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...read Rev Hugh Mead's brief history of the school
....see
if you know any of our members!
...so
what is the Lodge doing for charity?
...how do I become a
Freemason?
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This pages covers:
·
forthcoming meetings
·
news from 2009/2010
·
news from 2008 and before
·
the Official History of the Lodge by
Alastair MacKenzie
This page and its content has not been approved by
the United Grand Lodge of England.
Our forthcoming meetings are to
be on:
·
Thursday
28th October 2010
This will be a Charity
Cabaret dinner, with many entertainers from the world of show business!
Please see the hand-bill here;
you can apply for tickets with this form.
·
Thursday
20th January 2011
·
Thursday
7th April 2011
Meetings are usually on
Thursdays and fall in early January & April, mid-July and late October,
each year: coinciding with Remedy or the end/start of term.
OLD PAULINE LODGE HOSTS DINNER
FOR THE HIGH MASTER
The Old Pauline Lodge held its
usual January meeting this year at School at which the Master of the lodge,
Nigel Young (1964-1968) presented a Grand Lodge Certificate to PhilipccccMoufcarrige with a fascinating explanation of its symbolism.
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Julian Rees
then gave a five-minute oration on the subject of freedom in Freemasonry,
and its meaning, from his recently published book of lectures.
The Lodge was quickly closed
for the Head boy of the School and three Prefects to join us. We were
split into small groups for a tour of the School by the boys followed by
champagne in the Atrium.
Dinner in the Montgomery Room
was attended by the High Master who responded to the school toast with an
explanation on his views of education and the ethos of the School.
This was absorbing, even awe
inspiring, and we all enjoyed the usual high standard of food with wines
from the Veneto
commented on, as customary, by Alastair Mackenzie.
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Julian Rees (1950-54), a
distinguished Freemason and Masonic author, was installed as Worshipful
Master in April. The Lodge was visited by the Deputy Metropolitan Grand
Master in July. The newly initiated Bretheren progressed through the
regular degrees. SrdcjanssdSaso was supported by the Bretheren when
he completed the London Marathon in aid of CHASE.
Donations of £1,000 were made
to the St.Paul's Benevolent Fund and to the Royal Masonic Benevolent
Institution.
In September, the Bretheren and
their partners visited Kew
Gardens in the autumnal
sunshine on which occasion they were joined by the High Master, Dr Martin
Stephens.
Rabbi ZviawSolocmons (1981-86) was welcomed as a joining member during the
year.
The Lodge welcomed four new
members during the year. Worshipful Master Stephen Basham initiated
Philipr$Mocufarcrige (1986-91), DavidreImrie, Operations Director, St.Paul's School and SrcdjancccccSaso (1994-2001). David Graham (1958-62) was a
joining member.
Donations of £1,000 were made
to the St.Paul's Benevolent Fund and to the Royal Masonic Benevolent
Institution.
A Master's dinner was held at
the Naval Club i February which extended the congenial atmosphere of the
meetings into a social occasion with our partners.
The Old Pauline Lodge is always keen
to recruit new members and to give Old Paulines who have an interest or
curiosity in freemasonry the opportunity to find out a little more and to see
how the OP Lodge works in congenial and familiar company over a good
dinner. After a brief meeting on 19 October 2006, the Lodge hosted a
white table dinner (open to non-masons) at the School, which was attended by
12 guests of the Lodge and individual members.
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David Miles (1957-62), Master
of the Lodge, presented a cheque for £2,000 to David Imrie, Director of
Operations at the School, who replied to the toast of the School and
brought members up to date with the amazingly rich and varied activities
going on, as well as the plans for the rebuilding of the School and the
vision of needs blind entry for able boys, regardless of their parents'
financial circumstances.
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David Miles also presented a
cheque for £2,400 to Chris Head, representing the Royal Masonic Benevolent
Fund.
David Cons, a former Master
of the Lodge, gave a very entertaining outline of the history and the
values of freemasonry, stressing the need for the movement to step forwards
from the shadows of mystery and highlighting its charitable role.
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The Lodge is delighted that a number of old boys showed such interest
in the Lodge.
The evening was highly enjoyable and a resounding success; as a
result, we hope to repeat it on a regular basis; any OPs who are interested
will be very welcome and should contact us.
