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Kitchener Bucks Lodge
I was delighted to read the article on Horatio
Herbert Kitchener (MQ Issue No. 12).
I have now had the pleasure of seeing the
name of Bulwer Lodge (more correctly
Bulwer Lodge of Cairo) mentioned in MQ
and Freemasonry Today in the same week!
Bulwer Lodge of Cairo continues to
thrive – one of only three surviving Egyptian
Lodges – and is based at Beaconsfield in
Buckinghamshire.
I have compiled, and continue to work
on, a detailed history of Bulwer Lodge of
Cairo – a far from easy task as most of our
records were sequestered by the Egyptian
Government in 1956.
Nevertheless, from records left by F D
Stevenson Drane (Ars Quatuor Coronatorum,
Vols 81 & 82), many letters to Lodges
overseas and the UK, together with countless
hours on the Internet, has yielded a veritable
treasure trove of historical information.
I always understood that Kitchener was
initiated into La Concordia Lodge, which
was later “struck-off” by the Grand Orient
of Italy “following trouble of a political
nature” in 1890.
I think it very unlikely that he was
initiated into Kawkab el Sharq No. 1355
(Star of the East). This Lodge was set up
by Egyptian members of Bulwer Lodge
of Cairo exclusively to provide a Lodge
in Cairo under the English Constitution
that worked solely in Arabic.
Kitchener did, indeed, join Bulwer
Lodge of Cairo in 1885 and he was exalted
into Bulwer Chapter in 1890.
In 1890 he was one of the many members
of Bulwer Lodge of Cairo who “took over”
the ailing Greek Lodge Hellas and formed
Grecia Lodge No. 1105, which is still
working in London.
Interestingly, Kitchener’s personal
servant or butler, Henry Surguy-Shields,
was initiated into Bulwer Lodge of Cairo
on 1st February 1913. He died on board
HMS Hampshire with his master on 5th June
1916 and is listed on the Roll of Honour
at Freemasons’ Hall as “Henry Surguy”.
Vic Dorman, Secretary, Bulwer Lodge of Cairo No 1068
Kitchener Lodge and Derbyshire
The article on Lord Kitchener (MQ Issue No. 12) was read with avid interest by several
members of Derbyshire Lodges as in 2001
W.Bro. Kultaran Singh, then Master of
Liversage Lodge No. 5027 organised a trip
to India. Eighteen brethren made the trip,
comprising 10 from Liversage Lodge and
eight from various other Derbyshire Lodges.
The highlight of the trip was a visit to
the Kitchener Lodge No. 2998 where, by
invitation, we all took acting parts in an
Initiation ceremony.
Kitchener Lodge runs a free clinic to
help the sick and needy of Delhi, and in
order to assist in this admirable project, we
have formed ourselves into an “India Club.”
With the assistance of the Provincial
Grand Lodge of Derbyshire we have sent
them Ł1,500 and we are close to making
them another significant donation.
Pat Swift, Derby
Not a VC
I was somewhat surprised to read (MQ Issue No. 12) that Troop Sergeant-Major Richard
Hall Williams was credited with having
received a VC for his part in the Charge
of the Light Brigade.
This is quite clearly an editorial error.
Having spent the past 18 months in
researching and organising the ceremony
to commemorate the 150th anniversary
of the Charge, I never claimed that Richard
was awarded such an honour.
I know that a number of readers were
upset by the claim, but hope they can
understand that mistakes are made, even
in MQ magazine.
Joe Chesney, Endon, Staffordshire
(A number of eagle-eyed readers have pointed out
the error, which was entirely mine and I apologise
to all concerned. The electronic version of MQ,
available on the magazine’s web site, has put the
matter right – Editor)
Lodge VC doubt
I would like to correct Michael Harrington’s
assertion that Lt Frederick Hugh Sherston
Roberts, who was awarded a VC at the
Battle of Colenso in 1899, was a member of
Aldershot Army and Navy Lodge, No. 1971.
I am currently co-writing a history of the
Lodge and can find no evidence that he was
ever a member. The confusion may have
arisen from the fact that his father was
elected as an honorary member in 1902.
Dr Roger Jago, Swallowfield, Berkshire
Mason VCs
I write regarding “Book on Mason VCs” in
the letters page (MQ Issue No. 12). In the
early days of my research into Masonic VCs
I received a list which showed Hugh Sherston
Roberts VC as having been a member of
Aldershot Army and Navy Lodge No.1971.
I contacted the Lodge to confirm his
membership and was told that his father,
Lord Roberts VC, had been an Honorary
Member of that Lodge, but the records did
not list Hugh Sherston Roberts VC as
having been a member. The book referred
to, written by Philip May GC, was
published after his death and, I understand,
was based on his uncompleted research.
With regard to the letter “Boer War
Masonic VCs”, Bro. Donald Farmer VC
was a member of Trafalgar Lodge No. 223,
Leith, Edinburgh, under the Scottish
Constitution, having been Initiated on
4 November 1902.
In this letter, mention is made of “Col.
Cadell, Master of another Scottish Lodge.”
Col. Cadell became affiliated (Joining
Member) of Holyrood House Lodge
No.44 on 15 March 1897 and was Master
in 1902-1903, being the Grand Sword
Bearer for Scotland 1905-1907.
Alan Corns, Heywood, Lancashire
Virtual Organist advantages
With regard to the letter from the Rev Ivan
Fowler (MQ Issue No. 12), the Virtual
Organist system is a means of playing
and controlling any music which can be
incorporated into the system, not just the
tracks I supply as a starting point. It has no
effect on the quality of the music played.
MIDI is a worldwide standard used by
most professional musicians to record the
actual notes played on instruments. Like
all audio recordings and live performances
there are some good and some bad. What
they do allow is the ability to modify
playback, slow down, speed-up tempo,
change the voices etc.
Peter Coates, Aldershot
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MQ Magazine
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