UP |
GRAND LODGE
of
ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
OF IRELAND
QUARTERLY
COMMUNICATION ‑
THURSDAY 1st DECEMBER, 2005
at
Freemasons' Hall, Dublin
Present:‑
| M.W. Grand Master |
Eric N. Waller on The Throne |
| R.W. Deputy Grand Master |
George Dunlop |
| As R.W. Senior Grand Warden |
Charles W. Olden |
| R.W. Junior Grand Warden |
T. Noel Bownes |
| R.W. Grand Treasurer |
Charles W. Olden |
| R.W. Grand Registrar |
Arthur D.S. Moran |
| R.W. Grand Secretary |
D. Barry Lyons |
| R.W. Director of Ceremonies |
Cecil D. Buns |
| R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain |
Rev. Canon George N. Little |
| R.W. Junior Grand Chaplains |
Rev. Selwood Graham |
| . |
The Ven. John G. Murray |
| V.W. Senior Grand Deacon |
Cecil P. Tilson |
| V.W. Junior Grand Deacon |
Gordon Morrison |
| V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works |
David T. Young |
| V.W. Grand Steward |
Kenneth Abernethy |
| V.W. Grand Sword Bearer |
Robert J. Robinson |
| V.W. Grand Stewards of Charities |
Roger Mtthews |
| . |
Robert Bankhead |
| . |
Robert T. McCaffrey |
| V.W. Grand Almoner |
William T. H. Balmer |
| V.W. Grand Organist |
John N. Rowden |
| V.W. Grand Lodge Standard Bearer |
Frank R. L. Arnold |
| V.W. Grand Master's Standard Bearer |
R. Brian Kearon |
| V.W. Grand Inner Guard |
John L. Frazer |
| V.W. Grand Secretary for Instruction |
Michael J. Ward |
| V.W. Asst. Grand Secretary for Instruction |
Robert J. Armstrong |
There were also present:‑ the
Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught,
Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, the Midland Counties, Munster, North
Munster, South Eastern, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; the Provincial
Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down,
Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Munster, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh and
Wicklow & Wexford; the Provincial Grand Inspector for Gibraltar; R.W. Brother R.
Stanley Johnston, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W. Brother Michael W. Walker, Past
Grand Secretary; R.W. Brother Allen G. Megarry, Past Grand Director of
Ceremonies; R.W. Brothers the Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram, the Rev. Charles
McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; R.W. Brother
J. Kenneth Dunne, Past Provincial Grand Master; R.W. Brother Cyril R. Foster,
Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; VW. Brother Ralph B. McGuckin, Past Grand
Superintendent of Works; VW. Brothers Terence O. Read, Leslie V. Johnston, J.
Noel Millar and Norman Humes, Past Grand Deacons; VW. Brothers Arnold J. Cooke,
Charles R. Knipe, Mervyn W. Morrison and Samuel H. Boyle, Honorary Past Grand
Deacons; VW. Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Brothers
Charles A. McCullough, Samuel J. Patience, William J. Johnston and Dennis R.
Millen, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; VW. Brothers Brian Sheridan and Samuel
Scott, Honorary Past Grand Stewards; V.W. Brothers Bernard V.A. Woods, David A.R.
Lovesy, Victor Whyte and Maurice W. Lee, Past Grand Almoners; and VW. Brother
Norman Jackson, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer.
SISTER
CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED
The following Grand Lodges
were represented:‑ Scotland, Alberta, British Columbia, Canada in Ontario,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Saskatchewan, New South Wales,
Victoria, Austria, Belgium (Regular), Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Arizona, Arkansas,
Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Cuscatlan of El Salvador,
Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mato Grosso, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ivory Coast,
Madagascar, Mali, South Africa, the Philippines and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges
of Massachusetts and Ohio.
APOLOGIES FOR
NON‑ATTENDANCE
Apologies for non‑attendance
were received from:‑ the Assistant Grand Master; the R.W. Senior Grand Warden;
the VW. Grand Almoner, Richard Ensor; R.W. Brothers Daniel B. Fincher, Robert J.
Thomson and Robert Campbell, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brother the Rt.
Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Brothers the Rev. Canon
Kenneth W. Cochrane and Philip J. Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.
Brother Michael R. McWilliam, Past Assistant Grand Secretary; R.W. Brother W.W.
Hughes, Past Provincial Grand Master; the R.W. Provincial Deputy Grand Master of
the Midland Counties; R.W. Brother Thomas G. Anderson, Past Provincial Deputy
Grand Master; V.W. Brothers Trevor Monteith, H.A. Walsh and Andrew McFetridge,
Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brother T.A. Derek Martin and Samuel A.
Mackenzie, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; the Representatives of the
Grand Lodges of New Zealand, Belgium, Croatia, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, Alaska,
Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Costa Rica, BrazilGrand
Orient, Peru, Venezuela, Guinea and R.W. Brothers Clarence Bamford, Harold Ross
and Douglas Wakefield, Past Grand Representatives.
