It has been an action-packed year at Heritage Lodge and in this, the Craft’s Tercentenary year, it only seems like yesterday when I sat writing this same article for the website last year!

We have been very active in the year raising monies for Charity under both Ozan and Andrew’s Mastership’s and our total contributions to Charity for last year will most likely exceed £3500.00, which, for a small Lodge is a great achievement – well done to all who helped make this possible.

We have now posted two more articles on the website to accompany this one and hope that you are all now reading on a regular basis not only our own postings but accessing the various links to see what other Lodges are doing via the UGLE and other linked sites.

We have a Candidate for next year, so we look forward to introducing ‘new blood’ into the Lodge and continuing ‘on target’ with our planned progression plan for the future.

(The first in a series of articles using information abstracted from a bound book ‘Our Heritage’ written by one of our Founders L. H. Powell)

Foreword

By W.Bro. Tony Saunders P. Prov. S.G.D. LGR – Secretary & 62nd Master of Heritage Lodge (1997)

At the suggestion of one of our Honorary Members W.Bro. Jefferey Fraser P. Prov. G. Swd.Br. I have read and abstracted some of the information documented in a book owned and written by The Lodge entitled ‘Our Heritage’ A History of The First 21 Years of Lodge no. 5572.

The book, published in hard back by W. & J. Makay & Co. Ltd., Chatham in 1956, was written by one of the Lodge Founders L. H. Powell (Provincial Senior Grand Warden of Kent, 1950 – 1951).

It is not surprising to note that Wor. Bro. Powell was a journalist by trade and the book was dedicated To The Memory of R. Wor. Bro. Frederick William Blay, P.G.W. Deputy Provincial Grand Master of The Province of Kent, 1927 – 1946. who consecrated the Lodge on 23rd November 1935.

The original Foreword of the book was written by Wor. Bro. Arthur Atkinson, P.G.D., Assistant Provincial Grand Master, 1946 – 1956 who assisted in the consecration of the Lodge as Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies.

As promised I have detailed below an explanation of ‘The Graveside Address’, a passage which we have added to enhance the 3rd Degree Ceremony which members and others may find interesting.

In some workings i.e., Sussex it is an integral part of the ritual and / or a normal piece added to the Ceremony.

Having heard this on a few occasions when visiting myself I found it to be a haunting poem which led me to research its symbolic meaning.

It is traditional in Heritage Lodge to present the outgoing Master with a ‘Past Master’s Jewel’ and we are privileged to own three such jewels which are ceramic and decorated with the ‘blazon torch’ emblem of the Lodge. (See below for images)

These Jewels were made from original ‘founder’s Jewels’ and are engravened with the names of those worthy and distinguished brethren to whom they were first presented.

Heritage Lodge are pleased to announce that they are running a ‘Cockney Night’ open to all on 2nd December 2017 at the Banqueting Suite, Oakley House, Bromley, Kent.

Tickets are priced at £32.50/head and available by contacting the Lodge at events@heritagelodge.org.uk or telephone our ticket manager (Mr. Paul Holmes) on 07930 827355.

As the summer days get shorter and we all head into that less attractive part of the year it at least beckons a time to brush down those ritual books and start to think about a new Masonic Season.

I will be sending members a complete list of dates for all our meetings by the end of August as we will be starting LOIs earlier this year by popular demand in September, the details and location of which will be advised in the notice accompanying the new dates.

Here is the most awaited results of the caption competition our Bro. Secretary started after the installation meeting on March:

WINNER: Steve Ratcliff with Freemasons audition for Bake Off!

RUNNER UP: Peter Hakizamani with Do not try to rashly grab a piece or you will be an accessory to your own murder!

Congratulations Brethren!

Members may remember a few years ago I set a competition in which you have to fill in the missing numbers and / or words i.e. 360 D in a C (360 degrees in a circle).

As we started our competition spot with a caption competition here is something different to apply your minds to whilst our new WM judges a winner of no. 01.

As always these are for fun but we might crown our best yearly winner /participant with a small token in recognition at the installation meeting?

We are also looking for members to contribute possible quizzes and competitions so get your thinking hats on and send in for issue.

Good luck with the below and they are all general knowledge so anyone can take part. Send your answers to tonysurveys@aol.com.

Here is another 20 teasers to solve - a little more difficult this time!

Send your answers to tonysurveys@aol.com.

Good Luck!

Try this one over the holiday – all the answers relate to Easter in some way!