Warwickshire in the Red!
by Simon Grove
Normally, being in the red is, of course, something to be avoided. However, Masonically speaking, it signifies something very special. At the recent meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, the RW ProvGM was pleased to invest his six new Provincial Grand Stewards and, as ever, there was also a plethora of PProvGStwds proudly wearing their red regalia.
However, the eagle-eyed amongst you present at the recent meeting of the Warwickshire Installed Masters’ Lodge may have spotted another brother wearing a very special red apron. There are 19 ‘Red Apron’ lodges that, every year, nominate their Worshipful Master to be a Grand Steward. Our newest AsstProvGM, WBro Matt Perkins, is a member of one such lodge – St George’s and Corner Stone Lodge No 5 – and recently completed his year in the Chair of this illustrious lodge. For some, this will not have been a surprise as his first appointment in his Mother Province of Buckinghamshire was ProvGStwd. I suspect that the young(er) WBro Matt would never have imagined that he would one day done the simple but hugely prestigious red apron of a Grand Steward.
Following the founding of Grand Lodge in 1717, the Grand Festival was held in the Goose and Gridiron Inn and was organised by the Wardens and staff of the inn. However, as the numbers attending grew and grew, it became apparent that a new system was required and volunteers were sought to act as Stewards. They served for one year and nominated their own successor. The number of Grand Stewards has grown over the years, from 3 to 6, then 12, 18 and, in 1904, 19 and has remained so to this day. They are organised into a Board of GStwds with a President, Secretary and Treasurer. The nomination process also changed with each lodge putting forward a suitably qualified brother. If a lodge fails to provide such a nomination, they risk losing that privilege. Unsurprisingly, this is something that each lodge is at pains to ensure doesn’t happen!
Back in 1735, the Grand Stewards first come together to form the Grand Stewards’ Lodge. This lodge is unique in English Freemasonry as it has no number and stands at the top of the register of lodge. Many brethren so nominated, like Bro Matt, also have Grand Rank and will be considered a Grand Officer for their year as a GStwd. However, a PGStwd is not a Grand Officer and ranks between a Grand Lodge Officer and a Provincial Grand Lodge Officer – an unusual situation for an unsuspecting lodge DC to deal with! As you also may have noticed from the revised Warwickshire toast list, Bro Matt’s status as a GStwd takes precedence of his past rank of PSGD.
Over the years, many illustrious Freemasons have enjoyed a year including a great many of our Rulers – just ask Bro Matt when you next see him. Oh, Warwickshire also has a very well-known member of Lodge No 5 – a certain RWBro Philip L Hall. I, for one, very much hope that he is able to follow in Bro Matt’s footsteps and progress through to the Chair of this special lodge and ultimately enjoy an amazing year as a GStwd.