The Lodge of the Flaming Torch No.4874 met on the 12th December 2019 for their Christmas meal at Freemasons' Hall in Leicester. As is the tradition in most Lodges around the country, this meal, better known as a "Festive Board" includes elements of fun, discussion, and tradition. Tradition in the fact that present on the table are often items of historical and sentimental value to each and every Lodge, in the case of the Lodge of the Flaming Torch, this included a silver cigarette box which had been presented to the Lodge in the 1970's, which had somehow become lost.
Taking up the challenge to replace such a valuable item, Bro. Nick Bradshaw had this to say.
"I would like to thank the Lodge for allowing me the honour of making this most important presentation. R.W.Bro. Derek Buswell, who joined Freemasonry into the Lodge in April of 1958, mentioned to me some months ago that he had not seen his silver cigarette box on the table for some time. To be honest, with smoking banned for many years now, and with the fact I have never sat on the top table to see it, I did not even know there was one!!!
The cigarette box had initially been presented to our Lodge, in the early seventies, by R.W.Bro. Derek and his mother, Elsie, in memory of his late father, W.Bro. George Buswell, who served as Master of our lodge in 1955.
From that moment on, investigations began in earnest to try and locate it. After several months searching, all we managed to find was a distant photo of it and an old report from seven years ago.
With the help of the Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Peter Kinder, and his predecessor R.W.Bro. David Hagger, a replacement box was agreed upon, and the search turned to finding a suitable item. I am now pleased to say that I have managed to acquire a similar box from the same era and have had it engraved with the help of R.W.Bro. Derek. In the box, we keep lighters and matches to light candles at each festive board, so it will constantly be used as the lasting memento it was initially intended to be."
On the same evening, to add to the history of the Lodge, the Master, W.Bro. Richard Evans presented a port decanter, which was purchased in the memory of Michael Kellett and John Devlin, both of whom had supported the Lodge for many years, and had left donations to the Lodge in their wills.
