Provincial News
- Written by: John Fergusson
After attending the Annual Convocation of the Royal Arch Province of Lincolnshire at the Lincolnshire Showground on the morning of 10th May 2017, our Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams, accompanied by the Provincial Grand Scribe E, E Comp David Brown, continued their travels towards St Ives for the evening Convocation of St Ivo Chapter.
In addition to a fine exaltation ceremony during which Companion Mike Osborne was welcomed and introduced to the Supreme Degree, the occasion was a well-planned opportunity to present a Jubilee Certificate marking 50 years in Royal Arch Masonry to E Comp Vic Bashford, PPrGScN at the spritely age of 96 years. The Grand Superintendent recalled the occasion of our own Provincial Convocation in June 2013 when it was his pleasure to present to E Comp Vic his “Certificate for Meritorious Service” to recognise his exemplary service to the Royal Arch in this Province in two of our Chapters (St Ivo and Ailwyn) and in which he had served as ME Zerubbabel on two occasions in both as well as MEZ in our First Principals’ Chapter in 2004. E Comp Vic has held the Provincial Rank of PPrGScN for some 25 years - a seasoned campaigner in every sense of the word and a stalwart for the Royal Arch in this Province, having held one senior Chapter office or another consecutively for no less than 31 years. 
During the presentation, the Grand Superintendent also referred to E Comp Vic’s wartime service in the Royal Air Force when he served on the very first of the dreaded Russian North Atlantic convoys in 1941, escorting Hurricane aircraft parts to the Russians as part of the allied war effort. For such courage and bravery, the Veterans were rightly awarded, over time, the Russian Ushakov Medal and, more latterly, the newly minted Arctic Star medal by way of formal British recognition.
E Comp Vic responded in such modest terms expressing his appreciation to all concerned and one who, over the years, has rightly earned the respect and admiration of us all.
Local artist and Freemason, Martin Taylor, from Spelhoe 8576 has been selected by United Grand Lodge of England to have his work featured in a art exhibition running at Great Queen Street.
The United Grand Lodge of England, in partnership with the Library and Museum, will host an exhibition of emerging artists' work in June to mark this years Tercentenary celebrations. All artwork will be created on site at Freemason's Hall, with artists granted unprecedented access to the building and organisation to capture contemporary masonic life. The artworks will capture key initiatives taking place in 2017 and bring different views of Freemasonry to life through a variety of different mediums.
Martin's description of his painting follows.
"I decided to paint the building as much of the Freemasons' ideology is based around buildings and their construction as an allegory or metaphor for how we live our lives. On the day I did my study the building seemed powerful, stoic and upright with good light. I chose to be accurate in showing the blue hoarding which places the painting in a particular timeframe. The people who occupy the foreground brought the scene to life and showed it to be busy as a meeting place as well as giving a sense of scale."
Martin Taylor was born in 1954 and is based in Northamptonshire. He studied at the Ealing School of Art, Wimbledon School of Art and Goldsmith’s College. Martin’s work reflects his love of nature, played out in exquisitely detailed studies of the countryside surrounding his studio, a converted stable on a farm. Every season brings fresh inspiration, and to achieve the precision and focus so characteristic of his work Martin paints ‘en plein air’, returning to the same position for weeks at a time even in deepest winter. The combination of intricate detail and careful composition in his work celebrates nature on every scale, from the twigs on the forest floor to the clouds skimming the vast skies. Martin also pays the same attention to detail in his representations of buidings and townscapes.
Martin works in oil and watercolour and continues to practice the art of drawing, through studies and the use of the sketchbook.
Taylor has won two RWS (Royal Watercolour Society) awards: the Chris Beetles award (1988) and the Jeffrey Archer award in (1989). He has shown at the Royal Academy, and had numerous dedicated exhibitions in Northamptonshire and London, and is widely collected in the UK and USA. Martin Taylor is currently represented by Gladwell & Pattersons, 5. Beauchamps Place, Knightsbridge London.
- Written by: Simon Key
There has been a change of Local Communications Officer for Wellingborough and Rushden, with WBro Trevor Cook now taking over from WBro Rob Mallett, who has performed several years of service.
WBro Trevor Cook
Born and raised in Wellingborough just a stone’s throw from the Masonic Hall, WBro Trevor is well known in the area. He was educated at Victoria Junior School on Mill Road and then at the Grammar School in Wellingborough, before working for Unilever at Colworth House in Sharnbrook, for over 40 years.
WBro Trevor was Initiated into The Gates of Billing Lodge in 1999 and passed through the respective offices before being installed into the Chair of King Solomon in 2006. Whilst this means that his “mother tongue” for ritual is Taylor’s working, he is also fluent in Emulation being a Joining Member of John Pyel Lodge, also in Wellingborough.
A keen member of The Holy Royal Arch and several other Orders based mainly in Wellingborough and Rushden, WBro Trevor has also been a member of the Provincial Demonstration Team since its formation in 2008 and has performed with the group at many Masonic Centres across the Province and further afield.
We thank WBro Rob Mallett for all his past hard work and wish WBro Trevor Cook the very best in his new role