250th Anniversary Commemorative Jewel

[lewis 20]

A Lodge contributed to this fund, in and around 1967 and as a result was awarded the 250^th Anniversary Commemorative Jewel to wear on the WM's collar.

Does anyone know how I can find out which Lodges contributed and were awarded this Jewel.

I have recently come across the jewel discarded in the waste bin but no one claims ownership.

[lewis 20]

After doing my own research this is what I've managed to find out.

 

250^th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE JEWEL

On 14 June 1967 the 250th anniversary of Grand Lodge was celebrated at the Royal Albert Hall. Centrepiece of the celebrations was the installation as Grand Master of HRH The Duke of Kent, who still holds that office today.

In 1966 in celebration of Freemasonry's 250^th anniversary, Lord Scarbrough, launched a charitable appeal in February 1966 to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons. It was marked with a massive donation by the Craft to the Royal College of Surgeons to endow a research chair at the College for the benefit of mankind as a whole.

"The College has a long and special relationship with Freemasonry in England with the advancement of surgery, owing much to the generosity and constant support of Freemasons, who have contributed money and time to the College over many years.

"He proposed that every English Freemason should give £1 towards `the betterment of human health and `happiness."

The purpose of the appeal was to establish a charitable fund with the income being made available to the College for research. The appeal was enthusiastically embraced by Freemasons, and resulted in the establishment of the 250th Anniversary Fund for "research into the science of surgery".

This fund is used for non-Masonic charities and endows research units under the auspices of the Royal College of Surgeons. More than £580,000 was raised, and used to create the first Masonic charity with exclusively non-Masonic objectives.

In its first years, the fund gave £25,000 to the Royal College of Surgeons of England, financing the first three Freemasons’ surgical research fellowships, a dental research fellowship and a library grant to help with the research process.

The donation took the form of a collection equal to £1 per member of the Lodge to the Grand Master’s Fund. Lodges achieving their own target in this respect were accorded the right to a 250th Anniversary Commemorative Jewel; to mark this event the Jewel now adorns the Master’s collar.

The medallion is in ‘Red and Blue’ enamel showing the Arms of the Premier Grand Lodge and the years 1717 to 1967.

The charity’s objectives remain ‘to further, in conjunction with the Royal College of Surgeons, research in the science of surgery’.

 The following address is suggested as being suitable for the use at Installation of the new Worshipful Master and could be delivered by the Installing Master, at his option, immediately after the presentation of the Warrant, Book of Constitutions and the By-Laws and Hall Stone Lodge Jewel if appropriate.

(Extract from the Emulation Ritual Book)

Worshipful Master, during the Ceremony of Installing you into the Chair of this Lodge, I had the honour of investing you with the Collar and Jewel of your office. In addition to the Square, that collar is adorned with the Commemorative Jewel indicating that the members of this Lodge played their part in establishing a Fund which commemorated the preservation of Freemasonry through two and a half centuries. The design of the jewel embodies the central theme of the Arms first granted to the ‘Hole Crafte and Fellowship of Masons; in 1472.

As you are aware, the income from this very substantial Fund is placed at the disposal of the Royal College of Surgeons of England to further research into the science of surgery as a real and practical contribution for the betterment of the health and happiness of humanity.

I feel sure, Worshipful Master, the members will always feel great pride and satisfaction that the adornment to the Master’s Collar marks the Lodge’s participation in this great enterprise.

 

Personally I think that this jewel for those Lodges between 1918 & 1967 should prize this Jewel as those Lodges that have the Hall Stone Jewel.

 

By the way, my District has now applied to UGLE for further information on the presentation within our District. Hopefully I'll get some more information shortly

 

 

[lewis 20]

Maybe Martin Cherry could respond?

 

[Mike Martin 143]

I would suggest contacting the Library and Museum through its website here: https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/

 

[Sentience 64]

At our Installation, the IM read out a short explanation of this jewel adorned to the WM's collar.

