burgess GStB, MetGInsp. Four weeks after becoming a Master Mason, you are entitled to join the Supreme Order of the Royal Arch of Jerusalem, the next step in Freemasonry. But what is the Royal Arch, and why might you consider joining? When the two opposing Grand Lodges were […]
Thames River Lodge No 5764 hosts initiation and 60th Certificate
W Bro Rod Glyn-Thomas LGR reports “The river has great wisdom and whispers its secrets to the hearts of men.” -Bro Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain, initiated Polar Star Lodge No 79 St Louis, Missouri 18th February 1861. On Wednesday 1st September I visited both Thames River Lodge No 5764 and the South East London […]
A Tale of Two Chapters – a novel ‘link’
E Comp Leland M Lewis SLGCR The Barnato Chapter No 2265 summonses had for many years been printed by one of our members, the late E Comp Tony Batkin, a professional printer amongst many other things. He was always jolly, bright and ‘larger than life’, famed in his industry for his enormous range of colourful, […]
A pub supports its local community
W Bro David Copeland Although the two lockdown periods have been difficult for all pubs, The Hare in Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, run by London Mason W Bro Jim Woolley, of Fairfax Lodge No 3014, has used them to strengthen its role in the local community and has redoubled its efforts in support of army […]
The Masonic Craft Beer Society hold their inaugural summer social
By Bro Andrew Bond The Masonic Craft Beer Society was started at the height of the first Covid-19 lockdown by three friends, all members of Lodge of Simplicity No 7865. Now boasting a membership of over 2700 (primarily from UGLE, but also from other Masonic jurisdictions across the globe) and about to breathe new life […]
Metropolitan Clay Shooting Team Triumph at 2021 Championships
VW Bro Brian Saidman reports on a sixth, record-breaking win Following the long-awaited resumption of the 2021 major Masonic Clay Shooting events under the National Association of Masonic Clay Shooting Societies, the 2021 Home Counties Masonic Clay Shooting Championships was held on Saturday 14th August. The Home Counties participants comprise the Metropolitan Grand Lodge Clay […]
Kent Club for London Freemasons Update
By W Bro Richard Criddle PPJGD (Surrey), Club Secretary, and W Bro George Kloosman LGR, Club member By the time you read this article, the Masonic season will be well underway, but I hope you enjoyed a restful summer. The committee of the Kent Club for London Freemasons, however, was very much hard at work! […]
Our Covid19 Story from the Museum of Freemasonry’s contemporary collecting initiative
Susan Snell, Archivist and Records Manager presents When lockdown first started, we received several enquiries asking about how freemasonry coped with the Spanish Flu a century ago. That devastating pandemic caused the death of over 200,000 people in Britain, primarily young adults aged 20 to 30. It included soldiers returning from World War I trenches […]