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PAST MASTERS OF THE LODGE
Monday 28 November 1870 saw the birth of Norman
Lodge No. 1334.
The consecration, however, was only the culmination of what must have been several months of concentrated effort. We are, of course, a daughter lodge of the Marquis of Granby Lodge No.124 and it will be no surprise to learn that the nine brethren who signed the petition to Grand Lodge were all members of that lodge. As indeed were the great majority who joined them in the period immediately following the consecration. Extract from the Durham Chronicle of Friday, 25th
November 1870:
"THE NORMAN LODGE OF FREEMASONS, DURHAM. ----
The consecration of the
new Norman Lodge, 1334 will take place at the Masonic Hall, Old Elvet, in this city on Monday next. The ceremony will be performed by the Right Worshipful Brother John Fawcett, Esq., Provincial Grand Master, assisted by the Right Worshipful Brother Sir Hedworth Williamson Bart., M.P., Deputy Provincial Grand Master and officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge. The brethren will partake of luncheon in the banqueting room at 3 o'clock . The officers of the new lodge, as named in the warrant, are Bro. G. R. Bulmer, Worshipful Master; Bro. James Young, Senior Warden; Bro. John Wortley, Junior Warden. Bro. Wm. Donkin is the secretary "pro tem". Extract from the Durham Chronicle of Friday, 2nd
December 1870:
"On Monday last, R.W.P.G.M., John Fawcett,
Esq.,consecrated a new lodge in this
city, by the title of "Norman". He was assisted by the D.P.G.M. (Sir Hedworth Williamson Bart., M.P.,) the P.G.S.W. (Rev. G. P. Wilkinson), the P.G.J.W. (- Groves Esq.), the P.G.S. and other P.G. Officers. The Rev. J. Cundill officiated as the P.G.C. On conclusion of the ceremony, the Rev. G. R. Bulman P.G.C., having been installed as W. M. of the new lodge, proceeded to invest the following officers:- S.W., Bro. J. Young; J.W., Bro. J. Wortley; chaplain, Bro. W. Donkin; S.D., Bro. W. Sarsfield; J.D., Bro. Henry Robson; S.S., Bro. G. Greenwell. The appointment of J.G., J.S., and Tyler were deferred. After the close of the lodge, the brethren adjourned to the banqueting-room, where the excellent cold collation was admirably served by Mrs, Brown of the Three Tuns Hotel". This country of ours has always been closely involved
with international affairs;
events in Europe being of particular significance. During the period leading up to the consecration of the Lodge the Franco-Prussian war was at its height with the investment of Paris and that city's capitulation being imminently expected; Garibaldi was active in the south of France; the Turks and Russians were approaching conflict and Spain was busy electing a new king. The newspapers of the time are full of these events and showing concern over the possibility of British involvement. Nearer to home there was a smallpox outbreak in Hartlepool and, in the week prior to the consecration there was a fatal and serious explosion at Wingate Colliery. These and other historical events notwithstanding,
the country in general and, in
particular the founders of the Lodge went quietly and efficiently about their business. At the last meeting of the founders a fortnight before the event, a unanimous motion was passed that William Brown of the Three Tuns Hotel be instructed to supply luncheon, at a cost of 4 shillings per head. The early years in any organisation's life is a
period of hard and continuous work to
consolidate and firmly establish a sound foundation. Norman Lodge is no exception to this rule. In addition to the nineteen joining members and four candidates proposed at the consecration, sixty-three members were added to the ranks during the first ten years; a third of that number being joining members from various parts of the province. The Lodge's first candidate was William Singlehurst;
proposed at the consecration
ceremony; initiated and made Tyler on 14 December 1870, the second regular meeting. Singlehurst's remuneration as Tyler was £4 per annum plus his meal at banquets and two glasses of spirits or the equivalent in ale, wine, or porter. Although, as we can see there was no shortage of
candidates, there must have been considerable difficulty in arranging
for their attendance on the dates planned because,
in 1872 a resolution was passed calling for the addition of one guinea to the initiation fee for candidates who were admitted at special emergency meetings. This, one assumes, was necessitated by the nature of their employment, many of them were commercial travellers and other professions whose work regularly took them away from the city. Busy though the Lodge was during this period it
was not isolated from outside events
either nationally or masonically. For example, in February of 1872 resolutions were duly passed, to send messages of congratulation to Queen Victoria and to H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, on the Prince's recovery from a protracted and dangerous illness. In March and April of that year their replies are recorded. Our Victorian forbears were prolific in displays
of loyalty of this nature, and the letter to
Queen Victoria and the reply on her behalf are reproduced below: Extracted from the minutes of 21st February 1872:
"To Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen.
