THE HISTORY OF PATSHULL LODGE No 6592.
The first meeting of Patshull Lodge took place on 8th April 1948 when the Lichfield Cathedral Quartet was engaged, at a fee or 12 guineas, to render the musical items at the Consecration and the Banquet afterwards.
The Meeting was attended by 71 brethren including The Provincial Grand Master - Right Worshipful Brother The Right Honourable The Earl of Dartmouth, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master –Worshipful Brother Colonel Sir John Kent, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master - Robert Bradley Mummery (subsequently Provincial Grand Master), the Provincial Wardens and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, W Bro Major Harry Wilson Keys (again subsequently Provincial Grand Master}.They were elected Honorary Members along with Very Worshipful Brother The Reverend Prebendary A T S Talbot, Past Grand Chaplain and W Bro H E Mitchell, Provincial Grand Secretary. W Bro Percy Simpkiss was installed as Worshipful Master.
The first initiate was Eric Kennell and the second Alan Everiss, J.P., who was initiated in May 1950, The ceremonv was performed by his father, W Bro Fred Everiss, the Immediate Past Master. He was allowed the honour of initiating his son. He had proposed both his son, the then Assistant Secretary of West Bromwich Football Club, and Arthur John Smith, the Team Manager, who had been very worthily recommended by W.Bro.Major Harry Wilson Keys,Chairman of the Club.The Secretary of the Club was none other than Ephraim Smith, the founder Secretary of the Lodge, who was in due time was succeeded as Secretary of the Club by Alan Everiss.
At the fiftieth meeting of the Lodge on 17 May 1954, the F A Cup was on display at the Lodge Festive Board. It had been won by West Bromwich Albion the previous Saturday, beating Preston North End by 3-2.There were 75 at that meeting including W Bro Wilson Keys and other prominent figures.
The Cup was also displayed at the Festive Board on 18 May 1968. West Bromwich Albion had beaten Everton (1-0) in the Final and won the Cup for the fifth time . On this occasion the lid was damaged when the Cup, filled with champagne, was being passed around the Lodge members and guests. It had to be taken to the Jewelry Quarter for repair.
The close association between Lodge and Football Club has remained strong to this day.
The Lodge Banner was dedicated by The Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro.The Rt. Hon.The Earl of Dartmouth on 18 October1948. It had been designed by Brother Eph Smith. At this time Patshull was the name of the estate of the Earl of Dartmouth. He had moved from Sandwell Hall, West Bromwich. He kept deer on his land and included in his Coat of Arms was the head of a stag. The head of a stag was incorporated in the Coat of Arms of West Bromwich and is now incorporated in those of Sandwell District Council. The dominant feature on the Lodge Banner and of the Emblem on the Summons is the head of a stag.
W Bro Bill Standley of Edwina Lodge presented a suitably inscribed Past Master’s collar as a token of great esteem and friendship over a great number of years with W Bro Eph Smith, who had become Worshipful Master on 16 April 1951. When W Bro Standley died in 1979 he bequeathed to the Lodge the sum of £3.333.33p.This money has been looked after shrewdly and has benefitted the Lodge greatly year by year.
W Bro Len Chalstrey of Tibbington Lodge was also an ever present guest. Unfortunately he didn’t live long enough to see his son, W Bro John, become Lord Mayor of London on 11 November 1995.
In the early years the Lodge was in mourning firstly in November 1950 regarding the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother His Grace the Duke of Devonshire (he was succeeded by The Rt.Hon. the Earl of Scarborough) then in February,1952 for the death of Most Worshipful Brother His Most Gracious Majesty King George V1, Past Grand Master.
In October 1952 ten guineas was contributed from the Alms Fund Account to the Lynmouth Disaster Fund.
