Letters
The Editor welcomes letters,
but reserves the right to edit
them where necessary.
Letters can be sent by email to
editor@mqmagazine.co.uk or
addressed to: The Editor, MQ,
Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen
Street, London WC2B 5AZ.
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Star Letter
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EARL HAIG THE MASON
By chance, just after I had read the
article about the Duke of Wellington
and Freemasonry (MQ, Issue No. 9),
there was a visit from Archie Eglinton,
who is my wife’s cousin, and I told him
about a more modern Field Marshal
and his interests in Freemasonry.
Archie instructed me to write to you
with this story.
In 1920, Lord Haig came to visit at
Broomhall in order to visit a club of ex-servicemen
that had been developed in
our local town of Dunfermline. My father
told me that, in the morning following
this dinner of the ex-servicemen, Haig
said that he was hoping to be able to
form a number of these groups all over
Scotland and elsewhere.
My father said that he then told
Haig that he was finding similar groups
of ex-servicemen who were joining
or had recently joined Freemason
Lodges in Scotland.
Father went on and said to Haig:
“You didn’t by any chance become a
Freemason, did you?” Haig apparently
looked surprised but admitted that, as
an undergraduate at Oxford he had
joined the local Lodge at Leven in Fife
near to their Cameron Bridge distillery
and had become a Freemason in Elgin’s
Lodge at Leven No. 91. This Lodge was
named after the fifth Earl, who was
Grand Master Mason in 1761.
My father then discovered from the
Lodge secretary that indeed Douglas
Haig, described as an undergraduate at
Oxford, had taken his First and Second
Degrees and was still awaiting his Third.
A suitable date was arranged for
Field Marshal the Earl Haig, K.T., to
receive his Third Degree and he later
went on to become Master of the Lodge
and was persuaded to take office in
Grand Lodge, which he did. When he
died he was Senior Grand Deacon.
The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine K.T.
Past Grand Master Mason of Scotland
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Value of the Almoner
Having just been in hospital for a major
cancer operation, I read with interest The
Importance of Masonic Almoners (MQ,
Issue No. 8).
Many Masons like me must have listened
to the Almoner’s report in Lodge, and not
given much thought to what is involved,
and the comfort to those visited.
I now know different. How grateful I was
for his visits. In the future I shall listen more
carefully to his reports, and when there is a
draw or collection for the Almoner’s fund or
the Charities, I will contribute with gratitude.
To those Masons who have never had a
visit from their Almoner, I recommend you
do the same. You may need him one day.
Norman Ballard
Southampton
Spackman memories
We are all encouraged to make a daily
advancement in Masonic knowledge, so
I was interested to read the article “The
Jewel in His Crown” (MQ, Issue No. 9).
It particularly caught my attention when
it mentioned Panmure Lodge and W Bro
R J Sadleir. Unfortunately, the article
persisted in calling him Sadler. This letter
will also hopefully put another layer on the
foundation laid by the article concerning
Bro Spackman.
Brother Sadleir was born in 1863 and
died in 1940. He was initiated into Playgoers
Lodge No. 2705 in 1899. During his
Masonic career he was a member of 15
Lodges, and was just as impressive with
his membership of the Royal Arch.
What my mother Lodge has the most
to thank him for is his introduction of the
Veritas Working of the three Craft degrees
into Veritas Lodge No. 4983. The working
is carried out by seven other Lodges,
including Beaux Arts, mentioned in the
article about Bro Spackman.
The working has a number of delightful
additions including an unusual Inner
Working. Brother Sadleir also established
a tradition that Veritas Lodge would never
resume, but would always be closed down
properly in each degree.
During his distinguished Masonic career
Brother Sadleir not only published his own
ritual, but also a number of leaflets designed
to assist the newly admitted Freemason.
If any Brother wishes to discover more
about Brother Sadleir or Veritas Lodge
No 4983 they should contact me at
reg_brindley@bigfoot.com or our secretary,
Gordon Wells, at gjpfwells@waitrose.com.
I would also like to know if we can
obtain a photograph of the painting of our
Founding Master, Richard Joseph Sadleir.
Reg Brindley
South Warnborough, Hants
Music in Lodges
I hope you can keep the debate going
concerning music in Lodges and Chapters.
There are many who feel that playing
‘modern’ songs demeans ritual and the
prestige of Freemasonry.
I belong to the school of thought that
encourages modern appropriate music that
heightens and encourages enjoyment of a
Freemason’s night out.
I like to play Consider Yourself for an
initiate or Cilla Black’s Step Inside Love
when we collar our Tyler.
What’s wrong with Two Little Boys for
the Deacons and South of the Border for Junior
Warden? And we’ve had some fun finding
songs for plumbers, taxi drivers, electricians
and even funeral directors.
George Holden
Blackpool
Wellington Lodge
Your article in relation to the Duke of
Wellington (MQ, Issue No. 9) had some
interesting background information, and
would like to add a little more detail to an
otherwise very informed and accurate piece
of writing.
Wellington Lodge did, in fact, come into
being after the decision by Grand Lodge to
grant Lodge No. 494’s request to bear the
name and title of Wellington.
Their subsequent reluctance to do so
would presumably have stemmed from the
Duke’s negative response to their original
request. However, that was the situation in
April 1843.
In 1864 Masons in Portadown, County
Armagh, were trying to re-establish Lodge
No. 82, which had moved a few years
previously to the town from the nearby
village of Tandragee.
The Lodge had fallen on hard times and
had, as a result, returned their warrant to
Grand Lodge in Dublin for safekeeping.
Through Bro. Thomas Carleton (note the
same surname as the secretary of Lodge No.
494), who was the chairman of the town
commissioners, the Lodge was formally
re-established as Wellington Lodge No. 82
and was opened on the first Monday of June
1864, and since then has continued to prosper.
W George Twinem, Secretary
Wellington Lodge No 82
Portadown
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