The humble address of the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and Brethren of the Norman Lodge of Freemasons, No. 1334, holden in the City of Durham. May it please your Majesty,
We, the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and Brethren of the Norman Lodge of Freemasons, No. 1334, desire most humbly and respectfully to offer to your Majesty our dutiful and sincere congratulations upon the recovery of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales from his recent dangerous and protracted illness. During the severe trial to which the illness of
His Royal Highness subjected your
Majesty, we, in conjunction with all your Majesty's dutiful and attached subjects most deeply sympathised with your grief, and joined in earnest prayer to the Most High that your Royal son might be spared to your Majesty and to a sorrowing nation. We now, therefore, most gratefully join in the universal
expression of thanksgiving to
the Almighty that it has pleased Him to restore His Royal Highness to health and to the exalted duties of his nation. Imbued with the strongest feelings of loyalty and
attachment to your Most Gracious
Majesty and to your Royal House, we fervently pray that your Majesty may be blessed with health and strength for long years to reign over a devoted and contented people. Given under our hands in open lodge this twenty-first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and seventy two. James Young, W.M. John Wortley, S.W. William Donkin, J.W. Extracted from the minutes of 17th April 1872: "Whitehall, 8 March 1872. Sir I have had the honour to lay before the Queen, the
loyal and dutiful address of the
Norman Lodge, No.1334, Durham, on the occasion of the illness of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. I have to inform you that Her Majesty was pleased
to receive the address very
graciously. I am Sir Your Obedient Servant H. A. Bruce." A reflection of the gracious living of the Victorians
can be observed in the fact that in
1871 the Festival of St. John was celebrated by a trip to Saltburn together with the ladies. One can readily imagine the brethren, in frock-coats and top-hats, accompanied by their wives, in floor-length dresses and with parasols, strolling along Saltburn's breezy promenade. Afterwards taking "high-tea" in a sea-front hotel. A similar excursion was held in 1874; this time in the grounds of Brancepeth Castle. The early days of the lodge were not entirely filled
with hard work. Our predecessors
knew how to enjoy themselves too. Times and attitudes have changed : but only in detail. As the story of the Lodge enters its second an subsequent
decades there are definite
signs of increasing Masonic maturity and a growth in stature in local masonic circles. On 20th April 1881, for example, a petition was signed in open lodge on behalf of the new Whitworth Lodge which was being established at Spennymoor. In addition, one observes from the minutes regular and gradually more forceful communication with the Marquis of Granby Lodge, in that Lodge's capacity as Trustee of the Masonic Hall, requesting that improvements be made in the cleaning, heating, repairing, and use of the Masonic Hall. The reader must not assume, however, after reading
the preceding chapters that the
affairs of the lodge were always perfect and harmonious, peaceful and without trouble and incident. It would indeed be a perfect lodge where everything was all "sweetness and light" all the time. Too good to be true, in fact. As in all human endeavour, difficulties were overcome, and furthermore with magnanimity, is first evident in the minutes of the Installation meeting in January 1898. Until this point there is no evidence at all of anything untoward. In January of 1898 W.Bro. C. Rowlandson, P.P.J.G.W.,
Worshipful Master, installed
his successor after being W.M. for the third time. After the ceremony , during the banquet, W.Bro. Rowlandson was presented with a "Massive Silver Salva" by W.Bro. W. Gray, P.P.G.St.B. In June 1887 five members attended Grand Lodge's
celebration of Queen Victoria's
Jubilee. Following up the interest in the spread of Freemasonry
which had been evinced in
the signing of the petition for the Whitworth Lodge in 1881; another petition was signed in January 1890. This time for the Universities Lodge, the consecration of which took place on 22nd February 1890, to which all our members were invited. With the approach of the centenary (the year 1900)
the Lodge is again asked to dig
deep into its coffers (or the treasurer's cash-box!) to help to celebrate the event. The call was for 1900 shillings (£95.00) on behalf of the Hudson Benevolent Fund and a further 1900 shillings on behalf of the Durham Educational Fund. The minutes quote the request as being for contributions from individual lodges. It is not clear, however, what is meant by this because it was decided by the lodge that the contribution should initially be 2/- per head (£0.10). The lodge at this time was quite financially sound
and looked forward to the twentieth
century with keen anticipation, in common with the rest of the nation and with the world at large. Norman Lodge's entry into the new epoch was marked by a unique event in its history. In February 1900 the lodge was honoured with a Provincial visit when W.Bro. George Hare Philipson unfurled a banner presented to the lodge by W.Bro. William Gray, P.P.G.St.B. he occasion being recorded in the Newcastle Journal as follows :- Extract from the Newcastle Journal of 22nd February
1900 :
"Last night there was a large assemblage of
Freemasons at the Masonic Hall,
Old Elvet, Durham, upon the occasion of the unfurling of a new banner and a visit of the Provincial Grand Officers. The events had been looked forward to with considerable interest by many members in the Province for some time past, and the attendance of Masons was representative as it was large. The new banner has been presented to the "Norman" Lodge (1334) by Bro. W. Gray, PM, PJGW, the Deputy Mayor of Durham, for some years treasurer of the lodge in connection with which the ceremony of last night took place. The new banner having been unfurled by Bro. Dr. Philipson, PGSW, was accepted on behalf of the lodge by the Worshipful Master, (Bro. T. J. R. Hindmarsh), who suitably acknowledged the handsome gift, and referred to the obligations the lodge was again under to Bro. Gray for this fresh proof of his devotion to the Norman Lodge." Unfortunately, 1900 was marked by the death of R.W.Bro.
