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One family has been represented in Mozart Lodge since 1917.
Walter Aden Heard, Initiated on March 16th. 1917, was the first of them. He
was a Professor of Music, and had played principal flute for Dr.
Sinclair’s Birmingham Choral Society since 1906. A founder member in
1920 of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, in which he was principal
flautist, he usually gets a mention in any history of the BBC as he played
flute solos on the very first broadcast from Birmingham
on November 16th. 1922.
He was Master of the Lodge in 1930, and received his Provincial honours in
1938. A regular attendee at the Lodge, he contributed to its musical
functions until his illness when he was 72. All this time he remained a
member of the C.B.S.O.
During his time in the Lodge he saw two of his sons and brother-in-law, Jim
Pearce, accepted into the Lodge. Jim Pearce was Master in 1939.
Haydn, Walter’s eldest son, was also a founder member of the B.S.O. A
well known violinist who regularly broadcast on the BBC with his own
orchestra, he was Director of Music in the Lodge in the 1920’s.
Walter’s youngest son, Reginald, was also a Lodge member, and was well
known as the partner of a music shop in Birmingham
and as a dance band musician.
W. Bro. Gordon Heard, Walter’s grandson, was Initiated into the Lodge
in 1953. At that time he was principal flautist with the C.B.S.O. and various
BBC orchestras, and did a considerable amount with his musical talents to
raise money for charities in the Province.
He took over as Director of Music from W. Bro. Fred Kelly when his health
failed.
A Viennese concert organised by Gordon at the Birmingham
Town Hall in 1987 was attended by
the P.G.M. and the Lord Mayor.
The sum of £5,535 was raised for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He
was Master of the Lodge in 1983.
His brother David was my successor into the Chair of King Solomon, in 1989,
and it was at his suggestion that this history narrative was begun.
Another brother, John, was a member of the Lodge, but unfortunately died
before he could attain the Chair.
During the past 25 years, the Lodge has provided, no less than five Acting
Provincial Director of Ceremonies. This demonstrates the respect felt for
Mozart Lodge in the Province.
One of our members W. Bro. W. E. Gibbons became a Grand Lodge Officer, being
appointed P.A.G.D.C. on April 24th. 1991 and then promoted to P.J.G.D in1998.
He is the first Lodge Initiate to have received this honour. Such distinction
does not come easily and W.Bro. ‘Bill’ has done more than enough
to earn his.
Initiated into the Lodge on December 20th. 1957, he was Raised on January
14th. 1959 and Installed on October 20th. 1967.
As I have said elsewhere, he started the annual Mozart charity concerts, and
the Christmas dinner dances, in the time that W. Bro. W. E. Aston was in the
Chair. Ably assisted by his wife Doreen, for a number of years, they
organised the Ladies Evenings. In May 1982, they founded the Widows
Friendship Club for the Province, which perhaps is their lasting achievement.
For some ten years Bill was Almoner of the Lodge.
W. Bro. ‘Bill’ has served on the Provincial Benevolent Fund
Committee, and was a member of the Main Charity Board.
He is a Grand Officer in seven Orders in Masonry.
The Lodge of Instruction started in May 1918, was held on the second Friday of
the month. Because of the difficulty in attracting new candidates this was
switched to the second Tuesday in the month. It is well supported usually,
but with more of the senior members than the junior ones.
W. Bro. W. E Gibbons was Preceptor for some 20 years, and relinquished the
Office in 1988, when the task was taken on by W. Bro. D. Beniston, whose
father, the late W. Bro. F. Beniston, held the position for many years.
The present Preceptor is W. Bro. A. L Dawson.
The longest serving member of the Lodge in 1991 was Bro. Rev. John
Wedderburn, who has been an Honorary Member for some time. He was Initiated
on April 16th.1937.
Our Senior Past Master at this time was W. Bro. Frank Ernest Packwood, who
was our 150th Initiate on November 19th. 1948. He was Master in 1958.
There will of course have been many other members of Mozart Lodge who would
more than qualify under this chapter, but unfortunately information is not
available to me.
(Written by W.Bro. Arthur Aston.)
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