Provincial News

Message from the Provincial Grand Master

The Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Peter Kinder, gives his thoughts on the year just gone and looks ahead to 2021 and what it may bring.

Much has been said about 2020, and how our lives have been turned upside down as we struggle to retain some form of normality whilst abiding to regulations and keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. By the time you read this article, we would ordinarily have held our annual Provincial Grand Lodge at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester, but as you are well aware, this could not take place as planned. I would usually begin my address by saying what a pleasure it is to welcome so many Brethren and Guests to Provincial Grand Lodge, instead there will have been just six of us when we were able to hold the meeting, most of whom will have doubled up on duties that are not usually theirs. This is the plan as we go to press with this article. This plan is to have myself, the DPGM V.W.Bro. Brian Carruthers, our APGM W.Bro. Andy Green also acting as Senior Warden, and our Provincial Grand Treasurer W.Bro. Adrian Pearce also acting as Junior Warden. W.Bro. Paul Wallace our hardworking Provincial Grand Secretary will be doubling up duties as Pursuivant & Tyler, and our Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies W.Bro. Geoff Searson focussing on the difficult task of being DC with such a small team. My full address has been recorded, which I hope as many Brethren as possible have been able to listen to. As I have said many times in my messages and our bulletins to all Brethren, we will meet again in the way in which we all want our Freemasonry to resume, that is, with full ceremonies and not watered-down affairs, and fully attended Festive Boards. Again, we all hope that it will not be too long before we can achieve this. We all hope that our new Provincial Officers will be able to take up the mantle of their new offices sooner rather than later, we will see what lies before us. It was good to see most of you on our Provincial Zoom meeting we held on Thursday 26th November, and once again congratulations to all the new Officers and a big thank you to those who have completed their active duties. I have written to all those standing down from office, and once again would like to thank them for their dedication to the Province. I would like to especially thank our retiring Wardens, W.Bros. Alan Roberts and Mark Hancock, again they have not had a lot to do since March. However, we will arrange some Installation visits for them when we are up and running once again and some Zoom meetings in the meantime. I would like to give special thanks to W.Bro. Tony Stockton who officially retired on 27th November, as Provincial Membership Officer. Tony has pioneered this role and I thank him most sincerely for his dedication to the Office, not an easy one, especially as there was no pattern for imitation. Our most grateful thanks go to you Tony for all you have done and your 100% commitment to the Province. This applies in equal measure to our retiring Training Officer, W.Bro. Rex Hazledine. I am sure that you will all join me in wishing good luck to W.Bros. Mark Thompson-O’Connor & Richard Barnett, who respectively take over those very important roles. When this dreadful Covid19 Pandemic hit us all in March, we set up what is now very well known as the Provincial Comms Team, which consists of Paul Wallace, David Highton, Dale Page, Phil Caswell, Richard Barnett and myself. The dedication, commitment, and sheer hard work that these Brethren contributed on your behalf has been well above and beyond the normal call of duty. Those who have read our bulletins and the many messages we have sent out over the last eight months or so will be very well aware of what has been achieved by these hard working Brethren; my most grateful thanks go to all of them - they have done an incredible job. These thanks also apply to the all the members of the Craft Executive Committee, especially our DPGM & APGM Brian and Andy, who have also worked very hard during these most difficult times. I also sincerely thank Nicola Holyoake & her team for the exceptional work they have done in preparing Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester and getting it Covid19 approved for other than Masonic purposes, and much else besides. My full address will of course mention our charitable activities in respect of the 2022 Festival and the LRMCA. Whilst we have been away from our Lodges, Gift Aid Envelopes have remained unused and few of us have had change in our pockets due to credit card transactions, that is if we have been out to use them! Therefore, Brethren we should have saved quite a lot of money! So why not donate to the 2022 Festival via the QR code on page 25 of this publication, or by BACS or Text, the details of both of these methods have been well communicated in our bulletins and, if we are able, also support the LRMCA. Never have these donations been more important. Finally Brethren, please attend your Lodge Zoom Meetings that are taking place on your Lodge meeting dates and keep in close touch with each other. Please remember those Brethren who cannot, or will not, attend these Zoom meetings, please make sure that they are contacted to keep them interested and in touch with what the Lodge and its members are up to. They are likely to be those you are getting on in years, live alone and are therefore the most vulnerable of our members. And please, remember our Masonic widows, especially at this time of year. Take care, keep safe and may God bless and look after you all.

