Old Wellingtonian Lodge News
~ 2009 ~

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Meeting dates

HRH Duke of Kent - Honorary member

~ 2009 ~

February 2009 - May 2009 - October 2009

~ 2008 ~

February 2008 - May 2008 - October 2008 - November 2008

~ 2007 ~
Departed Merit Alastair Shackleton

Departed Merit Arthur Crosswell

February 2007 - June 2007 - October 2007 - November 2007

~ 2006 ~
The Prestonian Lecture - 2006

February 2006 - May 2006 - September 2006 - November 2006

~ 2005 ~
February 2005 - May 2005 - October 2005 - November 2005

~ 2004 ~
Departed Merit John Underdown

October 2004 - November 2004

Report on meeting held on Thursday, 8th October.

The brethren of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge met at Freemasons’ Hall, London for the annual Installation meeting. W.Bro. Quentin Hunter (Talbot 85-90) installed W.Bro. Henry R. Hopking (Anglesey 89-94) into the Chair of King Solomon as the Master to rule the Lodge during our Centenary year. W.Bro. Hunter was ably assisted in the ceremony with members from Sir Thomas White Lodge No.1820, Christ’s Hospital Lodge No.2650 and the Old Cheltonian Lodge No.3223.

The Address to the Master was delivered by W.Bro. Geoffrey Baber, with fine style and aplomb. This was especially meaningful as W.Bro. Baber proposed W.Bro. Hopking into Freemasonry seven years previously. The Address to the Wardens and the Address to the Brethren were delivered by W.Bro. James Milne and W.Bro. Rory Shackleton respectively.

After the meeting the brethren retired to St James’s and they dined at the East India Club. The festive board was held in the Canadian Room where everyone enjoyed the superb cuisine and merry fraternal banter. Many have since commented that they hope the Lodge will return there for future festive boards.

The Master and members of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge look forward to the year ahead. It is an exceptional year with 2009/10 being the Centenary of the Lodge. The Lodge has a full programme of events planned. Our meeting on the 26th November will mark the historic date of the Centenary, from when the Lodge was consecrated in 1909. We then look forward to the summer meeting at College, where we will welcome a large number of visitors and guests to join us as we conclude our Centenary celebrations in fine style.

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Report on meeting held on May 9th, 2009

The brethren of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge met at Wellington College for the annual college meeting. At the meeting Bro. Matthew Saunders and Bro. Simon Reed were raised to the sublime degree of a master mason. In the double ceremony W.Bro Quentin Hunter was assisted by W.Bro. Edward Bowron who recalled with élan the third degree tracing board attracting a deserved Masonic ‘clap’. The Working Tools were similarly explained in graphic detail by W.Bro. Rory Shackleton. W.Bro. Nigel Birch presented Bro. Matt Saunders with a Master Mason’s apron. Books of Emulation ritual were presented on behalf of their proposer by seconder Bro. Junior Warden, John Edwards.

A Grand Lodge Certificate was presented to Bro. Simon Wilson and explained in detail by W.Bro. Nigel Birch

All the other offices of the lodge did an outstanding job in assisting the W.Bro Quentin Hunter in the ceremony.

The lodge welcomed a number of visitors including visiting Masters from our sister public school lodges: Christ Hospital; Ardingly and Charterhouse. We also welcomed our newly elected Visiting Officer, Edward Bottomley. The lodge looks forward to welcoming him to future lodge meetings.

W.Bro John Ross-Barnard announced that he would be stepping down as secretary after ten years serving the lodge so that he can go on a world trip. W.Bro Quentin Hunter thanked him for his hard work and dedication to the lodge over the years. He reminded the brethren of how much work W.Bro John Ross-Barnard has done behind the scenes to ensure all our meetings happen and that all Masonic business is conducted and communicated promptly and correctl. There was a spontaneous and enthusiastic round of applause to thank the retiring secretary from the rest of the brethren.

The brethren then dined in the Driver rooms in College. A few of the brethren met at the bar in the Waterloo Hotel for further libations!

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Report on meeting held on February 12th, 2009

The brethren of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge met at Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street to raise Bro. Simon Wilson to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. W.Bro Quentin Hunter was assisted in the ceremony by a member of Old Reptonian Lodge 3725, who delivered the Exhoratation, W.Bro Eddie Bowron who delivered the Traditional History and W.Bro Rory Shackleton who explained the Working Tools. All those assisting the WM delivered their parts not only with great accuracy but also communicating the true meaning of the ritual in fine style.

Due to bad weather, transport problems and illness a number of brethren were unable to make the meeting. The following brethren did an excellent job and stood in at the last minute to fill the following offices. W.Bro Hew Dunn as Director of Ceremonies, W.Bro Robin Tilbrook as Immediate Past Master, W.Bro Eddie Bowron as Inner Guard and W.Bro Derick Barrett as Mentor. The WM was very grateful for their last minute assistance. Similar problems occur every year at the February meeting and W.Bro John Ross-Barnard raised the idea of changing the meeting to March for future years. This was generally favourably received.

The rest of the regular offices of the lodge did a fine job in assisting the WM in raising Bro. Simon Wilson.

A member of Old Westminster Lodge No. 2233 did a splendid job of playing the organ for the lodge. The organ has not been played in the OW lodge for some time. This gave an extra dimension to the raising and made it a truly memorable occasion for the candidate and the brethren of the lodge.

We welcomed five visitors to the lodge four of which were from our sister PSLC lodges (Repton no. 3725, Westminster no. 2233, Marlborough no.3533 and Dulwich no. 4165). It is always a great pleasure to welcome visitors to the OW lodge.

Congratulations to W.Bro John Ross Barnard JP on advancement to Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer (Warks) and W.Bro Nigel Birch on his advancement to Senior London Grand Rank.

Congratulations to W.Bro James Milne on his recent marriage.

The brethren dined afterwards at Beoty’s.

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