The Provincial Grand Master and his team of Provincial Grand Officers were out in force on Friday 18th October 2019 for the inaugural Installation meeting of Tudor Rose Lodge No.5660, the new Military Lodge for Leicestershire & Rutland.
The honour of Installing Master fell to W.Bro. Aubrey Newman, who took great pride in the way in which he conducted the ceremony. The Masters collar had been recently re-furbished for this special occasion, and was duly presented by the Provincial Grand Master as he installed W.Bro. Phil Hurst into the chair of King Solomon.
The Tudor Rose Lodge was consecrated in April 1937, in the Province of Warwickshire, and met at the Masonic Hall in Sutton Coldfield. In 2018, due to low numbers, steps were initiated to surrender the warrant of the lodge, however at the same time a small group of Freemasons in Leicestershire & Rutland had begun discussions to form a military lodge within the province. As an alternative to consecrating a new lodge, it was suggested and agreed that Tudor Rose was moved from Warwickshire to Leicestershire & Rutland. This was met with unanimous enthusiasm by the members, and the ten Leicestershire & Rutland Brethren who
had joined the Lodge in January 2019.
At the final meeting in Sutton Coldfield in March 2019, the members passed a motion to begin the formal process of transferring the lodge to the new Province, followed by a handover of Lodge furniture and regalia,
including a magnificent Lodge banner.
In recognition of the support and hard work of the Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. David Hagger, and the Provincial Grand Secretary W.Bro. Kelvin Johnson, both were proposed as honorary members to the Lodge. In total, fifteen brethren were successfully balloted for as joining members, and a further thirteen Brethren
proposed as joining members.
During the evening, £300 was raised for “We Were Once Soldiers” the homeless veterans' charity, as well as a contribution to the Leicestershire & Rutland 2022 Festival.