Peter C Kinder, Provincial Grand Master

Supporting the Local Community Through Covid19

Across the nation, Freemasons have provided over 120,000 people with 300,000 meals and 38 tonnes of food, as well as incredible support and assistance with the provision of PPE and financial aid to the many foodbanks around the country.

Some of the heroic activities by members of our Province have even made it into the local and national press. The Leicester South Foodbank, which has been under great strain because of the Covid19 crisis, has received a big helping hand thanks to a £1,500 grant from the Leicestershire and Rutland Masonic Charitable Association (LRMCA). Geoff Adams, Trustee of the Leicester South Food Bank, said, “We’re very grateful to Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons for their generous grant, which will help us provide essential food to people who are in real need across Leicester & Leicestershire. The lockdown has caused serious difficulties for many families and this grant will make a real difference.”

A £3,000 grant was provided to Freemason Paul Leary and his wife Alison, who run Access Catering based in Leicestershire. Access Catering are the resident caterers at Syston Masonic Hall, and during the lockdown period have been using existing facilities to provide meals for nurses and other NHS frontline workers at the three main Leicestershire hospitals.

The skills and resources of some of our brethren have also been put to good use, as PPE started to roll off the 3D printers and other manufacturing facilities in the county during the first lockdown.

In Melton Mowbray, Chris Parsons of the Rutland Lodge No.1130, turned his hobby into a lifesaver by manufacturing and supplying face shields and masks to those that needed them. An initial grant from the LRMCA was enough to increase production and really make a difference to those who were struggling to find the equipment they needed. Similarly, in Leicester, Mark Foxall of Tudor House Lodge No.8481, along with his wife Nicole, received a grant to mass produce face shields and equipment for local hospitals and other front-line workers.

Face shields have been donated free of charge to hospitals and care homes by Michael Smart of Newarke Lodge No.6794, who has been putting his machinery to good use, by manufacturing them for front line workers. Also benefiting from Michael’s work were the staff and residents of the Devonshire Court care home.

In Syston, the Humber Stone Lodge No.7744 supported the local efforts to manufacture face shields. The help from the Lodge as well as the Chapter of Welcome was coordinated by John Gregory, who supported the production of face shields by Darren and Melissa Botterill, of Smashgard in Loughborough, who specialise in the installation of window tinting film for glass on cars, homes and offices.

Darren’s social media posts ‘hand making shields’ inspired crews from the Eastern Fire Station in Leicester to assist with the production line. Fire stations from all over Leicestershire offered their assistance, with other stations helping to carry out deliveries of the visors. Over 6,000 visors were handmade and delivered, all made possible by the financial support organised by John Gregory.

Many other acts of kindness by Freemasons throughout the Province have helped our frontline workers, care homes, hospitals, and local communities during the pandemic.

R. W. Bro. Gayton Cusley Taylor

Rt.W.Bro. Gayton Taylor passed to the Grand Lodge Above on 2nd April 2020, aged 97. He was the last Brother to be simultaneously Provincial Grand Master in the Craft and Grand Superintendent in and over the Royal Arch Province of Leicestershire and Rutland.

