Bro David Thompson was initiated into the Star of Saxony Lodge No 853, under the Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany, within the United Grand Lodges of German Brotherhood of Freemasons, on the 9 October 2013. He was passed in the same Lodge on 15 January 2014. 

However after a posting Afghanistan he returned to Aldershot and was eventually invalided out of the army.  He now lives in Lincoln. As a consequence of all of this it seemed that he would never be raised to sublime degree of a Master Mason.

A senior member of the Star of Saxony Lodge, VWBro Tom Culpeck PSGW, a friend of our DPGM, VWBro Dr Viv Thomas for 30 years, contacted him to try and arrange the raising of Bro Thompson.  This was finally arranged to take place on Wednesday 11 February at the Vale of Nene Lodge No 7006 and this also coincided with the reciprocal visit from their mother lodge, The Fitzwilliam Lodge No 2533.

Bro David Thompson was raised to the sublime degree of a master mason by the past Masters of the Lodge with the traditional history delivered by VWBro Dr Viv Thomas and the working tools by WBro Brian Gebbels, also members of the Star of Saxony Lodge. A star of Saxony breast jewel was also presented by the current Worshipful Master of the Star of Saxony Lodge WBro Gareth Bound.  Twenty six members of the Lodge came over to support Bro David on his raising.  There were also sixteen members from the Fitzwilliam Lodge.

It is with great sadness that the death of WBro Michael Amps is announced.  He died on Thursday 5 March 2015 at the age of 82 years after being in bad health for some time.  A pillar of both Oundle Freemasonry and the local community in general he was a successful and much respected local businessman, having taken over the family grocery business from his father, Percy Amps.  Michael developed it into a very successful wine merchants.

As a young man he was a keen and much accomplished sportsman, playing for both Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club.  At the age of 60, he decided to take up kick boxing and regularly attended the gym in training.

In his spare time he was a keen gardener and boasted that he did not grow anything he could not eat.  He was also an enthusiastic caravanner and named his house “Navarac” (caravan spelled backwards).  A supporter of his church he was instrumental in raising large sums for church funds.

He loved to visit New Zealand where he had family, and did so each year.  He spoke about it so enthusiastically (and often) that in St Wilfrid Lodge there was a rule that he would be fined £5 for every mention of New Zealand.

In 1954 he was initiated by his father into St Wilfrid Lodge No 4453 in Oundle.  His brother, Lawrence Amps, installed him as its Worshipful Master in 1974.  Michael later served the Lodge for many years as Almoner and Charity Steward.  He was a member of the Installed Masters Lodge No 3972, becoming Master in 1993, and a member of his old school lodge, Old Denstonian Lodge No 5490 (Province of Staffordshire).  In 2007 he became a founder of Web Ellis Lodge No 9740 and served as its second Master in 2002, following the late WBro Don White PPAGM.

Michael’s first two Provincial appointments were both Acting Ranks – first as Pursuivant and secondly as Sword Bearer. He also served as a very fine Group Officer for 20 years and was a frequent visitor to all the Huntingdon Group of Lodges.

in 1995 first received his first Grand Rank appointment as PAGDC and was promoted in 2013 to PJGD.

In 1976 he was exalted into Chicheley Chapter No 607, serving as its MEZ in 1983.  He was a founder of Old Denstonian Chapter No 5490 (Province of Staffordshire) in 1998 and its MEZ in 1999.

He was a member of other orders including Knights Templar and Rose Croix.

The last Masonic meeting attended by WBro Amps was in late 2014 when he was presented with his 60 years Jubilee Certificate by RWBro Barrie Hall PPGM.

A generous man, many will remember that, before the meeting time of St Wilfrid Lodge he regularly invited many who were too attend to his house for pre-meeting tea and biscuits.

He had a great “zest for life” in masonry, business sport and community life and was greatly respected and much loved as a real Oundle character.  His passing is a great loss and he will be sadly missed.

Click here for a fuller eulogy

Long Buckby-based choir Elation Community Voices (ECV) has received a kind donation of £500 from Buckby Castle Lodge.

A cheque was presented to Vince Collins, Chairman of ECV, by Mike Raine, Worshipful Master and Graham Ballinger Past Master of Buckby Castle Lodge.

