STALWARTS OF THE LODGE

The success of any human Institution depends on the energy and devotion of its members, especially those (usually few in number) who are able and willing to give many hours and much labour to the detailed conduct of its affairs. This is particularly so in the case of Freemasonry where all the work involved is voluntary and the reward is the affection and high regard of all the other Brethren together with the supreme satisfaction of achievement in the interests of the Lodge they love. Thus a Chapter of this book may be well dedicated to the stalwarts of the Addiscombe Lodge. 1. Samuel J. Turquand - the Founder Master, who was a Past Master of the Hornsey Lodge, No. 890. He lived in North London and worked as an Actuary in London Assurance at the Royal Exchange. There is no direct indication of his connec tion with Croydon, but the name is unusual. There was a Miss G. N. Turquand, born in 1871, who became Head Mistress of St. Michael's Infants' School in Croydon and who had one of our present Brethren as a pupil. By the relevant dates she could have been a niece of our Founder Master which may indicate a family connection in the town. After his year as I.P.M. Bro. Turquand served as Treasurer until 1879. He died in Leytonstone on the 26th September, 1883. 2. Samuel Parsons-Smith - of Concord Lodge, No. 632, another Founder member. He was a Surgeon and lived in Lower Addiscombe Road. He became the third Worshipful Master and afterwards served the Lodge as Secretary for nine years. He was ultimately presented with a very handsome silver bowl as a testimonial to his services. 3. Alfred Lambert - Initiated into the Lodge at the first regular meeting on the 11th September, 1875. Appointed Steward the same night and progressed to the Chair in 1889. He then became Secretary in 1890 and continued in that office until he died in 1922. Thus he was an Officer of the Lodge for forty seven years. He was a partner in a firm of Chemists and Druggists and was affectionately called 'Alfred the Great'. His younger brother, Walter Stampa Lambert was initiated on the same evening and was similarly appointed Steward. He reached the Chair in 1879 and thereafter seemed to be the odd job man who would always fill a gap. He served specifically as Treasurer from 1914 to 1916. He died in 1921, one year before his elder brother. 4. H. G. Thompson - a doctor living in Croydon who joined the Lodge in 1877. He accepted the office of Treasurer in 1879 and served 33 years in that capacity until 1912 when he wrote to the Lodge that he was unable to continue. A resolution engraved on vellum and suitably framed, recording the sincere thanks of the Lodge for his care of its finances over this long period was sent to him and he was able to attend the March 1913 meeting to express his thanks for the gift. He died in January 1915. 5. Sydney G. Edridge - a Croydon Solicitor who was a member of the Lodge La Tolerance, No. 538. He was elected into the Addiscombe Lodge on 17th May, 1890, and made rapid progress through the other offices until November, 1895, when he was installed in the Chair. He called an Emergency Meeting in April 1896 for the purpose of initiating his brother, Frederick Thomas Edridge, J.P., then the Mayor of Croydon. This brother does not seem to have progressed beyond Master Mason, probably owing to his Civic duties which involved being Mayor no fewer than five times and which were ulti mately recognised by the award of a Knighthood. Sydney George Edridge, however, filled many vacancies in the offices of the Lodge as they occurred and finally was elected again to the Chair for the Jubilee Year 1924–25. He also had the pleasure of initiating his son into the Lodge in 1905. He was elected to the Croydon Council in 1892 and became Mayor in 1897. He resigned in 1899 to take up the official post of Clerk to the Croydon Magistrates. He was described as learned, humourous and generous hearted which tributes can well be accepted when his benign countenance is studied. He was a strong supporter of the Probation Service, instead of the stern Prison sentence, and was presented with a Loving Cup at the 10th Annual Conference of the National Union of Probation Officers. Probably, it was also his interest and influence which led to a number of the Members and Senior Officers of the Croydon Corporation becoming members of the Addiscombe Lodge. He died in 1934. 6. H. Leslie Smith, a Professor of Music living at 47 Oakfield Road, Croydon, (surely his spirit must rejoice at the stream of Brethren who now pass his former residence to reach their various Lodge meetings). He was Organist of the Macdonald Lodge, No. 1216 when he joined Addiscombe Lodge in May,