[Trouillogan 166]

On 02/10/2019 at 18:51, lewis said:

A Lodge contributed to this fund, in and around 1967 and as a result was awarded the 250^th Anniversary Commemorative Jewel to wear on the WM's collar.

Does anyone know how I can find out which Lodges contributed and were awarded this Jewel.

I have recently come across the jewel discarded in the waste bin but no one claims ownership.

Correct, no one will claim ownership of these significant jewels; they were awarded to lodges and not to individuals.  Many qualifying lodges mount them proudly on the Master's collar.  However, since so few brethren appear to take much interest in the history of their lodges or of the Craft as a whole, it is not surprising that little is known or passed on about such matters.  I would suggest that you do likewise and perhaps address the lodge on the subject.

[lewis 20]

On 03/12/2019 at 00:23, Mike Martin said:

I would suggest contacting the Library and Museum through its website here: https://museumfreemasonry.org.uk/

 

Hopefully, after many badgering, my District has.

[Mike Martin 143]

6 hours ago, lewis said:

Hopefully, after many badgering, my District has.

I don't know why you've involved your District but it is bound to slow down your progress.

[lewis 20]

7 hours ago, Mike Martin said:

I don't know why you've involved your District but it is bound to slow down your progress.

Last time I spoke to someone near your office, that person was away and one of the secretaries picked up on his email and reported me to my District (via the Grand Secretary) that I had communicated with UGLE without going through the proper channels and had a sever warning raised against me.

[Mike Martin 143]

Ahh I get it, it's amazing how many people refer to Freemasons' Hall as "UGLE" or "Grand Lodge" when it is actually the building where it is and there are several other organisations in here too

No need to go through third parties when contacting the Library & Museum, Masonic Charitable Foundation, Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London or the London Grand Rank Association as we're not parts of UGLE.

As to someone in Grand Lodge reporting you there are some over zealous people up there   

 

[Trouillogan 166]

I agree with Mike here.  Frequently I'm in direct communication with members of staff in the LibMus at GQS; no involvement with anyone else and no one else's business.

[lewis 20]

Just to inform you that the UGLE Library were very helpful in my request, but there were no records kept on which Lodges were presented with this Jewel for their WM's collar.

 

Looks like I'm the proud owner of this Jewel.

[Sentience 64]

Mine certainly has it adorned to the WM's collar.

[Ozymandius 13]

If it is anything like the 300 Anniversary Masters Collar Jewel, my Lodge purchased it from Toye Kenning so there would not be any record at Grand Lodge.

[Sentience 64]

Nothing like.  

[Trouillogan 166]

2 hours ago, Sentience said:

Nothing like.  

Not sure what you mean - it's identical with the one Lewis shows above.  Just that yours has been removed from the collar.

[lewis 20]

The one I have shown is attached to the WM's collar with silver braid (like PM braiding) as issued to the Lodge in the late 60's

[Sentience 64]

So is that one, it's just a library image.  As they appear on the collar.

 

[Mike Martin 143]

17 hours ago, Trouillogan said:

Not sure what you mean - it's identical with the one Lewis shows above.  Just that yours has been removed from the collar.

I think he was saying that the 275th collar Jewel is nothing like the Tercentenary collar jewel (pictured below).

[Trouillogan 166]

Well, apart from Ozymandius' post, this thread is all about the 250th collar jewel and illustrations of them.  The '300th' is another event entirely and, of course, it looks different, as it should.

[Ozymandius 13]

What I actually meant was, would the 250th Collar jewel be like the 300th in that it was not "presented by UGLE" but was instead purchased privately by the Lodge from TKS.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Ozymandius

[lewis 20]

Hi, I've been searching everywhere to try and obtain two of these jewels to replace lost ones for lodges in Malaysia. Has any one got any ideas where I can purchase them?

[lewis 20]

 

 

 

[lewis 20]

On 14/01/2020 at 10:29, Sentience said:

So is that one, it's just a library image.  As they appear on the collar.

 

Does anyone know how a lodge qualified for the 275 collar Jewel?

 

[Sentience 64]

I remember it was some appeal for Lodge contributions.  All those Lodges that participated were given the jewel.