A History of
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Saint Giles Lodge No. 8904 |
The history of Saint Giles Lodge commenced in the Long Bar outside what is now known as the Summerhill Room at the end of the Installation Festive Board of Blockley Lodge in February 1979. The interest in forming a new Lodge was stimulated by conversations held between W. Bro. Bert Bray,W. Bro. Jack Sharp and other members and guests who had attended the meeting. Those first seeds of interest scattered by the senior members of Blockley Lodge brought together seventeen brethren at the inaugural meeting of Founders on Wednesday the 7th March 1979. In addition, apologies were received from six brethren who were unable to attend but had confirmed their interest in becoming Founders.
A number of important decisions were made at that meeting:-
- The number of Founders was fixed at a maximum of thirty.
- A Founders Fee of £30.00 was agreed together with a recommendation that the annual subscription should be £15.00.
- With the exception of the First Worshipful Master (and subsequently the First Senior Warden) only Founders who had not been through the Chair of a Lodge at the date of Consecration could be elected as Worshipful Master in the new Lodge. This was intended to help reduce the 18 to 20 years time scale, that was the norm in many lodges in Oxfordshire in the 1970s, for Master Masons to progress through the offices to the Master’s Chair.
- The number and date of meetings was agreed, subject to the Grand Temple at Oxfordshire Masonic Centre being available on those dates. The meetings were to take place on the third Wednesday in January, March, May, June, September, November and the first Wednesday in December for the Installation meeting.
- W.Bro. A.W.G. Bray, PPrJGW was nominated as the First Worshipful Master with approval to select his Officers. Three Committees were set up, a Ritual Committee, Furniture and Regalia Committee and By-laws Committee.
- W.Bro. Sharp as Founding Secretary was instructed to write to the Provincial Grand Secretary to advise him of the interest shown by brethren at that meeting in forming a new Lodge and to invite him to attend the next meeting.
- Bro. D.E. Chisnall was nominated as Treasurer.
At the meeting on 4th April 1979 W.Bro. D.H. Merry, Provincial Grand Secretary, was in attendance together with twenty founders with apologies received from six founders. The thirty founders came from nine Provinces: Twenty-one from Oxfordshire; two from Hampshire and Isle of Wight; one from West Riding of Yorkshire; one from Lincolnshire; one from Hertfordshire; one from Devonshire; one from Berkshire; one from Buckinghamshire; and one from London.
The most important item for discussion was the name of the Lodge and all agreed that it should be the “COSTIN LODGE” in memory of Dr. Conrad Costin who was Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Province between 1957 and 1971.
The Petition for formation of the new Lodge was signed ready for presentation to Blockley Lodge, the sponsoring Lodge, at their meeting in April.
At the meeting on 16th May 1979 W.Bro. Bray reported that Grand Lodge would not agree to the new Lodge being named after Dr. Costin, as he had not held the office of Provincial Grand Master. This led to an interesting discussion on other names for the Lodge and eventually three were voted on:-
- Saint Giles Lodge which received 10 votes.
- The Godstow Lodge which received 8 votes
- The Spires Lodge which received 3 votes.
After the vote was taken it was agreed by the Founders that the word‘Saint’ would always be given in full with no abbreviation to ‘St.’ The Furniture and Regalia Committee reported on the cost of purchasing the various items of movable Lodge furniture and items of regalia, which amounted to £587, with a recommendation that Founders who were to be appointed to office at the Consecration meeting should be encouraged to purchase their own Collar and jewel. The jewels were to be inscribed with the Founders names to acknowledge their generosity.
At the meeting on 20th June 1979 the Provincial Grand Secretary confirmed the date of consecration as Thursday the 31st January 1980.
The Lodge Crest was discussed and Brother Glyn Howell-Pryce, the Founding Organist, suggested that a representation of Saint Giles Church should be the centerpiece and he would approach the vicar of St. Giles Church, Oxford to seek his approval. This would provide a close link to St. John’s College in Saint Giles where Dr. Costin was President.
The central figure protecting the hind is Saint Giles the Patron Saint of actors, cripples, lepers and nursing mothers (based on the story of him giving shelter to the hind). In England 162 ancient churches were dedicated to him and at least 24 hospitals. At least two famous fairs in England are connected with St. Giles’ day: one in Winchester, no longer extant, and the other at Oxford, which is still held annually in early September.
The Banner contains a further link to Dr. Costin with the Latin inscription“VIVAT SEMPER COSTINUS” which roughly translated means “LONG LIFE FOR EVER”.
