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April 2019 NEWSLETTER Brethren of the Atholl Lodges Association We are very pleased to make available our latest newsletter for 2019. You can read it online in full colour and splendour here and also download it too. Over the next few days the text of the newsletter will be made available below, when it has been transcribed. In the meantime, happy reading! November 2014 Newsletter Brethren of the Atholl Lodges Please may we offer our sincere apologies for the very long gap between Newsletters. You will be aware that we have recently undertaken a major reorganisation, but we are now be in a position to issue Newsletters on a regular basis. There have been many changes in the officers including the appointment of Bill Hamilton as Treasurer, Ian Porter to be responsible for AAL Newsletters and Stuart Hill as Webmaster. OUR WEBSITE Our Association website address has now changed to www.antients.org please note that this website address is Antients with an "s" on the end. The new website is still in the process of being updated, and we will also arrange for anyone accessing the old website to be forwarded to the new site. VISITS DURING 2013 & 2014 Another two busy years, with many visits to lodges both at home and abroad, as below:
Prince Edwin Lodge No. 128, Bury This marks the end of the Atholl Bi-Centenary Celebrations, the last Antients Lodge having been formed in 1813, but there will be 3 two hundred and twenty-fifth's next year. Next year will also mark the 25th Anniversary of the Atholl Association, and a Special Event is being planned for March 2015. More details in the next Newsletter. ATHOLL TIES Our new stock of Atholl Ties has arrived and can be ordered from Mark Sharp Ties are priced at �16 (inc. UK postage & packing). Also available are Atholl lapel pins at �2.50 each (inc. UK postage & packing); and copies of our latest booklet entitled 'Antient Ways - A short History of the Antients Grand Lodge' at �2.50 each (inc. UK postage & packing). If you are overseas, Mark will be happy to quote you prices with postage & packing. Please make all cheques payable to "AAL". ANTIENTS GRAND LODGE RECORDS Please note that The Library & Museum of Freemasonry in Great Queen Street have now completed the cataloguing of all the Antients Grand Lodge records, this detailed catalogue can be found at: ANTIENT TIMES
IN CONCLUSION We hope that you have enjoyed this Newsletter and ask you to share it with other members of your Lodge. Some of our records may be out of date. Are we sending our newsletters to the right person? Please email Steve Kilbeeif you are aware of any changes. In closing we would send to all our members and their families our best wishes for a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 2012 NEWSLETTER Brethren of the Atholl Lodges, Firstly the Association would like to apologise for the long gap between newsletters. As you know we undertook quite a major reorganisation and it has taken much longer to settle down than we had anticipated.EVENTS DURING 2011 & 2012 We have had a very busy two years, attending anniversary celebrations at the:
In addition to which the Lodge of Peace No.149 hosted a special Atholl evening at their Lodge in Meltham Yorkshire. We received a most warm welcome at all these events; and were honoured and delighted to be asked to play a small part in such very special celebrations. EVENTS DURING 2013 We already have a busy programme planned for the coming year. In addition to attending lodge anniversaries, we are also arranging a special event in London to celebrate the union of the 'Antients' and 'Moderns' Grand Lodges in 1813 to form the United Grand Lodge of England; in particular the Atholl contribution to that happy union. Please pencil the date in your diary now. Full details will be sent out in good time next year, but I can tell you that a senior member of the Craft has kindly agreed to be our guest of honour, and that the event will be hosted by the Egyptian Lodge No.27 in Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street on Wednesday the 4th December 2013. Only recognised Freemasons can attend the event itself, but you might like to make it a day out; perhaps including a tour of Grand Lodge, which ladies can do as well, or maybe even some Christmas shopping. Arrangements for an escorted tour of Freemasons' Hall have to be made directly by you with Grand Lodge and are not available on some days. ATHOLL TIES & PINS We have good stocks of Atholl ties and lapel pins, plus a small supply of bow ties. If you would like to purchase any of these items please contact Mark Sharp by email . The prices shown below include UK postage & packing; if you are overseas Steve will be happy to quote you a price with the appropriate postage and packing. All cheques should be made payable to 'AAL'. Ties �13.75 Lapel Pins �2.50 Bow Ties �13.75 As a special offer, and for a limited period, we are able to supply a tie and pin for the combined price of just �15. ANTIENT TIMES The 'Antients' lodges were once compared to a string of diamonds circling the globe; at one time there were 'Antients' Lodges in Gibraltar, Minorca, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Guyana, St. Helena, Bermuda, the West Indies, South Africa and many in North America. Today there are still 'Antients' originating UGLE lodges in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Bermuda, Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana. Masons have always been fond of music and singing at their meetings. In 1813 the Duke of Kent had 14 musicians Initiated to play at his Installation as the 'Antients' Grand Master. Laurence Dermott, the famous Grand Secretary of the 'Antients', was also very fond of music and often sang at Grand Lodge. Some members once complained that he was singing and lecturing them out of their senses. Dermott replied that given an hour he would sing them back again! In 1756 Dermott compiled the first 'Antients' Book of Constitutions 'Ahiman Rezon'. Seven further editions were published, becoming increasingly derogatory of the Moderns; the 1778 edition claimed they were admitting women and eunuchs into their lodges! This was probably a reference to the Chevalier D'Eon, one of history's most famous cross-dressers and at one time a 'Moderns' Mason in London. IN CONCLUSION We hope that you have enjoyed this newsletter and would ask that you share it with the other members of your lodge. Some of our records may well be out of date, if you are no longer the nominated Association contact for your lodge please let us know by email . Mark is also our