Craft News
- Written by: Rob Taylor
St Crispin Lodge 5627 in Kettering has provided much needed financial support to Parkinson UK and Cransley Hospice from funds raised at their Lodge Swing Band event in 2015.
- Written by: Rob Taylor
In 1933 a special committee of Socrates Lodge was authorised to purchase The Priory , 83 High Street, Huntingdon for £1,150.00 (£72,950 in todays terms) and so it was that The Priory became home to Socrates Lodge 373.
As Freemasonry expanded in Huntingdon it subsequently became home to Samuel Pepys 8330, Hitchingbrook 9282, Meridian 9542 Craft Lodges, Socrates Chapter 373, Socrates Lodge of Mark Master Masons 794, Socrates Royal Ark Mariners 794, United Priors Preceptory No 240 Knights Templar, David Earl of Huntingdon Rose Croix Chapter No 201, Huntingdon Council of Royal & Select Masters No 130 and The Order pf the Secret Monitor Cromwell Conclave 371.
These Craft Lodges and other Orders are now all set to move to their new Home at Priory House Sovereign Court, Lancaster Way, Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon which was purchased on 8th October 2015. When the building was first purchased it consisted of simply an office unit with a ground and first floor. Priory House now boasts a purpose built commercial kitchen, a dining room that seats 75, and a bar/lounge area all located on the ground floor. This has all been specifically designed to be able to accommodate various types of functions, so that the building can be hired out for commercial and private events.
The first floor consists of a brand new purpose built Lodge Room holding 75, a practice room and two ante/committee rooms. The building also has 22 parking bays. This remarkable transformation from offices to Huntingdon Masonic Hall's new home took just 11 weeks to complete at a total cost of £649,000 including VAT and taxes. The Board, chaired by W Bro John Benson, is to be congratulated for this remarkable achievement which could not have been done without the work of a considerable number of members from the various units involved but in particular W Bro Malcolm Firmedow who was responsible for the design and who project managed the whole thing from start to finish.
The buildings first Masonic event, which was held on Tuesday 12th January 2016, was an Installation meeting of Socrates Lodge of Mark Master Masons 794 when W Bro Ian Thomson Installed W Bro Des Hinshelwood as his successor. The meeting which was attended by Mark Provisional Grand Master of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire R WBro George Bonham, his Deputy VW Bro Brian Ennever and a total of 53 members and visitors was deemed a most successful event and drew compliments all round as an excellent event in the new venue. On Tuesday 19th January the first Craft meeting took place which was the 182nd Installation meeting of Socrates Lodge No 373 when a record attendance were present including W Bro Trevor Boswell the Deputy Provincial Grand Master. The dedication of the new building by RW Bro Max Bayes, the Provincial Grand Master, will take place on Saturday 23rd April.
Left to right above: W Bro Bob Stokes PrDC, VW Bro Richard Turpin PGJO PDPrGM, VW Bro Brian Ennever PGJO DPrGM, W Bro Mike Jolly SW, RW Bro George Bonham PrGM GMRAC, W Bro Des Hinshelwood WM, W Bro Ian Thomson Installing Master Bro Mark Howell JW and W Bro Doug Peacock PAGDC DC
- Written by: Rob Taylor
WBro Batton presented a cheque for £1500.00 to the Arthritis Reasearch UK charity from money raised during his year in the chair. WBro Joe Batton was Worshipful Master of Sothius Lodge No 8774 in 2012. WBro Batton says he chose this charity because most of us will at sometime in our life suffer from this awful disease, and he has witnessed personally the benefits that can be gained from this research.
- Written by: Rob Taylor
The Northants & Hunts Branch held five events this season: - April: Ringstead Grange fly fishing, - May Earith Lakes fly fishing, - June Ringstead Island coarse fishing, - July Earith Lakes coarse fishing, - September Ringstead Island coarse fishing.
The participants for these events came from Corby Business Academy, Wren Spinney School, Mather Franks Care Group, Samuel Pepys School, Landowne Care Centre, East Hunsbury Primary School, Olympus Care Services and Ashgrove Outreach. They were supported by our dedicated team of casters, and helpers, who set up camp and prepared refreshments throughout the day.
We were grateful for the support from Provincial Office with the presence of WBros Norman Pope, Brian Silsby, Ged Dempsey, Trevor Boswell and Tim Arnold who each spent a day at one of the events, and we received a surprise visit by our PGM RWBro Max Bayes at our last event of the year. The other distinguished visitors were Dr Ahmed Mukhtar, High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, and WBro Barry Rogers, Charity Steward of the Lodge of Perseverance and a trustee of The Margaret Giffin Charitable Trust.
We were pleased to receive donations from these, also from the Douglas Compton James Charitable Trust, the Piscator Lodge and Chapter. Their donations enabled the purchase of two new ‘pop up’ marquees, which we look forward to using during 2016.
I am pleased to report that our new box trailer, sign written ‘Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Branch’ over the MTSFC logo, proved to be very beneficial this year for the storing and movement of all our equipment from event to event.
During February David Houghton, after consultation with the local Environmental Health Office responsible for food preparation, health and safety, produced an operation manual for our events. Adam French, a Senior Health officer, made an inspection at our event on the 23rd April and was pleased to advise that we had achieved a FIVE STAR RATING for food safety under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Finally, I am pleased to report that all the Special Needs participants were seen to ‘Catch the Smile.’