Our January 2023 meeting, saw our recently retired Treasurer, WBro Richard Fardon reach a very special milestone when he celebrated 50 years as a Freemason.
Richard Fardon
To mark the occasion, he was presented with a Certificate on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master RW Bro Ian Kingsbury JP by none other than our own WBro Frank Handscombe BEM, PJGD.
Richard’s first step on the road to his “half century” began on the 20th January 1973, when he joined Coningsby Lodge No 6383 in Hereford. In 1979, having moved to the Province of Middlesex, he became a joining member of Byron Lodge No 7426, a membership with continues to this day. He has served twice as Worshipful Master, in both 1984 and 1998.
Eventually, having moved to Devon, he joined our Lodge, The Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421, in 2003. He became the Lodge’s Treasurer in 2004, a post he held continuously until his retirement in October last year.
Richard has also been an active Royal Arch Freemason having joined Corinthian Chapter No 4917 in 1977. He served as First Principal of Byron Chapter No 7426 in 1992 and also of Wimbledon Chapter No 3160 in 2002. He holds Provincial Grand Rank in both Surrey and Middlesex.
Worshipful Master Ray McIntosh, Richard Fardon and Frank Handscombe
Referring to Richard’s extensive and comprehensive CV, Frank Handscombe expressed astonishment at the sheer number of offices Richard has served in over the 50 years. He has set a fine example to younger Members setting out on their own masonic journey, as someone who epitomises the motto “Service before Self”
Everyone at Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421 would like to express their thanks to Richard for all his hard work over the years and to wish him and his wife Mary, a long, happy and comfortable retirement.
We were greatly saddened this week to learn of the death of Worshipful Brother John Robert Finch a member and Past Master of The Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421.
John Finch
John (75) had bravely battled cancer for many years, showing an astonishing level of courage and stoicism, in the face of his illness. He is perhaps best known to our members as the man who occupied the Master’s Chair in the Lodge for 2 consecutive years during the recent Covid-19 Pandemic.
With all masonic meetings suspended for the first time in the Order’s history, John undertook to hold the Lodge together by organising monthly Zoom meetings to keep channels of communication open. He would create an agenda just as we would for a normal Lodge meeting, and would guide those present through a list of talks, reports and other masonic business; successfully maintaining a sense of normality during one of the most “abnormal” times in our recent history. So great was his enthusiasm for what was then very new technology, he once chaired a meeting from his hospital bed in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital!
John’s Masonic Career
Hailing originally from the West Midlands, John joined Greville Lodge No 4773 in Warwick on the 18th March 1982 at the age of 35. He served as that Lodge’s Worshipful Master in 1997/8 and remained a subscribing member until 2012. As a result of his long service to Warwickshire Freemasonry he was appointed to the rank of Past Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies on the 22nd May 2004
Having moved to the village of Bishop’s Nympton, near South Molton, John became a joining member of the Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421 on 5th June 2007 and was installed into the Master’s Chair on the 2nd October 2018. As detailed above he held this post until a successor was finally appointed on 5th October 2020. In recognition of his outstanding leadership and dedication, on the 5th April 2022 the Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire Right Worshipful Bro. Ian Kingsbury JP was pleased to promote John, by way of a very rare field promotion, to the senior rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden.
John was also a member of Fortescue Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 9, which he served as Worshipful Master (again for a 2 year period between 2017 and 2019) achieving the Rank of PPrGJD in 2021. He was elevated into Fortescue Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No. 9 in 2014.
Charity Work
During a visit to North Devon District Hospital at an early stage in his treatment, John received a “Box of Kindness” from local Charity ChemoHero (https://www.chemohero.org). This act of generosity, aimed directly at serving the needs of Chemotherapy patients, touched John to the extent that during the remainder of his time as Worshipful Master he set about raising funds to support their work.
John with Rob and Lisa Wallis
The photo above shows John with the Charity’s Co-founders, the late Lisa Wallis BEM and her husband Rob on a cold and windy Fremington Quay where he presented them (socially distanced of course) with a cheque from the Loyal Lodge of Industry for over £800
In memoriam
John’s quiet and unassuming nature, his warm caring personality, his boundless enthusiasm and his wry sense of humour will be sadly missed by all who knew him; but especially by his masonic Brethren who were privileged to see the best of a very special man.
Our thoughts go out to John’s wife Pip and the family at this sad time.
This year’s Armistice Day wreath laying ceremony in South Molton, was supported by the Masters of all three of the town’s masonic Lodges.
At 11:00am on Friday 11th November 2022, the people of South Molton came together to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their Country.
Low grey cloud and a keen south westerly wind formed a sombre backdrop to the Service of Remembrance, led by the Rev. Jane Lucas the Chaplain of the South Molton Branch of the Royal British Legion.
The salute was taken by Colonel (Ret’d) Paddy King-Fretts
The names of those South Molton residents killed in both World Wars and more recently in Afghanistan, were read out by Branch President Sir Richard Peek to be followed by a minute’s silence.
The lone bugler, Jane Toms then played a moving rendition of The Last Post.
Wreaths were laid by The Royal British Legion, The Town Council, South Molton Police, South Molton Freemasons and local schools.
Philip Carr, David Stanbury and Ray McIntosh represented the town’s 3 masonic Lodges
For the first time in many years, the current Masters of each of South Molton’s three masonic Lodges were all in attendance. The Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421 was represented by its Worshipful Master, Ray McIntosh.
