Official visit to Albert Edward Lodge No. 59 - Alexandra
Thursday 18th March 2010
The VMMA was invited by the W.M. Bro. Steve Davenport (VMMA member) to attend Albert Edward Lodge No. 59 regular meeting at Alexandra on Thursday 18th March 2010.
Steve purchased The Baron's old BMW motorcycle to restore and ride, current update on its restoration is that remains in a million pieces, less the parts that The Baron lost as he rode this particular motorcycle everywhere.
Alexandra Masonic Centre
VMMA members rode up to Alexandra singly and in small groups, one group Bob, Chris, Dean and Johno departed from Yarra Glen at 5.00 pm for the ride up to Yea to meet with Pedro and Woody who then joined the group ride up to Alexandra.
The days forecast was for a weather change from hot and sticky to wet and may be thunder storms, we were very lucky with no thunderstorms and the riding was done in very pleasant conditions.
Other VMMA members had traveled up to Alexandra earlier in the day and had made a motel booking for the night those being The Baron, David Hall, Grumpy and The Duke.
Yea refreshment stop. Stopped at the Alexandra Motel to meet with other VMMA members. .
The group ride from Yea stopped at the Alexandra Motel to meet and greet with our fellow members, they all appeared to be well settled into their rooms and there was some thought by others to stay overnight with them and depart very early in the morning for work.
Members who attended traveled from Phillip Island, Wonthaggi, Bendigo, Euroa and Melbourne.
Soon it was time to ride up to the Alexandra Masonic Centre and get changed for the meeting, additional VMMA members turned up at the Centre to join with us making a total of eleven visiting members, not a bad effort for a Thursday evening meeting in country Victoria.
Both Pedro and The Baron had recently been recognised by the Grand Master by conferred rank for their services to freemasonry, in particular The Baron for his services in the local district and Pedro for his services to freemasonry via the VMMA.
Pedro proudly wearing his fathers Grand Lodge regalia. Woody is fresh and alert prior to tyling, but poor old David Hall must have had a very tiring trip from Phillip Island!!!!!
Pedro was very proud to wear his fathers Grand Lodge regalia for the first time, it had been passed down to him some years ago. The Baron on the other hand without thinking packed his normal regalia onto the motorcycle as he has done over the years and was most disappointed when he realised what he had done, no doubt he will not forget to pack the new regalia next time!!!!.
The of Duke Of Clarence Lodge No. 172 from Yea was also on an official visit to lay claim to the Traveling Gavel, visitors for the evening totaled 24, not bad for a country lodge mid week!!!!
The VMMA entered the lodge after the P.M's forming two lines in the West to be welcomed by the W.M. Bro. Steve Davenport on behalf of and Albert Edward Lodge.
Albert Edward Lodge and the VMMA have an association that goes back 6 years when they provided afternoon tea for us, in fact on the same day the Duke Of Clarence Lodge at Yea provided morning tea as we traveled to their lodges as part of our early lodge visitation program.
The Duke Of Clarence Lodge entered the lodge as an official visit and the visiting wardens took up their respective positions in the lodge, this was part of the process to secure the Traveling Gavel from Albert Edward Lodge. (more on that later)
The evening was very well attended with 24 visitors in total.
Work for the evening was the presentation of the 1st Degree Tracing Board by The Baron who is well known in the district as a serial visitor, on completion of the presentation (by the way it was very well performed) The Baron casually reached out to the Secretaries desk and picked up the Traveling Gavel and proceed to enlighten everyone that due to the traveling the VMMA undertakes to visit lodges throughout Victoria that the Traveling Gavel was now in safe keeping.
Expecting an immediate response to this gesture The Baron could not believe he actually made it back to his seat without being challenged, but alas the W.M. Bro. Steve Davenport made the challenge for the Traveling Gavel and The Baron returned it to its rightful position on the Secretaries desk and commented it was worthwhile just to see the expression of the D.C's face.
Prior to closing the lodge W.M. Bro. Steve Davenport made the official presentation of the Traveling Gavel to the W.M. of the Duke Of Clarence Lodge from Yea.
W.M. Steve Davenport of Albert Edward Lodge and the recipient of the Traveling Gavel on the evening the W.M. of Duke Of Clarence Lodge No. 172 from Yea.
L to R Back Row: Pedro, Dean, Phil, Woody and David Hall. L to R Front Row: Grumpy, Bob, W.M. of Duke Of Clarence Lodge No. 172, W.M. Steve Davenport of Albert Edward Lodge, The Baron, The Duke and Wazza.
After closing the lodge as is with tradition a group photograph was taken of the VMMA members with the W.M of the Lodge and in this case also with the W.M. of the Duke Of Clarence Lodge who has invited the VMMA to visit them later in the year.
Retiring to the south we continued to enjoyed the hospitality of those present and in need it was a very large gathering of brethren, to conclude the evening a member of the lodge donated 2 double passes for the F1 GP, unfortunately none of our members were luckily to win any of these tickets.
The evening concluded around 10.30 pm with Bob, Chris, Dean, Pedro and Woody riding home, Phil and Wazza driving home whilst the others adjourned back to their motel rooms.
Reported by CW
