Brethren,
Today marks a new period in the life of Yorkshire North and East Ridings and of course in my life as well.
As you might expect there are several emotions going through my mind, including some trepidations. In such circumstances it is not unusual for a speaker to descend into a diatribe only intelligible to himself. Rest assured that I have no intention of doing that.
My brief address must achieve several things.
First, to thank the MW The Pro Grand Master for being here today with the team from Grand Lodge and for investing me in the only way you would expect, polished, perfectly timed and, although public, intensely personal. One might be forgiven for thinking they have done this before!
Secondly, Brethren to thank all those who have come today to play a part in the proceedings whether that be speaking, on the floor or simply just being here. It is appreciated more than you will ever know.
It goes without saying that I am proud to become your Provincial Grand Master, and later today your Grand Superintendent, and to join a long line of those who would I am sure have expressed the same sentiments as I am about to.
Neither office is something I planned or indeed aspired to. These are roles that go to someone else, so when it happens to you, it sets you back a bit.
The task would be a more daunting one where it not for the fact that Provinces, not least ours, have an extensive network of Brethren and Companions who work tirelessly both behind and in front of the scenes to ensure that we can all enjoy our Freemasonry, and enjoyment Brethren is the touchstone of what we are about.
We are serious about what we do. In our Lodges and Chapters, we attempt to perform all our ceremonies with appropriate seriousness and sincerity BUT we must enjoy it, and that means there must be room for humour, albeit at the right time.
Brethren they say that in terms of humour, the old ones are the best. I saw the impact of humour when I heard the second-degree tracing board for the first time. The Brother involved, who was a faultless ritualist, halted and dramatically asked the Worshipful Master if he would take the names of the 40 and two thousand Ephraimites as read on this occasion. I have never forgotten that moment. It didn’t detract from the ceremony, but it did show that the very senior Brother concerned was human.
Brethren there must be a recognition that some are good at ritual, and some simply aren’t but that doesn’t mean they are relegated to the back row. Make sure they progress and do what they can when they can. Ritual is a means and not a slave.
Like many of you here today I have been a Freemason many years, 48 in fact [having been cradle snatched], although I accept, I still manage to look 28, in the right light! Over those years I have seen many changes. From the time when Grand Officers were unapproachable, Provincial Grand Masters had a retinue of impenetrable minders, when the most frequently heard utterings in a Lodge were tut, tut, and more tuts. You are now thankfully more likely to hear spontaneous applause when a Brother makes his debut appearance and delivers the tools or another piece of ritual, however flawlessly or haltingly. The important thing is that the Brother was there, and he did it!
Brethren the kind of Province I wish to be the PGM of is one where its members and visitors come to meetings and go away pleased that they gave up their time to be there.
So, what have we got to offer to ensure we meet that objective?
In Yorkshire North and East, I have found there is a unique blend of friendship, approachability, support and above all a willingness to welcome. This even extends to a southerner like me! Brethren groaning is permitted! Throwing missiles, however, isn’t recommended as I am well guarded by a very accomplished wicket keeper to my right, the MW Pro Grand Master. Brethren there is nothing quite like Yorkshire Freemasonry in my view.
How do we achieve what we set out to do? Well, we have a very well-established arrangement of Provincial Management Groups whose members do an extraordinary amount of work to enable us all to enjoy what we do. Our PMGs include communications, community engagement, membership, and events, to which is to be added a new PMG devoted to our efforts in terms of Charity.
If Covid-19 has taught us anything it is that our charitable credentials go well beyond being a source of funding, whether from MCF, our Freemasons Charity North and East Ridings or as individual Lodges and Chapters. The “person power” which we provide in our local communities, frequently goes unrecognized. Why, because it is done and people move on, frequently at speed, to the next needy cause and without necessarily thinking about recording what has been done or spreading good practice. Via our new Charity PGM, and our network of Provincial Liaison Officers, who each support one or two Lodges and a Chapter as a resourceful friend, we hope to enhance our expanding credentials across the Province and beyond. To all those working behind the scenes thank you, your efforts are appreciated more than you know, and the Province will continue to support you.
