Queens College Lodge 75th Birthday

75 years ago on this day (give or take a few days – it was 8th July 195), the Founders of
Queen’s College, Taunton Lodge having gained the relevant authority started what some
describe as the premier lodge for serious attempts at ensuring we enjoy our masonry. The
ritual decided upon was Oxford Workings and Worcester Inner Working, giving Queen’s the
unique, we’ve done it once, it’s traditional motto. However, today we were absolutely
honoured to be in the presence of the Provincial Executive en masse; PGM, RW Bro Ray
Guthrie, Past PGMs, RW Bros David Jenkins and Stuart Hadler, PastDPGM, VW Bro John
Winston – and a wonderous number of other Provincial representatives.

The Provincial Team with their recently passed brother Darren Rumsey.

And what is more, Province agreed to conduct the ceremony of passing of our candidate
Darren Rumsey. We did try to get them to consider Queen’s working, and to be honest even
doing Emulation they could have just said it was their variant!!!! But, oh no, Emulation it
was and goodness gracious me, what a performance – it just shows why they are at the
helm of the Province.

The WM opened the lodge, it being an emergency meeting, we needed to read out the
dispensation. Then came the known on the door, the Province had assembled and their
entrance was simple superb. The WM then proffered the gavel to the PGM, thanking him
and Province for attending and taking part in our very special day. It was then all eyes on the
new team.

After some kind words, and a very solemn eulogy for W Bro Chris Cluff, a dear friend and
brother of Province and the lodge alike, who recently passed to the Grand Lodge above, the
PGM then passed the gavel to APGM W Bro Barrie Palmer to run through the ceremony
with his team.

The ceremony being split up across many of the Provincial Team was conducted with
aplomb, excitement and kept all of the brethren, together with the candidate, on their toes
and with incredibly amount of interest. Two items of mention are the extended working
tools, conducted impeccably by W Bro William Fraser and the extended Second Degree
Tracing Board, conducted faultlessly by the team of W Bros Russ Woodland and Sam Mayer
– wow, the pleasure was all ours. Thank you.

After the APGM passed the gavel back to the WM, the Provincial Team processed out of the
lodge in the same fine dignity they arrived with.

The brethren of Queen’s College, Taunton Lodge eagerly waiting to get through to the sherry room for a well-earned glass of fizz.

After closing the lodge the brethren then retired to a fantastic fizz buffet in the sherry room.
Then onto the second main even of the day, the birthday party. The festive board was an
outstanding spread of Beef Wellington, plus various cakes, together with port and cheese.
To say we were full is an understatement.

All this done in over 30˚ C heat, so it was gloves off for the ceremony and jackets off for
dining. After many raffle prizes, auctions and heads and tails for an exquisite bottle of
whisky, and other equally worthy efforts, the brethren rallied round to give a final sum of
over £1200 adding to the previous amounts to the WM charity of Somerset Sight. Thank you
to all who attended, brethren of Queen’s, visitors, be they one offs, or regulars, and of
course the executive who so kindly made this a great occasion.
Where do we go from here? Well, Darren is eagerly wanting to move up to the sublime
degree of a master mason, which is the plan for the October meeting. If you would like to
attend, what will be yet another special one off, please contact the secretary.