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NO 1897 and was appointed Organist of our Lodge in 1898. Apart from the years leading up to the Master's Chair in 1908, he continued his musical office until January, 1948, a period of fifty years. Thereafter, he was elected an Honorary Member as a mark of appreciation of the very great service he had given to the Lodge. He was also Organist and Choirmaster of Croydon Parish Church for a great many years from 1917 onwards. He died in August, 1949. 7. Frank Overton, an engineer of Upper Addiscombe was initiated on the 11th May, 1901. In 1903 he undertook to present the Lodge with three Tracing Boards, painted by himself. The work was completed in 1906 when Brother Overton read a paper on them. They were said to be so thoroughly worked out in all details as to be quite unique amongst English Lodges. A copy of the paper read by Brother Overton and two of the Tracing Boards are still preserved. Also the tables presented by W.Bro. P. A. Ransom for the storage of these Tracing Boards can still be seen at Oakfield Road. 8. J. A. Campbell, a member of Rothesay Lodge, No. 1684, who joined the Addiscombe Lodge on the 12th November, 1904, and was installed as Master in 1918. He undertook the duties of Treasurer from 1926 to 1943, a period of seventeen years, and he had the pleasure of proposing his brother for initiation at the Jubilee Meeting. His total membership reached forty years. 9. W. Edwards Read, described on the proposal form which was read out on the 13th May, 1905, as aged 24 years and a Clerk in the London County Council. He was initiated at the next meeting on the 14th October, 1905 and reached the Chair in 1920. He served as Secretary of the Lodge from 1922 to 1942 and was the author of the Jubilee Brochure. He left the Lodge in 1945 and died in 1946. 10. John Hooke, Worshipful Master of Croydon Lodge of Concord, No. 463 in 1882 who joined Addiscombe Lodge in January, 1906. He is not recorded as being Master in our Lodge but he was appointed Director of Ceremonies in 1917 and continued in that office for ten years. It seems that his health deteriorated about that time and he had a severe operation in 1929. He died in 1931 after more than fifty years in Masonry 11. E. F. Lee, was initiated in January 1919, and was installed in the Chair ten years later. He then went on to serve as Director of Ceremonies for over 20 years. He was somewhat crippled and found much walking difficult. Towards the end of his service and to commemorate his 90th birthday the Lodge presented W.Bro. Lee with an armchair, which is still preserved, for use in the Lodge. He died on 23rd December, 1957. 12. L. L. Gosney, an Assistant Solicitor to the Coydon Corporation. He was initiated in March 1924 and became Worshipful Master in April 1934. He served as Assistant Director of Ceremonies for a few years and was elected Treasurer in 1943. He continued in that office until 1957 when the Lodge placed on record their sincere thanks for his services. He removed to * Buckinghamshire in 1961 and asked to be placed on the Country List. He died in 1962 after a membership of 48 years. N.B.—The Stalwarts mentioned below, with the exceptions of Tom Flawith and Reverend Herbert Stephenson, are still with us. 13. Fred Salter – was initiated at the age of 24 on 10th May, 1924, and was present at the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in 1925. He followed W.Bro. Gosney into the Chair in 1935 and was again installed in 1960, when neither of the Wardens was able to accept the office of Master. He served as Assistant Director of Ceremonies for over ten years and is now the senior active member of the Lodge. His 50 years in Masonry were com memorated on 10th May, 1974. The regular April meeting had to be deferred because of Easter and it was a most happy chance that this particular date in May was available. On behalf of the Lodge, W.Bro. A. C. Searle, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, presented a Goblet, suitably inscribed, to W.Bro. Salter with the congratulations and good wishes of the Lodge and the Province. W.Bro. Salter thanked the Brethren for the gift and for the bouquet of flowers which Mrs. Salter had received that morning. He then gave the Goblet to the Lodge for the use of future Masters. 