Our successes to date are too many to mention but just to give you a flavour. Look at the work of our membership PMG whose efforts were reported in the last edition of Freemasonry Today, truly impressive. Our standing in our major cities of Hull and York, where we work closely with the city administrations has established our good intentions. The support which we have given, and which we will continue to give, to the stonemason apprentices of York Minster plus our involvement in the University of York does us great credit. Brethren you saw the impact we are having on the lives of young people when we were addressed by the stone mason apprentices and the University of York postgraduate students specialising in medieval glass conservation, who came as guest speakers at one of our Provincial Meetings. We have made a difference to their lives and that is worth celebrating. We will look to similar presentations in the future.
These are just some of the examples so my apologies for omitting any that you feel warrant a mention.
So, what of the future? I could list numerous things I will do but the emphasis is not on what I will do it’s what we will do. Certainly, I will do whatever is necessary to enable us to move forward, but I say again the future is not about what I will do as an individual. Along with your executive, your PMGs and everyone else who is involved in how we function we will put in place opportunities for all those who want to play a part. Teams are not built on I, me, my and mine but we, you, your and ours.
Emerging from the last two years of reduced activity the task ahead is to reengage, make sure that those who still feel wary of venturing out are helped and encouraged. Don’t accept that “I don’t like driving at night anymore so I can’t be a regular attender”. Make sure the Brother is picked up and taken home!! Accommodate the Brother who needs to take their involvement in bite sized chunks. Why? Because that is what Masons do!!
We will strive to bring our families further into what we do. Often our families are better ambassadors for what we stand for than we are ourselves, so let’s capitalise on their enthusiasm. If we are a source of good in society, and this is not in doubt, just think how much more formidable we are with our families alongside us.
Things immediately on the horizon include looking at how we celebrate major events during the year, in particular our Provincial meeting or should it be meetings? In May this year we made provision for our initiates and fellowcrafts to experience those aspects of our Provincial meeting to which they could attend, and we will look at the success of that and see whether we do this in the future.
Grand Lodge are preparing a strategy launch later in the year and I will commit us to taking up all challenges that come our way.
We will enter Festival in 2024 so we will need to be prepared and working well with FCYNER to punch our weight.
I am also committing to working with all the Masonic Orders which form part of our Masonic family, and I thank all those Rulers and Senior Officers of no less than sixteen orders who have come today to support the Province. We will work together to ensure that whatever aspect of Freemasonry is an individuals’ “preferred home” that we recognise that we are all Craft Freemasons and that is the unifying theme.
My commitment to the Province is to do my very best to represent and support you, to find ways of ensuring that those who have something to offer are given that opportunity, irrespective of years of service or existing rank. If there are those with skills and a wish to be involved, then the Province will look for ways to make things happen. Not everything will be possible but there will be no falling back on “that’s the way we have always done it! “
The Province will adopt the approach of “yes we will wherever we can if it improves what we have”. This will be achieved by working with the Provincial Executive, all of whom, having been invested in May, I am pleased to reappoint, along with those Provincial Officers also reappointed or appointed.
As you and they will be aware some of the existing Executive will complete their tour of duty in 2023 and 2024 and a new Executive will come into being in the short to medium term. I thank them all for their past and continuing service and look forward to working with them.
I am sure you will also permit me to thank Maureen for her constant support in all my Masonic activities. Her support is important to me. She is so supportive she often says to me “isn’t there a meeting you can go to somewhere”? Isn’t that nice!
Brethren as a lawyer I could go on forever, indeed in certain settings some here can confirm I have been known to do just that, but I was asked to be brief, and I hope I have been on the basis that brevity and sincerity are not mutually exclusive. The other thing of course is that I have got three more opportunities today to add to my comments!
For now Brethren, as they say in the cinema, there will shortly be an intermission and the performance will continue later when the second act moves on to Chapter…….. but before then a chance to meet with friends, old and new and enjoy a meal.
Brethren I am thrilled to be your PGM, and I will give it my all.
