News from Oldham District

Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire

WBro Leslie Auger celebrates 50 years in freemasonry

On the 19th March at the Middleton Masonic Hall WBro Harold Woodward APGM took the Chair of Arthur Sullivan Lodge No 2156 to present WBro Leslie Auger a certificate to celebrate 50 years in freemasonry. During the ceremony the lodge secretary read the minutes on what happen the day that Leslie Auger was admitted into freemasonry. WBro Philip Price (District Chairman) stood and related what was in the news and sports events that took place in February 1958.

Members of the Manchester United Football team were injured and killed in a plane crash.
Washington: Howard Eisenhower was on the way to recovery after his operation.
Mick Howarth became formula 1 champion.
General Charles de Gaulle was elected president of France.
First Parking meter was introduced in London.
The first yellow line was painted in London.
Hover Craft became new form of transport.
Leslie Auger was initiated into freemasonry by WBro Eric Bowler PProvGStwd on the 19th March 1958 with 43 members and 5 visitors present.

WBro Thomas J.B Whiteley PProvJGW then gave an in-depth history of Leslie Auger’s life.

“Leslie was born in Sheffield on the 2nd March 1925 into a large family of six brothers and one sister; sadly he is the only survivor. Everyone in his family was musical and singing was encouraged making it a home full of melody as was the case in most homes before the advent of television. Leslie attend school and ended up at grammar school at the age of twelve and left at the age of fourteen to take his first job as a laboratory assistant in the fuel technology department of Sheffield University. At the age of sixteen he found employment in the rating department of the Town Hall and found many work colleagues with the same musical interest as himself and in fact one was an ex opera singer who helped Leslie in his voice production and so he began to consider music seriously.
After service in the RAF as a wireless mechanic stationed at a lonely, boring, transmitting post in the Persian Gulf he resumed his duties at the rating office. Then a vacancy occurred at Sheffield Cathedral as a base soloist, he applied for the position and sang there for four and half years. During this time he gained recognition and moved to Manchester Cathedral a more prestigious position, however, he fell on poor times until his Cathedral salary arrived.
His brother persuaded him to put his finances on more firm footing and took up a place at Didsbury Teacher Training Collage and after teaching for ten years he decided to call it a day.
When he was initiated into free masonry 19th March in 1958, soon afterwards began his considerable contribution to Masonic Music, being for many years a member of the East Lancashire Masonic Quartet.
In 1971 he was installed into the chair as master of the lodge whereby he carried out his duties in his own inimitable way”. His musical talent was noticed by many and when asked to perform at social boards, Ladies Evening etc. he gave his services free. As well as his singing talent he also found time to be an extra in such soaps as Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
In 1980 he married for the second time a wonderful young lady named, coincidently Lesley and was known in the lodge as Mrs Leslie.

After the address by WBro Thomas J.B Whiteley, WBro Harold Woodward presented him with the Certificate and letter sent by the Provincial Grand Master WBro James Ernest Rink.
After the presentation WBro Leslie Auger spoke of many aspects of his life and thank his wife for all the support she had given him over the years.

This photos shows WBro Leonard Samuels, WBro Leslie Auger and WBro H Woodward, APGM.

WBro Leslie Auger accompanied WBro Harold Woodward APGM and the district team to an early retirement to the social board and photographs were taken.


WM of Tongue Hall Lodge, WBro Leonard Samuels, WBro Leslie Auger and WBro H Woodward APGM	WBro Leslie Auger PProDepGSwdB & District Team

Imperial Lodge No 5609 Warrant Surrender - 14 March 2008

The lodge was originally consecrated on the 23rd March 1936 some 72 years ago. Since that date many Brethren have taken on the responsibility of Worshipful Masters of the lodge creating many evenings of ceremonies, lectures resulting in hours of friendship and Masonic fellowship.
As we all know each Master makes a promise to administer the lodge to the best of his skill and ability, and ensure that the lodge’s warrant issued by ”The United Grand Lodge of England” is kept in good order and passed to his successor.
However, over the years all lodge memberships rise and fall and it is with sorrow that Imperial Lodge’s membership has fallen to a number that it is unable to sustain a working lodge.

True the Worshipful Masters promise, WBro Paul Murphy was unable to pass the Lodge and its Warrant onto a successor and had no option but to return the Warrant to ”The Provincial Grand Lodge of England” representative.
WBro Harold Woodward PPSGD, APGM was in attendance when the lodge was closed with great dignity and ceremony and received the Warrant on behalf of UGLE.

