The Craftsmen Week Commencing 23rd November 2020 Issue Number Thirty Four Welcome to the thirty fourth edition of the Ross Masonic Club Weekly Round-Up. A great big thank you to all of our contributors to this issue. I am sure we all appreciate your efforts each week. This week we have: • Dennis Roberts provides an answer to his last question and poses a new one in ‘Would I know, did I know’ • Patrick Eyre continues the story of his varied career • Fun and Games at T@3 • An article on the history of Freemasonry in India based on a presentation by our PGM • An update on the auction for St Michael’s Hospice ‘Postcards From Life Auction’ • An article on the act of remembrance in Bridstow from Martin Thorne • The Christmas Market featuring arts and crafts from Brethren • Details of how to be included in a future Christmas Market edition on the back page Please keep your input coming with, once again, a special thank you to all those that contributed. Keep safe Brethren and keep in contact. The Craftsmen Newsletter Page 1 Would I know the answer? Did I know the answer? By W.Bro. Dennis W. Roberts, PAGDC Group Leader Information and Guidance Group You can always check your thoughts by visiting ‘Solomon’ of course! https://solomon.ugle.org.uk Dennis Roberts - Group Leader Information and Guidance Group e-mail: [email protected] Last time I asked “Do you know why craft itself. For the Worshipful Master, the Square is a fitting Jewel for the the Square is a significant emblem of Master’s collar?” morality. Most Freemasons will know the The Worshipful Master holds the Square as one of the working tools of highest office in the Lodge and it is a Fellowcraft and that is: ‘an angle of his duty to preserve strict attention to 90 degrees or there fourth part of a moral behaviour and to observe and circle’. It is one of the Great Lights of correct any deviation from the rules Freemasonry and an important and of decency and good conduct. Thus significant Masonic symbol. it is by the square conduct of the Worshipful Master that he rules the We are surrounded by squares in our Lodge, and why his distinctive jewel Lodge rooms, and it is seen in our is the Square. salutes; in the position of our feet; in the way we move around the Lodge; and in many other ways. For next time, I want to leave Solomon, so you cannot check your thoughts The Square is also the jewel and through the website. emblem of the Worshipful Master. An Let me pose this question: emblem of Geometry and the basis of our art. The Master epitomises the Looking around your Lodge and whole Craftsman who, having served with all of our equipment, do you his full apprenticeship has arrived know where it came from, or who at that stage of spiritual and moral first donated it? The answers will be perfection, which should be the aim different for every Lodge I am sure, of all true men and good Masons. and I would be delighted to hear Hence, when invested, he is called from as many within the Province as upon to practice all those moral virtues possible. which constitute a good man and a true Master. His obligation is taken in To start you off; the Ariconium Bible the Second Degree, and the Square was donated by W Bro Moseley, the is one of the triad of working tools of consecrating Provincial Chaplain at that Degree and all candidates are the time. And yes, his son is a member received upon it. of Hay Lodge! It was also a very important implement to the operative masons, being made up of two arms enclosing an angle of 90 degrees, to create a right angle, and has thus become synonymous with accuracy. The Square, if well applied, will perfectly show where the Gavel and Chisel should be employed, and how much their use is necessary. Operative masons were able to precisely adjust the edges, sides and angles of their work, ensuring that they were able to accurately fit stones in position and form the finest joints. The word square has also become a by-word for honest dealing and sincerity of purpose; a symbol of the The Craftsmen Newsletter Page 2 There’s more than one way to earn a living Part 17 Patrick Eyre continues to recount his career moves. On attending the estate agents offices in Bideford I offered the full asking price for the garage subject to contract. The offer was accepted and I made appointments to see a solicitor and the bank manager the following day. Having decided to stay in Bideford while the process was going through we found a well furnished static caravan to rent in Westward Ho. The following day was spent at the solicitors to find that once contracts had been exchanged I would need to attend court for my application to be heard for the licence to sell alcohol at Powlers Piece. The solicitor would arrange this along with notifying the local Fire Brigade that the petrol station would be changing hands. in place should a fire occur. He was and baked beans. The room in the Later I was to find the solicitor should happy to see that the contract with the house that was once the shop was have kept to progressing private fire extinguisher inspections