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 It was
very interesting to read from the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held in
January 1977, “the Lodge Banner, which had been renovated and restored,
was brought into the Lodge.”
This very Banner was last seen at my own Installation Meeting on October
21st. 1988 and could not be found for the subsequent meeting held in
November.
The only conclusion that could be drawn for its disappearance was that it had
been stolen from the balcony outside the Lodge rooms, where it was on display
along with other Banners of interest
As the Master of the Lodge, it became my responsibility to pursue the whole
matter, and this I did. After several fruitless searches the facts were
reported to the Provincial Grand Secretary whose office is situated in the
same building.
When the Warwickshire Masonic
Temple was opened, Lodges were
asked to display those Banners of interest, around the balcony. Mozart was
one of the Lodges which did this, on a regular basis.
Due to commercial reasons, the Temple
is now used by non-Masonic organisations, which bring in tradesmen of various
kinds to rig up display equipment, amongst other things. Whilst there is no
accusation levelled at these tradesmen, it serves to illustrate that all and
sundry are allowed to wander around totally unsupervised and people now have
access who may not respect Freemasonry.
No claim could be entertained by the Temple
insurance for the loss, because there was no forced entry, and Provincial Grand
Lodge was not in a position to assist us financially towards getting a
replacement.
Fortunately our own insurers, who were covering the Lodge property, came up
with £950 and this went a long way to paying for the replacement. A Lodge
member at that time, Bro. Brian Sharp, the wizard of the electronic
keyboards, gave a concert on a Yamaha H.S.8, and raised the remainder of the
money.
Light and Boston Ltd. were given the task of making a new Banner as close to
the original as it was possible to determine from some of the photographs
from the Ladies Evenings. There were no other pictures of the Banner
available. Being hand made the time scale in production was a lot longer than
originally thought and further delay occurred when the finished banner was
found to contain the wrong notes of music!
Finally being completed the new Lodge Banner was dedicated at the Regular
Lodge Meeting held on Friday, February 15th. 1991. The Worshipful Master was
Bro. D. L. Heard and the Provincial Grand Master, the Rt. W. Bro. the Rt.
Rev. Vernon Nicholls was in attendance. All present were treated to a feast
of music both in the Lodge room and at the Festive Board, as only Mozart
Lodge can do.
Bro. Brian Sharp performed in the Lodge Room, Mozart’s the
“Overture to the Seraglio” and the slow movement from
“Piano Concerto” No. 21.
Mozart’s First Movement of the “Sonata in E Minor”, was
beautifully played on violin by W. Bro. Bill Hand, who was accompanied on
piano by Bro. Harold Rich.
W. Bro. Ray Mason then sang the aria “We know no thought of
vengeance” from the “Magic Flute”.
A deputation arrived from our Mother Lodge, Bedford Lodge No. 925 and
presented a cheque for 50 guineas towards the cost of the new Banner.
Due to the intractability of my immediate chief at my place of business, I
was unable to witness this marvellous conclusion to the saga of the Lodge
Banner. It will always remain one of the great regrets of my life.
(Written by W.Bro. Arthur Aston.)
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