A report for meeting held on Thursday 13th February 2014

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The Old Wellingtonian Lodge met on Thursday 13th February 2014 at Freemasons’ Hall, London for a 2nd Degree Ceremony (Passing). However the candidate was unavoidably detained so could not attend. Our Senior Visiting Officer Edward Bottomley manfully stepped into the role.

The Worshipful Master, WBro Simon Wilson, conducted the ceremony of Passing ably assisted by Director of Ceremonies WBro Rory Shackleton, and also by WBro Derek Barrett as Senior Deacon.  The 2nd Degree is a significant and meaningful event in the journey of a Freemason following on from his Initiation.  This evening’s ceremony was conducted with usual OW style, which the candidate enjoyed immensely, sometimes even prompting the Senior Deacon!

The Master WBro Simon Wilson, also invested officers of the Lodge who had not been present at our last Installation meeting.

After the meeting some 17 members and visitors retired to the Kingsway Hotel for an enjoyable Festive Board that involved more than a little mis-firing!

We look forward to our next meeting back at College on Saturday May 17th.

A report on a 3rd Degree and Installation Ceremony

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The Old Wellingtonian Lodge met on Thursday 10th October 2013 at Freemasons’ Hall, London for a 3rd Degree ceremony (Raising), followed by the Installation of the New Master.  It is a rare opportunity to conduct two such significant ceremonies on the same day.  They both present challenges but the officers of the Lodge met these challenges with enthusiasm, benefiting all those in attendance.

The Worshipful Master, WBro Bob Bartlett, conducted the ceremony of Raising ably assisted by WBros Chris Collins, Rory Shackleton and Derek Barrett.  The 3rd Degree is a significant and meaningful event in the journey of a Freemason.  This evening’s ceremony was conducted with usual OW style, which the candidate enjoyed immensely.

After a short respite, we commenced our annual Installation Ceremony.  WBro Bob Bartlett Installed ME Bro Simon Wilson into the Chair of King Solomon in fine style, ably assisted by WBro Tom Hawley and WBro Rory Shackleton. The newly installed Master, WBro Simon Wilson, performed his first duty of investing his officers of the Lodge for the year ahead.

After the meeting some 18 members and visitors retired to Bucks Club in Mayfair where we dined famously on grouse. The more intrepid retired to The Royal Ocean Yacht Racing Club for further libations.

We look forward to our next meeting on November 12th at Freemasons’ Hall where we will be conducting another 3rd Degree Ceremony, to be followed by dinner at the Kingsway Hotel.

Report on meeting held on Thursday, 28th February 2013

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The Old Wellingtonian Lodge met at Freemasons’ Hall, London for a 2nd Degree ceremony (Passing).  The meeting was held by dispensation on a different date to usual, due to the expected lack of attendance on Valentine’s Day.

The Worshipful Master, WBro Bob Bartlett, conducted the ceremony with his customary lively style.  After obligating the candidate, he gave up the Chair of King Solomon for WBro Derek Barrett to complete the remainder of the ritual, passing the candidate as a Fellowcraft.  Bro Matthew Saunders provided excellent support and guidance to the candidate as Senior Deacon and the 2nd degree working tools were delivered in fine style by Bro Jon Rance.  The ceremony was concluded by WBro Rory Shackleton giving a faultless explanation of the tracing board of this degree.

After the meeting some 18 members and visitors retired to the Newton Arms for an informal dinner.  We look forward to our summer meeting in May back at Wellington College.

Report on meeting held on Saturday 12th May, 2012

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Our May meeting is traditionally held at Wellington College and it was with great pleasure that 25 members and guests once again met at Wellington.  It was a gloriously sunny day which made a pleasant change from the recent rains (despite the country being in a period of drought!)

The work of the day was a Ceremony of Raising, where a Fellow Craft is raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason.

The Worshipful Master, WBro Charles Goblet d'Alviella once again led the meeting with near perfect ritual.  During his year as Master, WBro Charles has had opportunity to deliver three of our main ceremonies – Initiation, Passing and Raising. It is nice for an Installed Master to have opportunity for varied ceremonies during their year as Master, but it does require effort to perfect the rituals.  WBro Charles has met this challenge enabling candidates, members and visitors to gain much enjoyment from the meetings.

In a similar fashion, Bro Alex Stuart-Bamford fulfilled his important role as Senior Deacon with much confidence and precision.  In this ceremony, a skilled Senior Deacon is important for the instruction of the candidate; Alex certainly performed his duty in this capacity.

After the meeting the Lodge members, guests and wives dined in the new Munro Pavilion.  This was our first time dining in this location and we all enjoyed the good company and excellent food as the sun set in the west over Bigside at the closing of the day.

Our next meeting will be the annual Installation ceremony in October, when we will meet at Freemasons' Hall, London. 