Sir Hedworth Williamson,
Bart., the Provincial Grand Master , who, it will be remembered, officiated at the consecration when he was Deputy Provincial Grand Master. To this local sorrow was added national mourning when, in February 1901, Queen Victoria died. This was marked by the lodge with the passing of a resolution expressing sorrow at her death while at the same time congratulating King Edward VII on his accession to the throne. In June 1901, Lord Barnard, the grandfather of our new Provincial Grand Master, was himself installed to that office in succession to Sir Hedworth Williamson. One of the most treasured possessions of the Lodge
is the Past Masters' panel which
hangs in the banqueting hall at Old Elvet. Mention is first made of this in February 1904, when a resolution was passed seeking permission from the Hall Management to hang such a panel. In March permission was granted and ultimately, at a banquet after the Regular Meeting in December 1907 W.Bro. C. Rowlandson, P.P.G.W., unveiled the board commemorating all of the Lodge's Past Masters. That same meeting of December 1907 had seen the election of W.Bro. William Gray, P.P.J.G.W., as Treasurer for the twentieth year in succession. The new wonderful twentieth century which had begun
with such high hopes both so far as
the Lodge was concerned and in the wider sphere of international affairs now started to show the first signs of of the approaching storm. During May and June of 1908 - two short months - the lodge suffered the deaths of W.Bros. Rowlandson and Gray, both revered Past Masters and Provincial Officers, and also of Bro. Diamond, the Senior Warden. In December of that same year a letter was received from the Provincial Grand master drawing the attention of all in the Craft to the financial distress of the working classes especially in the coastal towns of the Province and asking every lodge and indeed every member, to make whatever contribution possible. The lodge gave 5 guineas, and a collection amongst the brethren raised a similar sum. During the hard times then prevailing in the nation as a whole, some of our members must also have been "feeling the pinch" because in March 1909 a proposal was made that any surplus from the Almoner's Fund each year should be banked to provide a "Norman Lodge Immediate Relief Fund". Finally, in May 1910, King Edward VII, described as "the Protector of the Craft", died to a tumult of national grief. August 1914. The storm breaks, And the century which
had opened fourteen years
earlier in a universal surge of hope for the future now seemed doomed. Freemasonry as a whole, its constituent lodges, and individual members, was to prove a bulwark against the deluge. That we are here today is proof of this. How did it fare in the trial to come? So far as normal lodge business was concerned, the
minute books reveal little
change with the coming of the holocaust which was World War I. Candidates continue to be initiated, passed, and raised; the usual masonic business is transacted; visitors continue to attend, and give their fraternal greetings. It was, nevertheless, quite obvious that all was far from normal elsewhere. In September 1914 an appeal was received on behalf
of the Prince of Wales'
National Relief Fund; when the Lodge contributed 25 Guineas from its funds. Similarly, in November of that same year it was decided that the Alms collection for the month should go to the Mayor of Durham's Belgian Relief Fund. The following month, December, saw the receipt of a letter from the Daily Telegraph on behalf of the King Albert Fund; and yet another collection was taken. Also received from Grand Lodge was an instruction
to the effect that no fees were to
be paid by members who were forced into being unable to attend their lodges. Apart from members of the Armed services, of course this instruction applied to members interned abroad, or otherwise prevented by the war from attending meetings. This was followed-up in December 1915 by another
letter from Grand Lodge
appealing for funds for internees in German Civilian camps, and also for funds for wounded soldiers who were housed under awful conditions in Malta. One of our members was, in fact, interned in Germany, namely Bro. R. Kennedy. A letter describing his circumstances was sent to the Lodge by his father. As a result of that letter an attempt was made to make life a little more tolerable for Bro. Kennedy and some of his companions when the Lodge sent a gift of a football to him. Thirty-three members of the Lodge served in the
forces during World War I; two of
those men laying down their lives alongside countless others who fought in the "War to end all Wars". It was not until after the Armistice however, that their fates became known to the brethren who waited at home. Bro. Christopher Brown, a Lance-Corporal in the Machine Gun Corps and, until his enlistment, S.D. of the Lodge, died of wounds in 1918 while a prisoner-of war ; Bro. Robert Greenwell, Company Sergeant-Major in the Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment, and an Entered Apprentice, was killed a month before the Armistice, on 2nd October 1918. Another member spent long years as a prisoner-of -war from1915 until the Armistice, n amely Bro. T. P. Bramwell, a Sergeant in the D.L.I., and a Steward of the Lodge. At long last, however, the war came to an end and,
