The Flackwell Heath and Loudwater Age UK Day Centre is located in the heart of Flackwell Heath and adjoins the Community Centre.
The brethren of Concordia Lodge, No. 2492, were joined on Tuesday 8th March 2016 by 26 members of the Provincial team (including the PGM and two APGM’s) during the rededication of the Lodge Banner.
Buckinghamshire PGM, RW. Gordon Robertson, occupied the Chair for the ceremony and gave a most interesting précis of the 122 year history of Concordia Lodge; part of which is reproduced below. He congratulated the Lodge on its long association with the Province and gave thanks for what has been achieved in the past as well as to celebrate the future potential of Concordia Lodge within our Province and of course, Freemasonry in general.
Concordia Lodge was consecrated at the Red Lion Hotel, Wendover, on 29th January 1894 by the DPGM, VW. Bro. the Rev. Brownrigg. They continued to meet at the Red Lion until 1923, when the lodge moved to Aylesbury. Initially, at the Bulls Head, and finally, moving to Ripon Street in 1946. Concordia may have had a tenuous link with the Rothschild family, as the banner features one of the family symbols, the five arrows, and the word Concordia is also featured in the Rothschild family motto; although, as we know, it is also a popular masonic word relating to harmony.
Concordia members were very influential in the early days of Buckinghamshire Freemasonry. The first Provincial Handbook was compiled and edited by W.Bro. Henry Jowett, Secretary of Concordia and also a member of Buckingham Lodge. In 1901, W.Bro the Rev. Roberts, of Concordia, was appointed as Provincial Grand Secretary and he had a considerable influence on the Province. He revived the Provincial Directory and calendar, editing it himself until 1917. He revised the Provincial bylaws in 1905, which included for the first time, a scale of fines upon lodges and members: One guinea for not being represented at PGL, or for a late annual return and on Provincial Officers, half a guinea for being absent without a good excuse.
Bro.Roberts is also credited with the first suggestion of a Master and Past Masters Lodge in Buckinghamshire, when he made mention of it in 1906 at the Provincial Meeting. He went on to become the founding SW of Bucks Masters Lodge No. 3305 in 1908. Concordia lodge continued its success and went on to become a Hall Stone Lodge, receive a Centenary Warrant and achieve high status in a number of masonic charitable organisations for its excellent charitable contributions.
The Banner rededication then followed with the RW PGM concluding with the following words: “It is a fact that the vast majority of Freemasons admire their Banners for their beautiful design and ornate craftsmanship. But one should never forget that a Lodge Banner should remind us of our duty and fidelity to our faith and is considered the rallying point for the three Great Principles of Freemasonry, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
Today we commemorate the banner, along with the achievements of this Lodge, but even at this time of great celebration we must not forget to honour the Lodge founders.
As we share this joyous event may we communicate happiness to each other, not only on this special day, but until time with us shall be no more.”
The Lodge then gave their most sincere thanks to Brothers Larry Maskell, Brian Stabler and Brian Bruton who were the driving forces behind the organisation and payment of the work that needed to be done to restore the banner, over 100 years in age, to its former glory.
Top photo shows proud members of Concordia Lodge grouped around their newly refurbished banner.
The Concordia Lodge Banner restored to its former splendour with the PGM Gordon Robertson and WM of Concordia Lodge W. Bro. Simon Shirley
Senior members of the Provincial team with the WM of Concordia Lodge.
Willen Hospice has recently received donations totalling nearly £7,000 from Buckinghamshire Freemasons.
St Johns Sports FC, who play in the Aylesbury and District League Division One were in need of new equipment to bolster their push for promotion.
Slough Daylight Lodge 9699 held an unusual double initiation at an emergency meeting on 30th January 2016.
The Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes, which provides specialist palliative care for people aged 18 and upwards, recently received a donation of £550 from the members of the Buckinghamshire Masonic Clay Pigeon Association.
Cymbeline Lodge Burns Night; picture the scene if you will, a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht…. Thursday 28th January 2016, it’s 18.00 hours and a hush descends over the Stewart Village Hall, Little Kimble.
The Masonic Housing Association (MHA) Sheltered Home at Prebendal Close in Aylesbury provides its 30+ residents with a friendly and convivial place to live, very close to the centre of town.
At present just under half of the tenants are from the community at large whilst just over half have Masonic family connections. Prebendal Close is run by a committee of volunteer Freemasons.
The committee Welfare Officer, Fred Crabtree, who is also a member of Buckingham Lodge 591, which meets in Aylesbury, wrote to the Bucks Masonic Centenary Fund (BMCF) to request funding towards the cost of refurbishing the chairs in their communal lounge. These were definitely showing their age and are in constant use by the residents who enjoy their group activities and social occasions.
The BMCF were delighted to donate the full cost of refurbishment of £1,000 and this was completed recently.
The picture shows some of the residents enjoying afternoon tea.
Manor of Swanburn Chapter 8647 recently hosted The Bucks Provincial Stewards Chapter 9222 who gave a demonstration of the ceremony of the Passing the Veils.
Misbourne Lodge 3375 which meets in Beaconsfield, recently donated £1,300 to the neonatal unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in memory of a beautiful young lady, Claire Louise Hickman.