Today Buckinghamshire install their new Provincial Grand Master – WBro Tim Anders. Over 500 Buckinghamshire Masons will be attending the grand ceremony at Freemasons Hall to witness this once-in-a-masonic-generation event, happening every 7~10 years....
Tomorrow morning, Buckinghamshire Freemasons will see the provincial leadership handed over from John Clark to Tim Anders.
We would like to thank John for his seven years of dedication to the Hallstone Province of Buckinghamshire. John has led us with pride and experience, fostering unprecedented growth and innovation in Freemasonry. During his tenure, our membership in Buckinghamshire has grown significantly as more people discover the joys and benefits of Freemasonry.
We would like to thank John for his seven years of dedication to the Hallstone Province of Buckinghamshire. John has led us with pride and experience, fostering unprecedented growth and innovation in Freemasonry. During his tenure, our membership in Buckinghamshire has grown significantly as more people discover the joys and benefits of Freemasonry.
John's demonstrable commitment to moving ideas forward into action has forged a sense of resilience, hard work and vitality in our province. John encouraged us to create memorable Masonic experiences through initiatives like Project Transform, BIG 100, BIG 1-2-3, 12DX, and the Festival Fortnights. These events will be cherished by many young Freemasons as their first incredible step into Freemasonry.
John reminded us of the importance of preserving the traditions and values passed down by our founders as we move forward. The four guiding principles of integrity, friendship, respect, and service are the foundations upon which we stand. At the same time, John encouraged us to reinterpret these traditions courageously in the context of the modern era.
Mission accomplished, Skipper.
The Buckinghamshire Royal Arch membership event BIG RED 2 has just been completed.
It is the second time that the members, or Companions, of many Chapters across the Province have taken part in multiple Exaltations, which is the term used for the joining ceremony in the Royal Arch.
The ceremony is an essential part of Freemasonry where information thought to be lost at the end of the Craft’s Third Degree ceremony is dramatically rediscovered.
Membership of the Royal Arch qualifies a Mason to join other Companion Orders and thereby increase their knowledge of Freemasonry and to continue their Masonic Journey.
From the start of the event in January at Bourne End Chapter in Marlow to the end in March at Sunnymeads Chapter in Slough, there were 40 new members and joiners in 22 Chapters, giving a 2% increase of membership in just 3 months.
The Province of Buckinghamshire, under the inspirational leadership of the Grand Superintendent Graham Dearing, has a strong tradition of innovative initiatives such as BIG RED and ensures all meetings, known as Convocations, are fun for all the Companions.
Being a Freemason means something different to everybody, and it's unique to those who join. Freemasonry provides a feeling of togetherness and belonging. There is more that brings members together than separates them. Freemasonry offers friendship, formality, ritual, curiosity, and the opportunity to learn more every day. Freemasonry teaches tolerance and acceptance of all others as brothers. Its members come from all walks of life and many different backgrounds.
Freemasonry is still incredibly relevant to people’s lives today, bringing people together in a fractured society. Freemasonry has evolved to meet the age in which it lives and continues to evolve today. Freemasonry is a great leveller, where everybody there is your brother. Join today!
Freemasonry is still incredibly relevant to people’s lives today, bringing people together in a fractured society. Freemasonry has evolved to meet the age in which it lives and continues to evolve today. Freemasonry is a great leveller, where everybody there is your brother. Join today!
If you live in Buckinghamshire and are a man of 18 years or older, you can express your interest here: https://buckspgl.org/joinAfter filling out the short form, our membership team will be in touch.
There are two ways women can be freemasons.