If anyone is interested to find out more about the Old Wellingtonian Lodge, please get in contact with the Lodge Secretary.

Old Wellingtonian Lodge

Home – Old Wellingtonian Lodge

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Welcome to the Old Wellingtonian Lodge

We hope you enjoy browsing this site and reading about our Masonic Lodge. If you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Old Wellingtonian Lodge No.3404 is a Freemasons’ Lodge for Old Wellingtonians, Governors, Masters and Officers of Wellington College, present and past, whether already a Freemason or those interested in becoming one. It is part of the Public School Lodges’ Council; a forum for the private lodges of many of England’s great public schools.

We welcome enquiries from anyone interested in finding out more about Freemasonry. Also, those who are already Freemasons are warmly welcomed to join us; especially those from PSLC Lodges or Old Wellingtonians from other Lodges – just ask!

Members of the Lodge meet in London three times each year: in February, October and November. For our May meeting we return to Wellington College to celebrate our Freemasonry and to support College charities and initiatives.

Useful Booklet – “Are you thinking of becoming a Freemason?”
and
What is Freemasonry?

 

Report on meeting held on Thursday 9th February 2012

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The February meeting was held at Freemasons' Hall in London’s Great Queen Street, London, WC2.

As is often for this time of year, the poor weather hampers many from attending the February meeting. However for those that managed to attend, the cold weather outside was quickly forgotten as the prospect of watching a new candidate take the first steps of his masonic career banished all winter blues.

W.Bro. Paul Haynes, whilst not a member of this lodge, has often assisted the OW lodge by standing in at the last minute for ritual or office and on this occasion he acted as Inner Guard for the meeting.

After the lodge was opened and the minutes for the last meeting approved, the Ceremony of Initiation began. It was a fine ceremony and one that will hopefully remain with the candidate for the rest of his masonic career .

Notable mentions must be made firstly to Bro Matthew Saunders, who diligently assisted the candidate during the ceremony and to WM Charles Goblet d'Alviella who delivered a faultless rendition of the Obligation. W.Bro. Rory Shackleton then confidently delivered the charge in the NE corner.  The Charge after Initiation was shared by W.Bros John Ross-Barnard and Henry Hopking. After the Ceremony of Initiation, Bro Jon Rance was presented with his Grand Lodge Certificate, again by WBro John Ross-Barnard.

After the lodge was closed, the brethren and their guests went on to dine at the Newton Arms with drinks in the bar beforehand. A wonderful evening was had by 19 members and guests that dined and it was unanimously agreed that the venue should be used again in the future.

Report on meeting held on Tuesday 8th November

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The November meeting was held at Freemasons' Hall in London’s Great Queen Street, WC2.

Given the time of year and the fact that several of our members, including the Worshipful Master and the candidate of the evening are based abroad, the interest and passion shared by members of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge in their Freemasonry was visible in abundance, with a particularly well attended meeting.

It is customary  and encouraged to invite brethren from other masonic lodges. As such we had several guests for the evening including two of the candidate's personal friends from other Public School Lodges who came to support their friend and brother be passed to the degree of a Fellowcraft.

Our meeting in November being close to Armistice day and given Wellington's important link to the armed forces, W.Bro. T Hawley read out the names of the 16 brethren of this Lodge who had made the ultimate sacrifice, and the Chaplain led the lodge in the act of remembrance.

The main part of the meeting was a fine ceremony as the candidate was passed to the degree of Fellow Craft,  which was carried out with good humour and great flair.  This was conducted under the watchful eye of the Metropolitan Grand Inspector, Stephen Fenton, who later professed to having had a very enjoyable evening in our Lodge.

Notable mentions must be made to Bro. John Rance who confidently presented the working tools of a Fellow Craft. W.Bro. Rory Shackleton then delivered a faultless rendition of the second degree tracing board to an attentive audience.

The meeting ended with a highlighting of importance of the lodge website, (www.owl3404.org) Proving to be an important tool in educating the curious more about the Lodge, Freemasonry and the way it works closely with the college.

 Afterwards the members and guests dined at the Crown and Anchor pub in Covent Garden. Members and visitors had an enjoyable evening with plans being made for similar future events.

Report on meeting held on 13th October 2011

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The annual installation meeting was held at Freemason’s Hall in London’s Great Queen Street, WC2.

The WM, W. Bro. John Edwards thanked his officers for their support during the past year and invited W. Bro. Paul Haynes White Hill Lodge No. 8425 to assist him in bestowing the highest honour that a lodge can confer on any of its members – the Mastership of the lodge. On this occasion Bro. Count Charles-Nicolas Goblet D’Alviella received the gavel and master’s collar before being installed into the chair of King Solomon.