in the general euphoria which
prevailed throughout the country in the immediate post-war years, the Lodge was able to look forward to its Jubilee in 1920. Scars were undoubtedly left on the Lodge as in any other institution, be it family, community, or nation. But Freemasonry has, throughout the years, proved itself to be resilient, and the time was now ripe for a resurgence of the Spirit. The lodge entered the "Roaring Twenties"
in a suitably lively way. The Jubilee was
due to be celebrated in November 1920, and the first mention in the minutes is a resolution in May 1920 that a suitable Jewel be provided for purchase by the members. An interesting proviso was that the Jewels should be sold at such a price as to show a profit: such profit derived therefrom to be a donation to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys. 17th November 1920 - The Jubilee Celebration itself.
This must have been a truly
Magnificent affair attended, as it was, by the R.W. Provincial Grand Master, the Deputy Pro.G.M., and other Prov. Grand Officers. A Jubilee Celebration Souvenir brochure was also prepared, and the Toast List incorporated therein reveals a selection of songs, and artistes to sing them, almost worthy of the then current trend in Music Hall items. The relationship between the Lodge and the City
of Durham has always been good. -
Twenty-four of our members having been Mayors of the City. - But in 1928, during the Mayoralty of W.Bro. F. W. Goodyear, D.C., this relationship must surely have been flowering, for in September of that year a resolution was passed calling for regular monthly collections for the "Durham Castle (Mayor of Durham) Restoration Fund". Reference to a link with Durham Cathedral is found
in June 1931 when W.Bro. Edwin Picton, P.P.S.G.D., D.C., presented
to the Lodge a Sanctuary Knocker. (A replica of the Sanctuary Knocker
on the North Door of the Cathedral).
Further development in the management of the Lodge
took place in October 1931
when it was decided to increase the size of the Management Committee by the inclusion of the S.W., J.W., and all joining P.M.'s. A year later in November 1932, the Lodge gave £35 to the "Durham City Joint Lodge Committee" for the purchase and presentation of an organ" No reference has so far been made of the connection
between the Lodge and the
Royal Arch Chapter which shares its name and number. In 1882 the Lodge had signed a petition giving rise to the Chapter but, when in successive years towards the end of the 1880's no meetings had been held the Chapter was erased. In June 1934 when interest in the Chapter revived the Lodge made a gift of £100 towards its re-establishment. Freemasonry in general has constantly had to suffer
knocks and hardships violent
enough to test its utmost strength and capacity to survive. In February 1936 yet another blow was struck with the death of King George V. The Lodge minutes record the shock and sorrow of the event with the passing of a resolution honouring his memory and the offering of messages of condolence and consolation to Queen Mary and the Royal Family. This most unhappy event for Freemasonry was followed
on 30 June 1937 by an
Especial Grand Lodge meeting to celebrate the coronation of King George VI. And in July 1937 yet another Especial meeting of Grand Lodge when the father of our present M.W.G.M., was installed as Grand Master. After 3rd September 1939 no one could have been
unaware that the country was
again at war. As the dreadful years dragged on, and the horrors of war were increasingly brought to the forefront of people's minds, and danger became a more frequent visitor to the feast, one was aware, at times, of nothing else. Freemasonry in general, however, and, as far as
we are concerned here, the
Norman Lodge in particular, became a haven of peace in the nation's troubled waters. An examination of the minutes of the period yields almost no trace that war raged on. "U - Boat Alley" was but a few miles away in the North sea; the great ports of Tyne and Tees were close enough for their sufferings to be felt. Indeed they were felt. The serenity of the Lodge must have been a tremendous boost to morale. Probably the first intimation that the Lodge, as
a corporate body, had of the effects of
hostilities, was the military take-over of the Dining Hall as a forces canteen. This occurred on 3rd October 1939 but is not recorded in the minutes until 1946 when it was handed back. During this whole period the Past Masters' Room was used as a temporary dining accommodation. In August 1942 Freemasonry suffered its worst blow
of the entire war when, on 25th
of that month R.W.Bro. Air Commodore H.R.H. the Duke of Kent (father of our present R.W.G.M.) R.W. Grand Master was killed whilst aboard a military aircraft en route for Gibraltar. The Lodge joined the whole Craft in mourning and, as an additional mark of respect ordered donations, to be made in equal parts, to the R.N. Amenities Fund, the Army Comforts fund, and the R.A.F. Comforts. The prevailing mood was relieved somewhat in June
1943 when, as a mark of
appreciation W.Bro. Elijah Marsden Warhurst presented to the Lodge three books of particular Masonic interest, and quite possibly of considerable antique value. They were:- 1. Memorials of the Masonic Union.
