On 19th December Research Lodge hosted WBro. Sean Jordan Past Prov. Grand Steward and Past Master of Royal Gloucester Lodge No 130 in the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
This was W.Bro. Jordan’s first visit to India but two years earlier he had contacted W. Bro. Narendra Porwal PAGDC with regards to “researching” some information about the late W.Bro. F.W. Thornback, who was a Past Master of Research Lodge No. 3184.
The reason for W.Bro. Jordan’s personal interest in W.Bro. F.W. Thornback was because in 1974, when W.Bro. Thornback’s wife died, she bequeathed a silver casket to the Royal Gloucester Lodge No. 130. This casket became the Lodge’s charity box and whilst it has been enjoyed by the Lodge members for nearly 40 years and the origin of the item was known, little was known about the man who was originally presented with it.
In February 2012, Royal Gloucester Lodge No. 130 celebrated its 4000th Meeting. To commemorate the occasion, a lecture was given on the history and artefacts of the Lodge. W.Bro. Jordan was responsible for contributing to this lecture by researching a period which included the date when this casket was bequeathed to the Lodge. Hence, he thought it would be appropriate to include some history (and any other interesting information) about W.Bro. Thornback, Research Lodge No. 3184 and the events and circumstances prevalent in India during his and his wife’s time living there.
With the assistance of several sources, including information from W.Bro. Narendra Porwal, W.Bro. Jordan compiled a very well researched and extremely interesting document which can be read in full by clicking on the link below.
In November 2013, W. Bro. Jordan contacted Research Lodge again to advise that he would be travelling to India in December and that he would be pleased to present the Lodge with a booklet of the aforementioned information that he had researched and compiled for his own Lodge’s 4000th meeting.
Accordingly the Brethren of Research Lodge No. 3184 welcomed W. Bro. Jordan to their regular meeting on 19th December 2013. W. Bro. Jordan was invited to give a talk on the history of the “Silver Casket” in the Lodge and then enjoyed the hospitality of the Brethren at the Festive Board thereafter.
Since his return to UK, W.Bro. Jordan has written to the Brethren of Research Lodge expressing his appreciation for a memorable experience and the hope that he would be able to return to Mumbai again in the future.
THE ROYAL GLOUCESTER LODGE No. 130 CHARITY BOX
A HISTORY OF ITS ORIGIN AND PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
By W.Bro. Sean Jordan, Prov.G.Stwd
Click The RGL Charity Box – A history of its origins.to view a Pdf