Craft News
- Written by: Super User
At the beginning of the AGM of the Provincial Grand Charity on Saturday 14 March 2015, the Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Max Bayes, was delighted to present a cheque for £10,000 to the CEO of Lifelites, Simone Enefer-Doy. This represented the sum raised by brethren in the Province since the last presentation in June 2014.
In making the presentation, the Provincial Grand Master said
We very much support the good work that Lifelites does and we trust this cheque will help to sustain that work.
Receiving the cheque the Lifelites CEO, Simone Enefer-Doy, said she was very grateful for the continued support of the Province assured the PGM that the money would be put to good use.
At the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Charity on Saturday 14 March 2015 the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Max Bayes, was delighted to announce the following Appointments/Promotions/Reappointments to Grand Lodge which will take place on Wednesday 29 April 2015.
Receiving First Appointments to the rank of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
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WBro Trevor Cooke, Provincial Grand Registrar, Abington Lodge No 8041
- WBro Jerry Higgins, Past Provincial Senior Warden, Old Wellingburian Lodge No 5570
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WBro James Spence, Past Provincial Senior Warden, Thistle & Rose Lodge No 6644
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WBro David Watson, Provincial Grand Treasurer, Lodge of Perseverance No 455
Receiving Promotions
- WBro Barry Cole, Ferraria Lodge No 9278, to Past Junior Grand Deacon
Reappointments
- VWBro James Newman, Old Wellingburian Lodge No 5570, being reappointed as President of the RMBI
We send our sincere congratulations to all these Brethren.
- Written by: Gerry Crawford
It is with great sadness that the death of WBro Michael Amps is announced. He died on Thursday 5 March 2015 at the age of 82 years after being in bad health for some time. A pillar of both Oundle Freemasonry and the local community in general he was a successful and much respected local businessman, having taken over the family grocery business from his father, Percy Amps. Michael developed it into a very successful wine merchants.
As a young man he was a keen and much accomplished sportsman, playing for both Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club. At the age of 60, he decided to take up kick boxing and regularly attended the gym in training.
In his spare time he was a keen gardener and boasted that he did not grow anything he could not eat. He was also an enthusiastic caravanner and named his house “Navarac” (caravan spelled backwards). A supporter of his church he was instrumental in raising large sums for church funds.
He loved to visit New Zealand where he had family, and did so each year. He spoke about it so enthusiastically (and often) that in St Wilfrid Lodge there was a rule that he would be fined £5 for every mention of New Zealand.
In 1954 he was initiated by his father into St Wilfrid Lodge No 4453 in Oundle. His brother, Lawrence Amps, installed him as its Worshipful Master in 1974. Michael later served the Lodge for many years as Almoner and Charity Steward. He was a member of the Installed Masters Lodge No 3972, becoming Master in 1993, and a member of his old school lodge, Old Denstonian Lodge No 5490 (Province of Staffordshire). In 2007 he became a founder of Web Ellis Lodge No 9740 and served as its second Master in 2002, following the late WBro Don White PPAGM.
Michael’s first two Provincial appointments were both Acting Ranks – first as Pursuivant and secondly as Sword Bearer. He also served as a very fine Group Officer for 20 years and was a frequent visitor to all the Huntingdon Group of Lodges.
in 1995 first received his first Grand Rank appointment as PAGDC and was promoted in 2013 to PJGD.
In 1976 he was exalted into Chicheley Chapter No 607, serving as its MEZ in 1983. He was a founder of Old Denstonian Chapter No 5490 (Province of Staffordshire) in 1998 and its MEZ in 1999.
He was a member of other orders including Knights Templar and Rose Croix.
The last Masonic meeting attended by WBro Amps was in late 2014 when he was presented with his 60 years Jubilee Certificate by RWBro Barrie Hall PPGM.
A generous man, many will remember that, before the meeting time of St Wilfrid Lodge he regularly invited many who were too attend to his house for pre-meeting tea and biscuits.
He had a great “zest for life” in masonry, business sport and community life and was greatly respected and much loved as a real Oundle character. His passing is a great loss and he will be sadly missed.
- Written by: Russell Laxton
Bro David Thompson was initiated into the Star of Saxony Lodge No 853, under the Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany, within the United Grand Lodges of German Brotherhood of Freemasons, on the 9 October 2013. He was passed in the same Lodge on 15 January 2014.
However after a posting Afghanistan he returned to Aldershot and was eventually invalided out of the army. He now lives in Lincoln. As a consequence of all of this it seemed that he would never be raised to sublime degree of a Master Mason.
A senior member of the Star of Saxony Lodge, VWBro Tom Culpeck PSGW, a friend of our DPGM, VWBro Dr Viv Thomas for 30 years, contacted him to try and arrange the raising of Bro Thompson. This was finally arranged to take place on Wednesday 11 February at the Vale of Nene Lodge No 7006 and this also coincided with the reciprocal visit from their mother lodge, The Fitzwilliam Lodge No 2533.
Bro David Thompson was raised to the sublime degree of a master mason by the past Masters of the Lodge with the traditional history delivered by VWBro Dr Viv Thomas and the working tools by WBro Brian Gebbels, also members of the Star of Saxony Lodge. A star of Saxony breast jewel was also presented by the current Worshipful Master of the Star of Saxony Lodge WBro Gareth Bound. Twenty six members of the Lodge came over to support Bro David on his raising. There were also sixteen members from the Fitzwilliam Lodge.