THE DEGREE OF MARK MASTER MASONS All communications to be addressed to: Provincial Grand Secretary The Lodge 128 Newport Road Cardiff CF24 1DH Tel: 02920 490555 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.southwalesmarkmastermasons.co.uk 1 THE EXECUTIVE R.W.Bro. Thomas Richard Eirian Jones Provincial Grand Master W.Bro. Dr Paul Richard Calderwood PGSD W.Bro. Stephen Charles Evans Harries PGJD Deputy Provincial Grand Master Assistant Provincial Grand Master 2 The Mark Degree is under the control of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas. It has many similar associations with the old opera- tive system of Freemasonry. The ritual is founded upon ancient Craft legends of this operative system and reflects portions of Biblical History that are far earlier than other degrees. It deals with events before or at the building of King Solomon’s Temple and the problems that arose during its construction. It was found necessary to ensure completeness and perfect accu- racy in all departments of the work and to establish a system of grades amongst the vast number of workmen employed, under which each member of each grade marked his work with some particular mark or symbol thereby enabling the overseers to know the hand which prepared each particular piece of work. Thus a very early system for “Quality Control” and ensuring “Value for Money” was established. In the old Guilds the ceremony of selecting and registering a Mark by newly admitted Craftsmen was second in importance only to that of his first admission into the Society. The Mason’s Marks on ecclesiastical buildings are of great antiquity. We are informed that the Cathedral Church of Aberdeen founded in 1357 has upon it Mason’s Marks from the foundation upwards. Mark Degree is one of encouragement and the ritual is built on a single verse from Psalm 118. “The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” It illustrates that the wisest of men can be mistaken and that experts are often wrong, that the weakest can display perseverance far better than the strongest and that we all have a part to play in the building of life. It demonstrates that the pursuit of excellence and the realisation of distinction are within every- one’s grasp. Today the prerequisite for advancement into the “Friendly Degree” is that the candidate has at- tained the rank of Master Mason in the Craft. 3 Dates for the Diary September 2017 10th September (Sunday) Mark Provincial Grand Lodge Officers and Ladies Luncheon. 12th September (Tuesday) Mark Master Masons Grand Lodge, Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London December 2017 3rd December (Sunday) Mark Provincial G.L. Officers Mess, Christmas Luncheon at Ty Newydd, Hirwaun 12th December (Tuesday) Royal Ark Mariners Annual Assembly and Investiture, Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London March 2018 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Annual Gala Dinner. Date to be announced 6th March (Tuesday) Mark Masons Grand Lodge, Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London April 2018 28th April (Saturday) Royal Ark Mariners Provincial Assemby and Investiture at The Masonic Hall, Bridgend Provincial Mark, Holiday Weekend Date to be confirmed May 2018 4th May (Friday) Mark Provincial G.L. Officers Mess Annual Dinner, Glyn Clydach Hotel, Neath 17th May (Thursday) Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. General Purpose Committee Meeting, Penarth. To be followed by the Installation Meeting of Stability Mark Lodge, Penarth June 2018 6th June (Wednesday) Prov. Mark Grand Lodge Meeting and Investiture, Cardiff Masonic Hall, under the banner of the South Wales Mark Provincial Stewards Lodge No 1829 12th June (Tuesday) Mark Grand Lodge Annual Investiture, Freemasons Hall, Great Queen Street, London Keep fully in touch with events within the Province by referring to the “DATES FOR THE DIARY” as published in the Provincial Web Site www.southwalesmarkmastermasons.co.uk. 4 ADDRESSES OF EXECUTIVE & SECRETARIAT Provincial Grand Master R.W.Bro. THOMAS RICHARD EIRIAN JONES ‘Sunnybank’ Mill Street, Crickhowell NP8 1BA Deputy Provincial Grand Master W.Bro. Dr. PAUL RICHARD CALDERWOOD PGSD 12a Groesffordd Park, Groesffordd, Brecon LD3 7SF Assistant Provincial Grand Master W.Bro. STEPHEN CHARLES EVANS HARRIES PGJD 59 Bowham Avenue, Bridgend CF31 3PA Provincial Grand Treasurer W.Bro. KEITH B. FERGUSON PGJD Provincial Grand Registrar W.Bro.Dr. ANTHONY J. STRACHAN PAGSwdB Provincial Grand Secretary V.W.Bro. S.W.JEFFREY CLARKE PGMO Deputy Provincial Grand Secretary W.Bro. MARTIN A. JONES PGJD Provincial Grand Almoner W.Bro. JEFFREY D. WILLIAMS PGSD Provincial Grand Charity Steward W.Bro. BRYAN J. ISAAC PAGSwdB Assistant Provincial Grand Secretary W.Bro. ANTHONY W. SEYMOUR PAGSwdB Provincial Assistant Grand