Mike Raine stated

It gives me great pleasure to present this cheque to Elation Community Voices on behalf of the Freemasons of Buckby Castle Lodge. Masons believe in supporting organisations that are committed to serving the local community. The choir helps to consolidate the quality of life for those who live in Long Buckby and the surrounding areas. It helps create new friendships and reinforces old ones. This is just the sort of initiative that we as Freemasons wish to support. We are delighted to support the important service and pleasure that Elation Community Voices gives to those around them.’

Elation Community Voices’ chairman, Vince Collins, said

We are very grateful for this generous donation from the members of Buckby Castle Lodge. It will help us to continue to develop the choir and provide the opportunity for all our members to enjoy their love of music.’

Elation Community Voices has around 85 members, male and female, aged from 18 upwards. The choir performs a wide range of modern contemporary music in soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts.

It is with great regret that the news of the death of the Past Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Richard Augustus (Peter) Palmer BA MA OBE TD DL is announced.

He died on 7 February 2015 - just days before his 103rd birthday.  Born on 11 March 1912 at Church Brampton, Northamptonshire, he attended Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read law and economics.  Whilst at Cambridge his sporting prowess came to the fore as he was awarded his blue in rugby, hockey and cricket. 

Upon leaving University he joined the family firm of Chartered accountants, AC Palmer & Co, founded by his grandfather.  In 1937 he married Nancie White and they subsequently had a daughter, Primrose.

During the Second World War he served as a Major in the Royal Artillery.

Initiated into De La Pre Lodge No 1911 in 1938 he became Master in both 1952 and 1959.  He joined the Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Lodge of Installed Masters No 3422 in 1953 and became its Master in 1980.  He was also

• a founder of both Dr Field Lodge No 8158 and Webb Ellis Lodge No 9740
• Deputy Provincial Grand Master from 1963 to 1971
• Provincial Grand Master from 1971 to 1984

He was a massive figure in local Freemasonry and the driving force behind the move of Provincial Headquarters in Northampton from Princes Street to St George’s Avenue.  This was a major (and sometimes turbulent) project for which he started the building fund and which he drove to a successful conclusion.

He was a keen proponent of better communication within Freemasonry and the concept of the Provincial family.  He worked hard at this, bringing all parts of the Province closer together.  In the times of rampant inflation which featured during his tenure, the general welfare of Brethren in the Province was also a prime concern for him.

When he first joined the Provincial Executive in 1963, RWBro Peter did so as Deputy Provincial Grand Master.  Because the number of Lodges within the Province was not sufficient to merit it, the office of Assistant Provincial Grand Master did not exist.

He consecrated eighteen Lodges during his thirteen years as Provincial Grand Master and was also part of the team that consecrated the Palmer Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards No 8995 in 1981.  He gave Provincial Grand Stewards wider Provincial responsibilities than had hitherto been the case.  Two of the first four Provincial Grand Stewards he appointed under this revised system were RW Bro Brian Smith Past Provincial Grand Master and the late WBro Brian Huckle.

In 1974, because of this increase in Lodge numbers, RWBro Peter invested the Province’s first Assistant Provincial Grand Master - the late RWBro Richard Sandbach, who as to succeed him as Provincial Grand Master in 1984.

In 1950 he was exalted into Eleanor Cross Chapter No 1764 and served as the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent from 1973 to 1978.  On his investiture as Most Excellent Grand Superintendent he, in turn, invested E Comp CE Jones as Deputy Grand Superintendent - the first time such an appointment had been made in the Province. It was also the first time since 1936 that the offices of Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent had been vested in the same person.  In 1967 he was appointed Principal Grand Sojourner in Supreme Grand Chapter and was Consecrating Officer of Chicheley Chapter No 607 in March 1974.  In June 1975 he presented a Centenary Charter to Montagu Chapter No 446.

He also achieved high rank in many other Masonic orders.

Besides his University caps he has many sporting achievements to his name.  Between 1933 and 1939 he played Rugby Union for both Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers and was later Treasurer, Committee member and President of the Saints.  (On his 97th birthday he watched a Saints game.)  He was also a single handicap golfer, President - and later Honorary Life Member - of Northamptonshire Golf Union.

In 1981 he was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire and for 27 years he served as a Justice of the Peace but he still found time for fly fishing, gardening and support for his local church.