OBITUARY
Grand Lodge being opened, the
Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Brother Malcolm P. Banks,
Representative of the Grand Lodge of Kansas; R.W. Bro. John A. Kuti, Hon. Past
Grand Steward of Charities and V.W. Bro. Vincent B. Nyana, Hon. Past Grand
Superintendent of Works. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was
saluted
WELCOME BY
THE GRAND MASTER
The Grand Master welcomed all
Brethren attending Grand Lodge indicating he was aware that there were a number
of Brethren unable to attend due to various circumstances including bereavement.
He welcomed, in particular, two delegations of our Overseas Brethren led,
respectively, by VW. Brother Austin Akosa, Provincial Grand Secretary, Nigeria
and R.W. Brother Joseph Chiara, Grand Inspector, Gibraltar. He also welcomed W.
Bro. Frederick K. Ansah, Ghana.
MINUTES
On the proposal of the Senior
Grand Warden, seconded by the R.W. Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the
October l". Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge, which had been circulated,
were taken as read, approved and signed.
INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND
OFFICERS FOR 2006 The Grand Master, M. W. Brother Eric N. Waller, was proclaimed
and saluted. The Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Brother George Dunlop, was proclaimed
and saluted.
APPOINTMENT
OF PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTERS AND INSPECTORS
The Grand Master announced
that he was re‑appointing all Provincial Grand Masters and Grand Inspectors
overseas, with the exception R.W. Bros. Adam McKinley, Antrim and Geoffrey
Ashton, North Munster, both of whom were retiring after many years of excellent
service to their respective Provinces. He would be installing their successors,
R.W. Bros. John Dunlop and Hugh Milne, in the new year. The Grand Master also
announced his appointment, in October last, of R.W. Bro. Brian Johnstone as
Provincial Grand Master of Southern Cape Province, mentioning also his
indebtedness to R.W. Bro. Wyndham Morgans, the previous incumbent.
The Provincial Grand Masters and Grand Inspectors were saluted.
INSTALLATION
OF THE SENIOR GRAND WARDEN
The Grand Director of
Ceremonies formed a procession and presented R.W. Brother T. Noel Bownes to the
Grand Master for investiture as Senior Grand Warden. R.W. Brother Bownes was
installed and was saluted.
INSTALLATION
OF THE JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN
In like manner the Grand
Master invested and installed R.W. Brother Charles R. Knipe, Hon. Past Grand
Deacon, as Junior Grand Warden. R.W. Brother Knipe was conducted to his seat and
was saluted.
INSTALLTION
OF THE GRAND DIRECTOR OF CEREMONIES
The Grand Director of
Ceremonies formed a procession and presented R.W. Bro. William J. Dyer,
Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, to the Grand Master for investiture as
Grand Director of Ceremonies. R.W. Bro. Dyer was conducted to his seat and was
saluted.
INVESTUITURE
OF THE GRAND OFFICERS
The following Brethren were then invested or proclaimed,
and saluted, as the Grand Officers for 2006:
|
R.W. Grand Treasurer
|
Charles W. Olden
|
|
R.W. Grand Registrar
|
Arthur D.S. Moran
|
|
R.W. Grand Secretary
|
D. Barry Lyons
|
|
R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain
|
The Rev. Canon George N. Little
|
|
R.W. Junior Grand Chaplains
|
The Ven. Archdeacon John G. Murray
|
|
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The Rev. Selwoode Graham
|
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VW. Senior Grand Deacon
|
Kenneth Abernethy
|
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VW. Junior Grand Deacon
|
Robert J. Robinson
|
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V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works
|
David T. Young
|
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VW. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
|
Ivan A. Meldrum
|
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VW. Grand Steward
|
Frank Arnold
|
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VW. Grand Sword Bearer
|
John L. Frazer
|
| |
VW. Grand Steward of Charities
|
Dennis R. Millen
|
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VW. Grand Almoners
|
Richard Ensor
|
| |
|
William T.H. Balmer
|
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VW. Grand Organist
|
John N. Rowden
|
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VW. Grand Lodge Standard Bearer
|
Noel A. Drain
|
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V.W. Grand Inner Guard
|
Rodney L McCurley
|
| |
R.W. Brother Cecil D. Bums |
Past Grand Director of Ceremonies |
| |
VW. Brother Cecil Tilson |
Past Senior Grand Deacon |
| |
VW. Brother Gordon Morrison |
Past Junior Grand Deacon |
| |
VW. Brother Roger Matthews |
Past Grand Steward of Charities |
| |
VW. Brother Robert Bankhead |
Past Grand Steward of Charities |
| |
VW. Brother Robert T. McCaffrey |
Past Grand Steward of Charities |
| |
VW. Brother Brian Kearon |
Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer |
INVESTITURE
OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES
R.W. Bros. M.O. Steenson, P.C.
