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 the Worshipful Master was assisted by a Past-Master who recalled with élan the third degree tracing board attracting a deserved Masonic applause. 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 Worshipful Master 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. The brethren thanked him for his hard work and dedication to the lodge over the years. We were reminded 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 correctly. 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!