On Friday 13 June nine UK members of Sulgrave Lodge No 9462 were in New York to help Britannia Lodge No 1166 (Grand Lodge of State of New York) celebrate its 50th Anniversary after its consecration on 12 June 1964.
It was from the outstanding success of an early informal visit to Britannia Lodge in 1990 that RWBro Brian Smith PPGM promoted the idea of consecrating a Lodge in this Province to promote Anglo/American relationships. As a consequence, Sulgrave Lodge – named after the south-west Northamptonshire village of the same name and the ancestral home of the Washington family – was consecrated in April 1992.
Fifty year celebrations in New York at the Installation Meeting of Britannia Lodge were graced with the presence of MWBro William J Thomas, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York and members of his Grand Line. The Ceremony took place in the magnificent surroundings of the Renaissance Room in the Grand Lodge building at 71 West 23rd Street.
On display during the entire meeting was the St John’s Bible – see photograph – owned by St John’s Lodge No 1 and upon which George Washington took his oath of office on 30 April 1789 and launched the Presidency of the United States. It has since been used by many later Presidents on other State occasions and remains under the very strict stewardship of St John’s Lodge. At Washington’s inauguration, a Bible had been overlooked. WBro Jacob Morton – WM of St John’s Lodge and a member of the presidential party – quickly retrieved the Lodge Bible and it has been put to similar use ever since. The photograph shows the actual page upon which Washington took his oath.
The UK party were joined in New York by WBro Denis Nail of Socrates and Sulgrave Lodges – Denis now having returned to his native Pennsylvania but still intent on retaining his memberships under UGLE until, hopefully, his return to the UK in due course.
During the celebrations and at the Ladies’ Evening held on the Saturday, members of Sulgrave Lodge were called to participate in a number of formal Toasts and responses and to good effect! Before dispersing on Tuesday 17 June and travelling on to their various destinations, a trip to Philadelphia had been arranged to visit the Grand Lodge building for the State of Pennsylvania – a second visit for a few of the UK party but still nonetheless a quite amazing experience as they enjoyed a private tour conducted by the Aide to the Grand Master and Superintendent of the Masonic Temple.
There was a departure delay for a few at JFK, caused by the arrival of the President’s Air Force One 747 on his well-publicised visit to New York City. Those delayed will forgive the President for the temporary flight suspensions in and out as a result and the rather inconvenient parking of his 747 immediately outside the Delta Airlines hangar!
Local Brethren taking part inn the visit were RW Bro Brian Smith, VW Bro Wayne Williams, WBro Michael Richards, WBro Tony Greene, WBro John Cox, WBro David Tempest, WBro Denis Nail, WBro Dick Voller and WBro Jimmy Pigden