Doncaster Freemasons travel to Germany
Thirteen Doncaster Freemasons travelled to Germany in June to attend the Installation ceremony of Lodge Neiderrhein 892. The Lodge, based in Düsseldorf, is a constituent Lodge of the Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany under the auspices of the United Grand Lodges of Germany. The team, 9 of whom are country members of the Lodge, enjoyed a gloriously sunny weekend which included the Installation, attended by the Assistant Grand Master of The GLBFG, Rt W Bro Philip J Hebel, dinner in a typical Westphalian hostelry and a cruise down the Rhein.
In a witty and enlightening response to the toast to the visitors, W Bro Andrew Taylor, a past master of Danecastre 4843 enjoying his second visit to Lodge Neiderrhein, paid tribute to the Lodge’s International nature. The Lodge boasts 95 members initiated in 11 different countries under 6 Constitutions. He concluded by presenting to the Lodge a model of the LNER locomotive Mallard. The model, moulded from coal dust, represents two of the foundations upon which Doncaster had been built, coal and railway engineering. Mallard, built in Doncaster, is the holder of the official world speed record for steam locomotives at 125.88 mph (202.58 km/h), achieved on 3 July 1938. W Bro Taylor tactfully omitted to mention that the previous record of 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h) was established in 1936 by the German DRG Class 05 engine 002.
A raffle at the Festive Board raised 360 Euros, about £320, for the Worshipful Master’s chosen charity, the Paul-Moor-Schule in Mönchengladbach, a school for handicapped children.
W Bro Andrew Lindsay Taylor of Danecastre Lodge 4843 (left) with W Bro Dietmar Siefert, Worshipful Master, Lodge Neiderrhein 892.
previous post: Charity Information Release
next post: 1040 mile cycle ride for The Christie Cancer Charity