Past Master takes Chair after 25 years to perform triple Raising

WBro Robert Hutchinson, who was Master of the Wyggeston Lodge in 1990, took the Master’s Chair once again at our meeting held on Friday 17th April 2015 by kind invitation of our current Master who was unable to attend.

Bros. Tom Grant, Ian Player and Jacob-Charles Diegel, who all joined Freemasonry through the United Grand Lodge of England Universities’ Scheme as Leicester University students, were Raised to the degree of a Master Mason in a superb triple ceremony assisted by many Brethren of the Lodge.

We were also delighted to welcome back to the Lodge the Provincial Liaison Officer for the Universities’ Scheme VWBro Peter Kinder who is also the Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland.

This was our last regular meeting of the Lodge before the summer break and concludes a busy winter session with 8 Initiations, 9 Passings and 9 Raisings.

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Three Master Masons

After the meeting, the members enjoyed a festive board consisting of seafood en cocotte, beef & Guinness pie followed by vanilla pannacotta. A total of £115 was raised, via a raffle, for the Harley Staples Cancer Trust which was set up by parents of a little boy who died of cancer to provide a holiday home for young patients.

The Second Master of the Wyggeston Lodge, Leicester (1911) – Henry Jinks Grace

Henry Jinks Grace - The second Master of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 in 1911
Henry Jinks Grace – The second Master of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 in 1911

WBro Henry Jinks Grace was a very active and highly esteemed member of the Craft in the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland. Initiated in the Granite Lodge No.2028 in 1886, he was appointed Organist and Assistant Secretary in 1887, Secretary in 1890 and as installed as Master in 1894, an hour which his Mother Lodge again conferred upon him in 1916. After his first Mastership he was Treasurer of his Lodge until re-election as Master.

WBro Grace was elected a member of the Lodge of Research No.2429 in 1902, became Master in 1908 and in 1911 was appointed Secretary.

He was a Founder and first Immediate Past Master of the Wiclif Lodge No.3078, Consecrated in 1905 and became Master in January 1918.

In 1910 he was a Founder and first Junior Warden of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 and attainted the Master’s Chair in 1911.

In Provincial Grand Lodge, WBro Grace was appointed Standard Bearer in 1895, Charity Steward for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls in 1902, Senior Warden in 1903 and Treasurer from 1914. He was appointed Past Assistant Director of Ceremonies in the United Grand Lodge of England.

The First Master of the Wyggeston Lodge, Leicester in 1910 – Frederick Billson

Frederick Billson - The first Master of Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 in 1910
Frederick Billson – The first Master of Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 in 1910

Frederick William Billson LLB.Lond. was Initiated into Freemasonry in the Commercial Lodge No.1391, Leicester, on 31st May 1889 in his early 30’s and after serving in subordinate offices was Installed as Master on 30th April 1897. He was a Founder and first Inner Guard of the Lodge of Research No.2429 and was Installed a Master on 26th September 1896. In September 1901, he was elected Treasurer of the Lodge, an office to which he was annually elected until September 1912. He was also a Founder and first Master of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 in 1910 and acted as Director of Ceremonies from 1912 to 1919. In Provincial Grand Lodge, WBro Billson was appointed Registrar in 1898 and Senior Warden in 1905.

From 1892 to 1912 he was the honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Leicestershire and Rutland Masonic Charity Association. He was also, for a number of years, elected annually to represent his Mother Lodge as Preceptor to the Union Lodge of Instruction and on the Committee of the Old Masonic Hall in Halford Street. He was also the Chairman of the Committee of the Leicester Freemasons’ Hall Library and Museum from 1921 until his death in 1946.

WBro Billson was a regular and whole-hearted supporter of the Masonic Charities, having served 17 Stewardships and on two occasions acted as Charity Steward of the Province. He was a Vice-Patron of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, Vice-President of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys.

He died on 6th March 1946 at the age of 81 years having been deemed a ‘gentleman’ and a man who lived up to the principals and tenets of the Craft.

Spring Lunch raises more funds for Harley Staples Cancer Trust

Members of Wyggeston Lodge, family and friends gathered at The Griffin Inn, Swithland, Leicestershire on Sunday 29th March 2015 for their annual Spring Lunch.

There was a certain buzz around the Old Stables dining room where members, their wives and friends mingled before sitting down to dinner. All those attending were treated to a wonderful three course lunch which was enjoyed by all. Thanks go to the Steward, Bro Alec Maxfield, for organising such a lovely event. It was a shame that the rain hampered any attempts to enjoy the first day of the summer.

The Charity Steward kindly organised a raffle which raised £105 for the Master’s chosen charity Harley Staples Cancer Trust. The Lodge has raised more than £650 in total for this local based charity and aims to raise further funds for it during the remainder of the year.

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Congratulations to our latest Master Masons

We Raised two of our Leicester University student members to the  degree of a Master Mason at our meeting held on Friday 20th March 2015 at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester. Freemasons at Wyggeston Lodge who are students at Leicester University

John Phillips and Ali Sohrabi, pictured above with the Master of the Lodge, were Raised in a wonderful double ceremony assisted by Past Masters and other members.

We welcomed a total of 15 visitors including the Master of our Daughter Lodge, Knighton Lodge No.4711, and the Master of The Iron Bridge Lodge No.9897 which is the recently consecrated Universities Scheme Lodge in Shropshire. Other visitors came from the Province of Warwickshire and Staffordshire.

