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For our meeting in October 2018, the outgoing Master, Philip de Voil (G 86), installed Graham Solari (G 65) as Master of the Lodge and we welcomed Nigel Hewitt (B 75) as a joining member of the Lodge. Nigel came to one of our two open evenings held last year, as did Ross Murray (Lx 10) and Matthew Lim (B 11), who took the first steps of their Masonic careers at our meetings in February and April respectively. We expect to host another open evening during the coming year. Details will follow.
In May some of our
members with their wives
and partners attended the Public Schools Lodges Festival at the Royal Masonic School for Girls near Rickmansworth, where we had a very enjoyable day and the event raised over £10,000 for national, Masonic and local charities. During the year the Old Oundelian Lodge made charitable contributions to the Old Oundelian Lodge Bursary, Oundle Mencap Holidays and the Metropolitan Grand Charity, which is raising funds for two extended height aerial vehicles for the London Fire Brigade.
In June we had an extra meeting at the School, where Ross and Matthew both took the second step of their Masonic careers. The well-attended meeting included visitors from eight other Lodges, including the town Lodge, St Wilfrid, and the Old Uppinghamian Lodge. After the meeting we held a drinks reception and meal in the Laxton Long Room, where we were joined by our wives, partners and non-Masonic guests for a most convivial evening. The principal guest was the School Head, who received a cheque for £1,000
from the Lodge for the Oundle Foundation, Old Oundelian Lodge Bursary. The following day some of us attended a similar event put on by the Old Uppinghamian Lodge in Uppingham.
Sadly, one of our members, Harvey Greenough (Sc 46) died in November 2018 after a short illness. Harvey was already a Freemason when he joined the Old Oundelian Lodge in 1995 and was very supportive of the Lodge, bringing his unique combination of gravitas and mercurial sense of humour, which always made him good company.
The Old Oundelian Lodge gives its members a great deal of pleasure, both in terms of its Masonic fraternity and also the spirit and community that arises from the fact that we have all experienced life at Oundle School in its various aspects and over many years. Our members include Oundle Foundation Director Matthew Dear, Matthew Lim, Ross Murray, Sandy Rowell (C 04), Peter Seebohm (Sc 02), Rob Shaw (S 92), Iain Wadie (Sn 87), Philip de Voil, Dom Vincent (Lx 82), Howard Allen, Nigel Hewitt, Peter Hotchin (C 72), Geoffrey
Woolsey-Brown (Lx 66), David Turner (S 66), Graham Solari, Charles Kilner (St A 59), Michael Hammon (Sn 56), Michael Tomalin (N 56), Michael Turnbull (Sc 55), Paul Newsome (St A 55), David Thorpe (Ldr 53), Bill Whittall (Ldr 52), Tom Blackburn (Sn 50), John Brooke (C 47), Kevin Chawner (B 47) and David Collins (S 45). We would be pleased to hear from anyone wanting to become a joining member or a candidate new to Freemasonry.
Our regular meetings are held in London at Freemasons Hall in Great Queen Street on the fourth Thursday in February,
April and October. Members of the Craft are most welcome to join us, as are male Old Oundelians, their fathers and members of staff, both past and present, who may be interested in becoming involved in Freemasonry. There are also Women’s Freemasonry organisations but not an Old Oundelian Ladies Lodge yet. Should you be interested in joining the Old Oundelian Lodge, then please have a look at www.oundelianfreemasons.org, Facebook: Old Oundelian Lodge 5682, follow us on Twitter: @ool5682 or contact me by phone on 01785 713981 (home) or by e-mail oldoundelian5682@gmail.com.
Freemasonry has moved to a new and welcome phase of increased openness, with our charitable aims and activities being publicised through traditional and new media. The Craft’s aims and objectives are available to a worldwide audience via the website of The United Grand Lodge of England (www.ugle.org.uk). This website provides insight into our history and our contribution to today’s society.
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NEWS FROM HOME
Old Oundelian Lodge No 5682
By Howard Allen (Sn 75)
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
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