The name of Percy Simpkiss is synonymous with Patshull Lodge from its very beginnings in 1947 until his passing to the Grand Lodge above on 21st.October,1985, aged 93 years. Until he attended his last meeting on 18.Apri1 1983 he had rarely missed a meeting.He addressed the first meeting of the Founders and was the first Worshipful Master. He became Master of the Lodge for a second time in 1975 when the Senior Warden declined to progress. In the Lodges of Instruction he was never without his pipe in his mouth and often appeared as if he was asleep but was soon heard when the slightest mistake was made. He gave the Toast to the Master at the Installation Meeting and again at the March meeting, when it was an end of year report. On Installation Nights he also sang the Master’s Song and this was a quite moving experience. He celebrated sixty years in Freemasonry in 1979 and a plaque in recognition of this achievement is situated above the Past Masters' Board in the Lodge Room. At the Lodge meeting on 21 October 1985 a ballot took place which proved in favour of W Bro Percy becoming an Honorary Member but unfortunately, unknown to the brethren, he had passed away a few hours previously. Mrs Simpkiss returned his Past Master’s jewel to the Lodge and since 1994 the Immediate Past Master is presented with “The Percy Simpkiss Jewel", with explanation, to wear for one year.
In 1981 W Bro John Corbett became Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction and Chaplain, an office which had in the past been filled by his father,W Bro Sam Corbett who had been one of the joining members in 1948.W.Bro.John was another whose contribution to the Lodge was immense and it was a very sad loss when, aged 70 years, he died suddenly on Friday 7 May 1993, having suffered a heart attack. He was preparing for the Lodge of lnstruction that evening.
W Bros K E Shenton and J M Webb had been officers of Grand Lodge but of course they were honoured through their membership of Noah’s Ark Lodge. W Bros Wyn Price and Allen Cross are Patshull Past Masters who have received that high office.
There have always been 8 meetings of the Lodge each year with Installation in April, initiations in May and September, Passings in October and November and Raisings in January and February (Past Masters’ Night) and a business meeting in March for the necessary elections and special work. There have been the occasional years when there have not been two candidates and this has allowed special occasions when the Lodge has been called off .
On 18 February 1985 an invitation was extended to Lodge Glittering Star No 322 of Ancient and Accepted Masons of Ireland to hold its meeting at the Royal Oak Hotel, Dudley Port. While at Kilkenny, Ireland an ambulatory warrant dated 3.May 1759 was issued for a Masonic Lodge in the 29th Regiment of Foot ( later the Worcestershire and Sherwood Forest Regiment).The Irish invention of the Warrant had made the erection of travelling Lodges possible and Glittering Star is directly under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. There were 73 brethren in attendance and the planned business for Lodge Glittering Star was the raising of a candidate. He was a Lieutenant in the Regiment and unfortunately had to cry off at the last minute. The only alternative was to exemplify the workings of the 3rd.Degree Ceremony of the Irish Constitution. Brother Jim Postans had been raised at our January meeting and he acted as the candidate for this exemplification.
In 1991 visits were made by the Sutton Coldfield Demonstration Team, who demonstrated an initiation ceremony as it would have been performed in 1765 and by the Old Wulfrunians Lodge which demonstrated an initiation ceremony as it would have been performed in Russia in 1810.
W Bro Cyril Turner acted as Organist for the Lodge from 1966 to 1992 and was elected to honorary membership on 21 March 1988. He reached 96 years of age on 29 September 1997 and three days before he and his wife had celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. She reached 96 years of age soon afterwards. Cyril had competed for many years with Tipton Harriers.
W Bro E A P Richardson was the Tyler of the Lodge from its consecration until 1961 when advancing years and ill health forced his retirement. He was immediately succeeded by Bro Luther Neale who remained in post until his retirement in 1989 in his mid-eighties.
In 1985 it was decided to form a Lodge Golfing Society and to have an annual competition.
W Bro Stan Pearce presented a cut glass fruit bowl and W Bro Jim Darby a cup for the best gross and net scores respectively. The first tournament took place at Patshull Park in June 1985. It has been a regular and successful annual event ever since at different locations. The golfers are joined by other Lodge members for dinner afterwards.