From earlier in 2006
(reproduced
from the Spring 2006 edition of the Old Pauline)
The January 2006 meeting of the
Lodge held at the School was followed by a traditional Burns Night
supper. John McNeece, a guest of the Lodge resplendent in his Ferguson
clan kilt, gave the Address to the Haggis in the appropriate fashion,
stabbing the brute with a wicked looking 150-year old dirk, after which the
members and their guests enjoyed a Scottish meal of haggis with neaps and
tatties, venison casserole and Scottish cheeses, accompanied by appropriate
wines, chosen by member and former master, Alastair Mackenzie.
Worshipful Master, W.Bro Guy
Thomas (the tallest one) with W.Bro John McNeece at his right hand and
flanked by his wardens: W.Bro David Miles and W.Bro Stephen Basham.
Back to the top
(reproduced
from the Autumn 2005 edition of the Old Pauline)
The 2005 summer meeting of The
Old Pauline Lodge was held at the School in July (writes David Cons) when
wives/partners and non Masonic friends were invited.
After a brief formal meeting of
the Lodge, the guests joined the members for an amusing dissertation about
famous Freemasons and their tenuous connections with Old Paulines, by Andrew
Montgomery, a personal friend of this year’s Master, Guy Thomas. This
was followed by champagne in the atrium and dinner in the Montgomery Room.
After dinner a cheque for
£1,000 was donated by the Lodge to the School Benevolent Fund. The
toast to the School was given by Alastair Mackenzie (erstwhile classics
master and wine writer) and Dick Jaine (Senior Tutor and Undermaster for the
6th forms) replied with an entertaining account of recent achievements and
happenings at the School.
The Lodge meets at the School
(by kind permission of the High Master) in October, January, March and July.
The Worshipful Master for
2005, W.Bro Guy Thomas (centre) with W.Bro David Miles, his Senior Warden, at
his right hand and W.Bro Stephen Basham, his Junior Warden, at his left.
Back to the top
(reproduced
from the Autumn 2004 edition of the Old Pauline)
The summer meeting of The Old
Pauline Lodge was held at the School on July 21st (writes David Cons) when
wives/partners and non Masonic friends were invited. After a brief formal
meeting of the Lodge, the members joined the guests for a short conducted
tour of the main building and retired to the atrium for a glass of champagne
followed by dinner in the Montgomery Room. After dinner a cheque for
£1,000 was donated by the Lodge to the School Benevolent Fund. This
year’s Master, David Speake (1980/84) then introduced Mrs Verity Johnson, the
Finance Director of the School who gave a fascinating talk about current
goings on and plans for the future of the School. She described how
much money is being spent to involve the local young community to use the
facilities at St Paul's.
Additionally £300,000 of bursaries came from the Benevolent Fund this year
for high achieving children whose parents are unable to fund their sons’ education
at the School. The next major project being considered for the 500th
anniversary is an Assembly Hall which could be used to re-house the
magnificent organ, many of us remember from the Great Hall at the old School
in Hammersmith. It is currently packaged up, unused and unloved at a
Church in Portland.
More news from 2004
(reproduced
from the Spring 2004 edition of the Old Pauline)
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The Installation Meeting of
The Old Pauline Lodge was held at the School on Thursday, April 1st (writes
David Cons) when Nigel Codron installed his successor, David Speake as
Worshipful Master.
The Wardens of the Lodge for
the year are Guy Thomas and Angus McKenzie MBE who was assisted by his
guide dog ‘Ward’. After the meeting the Lodge dined in the Montgomery
Room and heard about the progress of the school (and the quality of the
wines) from former Classics Master and member of the Lodge, Alastair
Mackenzie.
The next meeting of the Lodge
will be held in July and traditionally this is an open evening for members,
wives, partners and friends and a member of staff from the school will be
invited to receive a donation from the Lodge for the School Benevolent
Fund.
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The Worshipful Master for
2004, W.Bro David Speake (to the left) with his predecessor, the Installing
Master W.Bro Nigel Codron.
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Back to the top
The
Old Pauline Lodge, Number 3969
by
Alastair MacKenzie
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The idea of founding an Old
Pauline Lodge was first put forward by Bro. Neil Martin-Kaye in a
letter to ‘The Pauline’ magazine in November 1917. This led to a
number of Old Pauline freemasons meeting at 10 Duke Street, St. James on
6th February 1919. A resolution was passed approving an attempt to
found a Lodge and a committee was formed to further the proposal.
