Paramount in his Masonic
work was the welfare in the two Masonic
schools, and he became chairman of the
Masonic Boys’ School management board
from 1891 until he died. Indeed, in 1899,
a Lodge was formed linked directly to the
Boys’ School – and it was named Richard
Eve Lodge (No. 2772) in honour of the
institution’s most ardent supporter. A history
of the Lodge states that it “had its origin in the wish of
many admirers of Richard Eve to perpetuate
his name as a worthy citizen of London and
as a sterling worker in the Masonic cause.”
Shortly before his death Richard Eve was in
London for the laying of a foundation stone
for the Boys’ School, but became ill and died
shortly afterwards. But an obituary in the
Kidderminster Shuttle, the town’s weekly
newspaper, makes it clear that he insisted on
performing his Masonic duties right up to
the last. The paper states:
On Saturday afternoon he presided at the laying
of the foundation stone by the Duke of
Connaught... It was a proud moment for our
departed friend who had done more than probably
any other man for the welfare of the Boys’ School
and the development of the rebuilding scheme at a
cost of £100,000. His Royal Highness the Duke
of Connaught, who during his command of the
Aldershot Camp had opportunity of becoming
acquainted with Mr Eve’s usefulness and public
spirit, bore testimony to his high merit as an active
Mason and as a patriotic Englishman. On the
following day Mr Eve wrote to us (the Shuttle):
“Many thanks for your kind and sympathetic
letter. I was enabled to get to the foundation
laying, although ill and weak”.
The obituary makes it clear that Mr Eve
rallied sufficiently to resume his duties, and
gives a graphic insight into the busy life he
led despite his failing health. It adds:
On May 17 he wrote... “This is the first day
I have been at the office for nearly three weeks.
On Monday last I was at our County Council
at Winchester. Up to town at 6 o’clock. I went to
Ublique Lodge at the Installation of Gen. Lloyd
as Master at Criterion. It is a Royal Artillery
Lodge. I sat between Gen. Laurie MP, Past
Grand Master for Nova Scotia, and Gen.
Owens, Provincial Grand Master for Malta.
There were two officers with us who had returned
from South Africa. One, Captain Elton, had two
Boer bullets in him... I am installing Master at
Guildford Lodge at 5 o’clock today.”
A few days later Richard Eve had a seizure
and died on 7 July. Now his memory is
perpetuated with a pink marble headstone
at Aldershot cemetery, where he was buried,
and with that crumbling monument in
Brinton Park, Kidderminster.
The author wishes to thank the following for their
assistance: W Bro John Hart, curator of the
Worcestershire Provincial Grand Lodge Library and
Museum; Charles Talbot, Honorary Secretary of
Kidderminster Civic Society; W Bro Peter Banham,
Secretary of Panmure Lodge; Roger Mann, Secretary
of Guy’s Lodge, and Chas Townley for information
in his booklet Who was Richard Eve?
Peter Ricketts is Master of the Lodge of Franchelie
St Leonard, No. 6778, who meet at Northfield,
Birmingham.
A three-year campaign by Kidderminster
Civic Society to have the Richard Eve
memorial restored could succeed at last.
The government recently granted
Wyre Forest District Council £396,000
for the refurbishment of two local public
open spaces, one of them Brinton Park,
where the memorial stands.
Tim Johnson, the council's parks
manager, said he hoped to co-operate
with the society on the restoration of the
memorial, providing some match funding
could be found. The work would cost
about £45,000.
Cllr James Dudley, of the Economic
and Environment Task Force, said: "Now
we have a promise of support I would
like to get together all interested parties
– including Masons – to formulate a plan
of action."
"It's a shame, because there are very
few monuments quite like it," said
Charles Townley, a member of the
society, who carried out a great deal of
research into the history of the memorial,
welcomed the news and said:
“There are few monuments quite like
it. It was unveiled during King Edward
VII's Coronation year and stands beside
a road through the park called
Coronation Drive.”
Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
Next Page
