Page 5 - Triangle Summer 2006 Issue 1

Somerset Ancient Mark Masters (SAMMs)

Over the last ten years the SAMMs have been entertaining Mark Masons both at hone and abroad
with their distinctive version of the Mark ceremony. This year the group have performed in front
of both the Grand Master, HRH Prince Michael of Kent and the Pro Grand Master M.W.Bro John
Hale. There is an opportunity to see the ‘ancients’ in action at Science Mark Lodge in Wincanton
on Thursday 21st September, when
they will perform a version of the Mark
ritual which predates the current Mark
ritual by some 50 to 75 years. The
ceremony is based on several old
manuscripts found at Bath Masonic hall
and was devised by Dickie Dodsworth
and Geoff Nash . Though most Mark
Masons will recognise the ritual and the
characters in it, they will f nd it very
different to the one that we use today.

SAMMs at Wincanton
Thursday 21st September
If you would like to attend the Science
Lodge of MMM to see the SAMMs in action
contact Science Mark Lodge Secretary, Men in tights! A proud group of Somerset Mark Masons
Tony Wilcox on 01749812180
photographed with the Grand Master, HRH Prince Michael of Kent
and Pro Grand Master John Hale at a meeting in Carlisle earlier this
year held to celebrate John Hale’s 50 years in Mark Masonry
SAMMs Somerset Mark Masters wasn’t set up specif cally to raise money for charity but that has been
one of the by-products of the groups success. Lodges hosting the SAMMs do tend to make
Charity donations to the group and all of that money has, in turn been given to charity. A couple of
years ago for example when our then PGM, Tony Hick was fund-raising for the new children’s
hospice at Wraxall the group donated £4000 to that cause.
This year the members of the group voted to donate £250 each to two very different charities.
Children out of Poverty is a charity based in Dindigul, Tamilnadu, South India (see below) and
the Nailsea MS Centre. The Nailsea centre provides help, support and therapy for MS suffers
in the South West. It is completely self funded receiving no support from central or local government. Centre manager
Val Bryant says, “It costs about £200,000 a year to run the unit and we are very grateful to SAMMs for their generous
gift, donations like yours make a big difference to us” It is nice to know your work is appreciated!
Children out of Poverty
Most, but not all, of the children that this project
targets, come from amongst the very lowest Castes in
the structure of Indian society. In the past, people who
belonged to these Castes were called “Untouchables”.
Mahatma Ghandi renamed them “Harijans” [Children
of God]. Now they are known as “Dalits”. In mod-
ern terminology this term includes groups known as
“Scheduled Tribes”, “Scheduled Castes”, “Backward
Castes” AND “Most Backward Castes”. Among these
one f nds many of the truly disadvantaged in society.
The children in this project, through no fault of their own,
are casualties of life. A father commits suicide, leaving
a wife who can, if work is available at all, earn a paltry
Rupees 30 per day, about 50 pence, totally inadequate
sum on which to raise a family. Another child’s father
is serving a life sentence for murder and his wife has
disappeared, leaving the children. There is a little girl
whose mother died of TB and whose father married Nailsea MS Centre director Peter Miller and Manager Val
again, but the step-mother rejected the child, leaving Bryant with Geoff Nash SAMMs Secretary, in front of the
her to fend for herself, and so it goes on. The children, Hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit, Hbot is one of the
like debris, are left behind; casualties indeed. therapies available to MS suffers at the centre. 5