WBro Reginald James Vernon's 50th

On the 6th March at the Middleton Masonic Hall WBro Harold Woodward APGM took the Chair of Langley Lodge and presented to WBro Reginald James Vernon a certificate to celebrate 50years in freemasonry. During the ceremony the lodge secretary read the minutes on what happen the day that Reg. Vernon was admitted into freemasonry. WBro Philip Price (District Chairman) stood and related what was in the news and sports events that took place in February 1958.

Provincial and District Officers (WBro Martin Roche ProvDepGrandDC, WBro Reginald James Vernon PPGS Bearer,
WBro Harold Woodward PSGD APGM and WBro Philip Price PPJGW.

Bro Bob Holder then gave an in-depth history of Reg. Vernon’s life.

“Reg. was born in Exeter in 1924 into a family of seven brothers and sisters. He attended the local John Stocker Secondary Modern School, leaving at the age of fourteen to find employment in a variety of office jobs.
At the outbreak of war Reg joined the A.T.C. where he rose to the rank of Flight Sergeant – an early reflection of his abilities. The Officers of the A.T.C. were largely drawn from the teaching staff of the local Technical School and Reg was quick to seize the opportunity to further his education and soon volunteered to join the R.A.F. under the P.N.B. scheme namely the Pilot, Navigator, Bomb-aimer scheme and was dispatched to Pembroke College Cambridge for initial training. Later he went on to Marshall's Flying School where he was taught to fly a Tiger Moth biplane and was allowed to fly solo after only six hours tuition! After submitting to aptitude tests in London, Reg was selected to be trained as a navigator- a most responsible position- here was the guy who had to get you there and then bring you back again, often using a sextant and the stars and a lot of head-scratching.

Reg was then posted to a transit camp at Heaton Park where he had to kick his heels for six months whilst waiting for a ship to Canada where he successfully qualified as a navigator. The top third of the course were awarded a Royal Commission, the rest were promoted to Sergeant. Reg, having earned a position in the top third, emerged as Flying Officer Vernon.

The Canadian Training course was so extensive that, by the time it was completed, the European conflict had ended, and as he was preparing to go to the Far East, the atom bomb was dropped so ending hostilities. So all of Reg's war effort was to become, as he likes to call it, "Just a Cook's tour." Nevertheless he enjoyed every minute of it.

Reg went on to complete his education at Grimes Tutorial College in Manchester were he obtain his School Certificate which gained his entry into Teacher Training College at Chester where ex-service men were taught gratis and even given a small grant for living expenses so that as a married man like Reg he had to watch the coppers. Reg's first teaching post was at a school in Oldham and it took him some time to understand the local dialect. As the years passed Reg. took up many positions in teaching.

Reg was first encouraged to join the Masonic fraternity by his father-in-law who was a Provincial Officer in a Cheshire Lodge and, after waiting five years, was initiated into Langley Lodge by none other than my Father on 6th March 1958. It took Reg seventeen years finally to ascend to the Chair of King Solomon during which time he had occupied every office on the floor of the Lodge. Following his year as Immediate Past Master Reg was continually in office and became the first Charity Steward of the Lodge, then Assuistant D.C. and subsequently D.C. Later serving as Chaplain, Almoner and Auditor. He has seldom been out of office and was the first member of Langley Lodge to occupy the chair for a second time. He was promoted to Past Provincial Deputy Grand Superintendent of works and later elevated to the rank of Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer”

The Lodge was closed and all where invited to the social board. The presentation at the Social Board of the tie & 50th Badge from Imperial George Lodge No: 78 were by W. Bro. Eric Chisholm P.Prov.SGW.
The most senior Brother present that evening and who remembered many of the goings on as recorded in the minutes was WBro. Arthur Pierce P.Prov. JGW; he celebrates his personal 60th in about 18months!


Reginald Vernon with his certificate and Harold Woodward	Harold Woodward and Reginald Vernon

Charity Giving Evening

Middleton’s Freemasons held their 3rd annual charity giving evening on Friday 29th February, when over 100 Masons, families and charity representatives gathered in the main function suite at Middleton Masonic Club. Lodge representatives from Imperial George78, Rectitude Chapter 581, Langley 3989, Imperial 5609, Werneth 6163, Old Elizabethans 8235, Horton 8528 and Tonge Hall 8763 presented cheques totalling over £10,000, which had been raised from within the membership of the various lodges, to a wide variety of charities.

The Charity Representatives were welcomed with a drinks reception and tour of the Masonic facility and were treated to a buffet provided by the Lodges. On receiving their donations each charity representative gave an interesting and often very moving account of the valuable work that they are doing.

The guest of honour was Barbara Wilson M.B.E. from the Coalshaw Green Park project, where the kitchen facilities have been totally refurbished by the Masons of the District, a grant of £9,500 being provided by the East Lancashire Masonic Charity and the labour by volunteers from the Lodges in the District.