The Order of Women Freemasons: https://www.owf.org.uk/join/
Freemasonry for Women (HFAF): https://hfaf.org/hfaf-official/how-to-join/
For anyone that does not live in Buckinghamshire, please follow this link: https://www.ugle.org.uk/become-freemason/join-freemasonry/register-your-interest
Today, we celebrate women's incredible achievements and contributions worldwide. From science and the arts to leadership and charity, women continue to inspire and shape our society for the better �
Did you know that Women Freemasons have been meeting in the UK for over 100 years? UGLE and the women's Grand Lodges follow the same rules and regulations and promote Integrity, Friendship, Respect, and Service �
Join us in honouring the remarkable women who make a difference every day!
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The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons
Yesterday, welcomed Provincial Grand Charity Steward Mark Duncan, Captain Bill Holland and Volunteer Coordinator Ewan Gordon.
They saw the new cuddle beds, which are used in the Hospice Inpatient Unit
In the Summer of 2023 Buckinghamshire Freemasons organised a 50-mile walk across Pilgrim’s Way to raise funds for the Hospice. Forty incredible walkers battled torrential rain and strong winds during the walk.
Initially, the team set out to fund one cuddle bed, but through generous donations and the commitment of the walkers to their fundraising, the walkers raised £31,000, enough to buy two beds !
Mark, Bill and Ewan were warmly welcomed by the Charity's CEO, Jo Turner and IPU Ward Sister Tracey Batt, who showed them how they worked and talked about their impact. The beds arrived in December, and the Hospice has already seen the wonderful difference they make to the patients, their families and pets, offering a place to cuddle up as a family in their precious final days together.
If you would like to be part of a global community that has its roots firmly in the ground in Buckinghamshire, please join us by following this link: https://buckspgl.org/join?
When a new Brother is Initiated into a Craft Lodge, he is invested with an apron during the ceremony. When a new Companion is Exalted into a Chapter, he is invested with a different apron and also has an additional jewel and sash to wear.
The ribbons and the background to the Royal Arch logo on the apron change from white to red then blue as the Companion progresses in the order.
Buckinghamshire Freemasons now have a TiKTok account, we are hoping to grow this channel along with our others.
Please find our account here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@buckinghamshire.f?_t=ZN-8tt5XtGniKs&_r=1
Happy Valentines Day to our NHS
100 Doctors and Nurses at Stoke Mandeville Hospital received Chocolate Hearts or Chocolate Roses courtesy of Buckinghamshire Freemasons.
Bill Smithson, a member of went on a shopping spree across Bucks from Milton Keynes to Aylesbury to buy the chocolates ready for Valentines Day. Bill said “ In an overstretched NHS the staff don’t stop caring and neither should we”
The chocolates were donated to Elaine at the Hospital’s Acts of Kindness Team, for her to distribute, and later this morning she wrote “Thanks again Bill, I have shared them with A&E, the Medical Doctors team, the same day emergency assessment department, and wards 15,16,17 & 18….They were delighted !”
A further 20 gifts were left by Bill for The staff to let them know they are always close to our hearts in Freemasonry.
The Officers in a Royal Arch Chapter have different names to those in a Craft Lodge but have equivalent roles.
A Chapter is conjointly ruled by the Most Excellent Zerubbabel, Haggai and Joshua and are called the Principals whereas a Lodge is ruled over by the Worshipful Master. They each carry a sceptre and wear colourful robes.
Scribe Ezra is the equivalent of a Secretary and Scribe Nehemiah is like the Inner Guard. The Janitor outside the door is the same as a Tyler.
A Chapter has 3 additional officers called Sojourners. They are an integral part of the joining ceremony which is known as an Exaltation.
The remaining officers have the same names as their Craft counterparts: Treasurer, Director of Ceremonies, Almoner, Charity Steward, Assistant Director of Ceremonies and Stewards.
All officers wear collars with the jewel of their office appended but are coloured red.
When Initiated into a Lodge, a Brother joins Craft Freemasonry. The Supreme Degree of the Royal Arch is a continuation of his Masonic Journey which has an indissoluble link to the Craft. The Joining Ceremony for the Royal Arch is called an Exaltation. The members are called Companions and they meet in Chapters.
