Grand Lodge News

Quarterly Communication report of 8 December 2004

Pro Grand Master's speech

MW The Pro Grand Master The Most Hon. the Marquess of Northampton, DL, presided at Grand Lodge.
Click here for his speech.

Report of the Board of General Purposes

• Correspondence with other Grand Lodges and their members

The President reminded Brethren of the long established convention that in general, communication with other Constitutions is conducted via the Grand Secretary's office. The Board is aware that e-mail is becoming increasingly common as a means of conducting Masonic correspondence and certainly does not wish to discourage Brethren from making use of it. There is, however, no valid distinction in principle between e-mail and conventional postal services when it comes to conducting correspondence, and it is important that the established convention continues to be followed.

• Amalagamation of two or more Lodges

The President announced a new rule to simplify the procedure on the amalgamation of two or more Lodges. This will enable those Brethren who have at all times been in good standing in their existing Lodge or Lodges to transfer their membership to the continuing Lodge without having to complete the normal Registration Form that is required for a joining member and without having to produce individual clearance certificates. The Board has approved a new joint Registration Form for use under the new Rule and copies are available on application to the Grand Secretary's office.

• Asbestos

The President said, at Supreme Grand Chapter last month the Pro Grand Master, presiding in his position as Pro First Grand Principal, made a statement on my behalf on the problems of asbestos we are encountering at Freemasons' Hall. A copy of that statement was circulated with the Paper of Business for this Quarterly Communication.

The work to rid Freemasons' Hall of asbestos is well under way, but I am afraid that there will inevitably be disruption from time to time. You have already been advised that Freemasons' Hall will be closed for an extended period over the Christmas and New Year break. Those of you who have attended Meetings at the Hall will have experienced the difficulties we are having keeping the Lodge Rooms heated and this unfortunately will continue through the winter period, and probably up until Easter. We are hoping to be able to programme the work so that no more than two Lodge Rooms are out of commission at any one time, but no guarantees can be given that at times more will not be unusable. As previously indicated Lodges affected will be assisted in making other arrangements.

I am able to assure you that all the advice that we are getting from the experts is that there is no danger to anyone using the Building. Air quality is well within the standards laid down by the Health & Safety Executive. The necessity for the work is to comply with the new, stringent, Regulations that have been imposed on buildings.

Brethren, I am sure that you will appreciate that in a building as complex as Freemasons' Hall this has a substantial cost that will have to be funded. The present estimate is in excess of £2 million. The nature of the work is such that its extent cannot be ascertained and thereby quantified in advance. This may well be exceeded as a fixed price is neither feasible nor available. The work is both specialist and labour intensive. It is only as each area is opened up that the extent is known.

Freemasons' Hall is our Flagship, but we must remember that it is over 75 years old. And I am afraid that this is not the only major expense that we will be facing from time to time in the future. The Board not only has to budget now to cover the current work but it must make sure that our resources are sufficient to meet future demands relating to the Building.

Finally on this subject the Board would like to thank the Grand Secretary and his staff, both for their efforts in coping with the additional burden that has been thrust upon them but also for the difficult working conditions they are having to experience whilst the work is being carried out.

Prestonian Lecture for 2004

The delivery of the official Prestonian Lectures in 2005 will be given under the auspices of the following:
Connaught Army and Navy Lodge, No. 4323 (London)
West Kent Installed Masters Lodge,No. 5778 (West Kent)
Antient and Loyal Lodge of Installed Masters, No. 9762 (West Lancashire)
The Lecturer, W Bro G.W.S. Davie, states that the title of the Lecture will be "Women and Freemasonry".

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution

Chief Executive and President's report at Grand Lodge. Click here for the full text.