Bro. Allsworth indicated that, as soon as Grand Lodge had approved the Lodge Crest, a “very good friend of his” had kindly agreed to make the Lodge Banner. It was learnt a short time later that it was John’s sister Pearl who would carry out the detailed embroidery work in the production of the Banner.
At the fifth meeting of Founders on 19th September, 1979 the Provincial Grand Secretary gave his apologies and in his communication indicated that the Petition had been received by Grand Lodge with no queries raised and was being considered at the next meeting of the M.W. Grand Master’s Advisory Committee.
The Treasurer reported that quotations had been received for the production of silver guilt Founders Jewels at £38 each and for Past Master’s Jewels at £30 each.
W.Bro. Springall produced a number of detailed sketches of the Lodge Crest and the design as it is seen today on Past Masters’ Jewels and Agendas was adopted. It would also eventually be used to form the centerpiece of the Lodge Banner.
At the Founders meeting of the 15th October 1979 W.Bro. Sharp reported that the Provincial Grand Secretary had confirmed that the number of the Lodge was to be 8904. W.Bro. Merry had also sent a personal cheque to Grand Lodge to pay for the Warrant. The Treasurer was instructed to forward a cheque to W.Bro. Merry with the grateful thanks of the Founders for acting on their behalf.
It was also at this meeting that the pattern was set for the meetings of Lodge of Rehearsal and Lodge of Instruction. It was determined that the Lodge Director of Ceremonies would automatically take on the office of Preceptor of Lodge of Instruction. Bro. Chisnall was nominated as the first Secretary of the Lodge of Instruction.
Enquiries had been made with the Masonic Centre at Banbury Road on accommodation available for Lodge of Instruction meetings. The only room offered was the Garden Room and this was not considered as suitable. Contact had been made with the Landlord of the Marlborough Head Public House, Littlemore, who was on the square, and had a first floor room that could be used for meetings. This offer was taken up and following the Consecration Meeting the Lodge of Instruction met at the Marlborough Head throughout 1980. Towards the end of that year the Landlord gave notice that he would be leaving Oxford during 1981 and suitable arrangements were made at 333 Banbury Road for the Lodge of Instruction to move to the Masonic Centre at the beginning of 1981. It has remained on those premises ever since.
The Founders assembled at 333 Banbury Road at 10 o’clock on Thursday the 31st January 1980 on a crisp, sunny morning for the Consecration of Saint Giles’ Lodge - Founders in Dinner Jackets, the consecrating team in Morning Suits to carry out the final rehearsal for the ceremony that would take place at 3.30 pm.
That morning the Founders were put through their paces by W.Bro. L.F. Dring, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies. W.Bro. Dring made certain that all stood, sat, moved in unison and even crossed their feet the same way, so that the ceremonial would be of the highest order and the occasion would be enjoyed by all who were to witness the ceremony that day.
The senior members of the Consecrating Team were:
| R.W. Bro. The Lord Rathcreedan ..... | Provincial Grand Master |
| V.W. Bro. Dr.B.M. Hobby................ | Deputy Provincial Grand Master |
| W. Bro. G.M. Redman-Brown ......... | Asst. Provincial Grand Master |
| W. Bro. A.G. Billingham ................... | Provincial Senior Grand Warden |
| W. Bro. J.A. Dee .............................. | Provincial Junior Grand Warden |
| Bro. The Rev. J.H. Cook .................. | Provincial Grand Chaplain |
| W. Bro. D.H. Merry ......................... | Provincial Grand Secretary |
| W. Bro. L.F. Dring ........................... | Provincial Grand D. of C. |
Assembled that afternoon with the thirty Founders were twenty-one Officers of the Province and ninety-two Guests. A total of one hundred and forty three brethren were in attendance. The guests came from far and wide representing thirty-five Lodges - from London, Bristol, East Kent, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Hertfordshire, and from Lodges in the neighbouring Provinces of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Sixteen Lodges from Oxfordshire were represented out of a total of forty-five.
At 3.30 pm precisely the Provincial Grand Master was escorted into the Temple accompanied by his Provincial Officers and proceeded to consecrate the Lodge in a most impressive manner.
The Lodge was then called from labour to refreshment. On resuming business the R.W Provincial Grand Master called upon W.Bro. G.M.Redman-Brown, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, to occupy the Chair of King Solomon to install the Worshipful Master Designate - W.Bro. A.W.G. Bray, P.Pr.J.G.W.
W.Bro. Bray was installed as Worshipful Master before a Board of seventyone Installed Masters.