Membership Secretary and will be happy to collect any outstanding annual subscriptions; currently these are �10 a year for Lodges and �5 for individual members. Lodges can if they wish pay now for three years at a reduced cost of �25. Finally Brethren please do pay a visit to our website at www.antients.org, apart from interesting information about the Atholl Association it also has email links to the officers of the Association. In closing we would send to all our members and their families our best wishes for a very Happy Christmas & New Year. ANTIENT WRITINGS 2010/11 Resultant of the AGM and the redistribution of the various offices and responsibilities, this is the first edition of Antient Writings to be circulated this year 2010/11. The format and objectives of the Broadsheet remain much the same, a legacy of the excellent endeavours of W/Bro Paul Gardner across the preceding 10 years. The AGM of the Association held 14th July 2010 held at Great Queen Street. Chairman's Report The Chairman gave a verbal report reviewing a satisfactory year of events and progress, mentioning the visit to Chelmsford and the Lodge of Success No 5486 (a granddaughter lodge of the Atholl Lineage) where the Association was able to put on a Historical Vignette of Laurence Dermott. On the 14 July there was the Question Time event held at Great Queen Street organized by the Association in conjunction with Kent Lodge No 15. This proved to be a highly enjoyable and informative evening. The VIP panel were fielded a wide-ranging series of questions, Masonic, esoteric and general. Afterwards the organizers received many verbal and written congratulations upon organizing such a successful large-scale event. In November due to excessive work pressures both commercial and Masonic and a further health scare Bro Paul Gardner our Secretary of the past 10 years had to bring forward his planned retirement. At the resultant emergency meeting The Executive Meeting formally accepted Paul’s resignation while at the same time recommending that he be elected an Honorary Member of the Association as a mark of recognition of the huge workload he had carried for so many years. A truly excellent occasion both in the Temple and at the after proceeding providing the opportunity to refresh old contacts with other Atholl Lodges in attendance. To see our unique Atholl ties so much in evidence was a delight. Other businesses - The election of the Executive Officers for the ensuing year: Chairman - Geoffrey Abraham. Election of Officers for the ensuing year: Events. Clive Moore – Ancient Writings Don Roberts. Pursuant to Notice of motion. The election of W.Bro Jonathan Winpenny as Vice President and Paul Gardner as Honorary Member are confirmed. Website Organisation And Contact Contact should be made via website and webmaster. Web Site – www.antients.org and webmaster@antients.org and secretary@antients.org Version of ‘your’ Lodge history can be easily added to the web site and the Webmaster, Neil Gardner, will be pleased to hear from you. He will also post any other relevant ‘Atholl’ information or advertisements. New For Old - Rscue A Lodge! The Secretary is aware of a group of Atholl enthusiasts who are willing to rescue an Antient’s lodge rather than let it’s Warrant be surrendered. The plan would be to enrich its membership and move the lodge to Sindlesham, Berkshire where it would have a secure home and future. Any Atholl lodge in such dire straits should be made aware and make contact with the Association before it’s too late! Curiously, this is not a move so out of character as one might imagine. In 1799 on the introduction of the Secret Societies Act, Masonry was not allowed to make new lodges which was particularly damaging for the Antients whose lodge membership was strongly represented in the Army and Navy, they therefore found it more difficult to maintain a quorum. To circumvent this restriction lodges going defunct would return their warrant to the then Antient’s Grand Lodge, to be reissued to a new viable body under the old number, therefore, technically not creating any new lodges. Visits & Historical Talks We have from within our ranks several members who are up for and willing to visit a Lodge and give a talk on the historical significance and background of the Antients, also the possibility of a group forming a delegation to attend any appropriate celebratory meeting. This on the strict understanding that we are responsible for our own expenses and within the length of our cable tow. Atholl heritage is a very important legacy that needs not just to be protected but also promoted. It does not have to be an anniversary meeting, we would be very pleased just to come along to say a few words about the Association and answer any questions you may have. Clive Moore would be pleased to hear from you. Congratulations to Loges Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of their Warrant Robert Burns Lodge No 25 10 July - Gihon Lodge No 49 26 November - Lodge of Prosperity No 65 6 June - Royal Jubilee Lodge No 72 15 October - Vitruvian Lodge No 87 18 May - Philanthropic Lodge No 107 22 March - Royal Cambrian Lodge No 110 20 June - Salopian Lodge of Charity No 117 22 March - Ionic Lodge No 227 25 April - Lodge of Fidelity No 230 10 August - Loyalty Lodge No 243 18 August Planned Overseas Visits Visits to New York and Jamaica are still open pending mutual arrangements which at our end are in the hands of overseas liaison officer Clive Moore. Regional Hubs To promote the regional hubs idea where-by lodges in close proximity might like to make contact with other Atholl Lodges in the near vicinity, I have enclosed a complete list of Atholl Lodges together with their districts. Should anyone want to pursue this theme please contact the liaison officer Clive Moore and he can supply the relevant secretaries details. Appeal From Editor We are all interested in the stories, opinions and concerns of our close family whether it be from way back when or of more recent times. We would like to hear from you either with an article, letter or comment and we will do our best to include it in the next writings. Opinions, ideas and shared information help us to enjoy our Masonry. We now have a LETTERS & CORRESPONDENCE page on the website where you can read some of the interesting mail we receive from brethren around the world. I will also include some of these within the issues of Antient Writings (see download copy). Bicentennial Meetings In 2010 To Note Loyal Cambrian Lodge No 117 September Would Secretaries and Representatives print and distribute, or link to this page as widely as possible |