2. Constitutions of the Freemasons - 1723. 3. The New Book of Constitutions, 1738. In June 1944 when, at last, the outcome of the war
was beginning to become
apparent, Grand Lodge, in the light of events, issued a circular on the "Aims and Relationships of the Craft". Its sentiments are still valid; it sets out, "in extenso", the basic principles in which we all believe. The war ended, at last, and the Craft, and the Lodge,
heaved a collective sigh of
relief. Many of our brethren had served in the Armed Forces, indeed some had been initiated and their progress was then halted until they returned with the coming of peace. In October 1945 the Lodge was enabled to celebrate the peace along with the City when W.Bro. F. W. Goodyear, J.P., P.P.G.W., was honoured with the freedom of the City of Durham for "long and faithful service to the City". As good an opportunity for a celebration as any. To add to the list of treasures presented to the
Lodge, a most interesting gift was
made in September 1946. Bro. Albert William Dent, Master Mason, of Lydda Lodge, Sarafand, Palestine, on the occasion of his first visit to an English Lodge presented an ornamental Gavel. The head was of stone hewn from King Solomon's Quarries, while the shaft was of olive wood from a tree on the Mount of Olives. This was followed in March 1949 by the gift of a Silver Trowel presented by Bro. Joshua George Hammond, to mark his 25 years in the Craft. The Trowel we still have; unfortunately, the Gavel cannot be traced. With the resumption of peacetime activities, the
Lodge settled down to uneventful yet
productive work. This state of affairs continued unabated until Freemasonry again suffered a grievous loss. In February 1952, King George VI, Past Grand Master, died. The minutes again reflect the sorrow of the nation, the Craft, and the Lodge. As one would expect, the Lodge has been intimately
concerned with the Masonic
Charities since its formation. Both national and provincial charities benefited from its d onations, and in addition it had its own local charitable needs under constant watch. While not impossible, it would nevertheless make uninteresting reading, to list all the charitable donations which the Lodge has made over the years. We propose, therefore, to pick out a few highlights in the Lodge's history of connections with the charities to indicate how these connections have changed both in size and in organisation. In the very early years charity collections were
made on merely an "Ad Hoc" basis
and it was not until 1873 that a properly organised system of collection was arran ged. Even then the system devised was quite rudimentary compared with the scale of the organisation which is evident today. In April 1873 it was proposed that ea ch member should make a regular monthly contribution sufficient to give a total for the Lodge of £5.5.0. per annum. At the end of the year a ballot was to be held when the lucky member would have the 5 guineas donated to the charity of his choice. The scheme described above was solely for the distribution
of funds subscribed by
individual members. In addition, donations to the various charities were made by the Lodge from accumulated Lodge funds and, in May 1888 we find a donation of 10 guineas being made to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. The voting power conferred by a donation of this size were authorised by the Lodge to be invested in the senior Warden's chair. Subsequent years saw voting rights in favour of the other national charities and also of provincial charities being vested in other chairs and in other offices of the Lodge. Of the three major national charities, the Royal
Masonic Institution for Girls has
perhaps benefited most, probably as befits the oldest of these organisations. The difference, however, is only marginal and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys do not fall far behind. Our connections with all three are strong and letters received over the years testify to the generosity of our Lodge and of its members. Our first successful petition to the RMIG was accepted
in 1882. It was not until 1921,
however, that we secured the admission of a boy to the RMIB, and consequently to the Royal Masonic School for Boys, at Bushey. (Perhaps it may be as well to point out here that admission to the benefits of either the Institution for girls or the Institution for Boys does not necessarily mean admission to the respective schools. Both institutions cater, in addition to their boarding-school capacity, for what is termed out-education; where assistance is given towards:- fees, clothing, holiday allowances etc., etc., for children who either cannot be accommodated at the schools, or whose surviving parents do not wish them to leave home). The three charities mentioned above, all organise,
or have organised on their behalf,