He was born in Leicester on 3rd June, 1922 Rt.W.Bro Gayton under his father’s guidance was Initiated in the Granite Lodge, No. 2028, Leicester. His Father William Taylor was the Senior Warden. (In 1967, in memory of his father, R. W. Bro. Taylor presented to the Province a kneeling stool, which is still used during ceremonies at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester.) Gayton and his wife Beryl, who pre-deceased, him had two children, Paul and Alison. In 1948 Bro. Taylor joined the business of a Leicester Shoe Component Manufacturer, eventually becoming a director and, finally, upon the founder’s retirement, purchasing the business and remaining its principal until his retirement in 1988. For many years, whenever possible, the Taylor family spent their holidays in Norfolk and in 1970 a plot of land was purchased on the North Norfolk coast and a second home was built. After retirement from business, they spent an increasing amount of time there until finally in 1995, the family home at Gaddesby was sold and they moved to Norfolk enabling Bro. Taylor,in particular, to indulge in his favourite pastimes of ‘messing about in boats’, sea fishing, walking the marshes with his black labrador, and fraternising with the local villagers. In 1973 he was a Founder Member of the St. James Lodge, No. 8478, Leicester; in 1977, a Joining Member of The Lodge of Research, No. 2429, Leicester, having been a member of the Correspondence Circle, and in 1964, he was elected a Joining Member of The Leicestershire and Rutland Lodge of Installed Masters, No. 7896. In the 1979 Year Book there was a photograph of him and the accompanying notes commented: ‘During his 32 years in Masonry all the Brethren who have been fortunate enough to have had close contact with him have found a Brother full of kindness and personal charm and have quickly realised that he is one who firmly believes in the precepts of Freemasonry and this and his other characteristics have earned him the respect of all...’ At the 1975 Annual Communication of Provincial Grand Lodge, R.W. Bro. Brigadier C.B.S. Morley, Provincial Grand Master, appointed, obligated and invested him as Deputy Provincial Grand Master, noting his qualities of modesty and kindliness. Following the resignation in December, 1977, of R.W.Bro. Brig. C.B.S. Morley as Provincial Grand Master, he was appointed to succeed him as P. G. M. He was Installed by the M. W. Deputy Grand Master at an Especial Communication of Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland held at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester, on 5th April, 1978. Over 1200 Brethren of the Province were present and prior to the Ceremony 386 Brethren lunched together at the Freemasons‘ Hall, Leicester. One of the outstanding highlights of the his tenure of office was the culmination of the 184th Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 1982 Festival Appeal on 2nd June, 1982 when 1090 Brethren and their ladies travelled to London, mainly in seventeen coaches, to attend the traditional Festival Dinner at the Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street. Upon arrival they were each received by the R.W. Provincial Grand Master and Mrs. Taylor. The Report of the Committee of General Purposes 1981-82 was to comment, “Your Committee cannot let the occasion pass without saying to R. W. Bro. G.C. Taylor and his wife, how proud all of us who attended were of them.” As Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Taylor consecrated five new Lodges in his Province; one being formed in his honour and entitled the Gayton Taylor Lodge, No. 9176, Leicester. He also attended the Centenary Meeting of his Mother Lodge and also that of the Lodge of the Golden Fleece, No. 2081, Leicester, in both instances presenting to the Master the Warrant permitting the wearing of the Centenary Jewel granted by the United Grand Lodge of England. The Abstract of Returns from each Lodge in the Province for the year ended 31st May 1978 (a month after R.W. Bro. Taylor’s Installation) showed the total of subscribing Brethren to be 3367. The figure seven months after the Provincial Grand Master’s retirement was 3439, an increase of 72. At the 1989 Annual Communication of Provincial Grand Lodge, R. W. Bro. D.A. Buswell, Provincial Grand Master, presented to R. W .Bro. Taylor a clock saying, “R.W.Bro. Taylor always carried out his duties with distinction and has been totally dedicated to the interests of the Brethren of Leicestershire and Rutland. Freemasonry in this Province has progressed from strength to strength since his Installation in 1978 and five new Lodges have been consecrated. R. W. Bro. G.C. Taylor has by his personal example set the highest standards which we all have a duty to uphold in the future.” On 28th June 2017, he was presented with a 70 year certificate of service in Freemasonry, when it was noted that apart from those lodges of which he was a subscribing member, there were 43 of which he was an Honorary Member. R. W. Bro. Gayton Cusley Taylor truly laid up a Crown of Joy and Rejoicing which continues when time with him is no more, he truly lived respected and died regretted, we have acknowledged true departed merit.