The charities receiving donations on the night were, Christie Hospital, The Macular Disease Society, Weston Spirit, A.B.C.( Against Breast Cancer), Macmillan Nurses, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, Broughton House, Stuart Towler Bursary, Francis House, Salford Cross Roads, Bury Hospice, Springhill Hospice, Kingfisher School, Childline, N.S.P.C.C. , First Responders, Littleborough Adult Placement Centre, Oldham Hospital Radio and The Downs Syndrome Association.

The evening was opened with David Dunn “Oldham District Charity Steward” welcoming everyone to the Charity Giving Night. He extended a very warm welcome to the representatives of all the charities present which are those people who want to get involved in helping those less fortunate than others in society, he quoted E.M. Forster who once said “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested”

He went to explain that Oldham Masonic District covers Oldham, Middleton and Shaw and consists of twenty individual lodges made up of approximately six hundred and fifty masons who, over the year, raise money for charities. This evening is the culmination of the year when the monies raised by various lodges are distributed to worthy causes.

He went on to say that from its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities and over the past 5 years Freemasonry has raised over £75m for a wide range of charitable purposes. In the UK it is second only to the National Lottery in terms of charitable giving.

He explained the format for the evening and hoped everyone would enjoy themselves as well learning more about other causes as each charity would give a brief synopsis on what the charity and how they would use their donation.


Chapter of Rectitude 581 and Horton Lodge 8235 Presenting a Cheque to ABC (Against Breast Cancer)	Charity Recipients

Imperial George 78 Imperial 5609 Horton 8528 Tonge Hall 8763 Presenting Cheque to Chrities Hospital	Imperial George 78, Inperial 5609, Horton 8528, Lodges Presenting Cheque's to Kingfisher School

Imperial Lodge 5609 Presenting Cheque to Booth Hall Hospital	Langley Lodge 3989 Presenting Cheque to Childline

Old Elizabethans Lodge 8235 Presenting a Cheque to Macular Disease Society	Werneth Lodge 6163 Ladies Presenting a Cheque to Downs Syndrome Association

In his remarks closing the Giving Evening, Philip Price, Oldham District Chairman, said that for some the world was a breathtakingly beautiful and happy environment with life too short to explore and take in all its wonders. There were however those for whom life in this world was more difficult and testing. The Voluntary Sector often provided the only support for those so challenged. Great changes could be made through the funding of those good works.

The Giving Evening had brought together people from different backgrounds. All shared the wish to make a difference to lives through those good causes to which they were dedicated and passionately believed in. The Oldham District Freemasons were pleased to contribute towards and be associated with those good causes. Over £10,000 had been donated on the evening. The District Chairman thanked all involved and hoped that the bonds forged that evening between the Freemasons and the Charities would result in more special times being shared together.

Oldham District - Coalshaw Green Park Kitchen Refurbishment Project

Community life has blossomed in the safe environment established at the now award winning Coalshaw Green Park, Chadderton. The popularity of the Park is a tribute to the voluntary work of Barbara Wilson MBE and her ‘Friends of the Park’. In addition to everything else that they do for the Park Barbara and the Friends provide very affordable meals and refreshments. The Pavilion kitchen had become inadequate to meet growing needs. The cost of refurbishment by contractors was going to be high and wholly beyond the means of the Friends.

The Oldham District Masons who had been supporting the Friends in many ways wanted to help; they had work skills and talent but their own reserves would not pay for the project. An application for a grant from ELMC provided the answer. Using a combination of their ‘hands on’ experience and a generous grant from ELMC a Team of Oldham Masons completely gutted and refitted the kitchen in eight days. The Team found the experience uniquely rewarding. Barbara and the Friends were overjoyed when the refurbished kitchen was handed back on 7th February 2008. The very next day a newspaper article appeared praising the work of the Oldham District Freemasons. With grateful thanks to ELMC and the Oldham District Masons Barbara was on 10th February 2008 serving her appreciative ‘regulars’ their first Sunday lunch from the new kitchen. Local interest has been tremendous and Freemasonry now has a welcome public face.

The following pictures tell the story of the project.


Kitchen before refurbishment	Philip Price, Brian Kennedy and Ben Graham (plumber from WBro Steve Drugget Company)

Philip Price & Brian Kennedy	Philip Price

Edwin Baines (project leader)	John Palmer & Ben Graham (plumbers from WBro Steve Drugget Company

Edwin Baines	The Completed Refurbishment

WBro John LeBrun, Brian Kennedy & Edwin Baines (project leader)	Barbara Wilson MBE, District Chairman Philip Price, WBro John LeBrun, Edwin Baines and Brian Kennedy.

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