Chapters, like Lodges, are grouped into Provinces, based on old County boundaries, with the Supreme Grand Chapter overseeing all of the Provinces.
Joining the Royal Arch is the natural progression from the Craft as the Ceremony addresses the missing knowledge from the events described in Third Degree Ceremony. Membership of the Royal Arch is also a gateway into joining many other Orders within Freemasonry.
This week, eight lodges in Buckinghamshire have initiated 14 new members into Freemasonry.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Marlow, Slough, Beaconsfiled, Wolverton, Stony Stratford, and Bletchley all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style, with a final total of sixty initiations being conducted in the season.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Marlow, Slough, Beaconsfiled, Wolverton, Stony Stratford, and Bletchley all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style, with a final total of sixty initiations being conducted in the season.
There were many amazing highlights, including triple initations at both Temple Manor Lodge and Dagmar Lodge.
Newly made Bro Toby was initiated into Temple Manor Lodge by his father, in the company of his uncle and grandfather.
In total, Buckinghamshire Freemasons have presented the 'Gift of Freemasonry' to over 150 people during the last three seasons of 12DX. Over 80 lodges have participated in this annual event.
For general enquiries about joining:
If you are based in Buckinghamshire, please use this link: https://buckspgl.org/joinFor people elsewhere in the UK and around the world, please use this link: https://www.ugle.org.uk/.../find-your-nearest.../lookup-area
As John Clark prepares to step down as the Provincial Grand Master for Buckinghamshire on March 18, 2025, the Freemasons of the Province reflect on his impactful tenure. Over the past 7½ years, under his leadership, Buckinghamshire has not only become the fastest-growing and best-performing Province in the United Grand Lodge of England but has also left a lasting legacy on its members.
A Vision for Growth
John Clark's leadership was characterised by his vision for expansion. He tackled the membership challenge directly, stating, "Membership is the lifeblood of our organisation. Without a strong membership base, all other aspects of our work suffer." His strategy, developed with his team, focused on innovative marketing and engagement to attract and retain members. This approach led to four consecutive years of growth, underscoring the effectiveness of his initiatives.
Family and Freemasonry
John’s passion for Freemasonry extended into his personal life, witnessing the progression of his sons, Jack and David, within the Craft. "Seeing my sons take on progressive roles within Freemasonry has been one of the greatest joys of my tenure," he shared. Both sons have not only been initiated but have also served as Provincial Stewards, Masters, and then Secretaries of their respective lodges, demonstrating their commitment and leadership.
Innovative Initiatives
John's tenure wasn't just about numbers; it was about enhancing the Masonic experience. Inspired by him, "Project Transform" was launched to upgrade lodge room facilities and ceremonies. "We wanted to make Freemasonry not just a tradition but a theatrical experience," he explained. This project aimed to make ceremonies more engaging and meaningful.
A Digital Leap Forward
Recognising the need for a modern approach, John's team introduced a digital platform for managing membership enquiries, streamlining data, and improving executive reporting. This system, known as HeliPAD, was pivotal during the lockdown when traditional methods were impractical. Its success led the United Grand Lodge of England’s IT team under Past Bucks Deputy Hugh Douglas-Smyth to develop Portal, a comprehensive system amalgamating various administrative functions.
Community and Engagement
John fostered a vibrant community spirit through innovative engagement during the lockdown, hosting "Zoom Into Freemasonry" calls, family quiz nights, and virtual pub gatherings. "We had to adapt," John remarked, noting these events not only maintained interest but also boosted membership inquiries.
One Can Trust, Registered Charity Number 1148626 has operated a Food Bank and offer advice to struggling families in high Wycombe since 2011 to serve the Town and the wider area of South Buckinghamshire. They have since expanded to hold two Toddler Groups, a Children & Adults Clothes Bank, Community Café and Anti Natal Class
BMCF have donated £2,000 which will go towards ensuring that deprived families with children receive support including Children’s Presents over Christmas and have recently received the following Testimonial:
Christmas is a particularly difficult time for many of our clients and last year so many asked for help with Christmas decorations, food and even gifts for their children. We found the Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund on-line. The application process was very simple and we were delighted to hear back quickly that our application of £2000 had been granted. This money will allow us to have a Christmas Fund that we can draw upon to provide much needed gifts and festive items for the many families who simply cannot afford Christmas this year.