Some eighteen months later this committee reported to a meeting of
prospective founders and it was formally resolved to present a petition to
the M.W. the Grand Master for permission to found an Old Pauline
Lodge. Supported by the Old Wykehamist Lodge, a warrant was granted,
dated 26th May 1919, and the number 3969 was assigned to the Lodge.
Those of an arithmetical or
symbolic turn of mind may observe that this should be a very auspicious
number indeed, since it is the product of 49 and 81, which are the squares
of 7 and 9 which itself is the square of 3; 3,7 and 9 all being ‘lucky’
numbers.
On 15th July of the same year
the Lodge was consecrated, the ceremony being performed by the Grand
Secretary, R.W.Bro. P.Colville-Smith, a former WM of the old
Cliftonian Lodge. W.Bro. Leslie O.Wilson (later Colonel the
Rt.Hon. Sir Leslie) was installed as WM Among the names admitted as
candidates at that meeting was the Rev. A.E.Hillard, the High Master,
who was duly initiated at the next meeting.
The early meetings of the
Lodge were held at 10 Duke
Street, St.James with one visit to Freemasons’
Hall. In 1921 the venue was moved to Cordwainers’ Hall in Cannon
Street, in1924 to the Grand Hotel in Trafalgar Square, in 1927 to the Hotel
Metropole in Northumberland Avenue and finally in 1934 to Freemasons’
Hall. On 4th October of that year the Lodge qualified as a Hall Stone
Lodge.
The first meeting to be held
at the School, then at West Kensington,
was in June 1930 when the Lodge hosted the Public Schools Lodges
Festival. The WM was W.Bro. John Bell, the High Master; his
predecessor, Dr. Hillard, was the Lodge Chaplain.
From 1930, until the
evacuation in 1939, one meeting a year was held at the School. During
the war regular meetings were held at Freemasons’ Hall, usually at midday
rather than in the evening. At the November 1940 meeting the WM
announced that ‘in the event of an air-raid taking place he proposed to
continue the work of the Lodge but that he would give any brother who
desired it an opportunity of seeking a safer shelter.’
After the war the annual
School meetings were resumed. In 1947 W.Bro. R.L.James became the
third High Master to be a member of the Lodge.
In 1966 when R.W.Bro.
Sir Lionel Denny, who nearly forty years earlier had been the first
initiate to reach the chair of the Lodge, was Lord Mayor of London he invited the
Lodge to hold its January meeting at the Mansion House. Three years
later the Lodge was also able to hold its Golden Jubilee meeting in this
splendid building with R.W.Bro. Sir Lionel once again installed in
the Master’s chair, in the presence of the R.W.Assistant Grand Master,
Major-General Sir Alan Adair.
In 1970 the April meeting was
held for the first time in the Assembly
Hall of Colet Court, the St.Paul’s Preparatory
School, at the new site in Barnes. From 1975 the summer meetings too
were held there; we now meet in the Senior School,
by dispensation, and since 1990 the Old Pauline Lodge has been one of the
very few school lodges fortunate enough to have all their meetings at the
school. We are very grateful for this facility and the Lodge makes
regular donations to the School Benevolent and Bursary Funds.
Distinguished members of the
Lodge have included R.W.Bro. Lord Pearson, the Lord of Appeal who
settled two of the most formidable strikes of the age, the Dockers’ and the
Seamen’s in the days before ACAS; R.W.Bro. Lord Nathan, W.Bro.
Sir Geoffrey Whiskard K.C.B., K.C.M.G., W.Bro. Sir William Peat,
W.Bro. Sir K.G. Mitchell K.C.I.E. and W.Bro. Sir
Charles Wheeler. R.W.Bro. Sir James Stubbs, for many years an
outstanding Grand Secretary, had been a teacher at the School during the
1930s and his wife, Lady Richenda was the Catering Manageress for twenty
years during and after the war. He was elected an Honorary member of
the Lodge in 1953 and was for many years a regular attender. His last
visit was in 1998, not long before his death, when he spoke most
entertainingly about his memories of the school and the Lodge.
In June 2002, the Lodge
hosted the Public Schools Lodges Council Festival
with R.W.Bro. David Cons, Pro Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex,
as Worshipful Master.
The Lodge looks forward to
hosting the Public Schools Lodges Council Festival
again in 2019 - on the occasion of the Lodge's centenary.
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