annual festivals, presided over by the Provincial or District Grand Master of a different Province or District, each year. As things stand today, Durham's turn comes round every ten years and, we are happy to report, the amount raised by the Province is continually rising, so too is the amount subscribed by Norman Lodge. The Lodge supports the Provincial Charities with
the same devotion as those
mentioned above. Voting rights in these local charities were conferred upon various offices of the Lodge as far back as 1888. Regular donations from Lodge funds have been made almost since the Lodge was consecrated, and these have steadily increased year by year. For many years it has been the practice, when the
Masonic year was drawing to a
close, for a resolution to be passed calling for a large donation to be made to "Durham Masonic Charities". Since the thirties this has rarely, if ever, been less than 50 guineas, and has frequently been more. A number of our brethren in straitened circumstances have been helped by these local charities and we are all indebted to those who administer them on our behalf. Charities outside the body of Freemasonry have also
been well supported by this
Lodge. Such organisations may be outside the ambit of Freemasonry; the spirit behind the support for them is, however, wholly Masonic. In 1897 we responded to an appeal made on behalf of famine victims in India; 1900 witnessed a donation to our South African brethren during the Boer War; and in 1908, as described in a previous chapter, the Lodge generously supported an appeal by the Provisional Grand Master on behalf of the workless poor in the Tyne/Tees industrial towns. During the First World War donations were sent to a number of Armed Forces comfort funds, and also to various refugee organisations. Victims of a Japanese earthquake disaster were aided in 1924; and during the 1930's Durham County Hospital was a regular recipient of fairly substantial donations. The Second World War produced a similar response to that shown during 1914-18. In fact, no appeal delivered from outside the Craft ever, so far as can be ascertained, went unheard or unanswered. Amongst the items under discussion by the Lodge
Management Committee when it began making arrangements to celebrate
the Centenary IN 1970, was the subject of a suitable charitable
donation.
One Thousand Guineas was the target figure, and was been handsomely achieved. The question of raising 1000 guineas provided much
food for thought, a fair amount
of financial "put-and-take" and no little effort on the part of the Committee, and in particular the Treasurer. Therefore, one of the legacies which we shall leave for our successors to assist them in 2070 is a Trust Fund, shortly to be set up, whereby 2000 guineas (or its 21st century equivalent) is available for a suitable charitable gift for the Province on the occasion of our Bi-Centenary. Another major source of satisfaction during this
period was the organisation by
the Province, of the 1969 Festival on behalf of The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. As a result of a resolution passed in April 1962 the proceeds of annual Social Evenings (with the exception of 5 guineas annually to the Durham Masonic Hall Management Committee) went to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 1969 Festival Fund. Additionally 80 guineas yearly was also allocated to the fund from Lodge funds, and £500 was allocated in September 1968. To all this must be added the individual contributions of the majority of Lodge members, many of whom ultimately became Stewards of the Festival. The Province collected the largest sum it had ever collected for such a Festival. To do this it called upon Lodges to beat their previous records for former festivals, and we are happy to report that Norman Lodge exceeded its target by a considerable sum. May we all, as this Lodge and its members have done
so far,"
.remember the
peculiar moment we were received into Masonry, . .., and cheerfully embrace the opportunity of practising that we have professed to admire". Many of you will no doubt recall the celebration
in 1966 of Freemasonry's 250th
anniversary. This was to be marked with a massive donation by the Craft to the Royal College of Surgeons to endow a research chair at the College for the benefit of mankind as a whole. The donation took the form of the Collection of £1 from each individual member of the Craft. Lodges achieving their own target in this respect were accorded the right to a 250th Anniversary Jewel, to be worn on the Master's Collar. That Jewel can be seen just above the point of our own Worshipful Master's Collar in evidence of our success in this wonderful scheme. Another Jewel (see photograph above) which can be
seen suspended from a light-blue collarette at our W.M.'s neck is
unique to Norman Lodge. It was a gift to the Lodge to mark its Centenary,
in September 1970.
