Once upon a time, before bears became tender, loving and caring, they didn’t tend to appear at Masonic meetings but, in September 2022, that changed, and bears started to become regular visitors.

As part of its Centenary celebrations the Secretary of St John of Bridlington Lodge decided that it wanted a mascot to mark the event, one which wouldn’t cost too much to feed but which would attract some attention. And so, onto the scene came John (picture above).

Now we all know that there are certain expected standards of dress at Masonic events and turning up in just your skin, even if it is brown fur, isn’t accepted etiquette so, Maureen Chambers took on the task of dressing John in full morning dress.

The idea was that whenever the Lodge visited John, would attend, non-dining of course, and would be a focus of attention, and add to his appearance by wearing donated jewels and other Masonic items. He is gradually becoming the most decorated member of the Province. The hope is that someone will eventually present him with an original Harper jewel, but we might wait a long time!

No one expected that John would be joined by a Provincial Lodge bear called Barney (picture below), once again dressed in sartorial elegance by Maureen. Barney’s task is to travel the Province, armed with his Masonic Passport, to be acquired by auction or raffle at meetings but with a strict requirement that monies raised go to a charity of the acquiring Lodge’s choice and very importantly that he must immediately be given to another Lodge to do the same again. A travelling bear whose tender loving credentials will hopefully raise a goodly sum for local good causes. He will be returning to the Provincial meeting in May 2024 to have his passport inspected and his achievements recognised and who knows what next ……………….

But what of the third bear?

Well once two bears start to inhabit a territory you can’t keep them away and so a third bear was born.

The Widows’ Sons Lodge was presented with a bear on the basis that bears and travelling seem to go together, and let’s face it you can’t get much more travel under your belt than a Widows’ Son.

At its meeting in November 2023 St John of Bridlington Lodge presented the Worshipful Master of the Widows’ Sons Lodge, David Brocklesby, with bear number three.

You have guessed it, dressed by Maureen, but in keeping with the Lodge dress code sporting a leather cut emblazoned with their emblem! We await his christening and look forward to hearing what his “road name” is, but whatever it is there is no doubt that he will travel far and wide, and I suspect, a little faster than your average bear, which for those of you that are of an age to remember, being driven rather than walking makes him “smarter than the average bear”.