Almoners of Lodges and Orders undoubtedly are at the forefront of managing the support and communication between Freemasonry and the families of those who have passed away.. For Brethren who belong to one or two orders, the repatriation of Regalia is managed with relative ease. The effects thereafter passed on in remembrance of it’s original owner, and by way of the recipient benefitting with those items for their own masonic journey.
But what happens when a Brother passes whose masonic career has spread the breadth and depth of the Province and further afield. This was very much the case last year when Reg Luckman and Ron Fidler passed away. Pins Poullais explains ‘Reg and Ron joined Freemasonry around the same time and became very good friends. They were extremely dedicated masons achieving over 100 years service between them’
Following their sad parting, their families contacted Pins and Dave Sharman, both of whom are members of the JF Cleeves KT Preceptory, 315. They expressed their desire to repatriate the artifacts both Reg and Ron had accumulated over the years. Pins said ‘We knew both had been in many orders, and during their careers they aspired to high ranks within them’. The reality was when Pins went to collect the regalia they were given to him by the suitcase. Within those cases was regalia from Craft, Royal Arch, Rose Croix, Mark, Royal Ark Mariner, Royal & Select Masters, Knights Templar, Knights Templar Priests and so on.
Pins knew that the regalia he had taken custody of could be utilised in many different ways, and every item he had was put to good use. ‘I began by separating them into the different orders so that I was able to raise funds for charitable purposes by passing them on to those Brethren that were in need’ he said, ‘either joining a new order or following a promotion within the Province or indeed Grand Rank, Supreme Grand Chapter, Mark Grand Rank etc’. Any of the regalia that wasn’t passed on to individual Brethren was donated to the respective orders for further distribution and fundraising where generated as a result.
Contributions and donations of items received totalled in excess of £500.00, and in consultation with the family those funds were distributed to various charities including Diabetes Uk, Dementia Uk, Herts Blood bikes, RNLI, Fine Cell Work.
Much the same as a masonic donor card in effect, this is a shining example of the difference both men had effected after they had passed to the Grand Lodge Above.