"W.Bro. G. W. Milner, Assistant Director of
Ceremonies, presented to the
Worshipful Master a most distinctive Jewel to be worn by future Worshipful Masters on Lodge evenings (including the Festive Board), and social events. The Jewel was paid for and given to the Lodge by W.Bro. C. G. Duncan W.M., and W.Bro. N. S. Williamson, I.P.M. It is circular, approximately 2½ inches in diameter, and solid gold. The City of Durham Coat of arms form the centre (a red cross on a black background). Circumscribed around the Coat of Arms, "Norman Lodge 1870-1970". The following is inscribed on the reverse:- "Presented by Dr. C. G. Duncan, W.M. 1970, and W.Bro. N. S. Williamson, I.P.M." Many tributes were made on the beauty of workmanship and on the generosity shown by our W. Master and I.P.M." The Centenary Year proved to be a most happy and
successful period for the
Lodge. We were joined by our Ladies and friends in the Centenary Ball, which was a truly delightful affair held in Durham Castle on Friday, 25th November 1970, and the crowning moment, was the actual Centenary Celebration itself. Our thanks to the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral for allowing us the use of the Chapter house for the Ceremony: a most fitting setting for an event of this nature. The Dean's invitation to attend Evensong, prior to the Ceremony, was also warmly appreciated. Two major highlights of the Ceremony in the Chapter House were, firstly the presentation of a cheque for 1000 guineas to R.W. The Provincial Grand Master, towards Masonic Charities and , secondly the consecration of a Centenary Banner. The former denotes the Lodge's appreciation and thanksgiving for a hundred years of successful Masonic life; the latter is a personal tribute paid by one of our members, Bro. Frank Bailey, who is solely responsible for the design and execution. It is fitting, as well as being a charming coincidence,
that the Centenary Banquet, so
well prepared and arranged by the management of the Three Tuns Hotel, should be held at that hotel. The Consecration Banquet was staged by Mr. & Mrs. Brown, Hosts of the Three Tuns, a hundred years ago. How better to round off a century of achievement and progress? 1970 - 2006
1993 The W.Master W. Bro. Alan Dufton, a very keen
golfer, organised the first Norman Lodge Golf Day for Mason and
friends in Durham. So successful was the event, it has continued
for 14 years, and raised in excess of £10,000 for charity.
Appendix "A" OFFICERS OF THE LODGE 1870
Bro. Rev. George Robert Bulman
.............Master.
Bro. John Wortley
..
..
.
.J. W.
Bro. Rev. John Cundill
.
..
.
..
..Chaplain.
Bro. Richardson Peele
..
.
....Treasurer.
Bro. William Donkin
.
..
..
..
..
..
Secretary.
Bro. William Sarsfield
..
..
..
..
..
.. ....S.D.
Bro. Robert Cooke
..
..
..
..
..
..
I.G.
Bro. George Greenwell
..
..
..
..
..
.....Steward.
Bro. William Singlehurst
..
..
..
..
.Tyler.
Appendix "B" OFFICERS OF THE LODGE 1970
W.Bro. Cecil Gibson Duncan
.. .........Master.
W.Bro. Norman Sewell Williamson
....................I.P.M.
Bro. Arthur William Woods
..
..
..S.W.
Bro. George Pennington
..
..
.J.W.
W.Bro. Arthur William Woods, P.Prov.A.G.D.C... Chaplain.
W.Bro. Joseph Banks Lawson, P.Prov.G.D.
Treasurer.
W.Bro. John Fitzpatrick
..
..
..Secretary.
W.Bro. George Dent, P.Prov.G.D.
..
.. ..Director
of Ceremonies.
Bro. Dick Atkinson
..
..
..
..
S.D.
Bro. Frank Bailey
..
..
J.D.
W.Bro. George Wallace Milner
.
..
..
.. Asst.
Director of Ceremonies.
W.Bro. William Sherrington Searle P.Prov.G.D. ...Almoner.
Bro. Robert Ronald Byers Lamb
..Organist.
Bro. Stanley Moody
Asst. Secretary.
Bro. John Reginald Stout
I.G.
Bro. Robert Atkinson
..Steward.
