Lodge News

Lodge News Letter

In Lodge:

At the meeting on the 24th April Bro's Luis Claudio Rodrigues Rocha, and Richard Gabrial Cuzic were passed to the second degree. This sees the progression of our new members in their journey through masonry. we are looking forward to Bro's Ren Ito, Daniel Brady being passed in the future.

In February 2024 we had an exceptional meeting where we had a quadrupal initiation. Bro's Ren Ito, Daniel Brady, Luis Claudio Rodrigues Rocha, and Richard Gabrial Cuzic were initiated together. It was a very interesting ceremony and a first for the lodge. Our director of ceremonies Trevor organised it all with a lot of consultation with MetGL. The assistant MetGM WBro Michael Todd PSGD was in attendance to see the ceremony. We hope they have an enjoyable future in the lodge and masonry in general.

The Worshipful Master for 2023/2024 is W.Bro Doug Leasey. As he is a past master the installation ceremony was a short one so the opportunity was taken to pass Bro Aurelian to the second degree in the November 2023 meeting.

Officers in 2023/24 are: (a) Worshipful Master W.Bro Doug Leasey (b) IPM WM Bro Matthew Carroll, (c) SW W.Bro John Holland LGR, (d) JW W.Bro Omaid Hiwaizi PAGDC, (e) Chaplain W.Bro Clive Burrows LGR, (f) Treasurer W.Bro Asa Burrows LGR, (g) Secretary W.Bro Rod Glyn-Thomas LGR/PZ (h) DC W.Bro Trevor Koschalka PAGDC, (i) Almoner W.Bro Paul Tiffin LGR, (j) Charity Steward W.Bro Adrian Hodgson, (k) Lodge Mentor W.Bro John Holland LGR LGCR, (l) Membership officer W.Bro Rod Glyn-Thomas LGR/PZ, (m) RA Rep. W.Bro Omaid Hiwaizi PAGDC (n) SD WBro P Elder, (o) JD Bro Jimmy Rahman, (p) Organist W.Bro Peter Turner, (q) ADC W.Bro Adrian Hodgson (r) Assistant Sec. To be left vacant, (s) IG Bro Aurelian Dinu, (t) Steward TBA (u) Tyler W.Bro J Gangadeen PAGDC (v) Assistant Treas. W.Bro Clive Burrows.

The lodge has donated £250 to Ukraine Appeal and £250 to the Orient Lodge 4085 Chaplains Challenge for their local Cancer centre, in memory of Josie Holland.

New members are always welcome, and it was again stressed to encourage current members, to, maybe find potential candidates who they think suitible and would enjoy masonary, this web site would be a good source of information for any prospective members.

It was noted that the February 2016 meeting was the 700th for the Royal Leopold Lodge. The lodge is now thinking about it 150th anniversary in 2027.

Royal Arch Chapter

The Chapter is at present encouraging members of the lodge to join. It rounds off the craft degrees and is another enjoyable part of masonry, with only three meetings a year it does not take up a great deal of time and is rewarding as the completion of craft masonry. See: Why Join The Royal Arch

Welcome Seminars:

Welcome Seminars are held every year for the Royal Arch. A very interesting seminar to attend where you can learn more about the ceremony through which you have passed. Another Companion can accompany you, if you wish, or another Chapter member who is mentoring you. The occasion provides an opportunity to meet other recent exaltees, to exchange experiences, and perhaps arrange to visit each other’s Chapters. There is no charge to attend these seminars. New dates are announced regularly.

Items of Interest:

The Lodge web address is: https://www.royalleopold-lodge.org

https://www.rosetta.london/

Rosetta is a site built by Metropolitan Grand Lodge for London Freemasons. It has a lot of information about what changes are taking place as well as a wealth of other information i.e. New member Seminars also seminars for the various offices in lodge as well as as general information on the offices, so it is very useful if taking office for the first time.

This site is password protected and Freemasons can apply for access online.

A Recommended read is the Arena magazine for London masons and Freemasonry Today. With the magazine comes information of the Masonic Charity Foundation.

You can see extracts from Freemasonry today Below.

