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A 51-year gap
With regard to your article on Bro. Sir Ernest Shackleton
and your comments about the record gap betwecn his first and second degrees, the ten years he wanted palls into insignificance when compared to an old member of Aldershot
Army & Navy Lodge No. 1971.
In 1896, H.S.Scott-Harden was initiated while serving in Aldershot as a subaltern in the
Lancashire Fusiliers. Soon afterwards he was posted overseas and ten years later
resigned from the Lodge, as he saw little prospect of another posting in southern England.
He retired from the army as a full colonel and later settled in Hampshire. He rejoined the Lodge in 1947, still as an Entered Apprentice, and was duly Passed and Raised 51 years after his initiation.
Roger Jago Reading, Berkshire
Calling Old Boys!
Old Altrinchamians Lodge is the school Lodge of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in
Cheshire.
The Lodge is planning a
reunion of all Masons who are
either boys or staff of the school, or who are related to pupils or old boys of the school.
The reunion will take the
form of a special Lodge meeting which, it is hoped, can take place in the school itself, followed by a festive board.
If you would like more information about the reunion, please contact:
D.Boden, Ladram, 30 Sharon Park Close, Grappenhall, Warrington WA4 2YN. Tel: 01925 604677.
Keep the black tie
Gallery Lodge No. 1928 has a double incentive to retain as
one of our brethren, Bro. H.W.S. King, was killed on the Western Front in World War 1.
Our most renowned
member was R W Bro. Sir Alfred Robbins, Past Grand Warden, President of the Board of General Purposes from 1913 until his death in 1931.
He was chairman of the special committee appointed by Grand Lodge to carry out the Peace Memorial Scheme
in 1919.
I appreciate that times change, but that is no reason to dispense with tradition, particularly that belonging to a truly honourable and historic
society such as Freemasonry.
Roy Swinscoe, Kenton, Middlesex
Food for thought
I wish to compliment you on your section of recommended
restaurants. Four colleagues and myself booked in for lunch at Harrison's in Kelsale,
Saxmundham in Suffolk (MQ, Issue No.2). We had an excellent meal with good personal service from Peter Harrison and his waitress Tracy. We also enjoyed a selection of very good wines and port with the homemade bread and biscuits. Highly recommended - we will certainly be back.
Thank you for letting the public know about its existence.
Ray Ibbotson, Mundon, Essex
Well I never!
Now I know that Freemasonry is definitely a secret society! For instance, I was unaware that my grand-daughter's father-in-law is 'on the square' until I read the letter in the
July MQ from David Bushman of Ampthill.
If this letter is published, now he knows that I am!
George Peet, Liverpool
Chapter numbers
I was interested to read the
comments by the Pro First Grand Principal (MQ, Issue 2) regarding his concern over falling Exaltations.
I am 43, director of an insurance brokerage with two daughters aged 12 and nine. I am also Director of
Ceremonies in my Lodge, which includes planning Lodges of Instruction (LoI) as well as overseeing events on Lodge night itself.
Our Lodge meets seven times a year, with a further 15 LoIs period. For me, the practice of learning the ritual has to a large degree been replaced now with the administrative responsibility of trying to ensure that the business of
the Lodge runs smoothly when we meet.
We are an enthusiastic, but relatively small Lodge and the number of active members is similar to that required to complete the officers' list. Many are already occupied with other duties that call
upon their free time.
I have had to make a decision for the time being to
make time either for the
Craft or for Chapter, but not both. Chapter may meet on only a handful of occasions each year, but learning new ritual and rehearsals is
another call on an individual's free time.
Rick Double, Ipswich, Suffolk
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Improving the image
In December 2000, MDA was taken on as the first external PR agency to Grand Lodge.
The brief was to dispel the prejudice against Freemasonry. which has accumulated over time. The
objectives were to raise the profile of Freemasonry, ensure Freemasonry remains relevant in today's society; create a climate that will encourage a wider and growing membership and increase the spirit of openness within Freemasonry.
The announcement that Grand Lodge had taken on a PR agency created quite a stir, with features in all the national papers as well as Newsnight, GMTV, The World Service and Radio 4 to name but a few. The trick after that was to maintain the
momentum.
MQ is proving to be an
invaluable tool for internal PR
as well as an important external public relations tool.
The Editor welcomes letters from readers but reserves the right to edit them. In each issue the writer of the star letter will win a bottle of champagne - our congratulations to Trevor Brown for MO's first star letter. Please send your letters to John Jackson, Editor, MQ Magazine, Freemasons' Hall, Great Oueen Street. London WC2B 5AZ Email: www.ugle@grandlodge-england.org
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MQ Magazine
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