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Ladies groups
In Staffordshire we have a ladies group
known as The Wednesday Club as we meet
on that day, and is open to ladies with any
Masonic male relative, and can also invite
non-Masonic friends.
We have more than 55 members, mostly
from the Stoke-on-Trent area, and some
travel from Wolverhampton, Cheshire and
Shropshire. Since our formation in 2000,
we have donated more than £8,700 for
Hanley Masonic hall as well as many local,
non-Masonic charities.
In order to be recognised by Masons we
wear the Broken Column brooch, adopted
as an identifying emblem to the ladies of
Masons during the American civil war.
Although most of the ladies are widows,
we wear the brooch to reflect the meaning
behind it: to assist in building relationships
where you will find friends who will assist
you in times of need and join with you in
times of gladness.
Pat Joughin
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Not so bad sheriff
I had a wry smile as I read in MQ, Issue
No. 22, and from the insert from The
Freemasons’ Grand Charity about the
Nottinghamshire Provincial Festival, where
the wicked sheriff of Nottingham tried to
abscond with the cheque, and the Provincial
Grand Master needed the help of Robin
Hood and his merry men to foil him
once again.
It was humorous because, when I joined
Freemasonry, I was aware that both my
great-grandfather and great-great uncle
were Masons, but I did not have any
further details.
When I looked at the superb Grand
Lodge web site I read with interest the
available genealogical research that can
be undertaken by the Library & Museum.
From this it turned out that both these
relations had been Masters of their Lodge
and my great-great uncle Frank Newton
Hobson had been Provincial Grand
Treasurer. This may not have been as
amusing as the fact that he was also a
Sheriff of Nottingham.
So, in times past, Nottinghamshire
Province obviously knew that the Sheriff
of Nottingham had a more charitable
character!
Barton upon Humber
Meeting times
I recently visited Lodge of Harmony in
Sydney, Australia and their meetings start
at 7pm with a finish by 10pm. If they can
conduct their ceremonies, festive board etc.
starting at this later time, why can’t we?
Roger Jauncey
Redditch, Worcestershire
Helping Air Ambulance
I read with interest the article about
how much has been donated to the Air
Ambulance (MQ, Issue No. 22). For my
recent 70th birthday, my wife held an
‘open house’ for many of my friends.
We made it clear that I did not want any
presents, but I would be pleased to receive
donations for the Air Ambulance. As a
motorcyclist and golfer, I took the view
that I may have more need of their services,
than I would for 40 bottles of whisky!
In the event, I sent a cheque for £350
and signed a ‘deed of gift’ so that they could
get the tax back, making the total around
£450. I commend the idea to anyone who
is lucky enough to reach ‘three score years
and ten’.
David Basford,
Market Drayton, Shropshire
Masonry in Turkey
Masonry appears to be thriving in Turkey
with new Lodges being formed each year,
and if Bodrum Lodge is anything to go
by, the membership includes numerous
brethren under 40.
The Lodge, named after the town of
Bodrum, has recently produced a daughter
Lodge, Herodot Lodge, named after
Herodotus, the Roman historian, who
was born in Bodrum.
They have just built an absolutely
magnificent temple on the outskirts of the
town with an equally grand dining room.
Ceremonies are conducted in Turkish,
using a variant of the Scottish Rite.
Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern
Turkey, directed that there be no state
religion in Turkey, so Lodges have three
volumes of the sacred law on display, the
Christian Bible, the Jewish Bible and
the Koran.
There are several British Masons semiretired
in Bodrum who are frequent visitors
and many Turkish Masons speak good
English, so they are thinking of setting up an
English-speaking Lodge under the Turkish
constitution – there are already three of
these in other towns in Turkey.
The DC of Bodrum Lodge, Zafer Kustu,
says that they welcome any visiting brother
with a certificate of good standing from his
own Lodge. He can be contacted on,
suotel@superonline.com. They meet every
Thursday, October to June, and every 2nd
and 4th Thursday the rest of the year. Dark
suits, black ties and white shirts are de rigeur,
but they will provide aprons and gloves.
Gael Lewis
Longfield, Kent
Need to speak out
I would like to congratulate those younger
and newer Brethren who are passionate
about our fraternity and have written letters
to MQ. It is very frustrating when brethren
moan and grumble and do nothing to put
across their ideas.
It is interesting to note that the letters do
not contain an overall consensus of opinion
on the methods to increase quality membership
and it is clear none of the contributors
wish to change our values system.
At last, with this momentum of thought,
ideas and opinions of newer members,
the future of Freemasonry might gather
momentum. Hopefully, the Rulers will
establish in each Province a committee of
younger brethren to offer new ideas to the
Local Rulers, as suggested by Bro Clapp
(MQ, Issue No. 22).
The Provincial Stewards Lodge (and
Stewards Chapter) could be the starting
point to set up a younger persons
committee. A selection of younger brethren
from each area within the Province would
work alongside Stewards to harness thoughts
and ideas for communication to the
Provincial executive.
The suggested grouping could also act
as a nucleus to form further and stronger
local links with youth groups. Such a
grouping could have a stronger appeal
if the membership also consisted of youth
group members. If we all keep writing and
speaking out, good ideas will provoke
thought and the right actions. It is not
what we do, but the way we do it.
John Hoeffler
Hutton, Essex
Help needed
Help! Our Lodge has moved to a new
Masonic temple without much furniture
and we need two Wardens columns. If you
have a spare set of terrestrial and celestial
columns, we would provide them with
a good home for a suitable donation to
charity. Please contact the secretary, David
Balding, on e-mail, bprogressive@aol.com
David Balding
Weybridge, Surrey
Internet Lodge Call Papers
Internet Lodge No. 9659 EC is inviting
Brethren to submit short, educational
papers suitable for reading in open Lodge.
The closing date is 31st December 2007.
Selected papers will be added to an online
library and made freely available for use
by Lodges around the world. This initiative
is being sponsored by the Pro Grand Master,
Lord Northampton. He will present a prize
in March 2008 to the author of the paper
judged best of the year by an independent
panel of judges. For more details see
http://internet.lodge.org.uk/shortpaperscompetition/
Mark Griffin
Internet Lodge No. 9659
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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