Beacon Lodge No 4362 was privileged recently to receive a presentation entitled "a walk around the first degree tracing board". The way the presentation team delivered the event was arguably something rarely seen. It was a very interesting lecture, presented by W Bro Barry (Bazza as he prefers to be called!) Longstaff ProvGStwd, WBro Trevor Collinson PPGReg and WBro Nigel Bell PPJGD.
It would be disingenuous not to state Bazza had clearly carried out an immense amount of research in regard to pulling the presentation together.
All three presenters brought the presentation together in an informative, enlightening and entertaining way.
To set the background the lodge was effectively taken back 300 years, to a time when the original Masons met in taverns. It was explained to the Brethren present that early lodge floor workings were much shorter than those in present day lodge. Bazza started by explaining how in early times Brethren would gather around a ritual diagram on the floor of a tavern. The team delivered a most informative short history of the origins of the Tracing Boards and then went on to explain the symbols around the Josiah Bowring board of 1819. The lesser lights were placed on the TB to not only hold it down, but also to give the ambiance in the lodge by giving the feel of a candlelight delivery.
The presentation was really well received by the Brethren, many of whom took an active part in the speculation of the symbols. Sadly, time had to be called on the meeting to enable other lodge business to be carried out. The lodge thanks Bazza, Nigel and Trevor for all their hard work.
If you would like your lodge to receive a really interesting presentation in regard to the history of the tracing boards Bazza is the man to contact. He is so enthused with the history of the tracing boards he's even set up a Facebook page so that Brethren from around the world can take part in submitting pictures of tracing boards and adding background information etc, thereby adding to the body of Masonic knowledge.
This group can be viewed on Facebook by typing Masonic Tracing Boards.
