Provincial News
- Written by: John Fergusson
It was a very special evening at Lodge of Merit on 15 February and it involved no less than two Past Provincial Grand Masters of this Province. RWBro Barrie Hall PPGM presented RWBro Nicolas Hart PPGM with his Golden Jubilee Certificate, offering his personal congratulations to commemorate 50 years in Freemasonry.
RWBro Hart was initiated into the Ermine Lodge No. 2351 in 1966 in Lincoln, and on moving to Stamford in 1969 joined the Lodge of Merit. He became Worshipful Master of Ermine Lodge in 1974. He was the Founder Chairman of the Vale of Welland Lodge consecrated in 1978. In the Lodge of Merit, he held the office of Treasurer from 1982 and, for some years, also Charity Steward until relinquishing both offices in 1990.
He was appointed Provincial Junior Grand Warden for this Province in 1984, exactly 50 years after his father held the same office. In 1990 he was appointed our Assistant Provincial Grand Master and promoted to Deputy in 1994. He was installed as Provincial Grand Master in October 1997 holding that office for eight years until his retirement in 2005.
His son, WBro Edward Hart, who became the fourth generation of Harts to be associated with the Lodge of Merit when his father initiated him in 1989, joined him for the evening. This long family association with one Lodge must be unique in this Province.
- Written by: Michael Genner
It was the members of Fidelity Lodge no. 445, who agreed to sponsor a new lodge to accommodate the expanding membership from the Daventry area, who until then, had had to travel by horse or foot, to lodges in Northampton or Towcester.
Hence on the 27th February 1891, Beneventa lodge no. 2380 was consecrated at the Wheat Sheaf Hotel, located at the top of Sheaf St. Daventry (now a Residential Care Home), by the PGM, Bro. Rt. Hon. The Earl of Euston with Bro F Billingham as the first Worshipful Master.
The lodge name was taken from the early Roman settlement of Bannaventa, (According to the manuscript ‘Roman d’Alexandre’ in the Bodleian library to be the British home of St Patrick), at the North end of Borough Hill, on the outskirts of Daventry, which ultimately became the present day village of Norton.
WM, Wardens, Officers and members of Beneventa Lodge
125 years later, Beneventa Lodge has in turn, gone on to spawn its own daughter lodges – with, in July 1895, England Centre Lodge no. 2555, originally located in Weedon but now meeting in Northampton, as well as all of the current Lodges that meet at the Daventry Masonic Centre – which, since it moved out of the Wheatsheaf in 1972, is now located at No. 14 The High St.
In May 1966, Coritani Lodge no. 8079 – Nov 1974, Danetre Lodge no. 8594 – Sept 1980, Buckby Castle Lodge no. 8932 and most recently in Oct 1993, the Lodge of the Oldest Ally no. 9524.
All of Brethren meeting at Daventry owe a debt of gratitude to Beneventa Lodge.
To mark their ‘Birthday’ on the correct day, the WM, WBro John Henley, asked the Secretary, WBro Peter Darby to call an extra meeting, which being under Dispensation, the only labour was to Initiate a new Candidate - Mr Ian Taylor.
- Written by: John Fergusson
DR OLIVER CHAPTER No. 3964
On 23 February 2016, Dr Oliver Chapter in Peterborough was honoured by the presence of the Third Provincial Grand Principal, E Comp Mark Constant, escorted by Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, E Comp Tony Wynn. They witnessed the Exaltation of W Bro Clive Lane into the Holy Royal Arch who has now completed his journey in Pure Antient Masonry and become Comp Clive Lane.
The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams was also present in a private capacity, fulfilling a promise he had previously made to Comp Lane.
Pictured below from left to right: E Comp Tom Webster, E Comp Paul Hoffmann, E Comp Wayne Williams, Comp Clive Lane, E Comp Mark Constant, E Comp Malcolm Pegg, E Comp Tony Wynn.
- Written by: Michael Genner
Children and staff on the Amazon Children’s Ward at Peterborough City Hospital had reasons to be cheerful this month when they took delivery of a box of teddy bears.
Laura Stent, Amazon Ward Manager said: “The bears are enormously popular with the children and act as a great source of comfort while they are undergoing treatment. We are very appreciative of the Masons for their generosity and kindness.”
Bro Arthur Briggs is in the photograph handing teddies to Nicola Wright a member of the Amazon Ward Play Team.