Sixty years on, Temple Belwood Lodge gets its own Working Tools

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From left: Provincial DC Andy Ham, Ron Oldfield, Dave Wheeler, Pete Ball, Matt Dowse, and Dave Harness.

Almost sixty years after its creation Crowle’s Temple Belwood Lodge has its own Working Tools, Square, and Compasses, as well as a cabinet to keep them in, all of which were dedicated in a ceremony led by Provincial Grand Master Dave Wheeler.

It was Lodge member Ron Oldfield who’d suggested the Lodge should have its own items, rather than continuing to share with two other Crowle Lodges. Lodge Master Matt Dowse bought a set of tools using a £500 bequest from Fred Firth, and Ron gave a three-drawer cabinet in which they could live.

However, the cabinet didn’t really fit the bill. Said Ron: “It looked bigger on eBay.” That’s when Lodge DC Pete Ball stepped up and offered to scratch build a bespoke oak alternative, which he put together with pieces of timber from several sources. He also incorporated one of the two remaining Founder’s Jewels into the front. The other will be permanently attached to the Master’s Collar. To complete the set, Lodge Secretary Matt Dunstan and Paul Crow presented the Lodge with its own Square and Compasses, which had also previously been shared.

The Jewel in the cabinet was from the late W.Bro G.V. Marshall, and was donated by his son, Bro Stewart Marshall, on the occasion of the presentation of that brother’s 50-year certificate in 2023. The one on the WM collar had belonged to W Bro N Severn, and was donated by his son Nicholas.

But with preparations for the ceremony well advanced, only a couple of weeks before the ceremony Matt Dunstan was contacted out of the blue about a third Founder’s Jewel. He said: “Christopher Blunt from the Province of Leicestershire made contact via our Facebook Crowle Freemasonry page, with Barrie Graham putting us in contact with each other.

“He explained that he had a Temple Belwood Founder’s jewel, had no idea where it came from, but wanted to return it to the Lodge. When the parcel arrived it contained not only the Temple Belwood Founder’s jewel but also ritual books, Jewels for the Isle of Axholme Lodge, and a set of Lincolnshire Provincial dress regalia.

“Chris thought that the jewel might have belonged to a Bro. M. Swaby due to an inscription in one of the ritual books, but after further investigation and the help of our member Eddie Webster we are 99% certain that this particular jewel belonged to Captain A. O. Ward, Eddie’s proposer into Temple Belwood.”

The PGM suggested that a plaque should be inlaid on the cabinet lid to record the source of the tools, S&C, and the cabinet itself so that future generations could understand their origin. At the Festival Board he added that in taking the gavel to dedicate the items, he had been acting on behalf of the Grand Master the Duke of Kent, which made it even more of a landmark occasion.

Stewards Lodge members Matt Dunstan, left, and Paul Crow with the new Square and Compasses flank PGM Dave Wheeler pinning the Founder’s Jewel on the Master’s collar worn by Matt Dowse.

Crowle members who had played a part in creation and acquisition of the Lodge equipment, as well as the dedication ceremony, were Matt Dowse, WM; Ron Oldfield, Acting SW; Dave Harness, JW; IainHogg, SD; Jamie Moss, Active JD; Brian Nicholson, Acting IG; Pete Ball, DC; Trevor Moss, Acting Tyler; Jim Blanchard, Acting ADC, and Paul Crow, Acting IPM.

Members of the Provincial Team had travelled from all over the Province to take part in the ceremony, including as far afield as Boston and Deeping. It was one of three team visits led by Dave Wheeler to Crowle Lodges in less than three weeks, with Trent Valley Daylight Lodge having been the first, and the Installation at the Isle of Axholme Lodge only a week after the Temple Belwood visit.

At the Festive Board it looked as though Provincial Secretary Tony Miller was less than pleased with the financial commitment he’d had to make to buy a bottle of wine for the PGM – even though it was only a tiny bottle…