Lovekyn Chantry Lodge The members of Lovekyn Chantry Lodge, and W Bro Michael Giddy

A Very Special Initiation


Lovekyn Chantry Lodge No 6807 and Tiffinian Lodge No 3550 are the School Lodges of, respectively, Kingston Grammar School and Tiffin’s Boys’ School.  The schools face each other across the London Road in Kingston-upon-Thames, and for very many years the boys of each have partaken in a strong rivalry.  The Lodges continue that rivalry, thankfully in a much friendlier manner, and indeed Lovekyn Chantry Lodge is the daughter Lodge of Tiffinian Lodge.  Members of each Lodge are regular visitors at the other, as they are at the other School Lodges in the area, especially Old Hamptonian and Rutlish Lodges. Traditionally the Masters of each act as Wardens and Inner Guard in each other’s Installation ceremonies.

W Bro Michael and Bro Luke GiddyOn 20th May 2011 this closeness and mutual support went a step further when Lovekyn Chantry Lodge initiated the son of a Past Master of Tiffinian Lodge, W.Bro. Michael Giddy, PPSGD, LGR, who was Master in 1991 and 2010. When his son Luke wanted to be initiated into Freemasonry he was unable to join his father’s Lodge, as Tiffinian is a closed Lodge and only admits those who are past pupils or are masters of the school. Instead, Luke was invited to join Lovekyn Chantry Lodge, and his father took part in the Initiation Ceremony.

At the 20th May meeting the Worshipful Master of Lovekyn Chantry Lodge, W.Bro. Ian Amy, PProvJGD, invited W Bro Giddy to take the Chair to initiate his son.  He carried out the ceremony with much feeling as far as the point when the Candidate is invested with the distinguishing badge of a Mason, when he handed the gavel back to W.Bro. Amy. Bro. Luke Giddy then sat to one side while a second Candidate was admitted, making this a still more special evening.  Bro. Ronald Owden was then initiated as far as the same stage as Bro. Giddy, when the two Candidates joined together for the remainder of the ceremony.

The ceremonies went very smoothly and this proved to be a successful way of carrying out a double Initiation.  Both Candidates had the benefit of an individual Initiation, only sharing the Charges and the explanation of the Working Tools.  It meant a slightly earlier start, but everyone felt it worked very well.  It also reinforced still further the close bond between the two Lodges, and we can be sure that both father and son will be regular visitors at each other’s Lodges.

The photos show (top) W Bro Michael Giddy with his newly Initiated son Bro Luke Giddy, and (below) the members of Lovekyn Chantry Lodge with W Bro Michael Giddy (third from left, front row, with Bro Luke (fourth from left) and Bro Ronald Owden (fifth from left)

Bro Luke Giddy’s Second Degree


At our December 2011 meeting we Passed Bro Luke Giddy. Luke is the son of W Bro Michael Giddy of our Parent Lodge, Tiffinian, and he was Initiated into Lovekyn Chantry Lodge, in part by his Father, at our May 2011 meeting. Not being an Old Tiffinian he was unable to join that Lodge as membership is restricted to those with a connection with the school. See below for the full story of his Initiation.

Bro Giddy was Passed by the Worshipful Master, W Bro Ian Amy, with the assistance of his Officers. Before the Ceremony he received a presentation of the Charge After Initiation by W Bros Nick Horne and Rob Adams. There had not been time to do this at the May meeting, as that meeting involved a double Initiation. W Bro Ray Martin delivered the explanation of the Second Degree Working Tools and W Bro Malcolm Lulham explained the Tracing Board.

The meeting took place in the welcome presence of our Official Visitor and Representative of the RW Provincial Grand Master, W Bro Chris Wheeler, who congratulated Bro Giddy and spoke warmly about the Ceremony in his closing remarks. We were also delighted to welcome a good number of visitors, 14 in total, including, not surprisingly given the link between the Lodges represented by our Candidate and his father, several from Tiffinian Lodge.

The photograph shows the members of the Lodge and visitors on that occasion, taken before the meeting, with W Bro Wheeler in front in the centre.

Lovekyn Chantry Lodge 2 December 2011

Kingston Grammar School Upper 6th Graduation and Prizegiving 22nd June 2012

The Lodge has sponsored prizes at the school's annual prizegiving ceremonies for many years.  More recently, two prizes have been awarded each year - one for a boy, and one for a girl at the Head's discretion for personal achievement, or making a special contribution to the school, house or year group etc.