The Working Tools of the Degrees were presented to W.Bro. Bray by the Installing Master and he was saluted and roclaimed according to ancient custom by the Founders of the Lodge.
Following the presentation of the Warrant and Book of Constitutions by the Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. Bray then appointed and invested his Officers
The address to the Worshipful Master was given in a most impressive manner by W. Bro. G.M. Redman-Brown, Assistant Provincial Grand Master.
The address to the Wardens by W. Bro. D.H. Merry, Provincial Grand Secretary.
The address to the Brethren by R.W Bro. The Lord Rathcreedan, Provincial Grand Master.
The Founders were pleased to elect as Honorary Members Rt.W.Bro. The Lord Rathcreedan, Provincial Grand Master; V.W.Bro. Dr.B.M.Hobby, Deputy Provincial Grand Master; W.Bro. G.M.Redman-Brown, Assistant Provincial Grand Master; W.Bro. D.H. Merry, Provincial Grand Secretary and W.Bro. L.F.Dring, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies.
In the Third Rising four Candidates for Initiation were proposed and seconded:
- Mr. Clive Morris.
- Mr. Henry Aubrey John.
- Mr. Winston Morris, and
- Mr. Raymond Hey.
Six Joining Members were proposed:
- Bro. Cyril Tomlin of Blockley Lodge No. 6345.
- Bro. John Hale of Abbey Lodge No. 945.
- Bro. Dennis Willett of St. Swithun’s Lodge No. 8550.
- W.Bro. Wilf Fowler of Lyonsdown Lodge No. 5477.
- W.Bro. Dennis Nichols of Jersey Lodge No. 2334, and
- W.Bro. Gordon Barnes of Bertie Lodge No. 1515.
The brethren then adjourned to a Sherry reception in the robing room, to the Long Bar for further liquid refreshment and were then called to the Banquet to celebrate the consecration of the Lodge.
The Catering Steward and a Founder of the Lodge, Bro. Clifford Johnson provided a five-course meal. The cost of the meal was £3.20 per head. 132 brethren dined, who consumed 70 litres of wine and 8 bottles of Port. The total cost of the Banquet came to £735. A similar Banquet today at Oxford Masonic Centre would cost approximately £3,000.
The Toast to the Worshipful Master and Founders of the Lodge was proposed by W. Bro.R.W.R. Liebermann, Brother-in-law of the Founding Master, to the sponsoring Lodge (Blockley Lodge) by the first Chaplain, WBro. D.W. Thomas and to the Guests by the Junior Warden, Bro. J.E. Allsworth. The toast to the guests, being the last official toast at the Banquet, is the one that remains in the memory of many who attended that day, not because of the content but the manner in which it was presented. Brother John Allsworth has always enjoyed his masonry and conveys that pleasure to others. He equally enjoys good food and in those days had been known on special occasions to enjoy generous quantities of liquid refreshment, which he freely admits to consuming that day. The Toast to the Guests was ten minutes of uproarious hilarity, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. The only person who could not recall what had been said to raise such laughter was Brother Allsworth. That part of the day is understood to be still a blur to him some 25 years later.
(Click banner to enlarge)
The first memorable occasion in the history of the Lodge was the Dedication of the Lodge Banner, which had been made with such loving care and attention to detail by Mrs. Pearl Livett, the sister of W.Bro. John Allsworth. The banner had taken a year to make with Pearl spending 360 hours on its manufacture during any spare time she had during evenings and at weekends.The only members to see the finished article before the Dedication Ceremony was W. Bro. John Allsworth, Worshipful Master and the Senior Warden, Bro. Brian Newcombe. It is displayed in the south east corner of the Temple at each Lodge meeting. The columns on either side of the Lodge Crest record the names of the thirty Founders.
The Ceremony of Dedication of the Lodge Banner took place on the 10th November 1982 and was conducted by Rt.W.Bro. The Lord Rathcreedan, Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. G.M.Redman-Brown, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. D.H.Merry, Assistant Provincial Grand Master and five other distinguished Provincial Officers. There were forty brethren of the
Lodge present together with seventy-five guests, making a total of 124 brethren in attendance.
On Saturday 15th January a “Banner Evening” dinner was held for members and their wives at Freemasons Hall, 333 Banbury Road, Oxford under the Chairmanship of the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. B.G. Newcombe.
The guests of honour that evening were Pearl and Doug Livett. The dinner was held to pay a special tribute to Pearl, sister of W. Bro. John Allsworth, who had given freely of her time during the previous 12 months in the manufacture of the Lodge Banner. The work was carried out during evening and at weekends and took approximately 360 hours to complete.
