Page 6 - Book 1_Neat

There is an interesting item from Grand Lodge under the First Rising at the meeting on 17 April
1952. It reported that the Board of General Purposes "wishes to make it quite clear that the
first Masonic Toast should be 'The Queen and the Craft'” followed by Fire where this is given.
This followed the accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne. Was there some doubt that the
Queen, as a woman, should not be included in the first toast? Remember it was the early 1950s.
However, what I find most intriguing is the last part of the statement. It suggests that masonic
Fire is not obligatory and that some Lodges do not give it. I am aware that different Lodges
differ in the manner in which Fire is given but I have not encountered a Lodge that does not
give any Fire.

It was the practice in these early years for the Secretary to read the By-Laws at the April
meeting.

In October 1952 Grand Lodge had voted the sum of 200 Guineas to buy a wedding present for
Lady Mary Lumley, the daughter of the Grad Master. This is almost as much as the 250
guineas sent to the Lynmouth Disaster Fund. 200 guineas in 1952 is worth about £6,345 in
2021.

Although the Minutes of the Lodge of Instruction were read at the Regular meetings from the
outset, the Summons stated that brethren were welcome to attend the Perseverance Lodge of
Instruction. In April 1952 the Summons also stated that the brethren were eligible for
membership of the Perseverance Lodge of Instruction. On 20 November 1952 the Lodge
agreed to hold its own Lodge of Instruction. By this time numbers had increased to 35.
However, steps to implement this were not taken until Bro J W Murdoch (IG) raised it again
on 20 January 1955. Agreed to have a meeting to finalise details. The First mention of Minutes
of the Lodge of Instruction was on 17 November 1955 read by the LOI secretary Bro F A
Whitehouse.

In March 1953 the senior past Master, W Bro Raybould presented Consecration jewels to those
consecrating officers present. This is a puzzle. Who were they presented to and why?
Founders’ jewels had been presented to the Founders on 20 March 1952. None of the
Provincial consecrating officers were present on 19 March 1953. However, at the following
meeting W Bro D J Walters PPrSGW had written thanking Lodge for the Commemorative
jewel of the Consecration. He was the Consecrating Senior Warden. In the Lodge archives
are four Founder’s jewels but no Consecrating jewels. The Founder’s jewels do not give the
names of the recipient.

15 March 1954 W Bro Raybould announced that W Bro A S Price had presented 3 sets of
officers' gauntlets. Other brethren had presented collars. To be presented at the next meeting
but this was not recorded in April.

21 October 1954: W Bro G N Raybould presented the collars to the Founder officers who,
with the help of some junior brethren had purchased the collars. W Bro Raybould had organised
the collars and the engraving. W Bro Bullas gave an address on the symbolic meaning of the
collar and appealed to the brethren to arrive early for Lodge meetings. Secretary to write
thanking those Lodges who had loaned collars, jewels and gauntlets.

Each year in February Lodge voted a sum of money (undefined) to buy a Past Master’s jewel.

18 March 1954 was the first Installation of a brother, Bro A Fletcher, who was not already a
Past Master. This required a special rehearsal of the Installation Ceremony on 4 March.