Bro. John Fletcher Chisholm ...Steward. Bro. William Tyrell Clark ..Steward. Bro. Harry Bradley .......Steward. Bro. John Charlton Reay .......Steward. Bro. Arthur Robert Fowler ....Steward. Bro. Ernest Scott .....Steward. Bro. Wilfred Armory Jones ...........Steward. Bro. Thomas Gibson ............Steward. Bro. Lawrence Embleton ......Steward. Bro. John Thomas Montgomery Ayton ..........Steward. Bro. Norman William Duke .......Steward. Bro. Gilbert Morris .......Steward. Representative on the Provincial Benevolent Committee:
Bro. Lawrence Embleton Representative for the 1979 Festival in aid of the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution:
W.Bro. James Anthony Elliot
Appendix "C" MEMBERS OF NORMAN LODGE - 1970 C. R. Alderson W. Davies R. R. B. Lamb
D. F. Alderson C. T. Davison J. B. Lawson E. Allison F. B. Dennison H. L. Laybourne J. E. Anderson G. Dent C. Lee B. G. Atkinson R. Dobson M. J. Liddle C. Atkinson W. H. Dodds F. Lowes K. R. Atkinson G. A. Duke G. D. Lowes R. Atkinson C. G. Duncan A. Lyall J. R. Arkless N. C. P. Lyall H. Armitage V. H. Edwards J. T. M. Ayton A. Elcoat C. Machin J. A. Elliott R. Marshall F. Bailey T. O. Eltringham T. W. Martindale T. Barnfather K. Embleton R. Mason S. Barrett L. Embleton J. Mein W. Bates K. B. Errington G. Middlemass R. L. Beever H. Middlemass J. W. Bell S. Firth J. Middlemass P. W. Bell J. Fitzpatrick T. Middlemass J. D. Best N. T. Fleming I. Milburn W. A. Bicknell A. R. Fowler J. Millican F. A. Blanch B. Funnell G. W. Milner G. Bloomfield D. M. Moir F. Borthwick E. J. Gadd A. Mole W. Bowey E. A. Gallimore D. Mole A. E. Bowman T. Gibson T. H. Mole H. Bradley B. O. Gilson S. Moody G. W. Buckle J. W. Gilson G. Moore R. Burdess J. W. Golightly R. Moore L. Burnley G. Morris W. L. Burton T. M. Harding A. Murrie H. G. Harris S. J. Cannon T. H. Harrison J. P. Oliver J. Carmen W. Harrison R. M. Carson R. L. Henderson G. W. Palmer J. F. Chisholm R. Hindmarsh L. Parkinson W. J. Chitty E. H. Hope J. Patterson R. A. Clark J. Hopper S. H. Patterson R. N. Clark M. Horseman G. Pennington W. T. Clark R. Hudspeth F. J. Close C. R. Hughes J. R. Cogan R. Husband C. Rand B. Cooper T. Reather F. Cooper J. C. Reay J. Copeland F. P. Jackson W. N. Reay T. Cosgrove S. Jobson R. L. Render R. Cowell J. M. Johnson G. W. Renney G. Cox P. B. Johnson W. Richardson H. Crow W. A. Jones R. W. Ridley L. Cummings C. Curry A. Kingston E. Scott G. Curry G. A. Knox N. H. Searle LISTOF MEMBERSOF NORMAN LODGE - 1970 (continued) W. S. Searle J. Taylor R. W. Wheatley
R. C. Shepherd T. B. Taylor T. Wheatley W. A. H. Shepherd J. R. Temple F. S. Whitfield J. C. Simpson G. Thompson H. Williams W. F. Simpson H. A. Trennery N. S. Williamson F. Smith P. Turner H. Wilson F. Smith J. E. Tyrer J. A. Wilson T. V. Snaith N. Wilson P. G. Sproule H. J. Usher N. S. Wilson D. Stokoe A. E. Worthy J. R. Stout R. Worthy R. A. Stout C. H. Ward A. W. Woods S. Sutherland J. Watson A. W. Woods T. Westhorp A. M. Wright A[ppendix "G" (i) NORMAN LODGE No. 1334 CENTENARY (1870 - 1970) Centenary Meeting held in the Chapter House, Durham
Cathederal
Wednesday, 2nd December 1970
AGENDA
1. To Open the Lodge.
2. To read the dispensation.
3. To receive the R.W. Provincial Grand Master and
Officers of Provincial Grand lodge.
4. The Minutes of the First Meeting, held on Monday,
28th November 1870, will be
read by the Secretary. 5. The Centenary Warrant will be read by the Provincial
Grand Secretary.
6. Presentation of the Centenary Warrant to the
Worshipful Master by the R.W.
Provincial Grand Master. 7. A New Banner, presented by Bro. F. Bailey, will
be dedicated.
8. Oration by the Provincial Grand Chaplain.
9. The Worshipful Master will give a short address
on the history of the lodge.
10. To Close the Lodge.
Appendix "G" (ii) NORMAN LODGE No. 1334 CENTENARY (1870 - 1970) Centenary Banquet held at the Three Tuns Hotel,
Elvet, Durham
Wednesday, 2nd December 1970
MENU
Parma Ham - Melon
------
Irish Broth Sprinkled with Shamrock
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Poached Galway Bay Salmon - Shrimp Sauce
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Roast Sirloin of Beef - Horseradish Sauce
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Roast and Croquet Potatoes
Garden Peas - Broccoli Spears ------
Norman Sparkler
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Cheese Board
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Dessert
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Fondants
------
Coffee
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