At the end of the dinner the Worshipful Master, on behalf of the members, presented to Pearl and Doug a cut glass decanter engraved with the Lodge Crest together with six cut glass brandy glasses as a token of thanks for creating such a beautiful and well made Lodge banner for members to appreciate for many years to come.
On the 7th October the first Lodge of Instruction Festival was held with various parts of the Initiation, Passing and Raising Ceremonies being demonstrated. It was agreed that, unlike some Lodge of Instruction Festivals, brethren would wear Masonic Regalia and that all offices would be taken by brethren of the Lodge of Instruction, not Past Masters.
During the same year a review was carried out of the Lodge workings which had been painstakingly typed by hand and had been used since the first meeting. After five years of working the Saint Giles’ Lodge Ritual (commonly known as “The Large Blue Book”) it was felt that in certain areas further clarification was needed. Also, brethren who were initiated or had joined since 1980 did not have access to their own copy of Saint Giles’ working and found the Emulation Ritual as published by A. Lewis Ltd. unhelpful. With the assistance of W.Bro. Peter Husbands and Kemble Press it was decided to publish a ritual, which would be available for all present and future members of the Lodge. A ritual sub committee, consisting of W. Bro. Allsworth, W. Bro. Newcombe, W. Bro. Thomas and W. Bro. Chisnall (Secretary), was formed that met on numerous occasions during the following 12 months to correct minor anomalies and add in changes that had been agreed by the Lodge Committee since working the ritual in 1980.
At the December meeting W. Bro. Chisnall, as Lodge Secretary, presented a Petition on behalf of twenty four Founders for the formation of a new Chapter - to be called the Saint Giles Chapter No. 8904. The Chapter was to meet at Woodstock Masonic Hall during the months of February, April and November. Of the twenty-four founders nine had been founders of the Lodge, and five were joining members of the Lodge. Of the remaining ten founders, eight came from Chapters in the Province and two from Chapters meeting in the Province of Gloucestershire & Herefordshire and London.
At the June meeting, Bro. David Cummings, a regular visitor to the Lodge, presented a hand crafted and engraved Honours Board to record the names of successive Worshipful Masters of the Lodge. The Board was escorted into the Lodge by the regular Officers and presented to W. Bro. A.W.G. Bray, Founding Master, on behalf of the membership. W. Bro. Bray thanked Bro. Cummings for his generosity in presenting such a gift and for the great skills he had demonstrated in its manufacture.
The Saint Giles Chapter No. 8904 was consecrated at Oxfordshire Masonic Centre, on Saturday 23rd November 1991 by the M.E Grand Superintendent E. Comp. Geoffrey Michael Redman-Brown ably assisted by the Officers of the Province. It was a memorable occasion enjoyed by the twenty-four Founders and witnessed by over one hundred visiting Companions. The ceremony was followed by a Celebration Luncheon.
At the December meeting, the Lodge members were, for the first time, able to invite wives and partners together with the Widows of the Lodge to the Christmas Festive Board. At the conclusion of the meal musical entertainment was provided by the Kennington Silver Band under the direction of Bro. Ron Sudworth. To keep all in tuneful accord with the Bands Conductor,
W. Bro. John Cawte presented to the Lodge a twenty-page booklet of Christmas Carols. It is pleasing to note that the format agreed in 1994 for the Annual Christmas Festive Board has continued each year as part of the Lodge social calendar.
At the January meeting the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. Slight, received from Bro. Ray Harris, Steward, and W. Bro. R.A. Coleman a hand crafted Officers Collar Stand for use at Installation Meetings. The hand crafted Collar Stand had been skilfully made by W. Bro. Coleman.
At the 150th meeting of the Lodge held on Wednesday 16th May 2001 “The Bert Bray Book of Remembrance” was presented to the Lodge by a Founder and Past Master of the Lodge, W. Bro. Peter Husbands. The book records the names of all members who have passed to the Grand Lodge Above since the Consecration Meeting in 1980. The brethren so recorded are remembered at the Opening of every Lodge meeting when the Chaplain reads the names of those who died in the month of the meeting and any previous months since the last regular meeting. Also at the meeting W. Bro. Slight on behalf of the Lodge of Instruction presented a set of Deacons Gauntlets for wearing at regular lodge meetings.