This year the lodge's prizes were awarded at the Upper 6th Graduation and Prizegiving ceremony attended by W. Bro. David Thompson (Lodge Treasurer and former Governor) and W. Bro. John Snelling (former Governor), who were delighted to meet with, and see Marcus Gosling and Helen Baker receive their awards.

Marcus intends to study French & Film Studies at Exeter University, and Helen intends to study Medicine at Birmingham University.  We wish them well for their future studies and careers.

Photo left to right: David Thompson, Helen Baker and Marcus Gosling.

Lovekyn Contributions to Provincial Charities


Lovekyn Chantry Lodge is among those which have contributed to the Provincial appeal for MacMillan Cancer Support. A full report is available here.

Also, a total of over £30,000 was donated to various local charities under the Surrey for Surrey scheme. A full report of the presentation, at Surbiton on 30th May 2012, is available here.

An interesting 50 year certificate


W Bro Bob Tomlin presents W Bro Derek Furminger with his 50 year certificateIn October 2013 W.Bro. Bob Tomlin visited Lovekyn Chantry Lodge No 6807 to present W.Bro. Derek Furminger with a 50 year certificate.

In October 1963 Derek Furminger was initiated as a Lewis into Merton Lodge No 2790 and was Passed and Raised at the next two meetings.  All three Ceremonies were performed by his father Vernon Furminger.  In those days the Lodge met at Arding and Hobbs at Clapham Junction.

Derek joined Lovekyn Chantry in 1984 and was its Master in 1992.  He was Exalted into Sudbrook Chapter No 8440 which subsequently changed their name and number to Lovekyn Chantry Chapter No 6807.  He was MEZ in 2001.

Educated at Raynes Park County Grammar School, Derek has been married to Heather for nearly 25 years.

After serving a formal apprenticeship Derek worked in Export Sales and Marketing for Decca Radar, Plessey Radar, Racal, MEL and Thorn EMI on defence electronics throughout the world.

He then ran a small hotel and restaurant in Dorset for seven years before moving back to Surrey where he worked as a driver at the RAF Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre in Leatherhead.  They now spend the winter in South Africa where they bought a property.

As well as the presentation of the 50 year certificate to W.Bro. Derek there was also due to be an Installation Ceremony.  Unfortunately the candidate was not able to attend so it was decided to give a demonstration of the 1st Degree Ceremony.

W.Bro. Derek offered his services as candidate.  So he was presented with a 50 year certificate and then Initiated - is this a first?


Federation of School Lodges 2014


The Lodge was again well represented at the Federation of School Lodges meeting on 20 September 2014 in Worksop. For more details go to the Federation page here.

Installation of W Bro Roger Tutton


The April meeting of the Lodge saw the Installation of W Bro Roger Tutton into the Chair of the Lodge. As the outgoing Master, W Bro David Ford, was indisposed on the evening, the ceremony was conducted by W Bro Ian Amy. W Bro Roger then invested his Officers for the year 2014/2015.

This is W Bro Roger’s first time in the Chair of a Lodge, as it was for W Bro David in the previous year. This is always an occasion for special celebration, and the ceremony is slightly longer than when a Past Master is taking the Chair again. Roger found it a very significant occasion, and warmly thanked all those who had been involved.

As is customary in our small local group of School Lodges, the Master or a Past Master of Rutlish, Tiffinian and Old Hamptonian Lodges temporarily took office for the Installation ceremony.

This was an unusual meeting for another reason; for only the second time in the Lodge’s history, we were unable to meet in the Lovekyn Chantry Chapel as the School needed it for a function of their own, but we were well looked after at Glenmore House, the Surbiton Masonic Centre.

Lodge members and visitors at the Installation meeting, April 2014

Ladies’ Festival 2015


A very successful and enjoyable Ladies’ Festival was held on Saturday 31st January 2015 at the Holiday Inn, Surbiton, with the Worshipful Master, W Bro Roger Tutton, as President.

News

Federation of School Lodges Meeting 2015


The 68th annual Festival of the Federation of School Lodges was held on Saturday 5th September at Solihull School under the banner of the Shentonian Lodge No.5544. The meeting was arranged around a Lodge of Sorrow to remember the fallen in the 1st WW especially those old boys & masters from the School.  It was a unique ceremony with readings and hymns which none of use had experienced before, with the centre-piece being a scale replica of the Cenotaph in London upon which poppies and wreaths were laid.

The ladies’ programme featured a visit to Packwood House & Gardens (NT).

Three members of the Lodge attended, accompanied by their wives, and they are shown in the photograph above: from left to right - Lyn and Ray Martin, Christine and David Thompson, and Nicky and Ian Amy.