W Bro Derek Barrett WM 2016 racquets pro at College Past Provincial Grand Registrar in the Province of Oxfordshire.
College Meeting 2019
The OW Lodge held its annual meeting at Wellington College, the 426th meeting of the Lodge, on 11 May 2019.
The sun beat the rain as Wellington put Radley to the sword (or bat) on turf, and we had visitors too – old friends and new joined us from the Old Rugbeians, Stanwell, Be Prepared, the Old Uppinghamians and the Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire.
The Worshipful Master Sid Mallya conducted a wonderful and rare ceremony – it is rare and indeed special when a member of a Lodge brings his son into masonry; that new mason is known as a Lewis and the continuity of masonry receives a special boost. It is rarer still when a son brings in his father, as was the case on this occasion.
We repaired to Great School for drinks, being joined by more friends from the Lodge and College including CMStGP, Murray Lindo and the Master Elect, James Dahl who honoured us with a few words on the state of College.
The Master Elect of College designated a charity for the evening, WOW or Widening Opportunities at Wellington, which the Lodge was pleased to support with a donation of £500, and a matching contribution of £500 to the Herbert Trust, now part of the wider College charities, which supports the education of OW’s children.
Dinner was enjoyed by 38 members and guests, and lamenting the passing of the Waterloo Hotel we departed into the late evening to the sounds of the clock over Porters’ Lodge.
The dinner is an open affair, and all members of the Wellington Community are most welcome. Next year we shall be meeting on 30 May, so please email the secretary if you would like to attend. All are most welcome.
February 2019 Meeting
After many happy festive boards at the East India Club, the February meeting saw the Lodge hold its meeting at this favourite haunt, the first meeting in St James’s for some 40 years.
We conducted a fine raising ceremony, presided over by WM Sid Mallya in a fluent and confident performance, with the Traditional History being delivered with great style and understanding by W Bro Matt Burrows of our Mother Lodge, Household Brigade No 2614. We were also delighted to be joined by a familiar face from the Old Bradfield Lodge.
We finished the evening with an excellent meal and over Port and Madeira celebrated the imminent milestone of VW Bro Jervis Kay’s birthday.