Fortescue Lodge of Mark Master Masons No.9 by its Worshipful Master, David Stanbury and Fortescue Lodge of Royal Ark MarinersNo 9, by its Worshipful Commander Philip Carr.
Commenting on the ceremony Ray McIntosh said…
“We are proud to be supporting this year’s Remembrance activities. Supporting our community is a very important part of what Freemasonry is all about. Freemasons have played a part in South Molton life for almost 200 years and we are delighted to continue that tradition.”
In January 2023 a very rare event will take place at Freemasons’ Hall in London when an “especial” meeting of the United Grand Lodge of England will take place. The Reason: to celebrate the publication in 1723 of the first “Book of Constitutions”
Freemasons Hall
Authored by Dr. James Anderson, the Book of Constitutions eventually became, after many republications over the centuries, the rulebook by which Freemasonry is governed throughout the world.
Published in a time of political upheaval (the Jacobite Rebellion having only been put down a few years earlier), the importance of this book lies in it’s promotion of enlightenment principles such as religious tolerance, the promotion of education and science, meritocracy; and a world described by rational observation rather than religious dogma. It also espoused constitutional government and democratic accountability.
Those principles still reverberate to this day as they form the bedrock of the policies of modern liberal and democratic governments throughout the world.
As well as the “Especial” meeting there will be a new Exhibition at the Museum of Freemasonry in London called “Inventing the Future”, a three day conference at Queen’s College, Cambridge from the 22/24the September 2023; and a new book by Ric Berman also called ‘Inventing the Future’ which is available at The Shop at Freemasons’ Hall and online at Amazon.
Much more detailed information is available on the new 1723 Constitutions website.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is Freemasonry’s national grant making Charity.
Supported entirely by donations from Freemasons and their families, it supports a wide range of Charities, Organisations, Individuals and other good causes.
The Charity has just released its 2021/22 impact report detailing it’s work across a wide range of sectors.
Every year a masonic Lodge chooses a new member to act as the Worshipful Master for the ensuing year. On Tuesday 4th October 2022 South Molton’s Loyal Lodge of Industry No 421 held it’s annual “Installation” meeting at Freemasons Hall in New Road, South Molton.
The new man in the “Hot seat” for 2022/3 is 76 year old, retired clinician Ray McIntosh. Hailing originally from Perthshire in Scotland, Ray now lives in Tiverton
He joined Scottish Freemasonry in 1967, on the recommendation of his Brother Malcolm who is also a mason. He joined The Loyal Lodge of Industry in 2015. Since then Ray has held a variety of Lodge Offices and being a trained singer, regularly leads the singing of traditional masonic songs during proceedings.
Ray McIntosh with AsstProvGM Craig Cox
The Lodge was delighted to welcome, as Presiding Officer for the evening Worshipful Brother Craig Cox Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire. WBro Cox was accompanied by the Provincial Junior Grand Warden WBro Kevin Jones and a deputation of Active Provincial Officers.
The new Worshipful Master was installed into the chair of the Lodge by his predecessor WBro Mike Latham whose fluent and confident delivery of the ceremonial was much enjoyed by all.
Many Lodge members made contributions to the ceremony as it proceeded, but perhaps the most satisfying was the word perfect delivery of the 1st Degree Working tools by Fellowcraft Bro. Damien Dempsey. Damien only joined the Lodge a few months ago but his faultless and measured delivery belied his inexperience.
As is usual on these occasions WBro Cox received 2 substantial Donations from the Lodge in support of the Devonshire 2023 Festival and the Provincial Benevolent Fund.
Having been placed in the Chair, our new Worshipful Master then proceeded to appoint and invest his new team of Officers.
Following the formal part of the proceedings Lodge Members and visitors repaired to the dining room for a sumptuous 4 course dinner, followed by the usual series of toasts and speeches.
Craig Cox addresses the meeting
Replying to the Toast to the Provincial Grand Officers, Craig Cox delivered the Congratulations of the Provincial Grand Master RWBro Ian Kingsbury, who wished the new Worshipful Master a very happy and successful year in office. He also congratulated the Lodge on their very successful implementation of the “Member’s Pathway”, a national initiative designed to promote masonic membership.
At the end of an unforgettable evening, Ray said…
“I am so proud to have been elected as the 187th Worshipful Master of such a traditional and historic Lodge. The friendliness of its members and the support they have given me over the years has been wonderful. I look forward to serving them for the next 12 months”
Ray McIntosh WM.
To discover more about Freemasonry in South Molton…
Following a surge in membership applications over the last year, the Freemasons in South Molton, North Devon have recently launched a new, updated website. It is designed specifically to assist those wanting to know more about how to join what is one of the largest charitable organisations in the UK.
The site contains information about the history of Freemasonry in South Molton, the origins of the Order and explains the basic values by which Freemasons seek to help people in need.
Many people assume quite wrongly, that Freemasons are all male. There are in fact, thousands of women Freemasons meeting in Lodges across the UK. The new website has links to both of the Women’s Grand Lodges currently operating in England and Wales.
Thankfully these days, most of the ill informed prejudices and old fashioned attitudes towards Freemasonry are no longer current or believed by the majority of people. However this new website tackles those issues head on, to present a balanced and accurate picture of what 21st Century Freemasonry is all about.
We have been awarded accreditation under the “Charter Mark” scheme run by the United Grand Lodge of England as a trusted and accurate source of information regarding modern Freemasonry.
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