Following on from the extremely moving masonic Act of Remembrance ceremony (reported in the Spring News Sheet) Peter Cox (1958-62) was able to complete the School’s masonic remembrance by visiting Ypres and the Tyne Cot Cemetery during May and on behalf of the Lodge and the Chapter was able to pay a last sad tribute of respect to departed merit.
At St George’s Chapel in Ypres is a commemoration plaque honouring the 316 OMTs who died in the Great War and the 146 who died in World War Two.
Since the last News Sheet the Lodge has met twice, once at Mark Masons Hall in London and once at the School. At Both meetings it was a real pleasure to perform the completion ceremonies for Richard Alexander (current staff) and Nikhil Sangani (2002-2007) respectively. Both are now fully fledged Master Masons.
Our photo shows Nikhil’s installation team. Front row from left to right: John Barraclough, Howard Norman-Taylor, Keith Griffiths, Mike Caesari, Nikhil, Ian Crawford (WM), Jeremy Gaskell, Daniel Khana, Peter Henson. Back row (from the left) David Locke, Nick Carter, Richard Wyndham Smith, Mark Pedroz, Peter Cox, Bob Helliar, Neil Richards and John Short.
Unusually we are all in shirt sleeve order due to the extremely warm weather on the day. After the formalities, 35 of us dined in the Club House.
As reported in the last issue, Sir Thomas White Lodge was well represented in the organisational structure of the PSLC Festival held at the Royal Masonic School for Girls at Rickmansworth. Howard Norman-Taylor acted as Festival Secretary whilst Peter Cox was the ceremonial Director of Ceremonies. We were blessed with amazingly fine and warm weather for the day. The proceedings commenced with a non-denominational church service accompanied by the welcome to the Pro First Grand Master – Peter Lowndes – who was deputising for the Duke of Kent. Following the service everyone retired to the Great Hall where we were treated to a masonic musical entertainment performed by the PSLC choir. There then followed a most splendid and convivial banquet in the dining hall, an afternoon treasure hunt and a farewell tea. All in all a brilliant day in the company of 200 Public School old boys and their partners. Tonbridge are the hosts in July 2020. The photo shows John Short (1947-54) with wife Margaret and daughter Julia together with Peter Parr-Head.
Our next event is the Ladies Summer Lunch at the end of July at the Cock Inn, Sarratt, and I hope to report on that occasion in the next issue.
The Chapter continues its planning for the centenary in June 2021. We now have a confirmed booking for the celebratory banquet to be held in the Great Hall at St Barts Hospital in the City of London. This is a most prestigious venue and those that attend will be able to view first hand the evidence of Robert Clive’s benevolence. The Chapter is in the process of raising a target of £10,000 to enable a grant fund to be established at the school to enable, particularly, those scholarship boys from less well off circumstances to participate in school activities they might otherwise not be able to. Simon Everson has accepted our invitation to attend the banquet and to receive our cheque.
Masonic visitors are always very welcome at our meetings. Forthcoming dates are: Lodge –Thursday 19thSeptember, Thursday 19th December and Thursday 27th February 2020 (Installation), all at Mark Masons Hall. Chapter –Tuesday 19th November and Thursday 16th January 2020 (Installation) , all at Freemasons Hall.