There can’t have been many previous examples of a masonic evening like this one. How many masons can truthfully claim to have witnessed the ceremony of opening the lodge on their own night of initiation? At least two can now do so. Here is the story...
First there was the original coincidence. Nobody had planned it, but Bro William (Bill) Doughty (who had previously made Lodge history when he and his (blood) brother were the joint candidates at a double initiation by their own father) found himself elected to the Master’s Chair in BOTH of his Craft Lodges within weeks of each other. However, the coincidences hadn’t yet finished! Having become the 2008 Master of Stroud Green Lodge No 4579 he realised that his second meeting as Master of that lodge was going to clash with his installation as the Master of the Lodge of Assistance No 2773.
The Secretaries of the two lodges got together, and W Bro Timothy L’Estrange (Secretary of the Lodge of Assistance) suggested a double meeting, so that Bill could preside over both his lodges. This still presented two major problems. Firstly the Lodges meet in different locations, many miles apart, and secondly Stroud Green Lodge were due to be holding a double initiation on the same evening as the Lodge of Assistance installation.
Undeterred, plans were pushed forward, and dispensations were applied for. Stroud Green Lodge obtained dispensation to re-locate from north London to the regular meeting place of the Lodge of Assistance, at Duke Street, St James’s. Lodge of Assistance obtained dispensation for Bro Doughty to be installed in a second Chair.
The big day was Tuesday 8th April 2008. At 3.15pm Stroud Green Lodge was opened, and the Master, W Bro Bill Doughty, assisted by his officers, performed a double initiation in fine style. At 5.00pm the Lodge called off and there was a chance for everyone to enjoy a little refreshment in the neighbouring hostelry. At 5.30pm, with Stroud Green Lodge still open, but called off, the Lodge of Assistance was opened in the same temple, and W Bro Bill Doughty was duly installed in the Chair, and appointed and invested his officers. Lodge of Assistance is currently supporting the Assistant Grand Master’s appeal for more young masons, and currently has a large number of young professional men in membership, so the Temple was packed with brethren in the ‘20-something’ age bracket, and there were plenty of Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts for the installation processions, with junior members presenting the Worshipful Master with the various working tools.
The Lodge of Assistance is a specialist lodge, and has historically always attracted large numbers of Grand Officers - at present almost half its members are Grand Officers or Past Grand Stewards - so there was plenty of ‘dark blue & deep red’ on show, but also with the welcome addition of the Metropolitan Grand Inspector, W Bro Tony Crooks-Meredith, who made an official visit to attend the special double meeting.
Eventually all business was completed, and the Master closed the Lodge of Assistance. There was a quick change of Wardens, and the Stroud Green Lodge was called on for its risings and final business, before it too was closed.
More than 40 brethren subsequently dined in the Alto Suite at the Cavendish Hotel, where the arrangements were delightfully complicated by the double lodge meeting. When the Master stood to take wine with his Wardens, all four Wardens responded - and so the banquet continued until a very happy conclusion.