Almoners Spot:

WB Bob Andrews Large has in recent times been unwell but now is getting on well, we look forward to seeing Bob at our future meetings.

WB Paul Tiffin is now our almoner for the ensuing year so please contact him if you or any lodge members need assistance.

Charity Stewards Spot:

The lodge charity steward is WB Adrian Hodgson.

WB Matthew's charity will be nominated shortly.

Pledges for the this year are being collected for Matthew.

MCF Pin What is this?

Publications:

Extracts from Freemasonry Today:

STONEHENGE

While Stonehenge’s history has inspired many outlandish theories linking masonry and druids, Freemason Cecil Chubb in fact bought the ancient landmark on a whim 100 years ago.

To read more go to the Freemasonry Today web site.

The last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire

Maharaja Duleep Singh gave up his throne in India to be raised a gentleman aristocrat in England. Philippa Faulks finds out how Duleep’s connection with the Royal Family inspired his Freemasonry

Mharajah Duleep Singh’s life was one of opulence and tragedy. On 29 March 1849, the son of the late Maharaja Ranjit Singh (known as Sher-i-Punjab, or ‘Lion of Punjab’) effectively became a king without a country.

Ending what his father had founded as Pakistan’s first independent state of Lahore, in the Punjab, the ten-year-old reluctantly signed the official document, later known as the Treaty of Lahore, and annexed the state. In doing so, he relinquished vast areas of India, and his family’s wealth, into the hands of Britain’s East India Company.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond, subsequently ‘gifted’ to Queen Victoria by the Marquess of Dalhousie, was part of this treasure trove. Given the diamond’s history of royal bloodshed and the ill fortune attached to those who possessed it, it is of no surprise that the newly disposed Maharaja’s life went from bad to worse. Born on 6 September 1838, Duleep was the youngest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) and Maharani Jind Kaur (1817-1863). When Ranjit died, he left six sons, of which four were legitimate or ‘acknowledged’; only two of these – Khurruck and Duleep – were ‘fully acknowledged’ by the Maharaja.

BRIEF SOVEREIGNTY

At the age of five, having lost his predecessors to assassinations, Duleep was declared sovereign with his mother, who was described by the British as ‘a woman of great capacity and strong will’. Duleep acted as Regent until December 1846, after the First Anglo-Sikh War. The former Maharani was deposed by the British, imprisoned and replaced by a Council of Regency. Duleep would not see his mother again for more than 13 years.

Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the ten-year-old Duleep signed the Treaty of Lahore and the annexation of the state was complete. The document stated: ‘His Highness the Maharajah Duleep Singh shall resign for himself, his heirs, and his successors all right, title, and claim to the sovereignty of the Punjab, or to any sovereign power whatever […] All the property of the State […] shall be confiscated to the Honourable East India Company, in part payment of the debt due by the State of Lahore to the British Government.’

Within a week of control being relinquished, Duleep was handed over to the guardianship of Sir John Login and his wife. Login had just been installed as Governor of the Lahore Citadel and would benefit from Duleep’s guardianship, monetarily and socially. Indirectly, the finances of the Maharajah contributed significantly to Login’s missionary schools in Fatahgarh, Uttar Pradesh, where, according to the book Sir John Login and Duleep Singh (Lady Login, 1890), the young sovereign lived comfortably and, in the main, enjoyably with the Logins after his removal from Lahore.

It was to be a condition of his future exile in England that the young sovereign become a Christian, but how much of this was under duress is a controversial point. Certainly, Lady Login’s account is that he was most enthusiastic and adhered to his Bible studies with a passion; he was baptised on 8 March 1853.

SCOTLAND'S ‘BLACK PRINCE’

Duleep’s other passions included art, music, shooting and coursing – fitting the part of an English country gentleman, which he would soon become. But his life was monitored and manoeuvred by the East India Company Board. Any hint of a desire to return to India was thwarted and a gentlemanly diversion of travel and other pursuits was instigated.

During his young life, Duleep moved from one part of Britain to another but was most taken with Scotland, where he was known for his penchant for shooting parties and donning Highland dress, gaining the nickname the ‘Black Prince of Perthshire’.