were up now an attractive tea room, with the house exchanges and refrained from to date and the very loud fire alarm open fire place exposed along with business dealings of which she knew bell was working. It seems that the fire the original bread oven. nothing about, for I knew nothing chief was newly promoted and keen about underground petrol tanks to ask questions his predecessor had More to follow next week brethren. and their safety measures. Advice obviously not put to the previous owner on such matters may well have of the petrol station regarding the influenced my decision on whether or tanks’ security. When all my problems not to go ahead with the purchase of were revealed regarding this, he was a petrol station. In due course I was sympathetic to my predicament, but to find that if one becomes involved in left me with the chore of recording the buying such a business, one should tank dip before opening up each check on the tanks security and look morning and again closing down for proof of a pressure test or demand at night then balancing the readings that one must be carried out. Or even against the pumps meters. All this more important, a record of the age of seemed irrelevant as I could never the tanks in question and there wasn’t get the process to prove anything one. Diesel tanks I did understand. other than the fact that the petrol level Having them above ground is ok in the tanks had a mind of its own providing they are installed inside a going up and down with the changes bond wall capable of retaining any of temperature in the ground. As leaks. I had obviously inspected if this wasn’t enough, the weights the tanks during sale negotiations, and measure inspectors were a learning of their capacity and constant pain, checking that the pumps access for dipping procedures. They were delivering the correct amount were encased in concrete and the lids and that the scales in the shop were looked in good condition and rust free. accurate. There were lighter moments when one of the locals arrived at the When all this came to light around 18 shop on his pony and trap to collect months after taking over, I felt cheated his favourite snuff, putting some on and very naive, the solicitor getting the back of his hand for the pony to the sharp end of my tongue along sniff. You will have gathered by now with her boss. This was the time when that the shop was in position behind How many of you have put your the local fire chief arrived on site for a the pumps and selling everything Christmas decorations up already? chat and to see that everything was from calor-gas and logs, to ice cream The Craftsmen Newsletter Page 3 T@3 Some light hearted treats to keep you amused. ‘When I Were A Lad’ ‘Close Up Challenge’ Can you guess who this is? This Weeks Question This Weeks Question Can you guess who is in this picture. A very regular Zoom Can you guess what this object is in the close-up picture? meeting attendee he says: In order to put some “age” to it, all I can say is “the bucket is enamelled metal, green on the outside and cream on the inside”. Those who remember that period will recognise that particular model! Last Weeks Answer Last week’s picture was a close up of a food grater. Answer in next week’s Newsletter. Did you get that? Last Weeks Answer The answer to who was the 15 year old boy on the left is of course our very own Patrick Eyre. The Craftsmen Newsletter Page 4 T@3:30 Some light hearted treats to keep you amused. With thanks to Paul Sabel. Paul’s Perplexing Puzzle Answers to last week’s Word Search This Weeks Question is on page 11, in case you want to print it This week’s out Do you know what these strange objects are for? Lodge Furnishings O Z U T C C A S L V U C G B H S R Z J D W I X V S D H O D T C A N D L E S N U F F E R B U G U H R Z B I B L E C U S H I O N E U T Z D Y B P N M Z B S N R E H D O H S P I L S B X E F L Z U F X R S U E A U C G C J D V D N A W K J R U T S Z Q F Y E B L M E A E G P T Y L X O O R T T Z F G P M K T S H D V N A Y I D L C N T Q E R M P Q L O U Q O U S K N T B L Y O G Y B E G V S R K H R I J F Y E A A H A U L T F X T Y L E R S S W O R D W F W V H B P D C B H S O L W B F A L E Y U C Q R J F M T R L M A I S J B E L A B A I R L Y W K M T Y F O W Z L O N P F T V I C X S R N Y D N M D Y J D O L L Y K C H Z O A D I M L L F E I G H K V W S M S E V A T D R L G K S G M R Q W K D C M Y R E S H F L B F Y N L Q L J Y U R D Z H I O S M R Q O Q M R A L H S A H G U O R O R P T K C A E A B T S D A D G V Z B E P A Q O N A E A G T Y W V G P N O H R P X L K E R F H A J N M W L H P C S L M H C S R L U A M Y V A E H Z G X H S O H X A S T J H K Q B U V P L I U U E T I M C L I P T M R A P R O N C U S H I O N T Q A O R S J Y E E E H V A H C B A B M Q J B C H P S P G U C B Answer to last weeks curiosity Z E W B U E K N U F C B O Z H P K J F V W R E B C M K X U F I D Z B L E O L Z G R C A I H K C H This object is a ‘Hog Oiler’ TylersSword Wand SmoothAshlar RoughAshlar Slipshod Poignard Hoodwink HeavyMaul Gavel CandleSnuffer Candles No, “hog oiler” isn’t some sort of weird double meaning.