Memories of a Freemason – John Lyons PPGSwdB

My installation was in September 1994 and, to be honest, I don’t remember much about it, save that during the Inner Workings I kept thinking “crikey, I’ve got to learn all this for next year”. I hadn’t even started this year and I was already worrying about the next year. Hearing the Master’s Song at the Festive Board was very emotional. My Installing Master was W Bro. Selwyn Grainger who was a legend in masonic circles and was a member of many side degrees. If he had the choice he would he would have been out at a masonic meeting every night of the week.

The Masters’ Nights were interesting, as we had a great bunch of fellow WMs, with all of them being their first year in the chair. It was really interesting to see how other lodges conducted their ceremonies; it was very different in some lodges to what we do in The Lodge of Dawn. I think I managed to do 17 visits to Masters’ Nights, and only missed one or two that clashed with us on a Tuesday night, and those on a Friday night.

I very clearly remember one Masters Night when I sat next to the host Master. He was really nervous all night. During the Festive Board he drank a whole bottle of whisky…. neat….. and on his own. Surprisingly he was still able to stand up straight and deliver his speech and toasts! Sadly he passed away the following year. I’m not sure that the two are linked, and no, I won’t name the Lodge…..

My Ladies Night was good fun. The event was a black tie do at The Marriott Hotel in town, on a Thursday night, and we had about 130 attendees including a mix of family and close friends. It was a memorable occasion.

I was initiated in November 1976. The Master that year was the late W Bro. Maurice Tobias. The Lodge of Dawn used to have a tradition whereby the initiate, after the Festive Board, had to host all of the brethren for tea, cakes and sandwiches at their home. This happened automatically, there was no ‘invitation’ about it. So my wife had to wait up until 10.30/11.00pm for about 60-odd brethren to turn up from Great George Street and serve all these strangers tea and coffee. And some overstayed their welcome!

When I was IPM the December meeting was our inter-lodge visit from Loyalty and it was also Olde English Night. There were over 100 attending including a visiting PGM from another Province. The ceremony started OK, but the Master unfortunately became poorly and had to leave the Temple. I had to immediately step in and conduct the remainder of the ceremony, which was pretty daunting. I think I did a reasonable job especially as within two years I was asked to take over as Preceptor of the Lodge from W Bro. Maurice Cutler. Fortunately the Master was fully recovered by the time of the Festive Board. [*see note below for more…]

During my time the Lodge has moved from Great George Street in Leeds city centre to Castle Grove in Headingley. I didn’t mind Great George Street as I worked in town so it was easy to get to, and you could park outside. The Lodge meetings were held on the second Tuesday in the month. The Lodges of Instruction were usually held in a small claustrophobic room in the basement. One year the actual Junior Master’s Night ceremony was held in that room. It was very crowded.

During my early years as a mason the Preceptor of The Lodge of Dawn was W Bro George Albaster, who was very strict…. he would have a habit of coming up to you and saying things like “you’re doing the Ancient Charge in LOI in two weeks time”…..not because you were doing it in lodge but just to keep you on your toes and learn the ritual. And you learnt and delivered it!

At Masters Night the junior brethren always had to give a lecture on a masonic topic. Six of us would deliver the lecture, but we had to learn it and deliver it off by heart. That was in addition to learning ritual. These lectures were quite long, and not easy. The year after being raised you were expected to deliver the 2nd Degree Charge. Even though it’s a short piece, it was quite daunting.

As Preceptor for 13 years I saw a lot. Some Brethren were good at learning ritual, others found it difficult. It was certainly a challenge at times but they all got there in the end, and I believe thoroughly enjoyed their year as WM. I tried to instil into the brethren that it was very rewarding for the ceremonies to be conducted in the traditional and correct manner. The Lodge of Dawn was, and still is, renowned for its ritual. I also tried to remember that masonry is a hobby and that a Brother’s family life and job is paramount; it’s really a case of balance.

It was great honour to be an acting Provincial Officer. I was appointed a Provincial Assistant Director of Ceremonies. This meant that I went to Installation meetings around the Province accompanying an Assistant Provincial Grand Master or the acting Provincial Senior or Junior Warden.

As part of my role I had to attend the LOI of the lodges the week before we were due to visit them to make sure everything was in order and everyone knew what they were doing. I remember one old secretary telling me quite vociferously “we don’t need you lot from Province coming here, we can do our ceremony on our own without you!” I was somewhat shocked that none of the other brethren present told him off. I was made to feel very unwelcome. The Provincial DC at that time W Bro. Stephen Till, who has sadly just passed away, had to phone their Senior Past Master to remind him that as a Lodge within the Province it had to comply with Provincial rules and protocol. Thankfully the Installation passed smoothly and, to be fair, the Secretary apologised to me.

I also remember another ceremony when an Assistant PGM who was very nervous and who smoked like a chimney, left the Festive Board three or four times for a quick smoke. On the final time he said “don’t start the speeches yet John until I get back…” I think that night the Festive Board finished at about 11.15pm !

I did about six official visits as an Assistant DC but then when you add on the pre-visit LOI trips, and also the ‘crash visits’ the PGM made to Lodges accompanied by his acting Officers plus being Preceptor at the time it was a very busy year for me. It was however great fun and a great honour.

My main piece of advice would be to make sure you know your ritual before your year starts. There’s so much more that you need to do during the year that learning ritual is something that you could do without.

Keep calm during your year in the Chair. You are like a Headmaster, but always remember that there is a Board of Governors (the Senior Past Masters) in the background!

And finally don’t drink a whole bottle of whisky at your own Masters Night.

Definitely the camaraderie. You meet lots of people that you wouldn’t normally come across in your day-to-day life or your business They are different ages, from different backgrounds and they are all very friendly and supportive. It’s a wonderful club to be in.