W.Bro Bill Crawford, PPGReg. Rockley Abbey Lodge was recently 're appointed as President of the Yorkshire Swimming Association for 2021.
He was appointed as President for 2020 but the covid epidemic curtailed his duties for that year. Hopefully 2021 will be more productive in what will the Olympic year.
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Greetings.
Barbara and I have been (and still are) volunteering as marshals at our local vaccination centre in Wath on Dearne. We started before Christmas with the 85+ group and have worked our way through the 65+ and vulnerable. We have now been warned that in March we have not only the first groups for their second shots but waves to take us down to the 50+ so we shall be busy. Rockingham Lodge has a regular Zoom chat so we keep in touch and the almoner rings round as well. We have sponsored two grants for the Wath Community Food Bank. The first to help keep the Montgomery Hall running and buy food, the second for Christmas Hampers both thankfully received. Swinton Masonic Hall now has air conditioning in the dining room, we just need to be able to use it! S&F Geoff Lord PAGDC There is an excellent piece, of interest, in the latest edition of STEELMEKKER.
In the latest publication, you can get an insight into Sheffield Freemasonry and its support of the local communities where its members live and work. To read the mag CLICK HERE There is also a fascinating piece on The Sheffield Barracks' history, which is well worth a read too. To find out more about Freemasonry in Sheffield, please visit https://sheffieldfreemasonry.co.uk/home Students from a Sheffield school will now be able to keep up with their studies thanks to City Freemasons.
Thanks to a legacy bequeathed to Ivanhoe Lodge by one of its former Masters and his sister, Percy and Mary Parramore, 22 DELL laptop computers have been donated to High Storrs School. These will now be distributed to students who have restricted access to IT in their homes, ensuring that they do not fall behind with their tuition as the Covid-19 lockdown continues. High Storrs School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form college with academy status, located on the south-western outskirts of Sheffield. Over the last five years, trustees of the Parramore Estate have provided much-needed financial support to a number of charities in and around Sheffield. Last year, it gave £20,000 to Support Dogs, which will pay for the two-year specialised training of a Labrador named Ivanhoe, who will ultimately assist an autistic youngster in the Sheffield Region. The laptop computers were presented to Deputy Head Teacher, Christine Gott, by the Lodge’s Master, Geoffrey Flavell. Mr Flavell said: “One of the three great pillars of Freemasonry is founded in charity, and, thanks to the estate of the late Percy Parramore and his sister, Mary, Ivanhoe Lodge has been able to support a number of local organisations. “I’m delighted to say the last of the estate’s funds have been used to purchase 22 laptop computers for needy students attending High Storrs School, who are currently having to do their lessons at home. “This technology will be massively supportive and will ensure that they are able to keep up with their studies until such time as they can return to their classrooms. “Thanks to Percy, a well-respected, well-liked and highly-valued Past Master of Ivanhoe Lodge, together with his sister Mary, Ivanhoe Lodge has been able to provide financial assistance to some fantastic Sheffield organisations - the good news is that their legacy will live on for many years to come.” John Clague, Ivanhoe Lodge member and Parramore Estate trustee, said: “Percy and Mary Parramore lived on Trap Lane, Bents Green, Sheffield, for most of their lives, which is within a stone’s throw of High Storrs School, hence this very fitting final contribution from their estate. “The pair were life-long supporters of local charities, especially those associated with Freemasonry and Scouting, and when we were asked to administer the estate, we set ourselves a five years’ timescale, which we have now achieved. “We shall be forever grateful to Percy and Mary for their generosity and trust they would be well satisfied in not only how we have managed their estate, but in the choice of those who will most benefit from it.” During the Second World War, Percy Parramore was captured as a prisoner of war and detained at various internment camps across Europe. During his internment, he managed to study for a City and Guilds qualification in Electrical Installation and became Editor of the camp magazine - indications of a gregarious and determined individual even under the most awful of circumstances. Most unusually, and in order to supervise the printing of this magazine, he was occasionally allowed out of the camp. Returning home to Sheffield, he joined Ivanhoe Lodge, and also became heavily involved in the Scouting Movement in Sheffield. Mary was a French teacher and taught for some time in Paris. Short stories from Lodges & Brethren From W Bro. Barry Pearson, Moorland Lodge No. 6591 Wednesday 3rd May 1989 - Bro. Michael James Hawke was installed in King Solomon's Chair and became Master of Moorland Lodge No. 6591. The Lodge was honoured by 93 visitors representing 56 Lodges.
The Installation of Bro. Michael James Hawke will long be remembered as the 'Candlelight Installation' because halfway through the ceremony, the lights covering the hall's main body fused. The incident caused quite a stir but after delaying the ceremony for ten minutes the Director of Ceremonies W. Bro. Lawrence Bellhouse discovered that a repair of the fuses would take at least thirty minutes and decided to proceed with the ceremony with reduced lighting; the Lodge room floor was lit from the light on each of the three chairs and the Secretary's and Master's lecterns. Brethren with high ranking posts within the Yorkshire Electricity Board and Central Electricity Generating Board offered their services to effect the repair, but to the surprise of the brethren present were unable immediately to remedy the situation. They were obviously too well qualified to deal with such a minor problem as a blown fuse. In their defence, the fault could possibly be put down to an antiquated electricity installation. Whatever the reason, the incident led to the ceremony being a memorable one, the Installing Master, W Bro. Tillotson commented: "Our members who were Electricians were speculative as opposed to operative." |
David Simister
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