Stewart, M.W. Walker, W. Barnett, G. Topping and P.S. Grosse being in attendance
and having produced their Patents of Appointment, the Grand Director of
Ceremonies formed a procession and presented them to the Grand Master for
investiture as Representatives of The Grand Lodges of Spain, Lithuania, Malta,
Massachusetts and Michigan and of the State Grand Lodge of Mato Grosso,
respectively.
The newly invested Grand
Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted along with the
Representatives of all Foreign Grand Lodges with which the Grand Lodge of
Ireland is in amity.
PRESENTATION
OF CERTIFICATES OF PAST GRAND RANK
The following Brethren were then presented to the Grand
Master for presentation with their Certificates of Past Grand Rank:
INVESTITURE
OF ASSISTANT GRAND INSPECTOR
The Grand Director of
Ceremonies formed a procession and presented VW. Brother John Bugeja to the
Grand Master for investing as Assistant Grand Inspector for Gibraltar. VW.
Brother Bugeja was conducted to his seat and was saluted.
CHARITY
MOTION
The Grand Treasurer, R.W.
Brother Charles W. Olden, proposed a Motion that Grand Lodge make a donation of
€3000 to the Masonic Benevolent Institutions. The Motion was passed unanimously.
ANNUAL
RETURNS OF OFFICERS OF SUBORDINATE LODGES
The Grand Secretary submitted
the Returns of Officers of subordinate Lodges and the names of Representatives
on the Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Boards of General Purposes, for approval,
confirming that eleven Annual Returns were outstanding and that the remainder
had been checked and found to be correct. Grand Lodge approved the Returns and
empowered the Grand Secretary to issue Leave to Install to the outstanding
eleven Lodges providing the Annual Returns were submitted, found to be correct,
and that all dues and fees had been paid by the end of December..
REPORT OF THE
GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES
The Board noted with regret,
for reporting to Grand Lodge, the return of the Warrants of Lodges Nos. 266,
Ballymacarrett; 433, Ballymacarrett; 752, The Mount; and 159, South Africa
Northern.
The Board agreed to the
amalgamation of St. George's Lodge No. 166, Belfast and Kinahan Lodge No. 229,
Arthur Square.
A vacancy having arisen in the
Representation of the Grand Lodge of Iceland, the Board recommended that the
name of W. Bro. John Bonner, PM of Lodge 87, The Mount, be sent forward to the
Grand Lodge of Iceland, as being a suitable Brother to act as their Grand
Representative here. Confirmed.
A vacancy having arisen in the
Representation of the Grand Lodge of Estonia, the Board recommended that the
name of W. Bro. James Jones, PM of Lodge No. 812, Crawfordsburn, be sent forward
to the Grand Lodge of Estonia, as being a suitable Brother to act as their Grand
Representative here. Confirmed.
Read letter from the Grand
Loge Nationale Francaise, submitting the name of R.W. Bro. JeanClaude Tardivat,
Assistant Grand Master, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative
there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.
The Board considered requests
for dispensations, under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118, as submitted by
Lodges Nos. 6, 25, 124, 488, 877, 933 and 2000 (Internet). It also considered a
request for dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 123 submitted by Lodge No.
918, Gaborone. On consideration of these and receiving explanations thereon, the
Board recommended that Grand Lodge grant the requested dispensations in each
case. Confirmed.
GRAND LODGE
CHARITY GRANT
Read report from the Grand Lodge Committee of Charity
recommending a grant of €700 to the wife of a Brother of Garrison Lodge No. 730,
Dublin, the Committee having already awarded her the maximum permissible of
€500. Confirmed.
THE GRAND
MASTER'S ANNUAL REPORT
The Grand Master then
presented his Annual Report on the progress of Irish Freemasonry during 2005
including his plans for the coming year. The Grand Master's address was greeted
with acclamation and will be printed in full in the Annual Report of Grand Lodge
for the year 2005.
CONFERRAL OF
HONORARY RANKS
The Grand Master, with the concurrence of Grand Lodge,
conferred the following Honorary Ranks:
| Past Grand Deacon |
|
| V.W. Bro. Derrick E.W. Chivers |
On
promotion. |
| Past Grand Steward |
|
| V.W. Bro. Dusan Kermavner |
Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden |
| V.W. Bro. Dilip T. Desai |
Provincial Director of Ceremonies |
| V.W. Bro. Manhar Patel |
Provincial Grand Secretary |
| W. Bro. Glendall Phillips |
Provincial Grand Treasurer, Bermuda. |
| Overseas District Grand Rank |
|
W. Bro. Timothy P. Morton |
Past Master of Kgale Lodge No. 918, Botswana |
CHARITY
COLLECTION
The Grand Master announced
that he was donating the Charity Collection between the two organisations
Arthritis Ireland, Dublin and Arthritis Research Campaign, Belfast. The Charity
Collection amounted to €1,240.
GRAND LODGE
CLOSED
Grand Lodge Closed, following
which some 100 Brethren lunched in Freemasons' Hall, where the Deputy Grand
Master proposed a toast to the health of the Grand Master.
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