14. H. G. Chapman, was initiated on 11th October, 1930, and installed in October 1941. He carried on for a second year in 1942 and later was appointed Chaplain of the Lodge and then Assistant Director of Ceremonies. His service in the senior offices covered the difficult years of the Second World War and its aftermath and he did much to hold the Lodge together. It is recorded elsewhere how he strongly supported the Lodge of Instruction and he has benefited the Lodge in many other ways. In wishing to pay tribute to him, the Lodge has asked George Chapman to occupy the Chair on the day of the Cen tenary Celebrations. Tom Flawith - a Master Mason of St. George's Lodge, No. 166, Belfast, who joined the Lodge on 14th January, 1938, and was installed as Master on 12th April, 1947. He took up the office of Assistant Secretary in 1949, Director of Ceremonies in 1955 and Treasurer from January 1960 to November 1965. He died shortly after giving up this office. His service as Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction is recorded in that Chapter 16. D. I. H. Williams - He joined the Lodge in November 1945 and had what must be a rare experience. A candidate for raising failed to attend and Bro. Williams was invited to volunteer" as substitute. Thus the Master at least practised the ceremony. Bro. Williams was also asked to act as Steward at that meeting and continued in that office until he was appointed Senior Deacon in 1948. He progressed to the Chair in 1952. He was appointed Assistant Secretary in 1955 and Secretary in the following year until 1961. He resumed that office in 1963 and finally relinquished it in 1967. He served as Chaplain for several periods and for some time now he has been the Pro vincial Charity Representative of the Lodge. Altogether he has been an officer of the Lodge since the day he joined. 17. Rev. Herbert Stephenson - joined the Lodge in 1944 and, after being installed as Master in 1948 and serving as I.P.M. in 1949, he was naturally appointed Chaplain of the Lodge in November 1950. He continued in that office until he moved to live with his daughter in Scotland, where he died in March

1969. 18. W. C. Vidler, our present Director of Ceremonies to which office he was first appointed on 9th January, 1960. He was initiated in the Lodge in November 1948 and installed in the Chair in November 1956. Although he has removed to the Coast he still maintains his full and active membership, but he is giving up his office in November. 19. Harry Francis, he was initiated in November 1947 and in stalled as Master in 1958. Since that time he has not filled any specific office but has always made himself available to meet any particular need for his services which might arise in the Lodge. He has also served as Deputy Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction for some years. 20. T. A. Goldsmith - initiated in January 1946 and installed in the Chair by our present Secretary in November 1964. In turn, he installed the author of this book in 1965. Since his year as I.P.M. he has been Assistant Director of Ceremonies. His phas served ejeir posts at the d that he prophenson extensive knowledge of the ritual is very valuable in this office and in the Royal Arch Chapter and the Mark Master Masons : Lodge. He will succeed W.Bro. Vidler as Director of Ceremonies in November. 21. A list of Stalwarts cannot be exhaustive for reasons of space and detailed interest. There were, however, two Brethren who, for good and sufficient cause, did not render particular service but were faithful to their Lodge over long periods. Brother F. S. Ellis was initiated in 1903 at the age of 28. He lived his active years abroad and died in 1962, after 59 years member ship, at the age of 87. Bro. L. L. Byers was initiated in 1916 and went to Mexico and U.S.A. He died in 1965 after being a member for 49 years. Our present Treasurer, W.Bro. L. H. Rutter, who has already held that office for ten years should also be mentioned in this Chapter, together with our Secretary, W.Bro. R. W. Mason, who has served eight years. Both of these Officers have asked to be relieved of their posts at the end of the Centenary Year and the Master Elect has intimated that he proposes to invest Bro. R. W. Hall as Treasurer and W.Bro. S. G. Henson as Secretary in November. It remains to record our two Honorary Members, W.Bro. G. M. Bream, P.P.G.D., P.M. Waddon Lodge No. 4162, elected 11th November, 1967, in appreciation of his great help to the Addiscombe Lodge members who have attended the Waddon Club of Instruction on Wednesday evenings, and W.Bro. F. G. Lee, P.A.G.D.C., P.P.J.G.W., P. M. Croydon Lodge of Concord No. 463, elected 9th November, 1974, who has attended so many of our Lodge meetings to enrich the proceedings with his music at the Organ. Finally, there are many younger Brethren from whom, as is already clear, will arise the Stalwarts of the future. May their devotion to the Lodge be as successful as that of their predecessors.