Charity Steward W.Bro. GARETH ANDREWS PPrGJO All communications to be addressed to: The Provincial Grand Secretary, The Lodge, 128 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 1DH Tel: 02920 490555 The next Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of South Wales will be held on Wednesday 6th June 2018 at Cardiff. The Meeting of the Provincial General Purpose Committee will be held 17th May 2018 at Penarth Masonic Temple. The Royal Ark Mariner Annual Assembly and Investi- ture of Provincial Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank will be held at Bridgend at the meeting of the SWIC RAM Lodge No 1201 on 28th April 2018 The Meetings of Mark Grand Lodge are held on the Tuesday next before the Second Wednesday in the month of June (Annual Investiture) and in March and September at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ. An Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner’s is held on the second Tuesday in the month of December, at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ. 5 PROVINCIAL SECRETARIAT V.W.Bro. S.W.J. Clarke W.Bro. Dr A.J. Strachan W.Bro. K.B. Ferguson PGMO ProvGSec PAGSwdB ProvGReg PGJD ProvGTreas W.Bro. M.A. Jones W.Bro. J.D. Williams W.Bro. B.J. Isaac PGJD ProvDepGSec PGSD ProvGAlm PAGSwdB,PrGChStwd W.Bro. G. Andrews W.Bro. A.W. Seymour PPrGJO, ProvAsstGChStwd PAGSwdB,ProvAsstGSec 6 PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS IN GRAND LODGE ROYAL ARK MARINER GRAND RANK Invested on Tuesday 13th December 2016 W.Bro. Stephen C.E. Harries 1685 W.Bro. Jeffrey D. Williams 585 W.Bro. G. Anthony Howell 1057 W.Bro. Denis Tucker 1528 W.Bro. William Mullins 1592 MARK GRAND LODGE:- Invested on Tuesday 13th June 2017 Acting Rank: R.W.Bro. Neil H. Matthews, PGJW Re-Appointed Grand Inspector of Works R.W.Bro. R.A. Williams Appointed Grand Secretary W.Bro. Naunton C.W. Liles, PGSD., GOrg Re-Appointed Grand Organist W.Bro. Alun H. Thomas Appointed Grand Steward Promoted: R.W.Bro. R.A. Williams Promoted to PGJW V.W.Bro.Alan F. Thomas Promoted to PGJO W.Bro. Dr Paul R. Calderwood DPGM Promoted to PGSD W.Bro. Nigel L. Angell Promoted to PGSD W.Bro. Stephen C.E. Harries APGM Promoted to PGJD W.Bro. Stanley Evelyn Promoted to PGJD W.Bro. Kenneth J. Heath Promoted to PGJD Appointed: W.Bro. Keith Dascombe Appointed PAGDC W.Bro. Brian E. Dowling Appointed PAGDC W.Bro. Roy Hart Appointed PAGDC W.Bro. Howard J. Lines Appointed PGSwdB W.Bro. Anthony W. Seymour Appointed PGSwdB W.Bro. Paul S. Cage Appointed PGStB W.Bro. Alan C. Greedy Appointed PGStB In extending our congratulations to these Brethren, we trust that they will continue to support and serve the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Degrees in general and this Province for many years to come. 7 W.Bro. Alun Howell Thomas PrDepGDC to the rank of GRAND STEWARD W.Bro. Alun Thomas advanced into Afan Mark 1088 on 18th March 2002 served as Master in 2011 and is now the Lodge Preceptor. In 2014 he was appointed Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies and in 2015 promoted to Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies, an office he still holds today, being re- appointed in 2016 and 2017. He is the founder Director of Ceremonies of Tremains Mark Lodge No 1952, being consecrated on 12th May 2014. On the 27th September 2014 he became a joining member of SWIMM and is now the Lodge Director of Ceremonies. On 6th February 2016 he became a joining member of the Direc- tor of Ceremonies Lodge of Mark Master Masons No1813 and is currently the Assistant Secretary. On 13th of June 2017 he was appointed as Grand Steward. On the 28th June 2017 he became a joining member of the De Cymru Lodge of Grand Officers. On 25th January 2005 he was elavated into Afan Royal Ark Mariners 1088, served as Command- er in 2008 and was the Scribe from 2010 to 2016. He is the founder Director of Ceremonies of Tremains Royal Ark Mariner Lodge being conse- crated on 4th April 2016. He became a joining member of SWIC Lodge No 1201 in April 2013. W.Bro. Keith Dascombe PPrJGW to the rank of PAST ASSISTANT GRAND DIRECTOR of CEREMONIES W.Bro. Keith Dascome was advanced into Ysgolion Lodge No 1487 on January 26th1996, and was installed as Worshipful Master on the 28th September 2007 and holds the office of Di- rector of Ceremonies. He was appointed to Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies on the 2nd June 2010, and then promoted to Provincial Grand Senior Overseer on the 6th June 2012 and then on the 3rd June 2015 promoted to Provincial Grand Junior Warden. He joined SWIMM Lodge 1201 on the 23rd March 2013 and De Cymru Lodge of Grand Officers No.1606 on 28th June 2017. In the degree of Royal Ark Mariners he was elevated in St John’s Royal Ark Mariners Lodge No 28 in 2002 and became Com- mander on the 18th April 2012.