St Osyth’s Priory Lodge Part 5

A petition was signed in open Lodge by W. Bro. Leaning, W.M., Bro. J. Coxhead Cook, S.W., and Bro. J. W. Privett, J .W., on November 19th, 1920, recommending the formation of a new Lodge in Glacton, and on Thursday, March 31st, in the following year, Southcliff Lodge, No. 4230, was consecrated.

W. Bro. J. S. Starling’s services as Director of Ceremonies of the Lodge are no doubt well remembered by many members, and it is interesting to note that a presentation of ‘a silver salver, suitably inscribed, was made to him in November, 1923, to commemorate the fact that he had held this office for 10 years.

April 5th, 1924, saw the passing of an old servant of the Province of Essex in the person of W. Bro. Thos. J . Railing, P.G.D., Provincial Grand Secretary. He had held the office of P.G. Secretary for 47 years, having been first appointed in 1877. His death is recorded in the minutes, and a vote of sympathy with his relatives was passed.

In June, 1925, it was decided to purchase a plot of land for the site of a Masonic Hall in Clacton.

On February 15th, 1929, it was decided that in future the Lodge shall not regularly meet in June.

A presentation was made this evening to W. Bro. P. J. Green to mark his 21 years’ service to the Lodge as Secretary. The presentation took the form of an album, signed “by nearly 100 members, inscribed as follows: St. Osyth’s Priory Lodge, No. 2063. This album, together with a cheque, was presented to W. Bro. P. J. Green, P.M., P.P.G.D. by brethren of this Lodge as a token of their appreciation of his valuable services as Secretary over a period of twenty-one years. They also offer their fraternal greetings on his attaining his 70th birthday, and assure him of the deep affection and regard they hold for a brother who has for so long been associated with this Lodge. Initiated, 1895. Master, 1905. 14th February, 1929.

The Installation of Bro. F. H. G. Nightingale as Master on October 18th, 1929, was of great interest, as the new Provincial Grand Master, Brig.-Gen. R. B. Golvin, G.B., had requested the neighbouring Lodges to send representatives to be present at the meeting to be introduced to him.

Fifty-Seven Past Masters were present, and representatives of the following Lodges were presented to the Rt. W. Provincial Grand Master Lodge of Hope, No. 433; Star in the East Lodge, No. 650; Arnold Lodge, No. 1799; Epping Lodge, No. 2077; Mistley Lodge, No. 2339; Colne Lodge, No. 2477; Comrades Lodge, No. 2976; Hanslip Ward Lodge, No. 3399; United Services Lodge, No. 3804; Southcliff Lodge, No. 4230.

On November 15th, 1929, Bro. Brig.-Gen. K. J. Kincaid-Smith, C.B., G.M.G., of St. Osyth’s Priory, a member of Ubique Lodge, No. 1789, was elected a joining member on the proposition of W. Bro. F. H. C. Nightingale, seconded by W. Bro. S. Wheeler.

A special emergency meeting of the Lodge was held at St. Osyth’s Priory, by the kind invitation of Bro. Brig.-Gen. K. J. Kincaid-Smith, on June 5th, 1931. W. Bro. G. II. Swann opened the Lodge and then vacated the Chair for the R.W. Provincial Grand Master, Brig.-Gen. R. Beale Colvln, C.B., Lord Lieutenant of Essex. W. Bro. Col. H. W. Burton, Provincial Grand Senior Warden, and W. Bro. F. J. Jackson, J .P., Provincial Grand Junior Warden, occupied the Warden’s Chairs. At this meeting a paper was read by W. Bro. the Rev. F. E. Grate, P.A.G. Chap. (Eng.), P.P.G. Ghap. Essex, on “Freemasonry in the Tendring Hundred.” Before the Lodge closed, Bro. Kincaid-Smith presented to the Lodge: 1 Founder ’s Jewel which had originally belonged to the first Master. During the ceremony, the wives and ladies of the assembled brethren spent an enjoyable time in looking at the various ancient buildings and delightful grounds of the Priory, afterward joining the brethren at tea, kindly provided by their host, Bro. Brig.-Gen. Kincaid-Smith. A good many brethren treasure their souvenir photograph taken on this occasion, also the “Short History of St. Osyth ’s Priory,” presented to them by St. Osyth’s Priory Lodge.

At the installation meeting held in October, 1931, W. Bro. P. J. Green retired from the secretaryship of the Lodge after 24 years’ service, owing to failing health.

A petition for the formation of another Craft Lodge to be known as the “Colvin Lodge” to meet at the Royal Hotel, Clacton-on-Sea, was signed in open Lodge on March 18th, 1932, by the W. Master, W. Bro. Dr. R. Jenner-Clarke, and his Wardens, Bros. H. W. Learoyd and H. G. Griggs, on the proposition of Bro. Commdr. H. J. Waller, seconded by W. Bro. H. W. Eldred. This was the second occasion on which a petition had been signed in St. Osyth’s Priory Lodge for the formation of a Graft Lodge in Clacton-on-Sea.

At the 48th Installation meeting held on October 21st, 1932, W. Bro. H. W. Learoyd, the new Master, appointed as his Junior Warden, Bro. Brig.-Gen. K. J. Kincaid-Smith, an office that he held for two years, until his installation as W.M. in October, 1934. The Rt. W. Prov. Grand Master, Brig. Gen. Sir Richard B. Colvin, K.C.B., Lord Lieutenant for Essex, attended this latter meeting, and after the Lodge had been opened in the second degree by W. Bro. J. W. Privett (the outgoing master) accepted the gavel and installed Bro. Brig.-Gen. Kincaid-Smith into the Chair of K.S. according to ancient custom before a large number of brethren from the surrounding Lodges – no less than 42 Past Masters being present. Truly a fitting beginning for a new master of the Lodge in its Jubilee year.

The first member of the Lodge to receive Grand Lodge honours was W. Bro. S. Wheeler, who was appointed P. Grand Std. Br. on April 15th, 1932. He was initiated in St. Osyth’s Priory Lodge on Friday, January 20th, 1905, by W. Bro. Dr. W. G. Murray, having previously been proposed

by Bro. H. Weatherhead and seconded by Bro. A. P. V. Sansom. He received his first collar as a steward of the Lodge in 1907 and was installed as master in 1913. He was elected treasurer of the Lodge in 1925, which office he still holds. In 1920 he was appointed secretary of Southcliff Lodge, No. 4230, and he also still holds that office. He was exalted into Royal Arch Masonry in Coronation Chapter, No. 2063, in May, 1905, installed as First Principal in 1917, and is now Scribe E. of that Chapter. He is a Past M.W.S. of the Magi Chapter of Rose Croix, No. 257, at Harwich, and also a member of the Helena Chapter of Rose Croix, at Colchester.

It is interesting to note that the total amounts subscribed by the members of the Lodge through its masters during}, the past fifty years are as follow:

 £        s.  d.

1,146 10 0 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys.

1,097 11 6 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls.

   923 12 0. to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

   215 15 0 to the Royal Masonic Hospital.

Total: £3,383 8 6.

Out of this total, over £2,000 has been collected through the Lodge Benevolent Association in sums of ls. per week. This is found to be a very convenient method for members to save the necessary amounts for the different stewardshlps.

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