We cannot thank the Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund enough for their support this year. It is going to make such a difference to so many.
Thank you
Kim, Carrie and Shannon.
RICHARD PRYOR
The first recipient of the prestigious annual Mark Twain Humour Prize in 1998, Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was an influential and popular American comedian.
A veteran of 40 films between 1967 and 1991, he has been featured in four films, Live and Smokin', Richard Pryor Live in Concert, Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip, and Here and Now. His recordings have earned him two platinum albums, five gold albums, and five Grammys.
Pryor spent a short time in the U.S. Military from 1958 to 1960.
While living in Peoria in the early 1980's Pryor would join Henry Brown Lodge No. 22.
In 1963 Pryor moved to New York and began appearing regularly in Night Clubs with artists such as Bob Dylan and performers such as Woody Allen. At the time Pryor was inspired by Bill Cosby and his comedy was more middlebrow in comparison to the material that he would use later in his career.
In 1969 Pryor headed to California and signed with the record label Laff Records. In 1973 Pryor appeared in a documentary called Wattstax, in the film he riffed on the tragic-comic absurdities of race relations in Watts and through out the nation.
This week, ten lodges in Buckinghamshire have initiated 15 new members into Freemasonry.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Marlow, Slough, and Newport Pagnell all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style, and our running total now sits at 48 initiations.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Marlow, Slough, and Newport Pagnell all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style, and our running total now sits at 48 initiations.
There were many amazing highlights, including bell ringing at the Festive Board at Old Pals Lodge in Slough by volunteers from Friends of Langley Park.
We also welcomed a new member to the Lodge of Concorde; Bro. Paul embarked on his Masonic journey with the help of the Lodge's airside safety unit, complete with ceremonial marshalling paddles at the ready.
In total, Buckinghamshire Freemasons will present the 'Gift of Freemasonry' to over 60 people during the season. Over 40 lodges are participating between now and the 19th of December.
For general enquiries about joining:
If you are based in Buckinghamshire, please use this link: https://buckspgl.org/joinFor people elsewhere in the UK and around the world, please use this link: https://www.ugle.org.uk/.../find-your-nearest.../lookup-area
The superstition that Friday the 13th is unlucky may have become associated with Freemasonry through the Knights Templar, a group that is said to have discovered secrets of the Masons:
The Knights Templar
According to conspiracy theorists, the Knights Templar discovered information about the Holy Grail and the bloodline of Christ, and may have had connections with Freemasons. In 1307, King Philip IV ordered the arrest of de Molay and other Knight Templar leaders which then led to the torture & execution of Templars in a number of European countries on Friday, October 13. This date is said to have influenced the superstition of Friday the 13th
Founded around 1118 as a monastic military order devoted to the protection of pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land following the Christian capture of Jerusalem during the First Crusade, the Knights Templar quickly became one of the richest and most influential groups of the Middle Ages, thanks to lavish donations from the crowned heads of Europe, eager to curry favour with the fierce Knights. By the turn of the 14th century, the Templars had established a system of castles, churches and banks throughout Western Europe. And it was this astonishing wealth that would lead to their downfall.
For the Templars, that end began in the early morning hours of Friday, October 13, 1307.
In the days and weeks that followed that fateful Friday, more than 600 Templars were arrested, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, and the Order’s treasurer. But while some of the highest-ranking members were caught up in Philip’s net, so too were hundreds of non-warriors; middle-aged men who managed the day-to-day banking and farming activities that kept the organization humming. The men were charged with a wide array of offenses including heresy, devil worship and spitting on the cross, homosexuality, fraud and financial corruption.
