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Monmouthshire re-enactment Group in period costume
After reading a paper on Russian
Freemasonry which had been presented
to Patea Kilwinning Lodge No 18 in
New Zealand in 1987, Graham Carey
and W. Brewer of Nioba Lodge No
5264, based at Newport, formed the
Monmouthshire Masonic Study Group.
They were helped by Constant Grunweld,
a Past Grand Master of Russia in exile,
meeting in Paris, and formed a demonstration
team, with ceremonies conducted in
authentic period costume and reconstructed
regalia circa 1810.
They were professionally advised
by a theatrical costumier, and their first
performance of a Russian initiation
ceremony as worked at Lodge of Apollo,
St. Petersburg, in 1810 was given at
Newport Masonic Hall in 1989.
Since then, they have appeared in 18
Provinces, as well as Freemasons’ Hall,
London and Scotland. Many repeat visits
have been made, and an average of six to
eight demonstrations are given annually.
On one occasion in London, their
audience of 255 came from 85 Lodges,
and it is not unusual for more than 20
Lodges to be represented in the audience.
The group is totally self-funded, and its
costumes have been valued at over £10,000.
The purpose is to raise funds for various
charities and to make Masons aware of
their Masonic history.
There are 30 members in the Study
Group, which enables a number of
understudies to be provided, so that cover
can be arranged in the event of unavoidable
or unexpected absences.
One such occasion occurred some four
years ago, when the group was travelling
to Somerset and the brakes on their coach
failed whilst crossing the Severn Bridge.
The coach collided with a buttress on the
bridge, and resulted in two brethren being
seriously injured, one of whom lost the
sight of one eye. These brethren, plus
several others, were transported to hospital
by ambulance, but in true show business
style, the show still went on for 150 brethren
at Nailsea.
Further researches have enabled the
group to extend their repertoire to include a
demonstration of an 18th century ceremony
of the Fourth Degree of the Antients
(Royal Arch).
Currently, the Group is investigating a
ritual worked by French prisoners-of-war
who were held at Abergavenny in
Monmouthshire in 1813 during the
Napoleonic Wars. It is hoped that this
study will soon be concluded so that it
can be similarly presented, and work has
also started on an early Mark ritual.
The group are indebted to a number
of sources for considerable assistance and
authentication during their investigations,
including the Library and Museum at
Grand Lodge, Quatuor Coronati Lodge
of Research, Victoria Lodge of Research
(New South Wales), the library of the
Grand Lodge of Ireland, the Institute
of Slavonic Studies at Oxford, and many
brethren too numerous to list.
The procedure for presentation of these
demonstrations ensures that the Lodge or
Chapter is called off or closed and properly
tyled with only Freemasons present who
are at least Master Masons or Companions.
Among the special venues that have been
visited by the group are the Provincial Grand
Stewards' Lodge of Warwickshire and the
Commonwealth Association of Lodges
Biannual Festival at Great Queen Street,
Cornish First Principals Chapter at Saltash,
Tennant Chapter No 1754 in South Wales
Eastern Division and Lodge of Eastern Bon
Accord at Freemasons’ Hall. The individual
members of the Demonstration Team are
also very active within their own Lodges and
Chapters and there has to be certain
flexibility in managing the group as brethren
progress to certain offices within their
Lodges which make a greater demand upon
their time. It is generally acknowledged by
them that their experience within the group
has enabled them to perform their Lodge or
Chapter duties with greater confidence and
precision than they might otherwise have
done and so, at the end of the day,
Monmouthshire Province is the greatest
beneficiary from their work as well as being
very well advertised throughout the land by
these ambassadors.
The author, RW Bro Donald Powell,
a Past Provincial Grand Master of
Monmouthshire, died last October
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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