At the regular meeting on Wednesday 15th September the members were pleased to receive as their honoured guests M.W Bro. Arnaldo A Gonzalez Padron, Grand Master of Cuba (front left in photograph) and M.W Bro. Jose M Collera Vento, Past Grand Master and Grand Secretary, of Cuba (front right in photograph). They were accompanied by Bro. Vincete Faba the Grand Master’s representative in England who lives in Oxford and has been a regular visitor to the Lodge over a number of years. He kindly acted as interpreter during the meeting and afterwards at the Festive Board.
After approval of the Minutes, W. Bro. P.J. Purves, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies called upon the brethren to salute the M.W Grand Master and Grand Secretary with eleven - a salutation rarely seen in a private Lodge. The Grand Master duly responded thanking the brethren for their fraternal greetings.
The ritual presented that evening was the First Degree Tracing Board given in an impeccable manner by a member of the Lodge, W. Bro. R.A. Coleman. This was followed by a demonstration of the Third Degree Walking Charge given by one of the guests, W. Bro. N. Carter, P.Pr.J.G.W., a member of Seer Green Lodge No. 9055 in the Province of Buckinghamshire. Bro. Faba acted as Candidate during the demonstration.
At the conclusion of the Festive Board the distinguished guests from Cuba gave an open invitation to the brethren to attend a meeting in the Amery Temple the following evening the 16th September when a question and answer session had been arranged to exchange items of mutual interest on freemasonry in Cuba. At the conclusion of the meeting refreshments were to be provided in the Members Bar.
The Thursday evening meeting was well supported by brethren of the Lodge together with a number of guests who had been in attendance the previous evening. Strong fraternal links have now been established with the new made friends from Cuba.
Also known as Aegidus; Egidio Died: - c.710-724 in France. Memorial: - 1st September
He was born a wealthy noble. When his parents died, he used his fortune to help the poor.. To avoid followers and adulation, he left Greece c.683 for France where he lived as a hermit in a cave in the diocese of Nimes, a cave whose mouth was guarded by a thick thorn bush, and a lifestyle so impoverished that, legend says, God sent a hind to him to nourish him with her milk.
One day, after he had lived there for several years in meditation, a royal hunting party chased the hind into Giles’ cave. One hunter shot an arrow into the thorn bush, hoping to hit the deer, but hit Giles in the leg instead, crippling him. The king sent doctors to care for the Saint’s wound, and though Giles begged to be left alone, the king came often to see him.
From this his fame as sage and miracle worker spread, and would-be followers gathered near the cave. The French king, because of his admiration, built the monastery of Saint Gilles du Gard for these followers, and Giles became its first abbot, establishing his own discipline there. A small town grew up around the monastery. Upon Giles’ death, his grave became a shrine and place of pilgrimage on the route for both Compostela and the Holy Land ; the monastery later became a Benedictine house.
The combination of the town, monastery, shrine and pilgrims led to many handicapped beggars hoping for alms; this and Giles’ insistence that he wished to live outside the walls of the city, and his own damaged leg, led to his patronage of beggars, and to cripples since begging was the only source of income for many. Hospitals and safe houses for the poor, crippled, and leprous were constructed in England and Scotland, and were built so cripples could reach them easily. On their passage to Tyburn for execution, convicts were allowed to stop at Saint Giles’ Hospital where they were presented with a bowl of ale called Saint Giles’ Bowl, “thereof to drink at their pleasure, as their last refreshing in this life.”
In Spain, shepherds consider Giles the protector of rams. It was formerly the custom to wash the rams and colour their wool a bright shade on Giles’ feast day, tie lighted candles to their horns, and bring the animals down the mountain paths to the chapels and churches to have them blessed. Among the Basques, the shepherds come down from the Pyrenees on 1 September, attired in full costume, sheepskin coats, staves, and crooks, to attend Mass with their best rams, an event that marks the beginning of autumn festivals, marked by processions and dancing in the fields.
Many churches dedicated to St. Giles, the gentle saint, stand outside the walls of busy mediaeval cities, as though seeking the silence that he found in his hermitage, but all too often, as in the case of Oxford, the rapid growth of the town has engulfed it and St. Giles’ today is poised between new suburbs and the city itself.
The representation of seven stars within the concentric circles of the Lodge Crest were included to indicate the ‘perfect Lodge’ as described in the explanation of the Second Degree Tracing Board. “They then passed up the winding staircase, consisting of three, five, seven or more steps. Three rule a Lodge, five hold a Lodge, seven or more make it perfect. The three who rule a Lodge are the Master and his two Wardens; the five who hold a Lodge are the Master, two Wardens and two Fellow crafts; the seven who make it perfect are two Entered Apprentices added to the former five.
Three rule a Lodge because their were but three Grand Masters who bore sway...........................”
