Craft News
- Written by: John Fergusson
Twenty five years ago, March, 1991, a young Barry Howard was duly initiated into Eleanor Cross Lodge. Twenty five years later on 11th March 2016, W Bro Barry had the most wonderful pleasure of marking this anniversary by personally initiating his son Luke into the same Lodge, during his third tenure as Worshipful Master of this fine old Lodge.
For father and son, this evening was very special, comprising of fine ritual, and on occasions was quite emotional as one would expect. Many personal friends of the Worshipful Master were invited, including the Provincial Grand Master RW Bro Max Bayes and Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master, VW Bro Wayne Williams, who delivered the Charge to the Initiate in a most eloquent and exemplary manner.
W Bro Barry Howard (right) pictured above with his son, Bro Luke Howard.
The Festive Board which followed was indeed a very warm and celebrative occasion which included a fine and indeed memorable rendition of the Initiates Song by Eleanor Cross Lodge member, Bro Roby Kenna. Bro Luke responded to a very heartfelt and emotional toast by his father in a very confident and concise manner, leaving little doubt that he really is a ‘chip off the old block’. What next, one may wonder, in this Howard family saga in another 25 years’ time?
Bro Luke Howard (centre) pictured below with his father, W Bro Barry Howard, the Provincial Grand Master,
RW Bro Max Bayes, VW Bro John Pagella, Grand Superintendent of Works & Past Assistant
Provincial Grand Master, VW Bro Wayne Williams.
- Written by: John Fergusson
On Tuesday 16 February 2016, prior to a meeting of Peterborough & Counties Lodge, a cheque from the Provincial Grand Charity in the sum of £2500.00 was presented to the Trustees of Nene Valley Care Trust by W. Bro. David Burton, Assistant Provincial Grand Master. The Trust provides young care leavers with practical support to help them secure the necessary education, training or employment to enable them to become independent and improve their future life prospects. Young people are referred to the Trust by Leaving Care Social Workers from Peterborough City Council and Northamptonshire County Council.
Pricilla Padley, Chairman of Nene Valley Care Trust said “On behalf of the Trustees we would like to thank you for the overwhelming generosity of the Masons of the Province for choosing our charity and donating this wonderful cheque for £2500. 00 for our work. The size of the gift was totally unexpected and will make a huge difference to our mentoring projects for young care leavers in Peterborough and Northampton.”
The Assistant Provincial Grand Master was supported by Worshipful Brother Mervin Roberts, Charity Steward, Petriburg Lodge No.8767 and Worshipful Brother Barry Webb, Worshipful Master, Peterborough & Counties Lodge No 2996.
Pictured, left to Right. W Bro Mervin Roberts, W Bro David Burton APGM, Lady Anne Arculus Founding Trustee NVCT, Priscilla Padley Chairman
NVCT, W Bro Barry Webb, Quentin MacDougall Treasurer NVCT, Rachel Taylor Trustee NVCT.
- 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.