After the ceremony, the Lodge dined together at the Festive Board for a three course meal. During this, a raffle was held in aid of the Harley Staples Cancer Trust which raised £180.

Two university student members are made Fellowcraft Freemasons by the Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge

Two of our university student members, who were Initiated at our meeting in December 2014 via the Universities’ Scheme, were Passed to the Second Degree by the Derek Buswell Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards No.9705 at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester on 24th February 2015.

Bros JC Diegel and Nat Rawes were made Fellowcrafts in a wonderful double ceremony where they were both excellent Candidates. The work in the Lodge Room was exemplary with a sublime rendition of the Second Degree Tracing Board by WBro J McVey.

The Wyggeston Lodge were represented by the Master and other Brethren who expressed their gratitude in assisting the Lodge in Passing the Candidates ensuring their timely progression in freemasonry before graduating from Leicester University.

Saint Crispin Lodge assists Wyggeston Lodge with Passing two University student members

Saint Crispin Lodge No.7832 kindly assisted the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 with progressing their university student members by conducting a Double Passing Ceremony on their behalf at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester on Monday 23rd February 2015.

Bros. Tom Grant and Ian Player, who joined the Wyggeston Lodge via the Universities’ Scheme when studying at Leicester University, proved excellent Candidates for the ceremony in Passing them to the Degree of a Fellowcraft.

The Ceremonial work was of a very high standard and the Candidates were treated to an extended version of both the Tracing Board and Working Tools.

Several members of the Wyggeston Lodge also attended to support Bros. Tom and Ian on their Passing to the Second Degree and all very much enjoyed the Festive Board afterwards.

University of Leicester students continue to join the Freemasons

Another three University of Leicester students, Simon Walmsley, Adam Tilley and James Kelly, joined the Wyggeston Lodge at our meeting on Friday 20th February at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester in a wonderful triple ceremony. Since joining the United Grand Lodge of England’s Universities’ Scheme in 2011, we have welcomed 27 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Leicester University. The Lodge has currently 50 members ranging from 18 to 90 years old and an average age of 44.

The meeting was held in the extremely decorative Holmes’ Lodge Room and we were honoured to welcome Adam’s Grandfather and James’s Father who are both Freemasons in Nottingham and Kent respectively. WBro Gerry Kelly also gave a superb recital of the Initiate’s Charge to his son and the other new members.

The latest members of the Wyggeston Lodge who are all students at Leicester University
The latest members of the Wyggeston Lodge who are all students at Leicester University

The Wyggeston Lodge was particularly honoured to welcome the Master and some of the junior Brethren and recent Initiates of the Onslow Lodge No.2234 which is the Universities’ Scheme Lodge for the University of Surrey. Also attending were 2 members from The Iron Bridge Lodge No.9897, a newly consecrated Universities’ Scheme Lodge in the Province of Shropshire.

The Festive Board consisted of a sumptuous three course meal along with plenty of laughter and fun. A raffle raised a total of £255 for the Harley Staples Cancer Trust which is local Leicester-based charity, in loving memory of an inspirational boy Harley who died of a rare leukaemia, that helps children and young people who have cancer or a cancer related illness.

Members of Wyggeston Lodge visit the Royal Yorkshire Lodge

On Tuesday 3rd February 2015, members of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448, which meets in Leicester, along with the members of Leicestershire & Rutland Light Blue Club, visited the Royal Yorkshire Lodge No.265, in Keighley, Yorkshire.

Bro Peter Clarke, who joined the Wyggeston Lodge whilst a student at Leicester University via the Universities’ Scheme, joined the Royal Yorkshire Lodge after graduation and returning to his native county.

The main business of the evening was the Installation of WBro David Paley as Master of the Lodge and to celebrate the festival of St John the Evangelist (The Patron Saint of Freemasonry). The Lodge being founded 1788, and therefore 227 years old, has always had its own unique way of doing things, much to the delight of the visiting Brethren. During the ceremony, Bro Peter Clarke was appointed Organist of the Lodge and he presented a framed copy of an address made by the Lodge to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 1888 to the newly installed Master.

All the Brethren present enjoyed an excellent ceremony which was well attended with a total of 72 members and visitors.The meeting concluded with a wonderful Festive Board where there much laughter, beer and wine flowing throughout the five course meal. In all, it was an occasion thoroughly enjoyed by all the brethren present.

Wyggeston Lodge holds its annual Ladies Festival

The Master, WBro Jamie and his wife Sam, hosted the annual Ladies’ Festival at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester on Saturday 31st January 2015.

The Master and his wife at the Wyggeston Lodge Ladies' Festival 2015
The Master and his wife at the Wyggeston Lodge Ladies’ Festival 2015

Brethren, family and friends gathered to celebrate the occasion which, as always, was a wonderful evening full of friendship, laughter and entertainment.

After the delicious four-course dinner, WBro Tom Bodycot proposed the toast to the Ladies with a very amusing comparison of the differences between men and women. Bro Peter Clarke, accompanied by the other Brethren and Gentlemen, serenaded the Ladies with the ‘Ladies Song’ before Sam replied on behalf of all the Ladies with grateful thanks.

The evening continued late into the night with dancing to music provided by the excellent ‘Fabulous 55s‘ an authentic 1950s Rock and Roll band with double bass, drums and electric guitar.

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