On a very warm evening of the 6th of June 2023 a most pleasurable occasion was enjoyed by some sixty Brethren who met at Nyanza Lodge No.1197 at Ilminster, Somerset for the 24th bi-annual ‘Minster’ meeting. It was very well supported by Provincial representatives from the Provinces of Devon and Somerset and of course, from Dorset, we were very well represented with our Provincial Grand Master, his Deputy and the Provincial DC in attendance.
At this year’s meeting, we enjoyed a Fellow Craft Degree for Adam Brown which was presided over by Nyanza’s Master, Mike Donohue who conducted the Second Degree Ceremony with great support from his Officers which completed, what I’m sure was a special night for Adam.
Representing the Lodge of Virtue and Honor was their Immediate Past Master, Simon Squire and for Beaminster Manor, our Master, David Craddock. Both Lodges were supported by a good number of their respective lodge members.
The meeting was very well patronised by the Provincial Grand Master for Dorset, Graham Glazier, Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Stephen James, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Mike Parkes and the Provincial Director of Ceremonies, Mark Hinsley. Also in attendance for Devon was the Provincial Grand Master, Nicholas Ball, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Peter Keaty and the Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, Andrew Vodden MBE and Timothy Golder. For Somerset, they were accompanied by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Richard Winter, the Provincial Senior Grand Warden, Colin Martin, and the Provincial Junior Grand Warden, Ian Evans.
At the Festive Board, a splendid three course dinner was served at the Hornsbury Mill and which was enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere and where much banter and camaraderie was abundant.
A most rewarding, enjoyable and I’m sure, a unique occasion, long may it continue. We look forward to hosting the next Minster Meeting at Beaminster in 2025
Dave Wakely
Secretary
Beaminster Manor Lodge No.1367
The origin of the Minster meeting
Two schoolboys attended Ilminster Grammar School, Somerset and became very good friends. Later in life, it was only logical that when they both became Freemasons, but in different Lodges, they would continue their friendship in a more fraternal way. This was the situation which Frank Rowe of Axminster and Edgar Amor of Ilminster, both well-known local auctioneers, found themselves in during the 1970’s. They soon realised though that their respective Lodges met on the same second Tuesday evening each month so unfortunately they could not easily visit each other’s Lodge. However both Lodges were in recess during the months of June, July and August and so to overcome this impasse they arranged to apply for a dispensation to hold a bi-annual meeting in June between Virtue & Honour Lodge No.494 of Axminster in the Province of Devon and Nyanza Lodge No.1197 of Ilminster in the Province of Somerset with each lodge taking it in turn to host the meeting.
The dispensation was received for the first bi-annual Minster meeting which was held at Axminster in June 1977 followed by a grand banquet in the Guildhall attended by many members of both Lodges. The second meeting in 1979 was held in Ilminster with a normal Lodge ceremony taking place and with guests from the Axminster Lodge. These reciprocal meetings held alternately every other year at Axminster and Ilminster continued regularly until 1985 when Beaminster Manor Lodge was invited to join this unique arrangement as they also meet on the second Tuesday each month and similarly, could not visit either of the other two Lodges.
The first meeting of the three Minster Lodges hosted by Beaminster Manor Lodge was held in 1989 with a festive board provided at the Masonic Hall attended by over sixty brethren. Since this meeting, the three Lodges have met every two years rotating around each of the three Lodge locations with ceremonies in all three degrees being carried out by the host Lodge. As the three Minster Lodges represent three adjacent Provinces it has been the tradition to invite the Provincial Grand Master and other Provincial Executive members from all three Provinces to these meetings and they are always very well represented. This is believed a very unique meeting in English Freemasonry when three different Lodges from three different Provinces with their unique connections meet together and having three Provincial Grand Masters or their representatives and Executive members present.