A fine ceremony followed as Bro. Mathew Saunders presented the working tools of a master mason; Bro. John Rance the tools of a Fellowcraft and the Director of Ceremonies, W. Bro. Tom Hawley, the tools of an Entered Apprentice. Fine style too described the presentation of the addresses to the Master, Wardens and Brethren by VW Bro. Jervis Kay, W. Bro. James Milne and W. Bro. Rory Shackleton respectively. The newly installed master presented his officers with their jewels and wands with aplomb and looked forward with optimism to the Masonic year ahead.

A ballot for two new initiates proved in their favour and notice of proposal to introduce another new member was given at the third rising.

The members were warm in their appreciation that W. Bro. Robin Tilbrook would be awarded London Grand Rank in the following November.

The power and importance of the lodge website, (www.owl3404.org) proved itself once again when the Secretary, W. Bro. James Milne reported that a former member, W. Bro. Dickon Westmoreland now living in Australia had kindly offered to return his past master’s jewel having read of the need for jewels to be passed onto younger members. A further jewel had been found by an anonymous brother from a Surrey lodge at a street market. Without seeking any remuneration or thanks he had returned it to the Chaplain, a remarkably generous act given the value that such jewels can command by collectors. The newly installed WM asked that his appreciation to both brethren be recorded.

Twenty brethren dined at the Bucks Club although rather more had been present at the meeting.

Report on meeting held on 14th May 2011

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Report for website on OWL meeting at College 14th May 2011

High-summer puts family demands on younger brethren which can limit their attendance. The OW Lodge is blessed with many younger members and several are waiting in the wings for admission. Accordingly every alternate year brethren are joined by the wives, partners and friends to enjoy ‘white-table’ masonry at College. This was not one of those years – but 2012 will be.

Twenty four brethren attended to meet in the Driver rooms. W. Bro Chris Collins acted as Junior Warden; W. Bro John Ross Barnard as Chaplain; Bro. Alex Stuart-Bamford as Junior Deacon; W. Bro. Nigel Birch as Inner Guard and W. Bro Hew Dunn as Tyler. The special dispensations to allow the meeting to be held at College were read.

The Almoner, W. Bro Jeremy Moreton-Moss presented a eulogy for W. Bro. Bill Green who had passed to the ‘Grand Lodge Above’ on 8th March. W. Bro. Bill had served as a visiting music teacher at College for many years matched by his faithful years in masonry. His pupils spoke highly of his abilities and some had turned his wise tutorage into becoming professional musicians. In addition to his teaching Bro. Bill could be heard regularly in London’s West End theatre pit orchestras, thus sadly rarely seen. It was said that he knew the scores of every one of the biggest shows by heart. He was a true professional. The brethren stood in silent tribute to him.

The Lodge saluted W. Bro. James Morgan, Grand Steward, in recognition of his new appointment.

The WM requested that W. Bro Rory Shackleton assist him by taking over the Chair of King Solomon for the duration of the Ceremony of double Initiation firstly for Mr Neil Chadda, aged 24, (Murray 99 – 04) a Client Development Manager then Mr Guy Lynch, aged 25 (Hill 99 – 02) an Asset Management Valuer both candidates proposed by W. Bro. James Milne, seconded by W. Bro. Tom Hawley. The ceremony was conducted with military precision reflecting the training the officiating brethren had received at Sandhurst and their other military disciplines.

A fine festive board followed by courtesy of College caterers.

Report on meeting held on 10th February 2011

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Raising: Bro. Jonathan Kim Rance.

Unusually for the month of February the weather, local, long distance and international transport systems all allowed for a good attendance to celebrate the raising to the sublime degree of a master mason.

The ceremony was conducted by the Worshipful Master in the Chair. However, in keeping with our policy of sharing the work in the lodge, the WM requested a past master W. Bro Rory Shackleton to assist him by taking the Chair of King Solomon for the duration of the Ceremony of Raising.  W. Bro. Richard Bradburn, a personal guest of the candidate from the Old Reptonian Lodge No 3725, delivered the exhortation in fine style. The Working Tools were explained in detail by Bro Jeffrey Smith, Whitsters Lodge No 4717, another guest and friend of Bro Jon Rance.

Bro Jon had been proposed by W. Bro. James Milne LGR and initiated on 11th November 2008. The Old Wellingtonian Lodge being blessed with an increasing number of candidates from College wishing to become freemasons Bro Jon had been passed to the 2nd degree by courtesy of the Old Cliftonian Lodge No. 3340 on 15th January 2009.

The former Secretary, W. Bro. John Ross-Barnard JP having returned from a year’s travelling around the world presented W. Bro. Cdr. Stephen Dudley RN with an ornamental china bottle of Australian Navy “Pussers” (purser’s) rum to mark Bro. Stephen’s elevation to London Grand Rank. Members warmly applauded him. 27 members enjoyed a festive board at the Pillars of Hercules.