In the spring of 1314, Grand Master Molay and several other Templars were burned at the stake in Paris, bringing an end to their remarkable era, and launching an even longer-lasting theory about the evil possibilities of Friday the 13th.
This week seven lodges in Buckinghamshire have delivered the Gift of Freemasonry to their candidates.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Bletchley, Marlow, Slough, Thame and Wolverton all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style.
There were many amazing highlights, including the annual hat-wearing dinner at Haddenham Lodge. We extend our congratulations to everyone involved in the raucous carol singing at the festive board! Kudos to our Provincial Junior Grand Warden for delivering a stunning solo rendition of "In the Bleak Midwinter" to a hip-hop beat.
Our centres in Aylesbury, Bletchley, Marlow, Slough, Thame and Wolverton all celebrated 12DX (Twelve Days of Christmas) in style.
There were many amazing highlights, including the annual hat-wearing dinner at Haddenham Lodge. We extend our congratulations to everyone involved in the raucous carol singing at the festive board! Kudos to our Provincial Junior Grand Warden for delivering a stunning solo rendition of "In the Bleak Midwinter" to a hip-hop beat.
In total, Buckinghamshire Freemasons will present the gift of Freemasonry to over 60 people during the season. Over 40 lodges are participating between now and the 19th of December.
For general enquiries about joining:
If you are based in Buckinghamshire, please use this link: https://buckspgl.org/joinFor people elsewhere in the UK and around the world, please use this link: https://www.ugle.org.uk/.../find-your-nearest.../lookup-area
Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research Charity Number 1183744 was founded in 2006, (SMSR) is an independent, national charity seeking to promote quality of life in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) through research. Our vision is to enable people with spinal cord injury to have life after paralysis without the setbacks of debilitating health complications. They work closely with the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) and other healthcare settings to help deliver the best research outcomes that will improve the quality of life for those living with SCI.
BMCF have donated £1,000 towards new equipment for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) functions controlled by the cerebral cortex and have recently received the following Testimonial:
The research team is using ‘transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)’, a non-invasive medical procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain in order to determine how well TMS can assess the extent of damage to the neural pathways. The upgraded equipment for which Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research has been raising funds will allow them to do this in greater depth and with greater accuracy, thus helping them tailor activity-based rehabilitation to each individual’s need . We are most grateful to the Trustees of the Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund for their interest and support of our efforts to improve the quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury. Your generous gift of £1,000 has gone towards the purchase of new equipment for a study involving 44 patients with tetraplegia at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke.
The Photos include Dr. Paul Sutton and Rowan Boyles both of Imperial College London
Karen Favell
NAT KING COLE
In 1944, Nathaniel Adams Coles (A.K.A Nat King Cole) joined Thomas Waller Lodge No. 49 in California, a Prince Hall lodge named after jazz musician Fats Waller. He later became a Scottish Rite Freemason and a 32nd Degree Mason.
Cole's commitment to bringing people together through his music demonstrated his Masonic values. When criticized for playing to segregated audiences as a young man, he said, “I may be helping to bring harmony between people through my music”
Cole was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17th, 1919. When he was four years old the family moved to Chicago, Illinois where his father became a Baptist minister. His mother, who was the church organist, began teaching Cole how to play the organ. Shortly after he gave his first performance of Yes! We have no bananas. He began formal lessons at the age of 12. He eventually learned gospel, jazz and Western classical music. He attended Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago. At night he snuck out to listen to music outside clubs.
It was in the 1930's Cole began his performing career. He also adopted the stage name of Nat Cole. His older brother eventually join Cole's band. It was during this time Cole added King in his name. It is believed it was reinforced by the nursery rhyme of Old King Cole.
His recording of "The Christmas Song" still receives airplay every holiday season, even hitting the Billboard Top 40 in December 2017. In 2020, Cole was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
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