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Latest News and Blog Posts from Wayne “Pendragon” Owens.
From the Darkest Depths, Brighter Days Ahead: A Winter Solstice Reflection
On the longest night of the year, the world feels as though it pauses, just for a heartbeat, between one breath and the next. The veil thins, not in the ghost‑story sense, but in the way a still lake reveals the sky when the wind finally rests. This is the Solstice: the hinge of the year, the ancient turning of the Great Wheel, the deep dark that promises light, the cold that invites warmth, the moment when darkness reaches its fullest bloom before yielding to the returning light.
Our ancestors knew this night well. They watched the sun sink low and wondered if it would rise again. They lit fires not only for warmth, but as offerings, sparks cast into the dark in honour of the unseen forces that guide the turning seasons. They gathered close, shared strong drink, and told stories of gods who battled winter’s grip, of heroes who descended into shadow and returned transformed.
This is the night when hearths matter most. When a warm fire, a strong drink, and good company feel less like luxuries and more like small acts of defiance against the encroaching dark. We gather, we laugh, we share stories, not because the night is long, but because we are choosing to fill it with meaning. We remind ourselves that even the deep dark hums with promise. The Solstice teaches a simple truth wrapped in mythic clothing: darkness is not an ending, but a gestation. A seed buried in the cold earth. A story waiting for its first line.
And then – slowly, almost shyly – the light returns.
Not in a blaze, but in a whisper. A few more minutes of dawn. A gentler tilt of the sky. The promise that brighter days are not only possible, but inevitable. With the light comes joy, companionship, and perhaps a bonfire or two to honour the old ways, flames rising like prayers, reminding the world that we are still here, still watching, still believing in the turning of the Wheel.
In this moment, we stand where countless generations have stood: at the threshold of the year’s longest night, looking toward the first spark of dawn. The myths remind us that every descent has its ascent, every winter its spring, every shadow its flame.
Let’s raise a glass to the turning of the wheel, to the resilience that carried us here, and to the light that is already on its way back.
From the darkest depths, brighter days ahead!
The Last Masonic Meeting of 2025 – For real This Time
This evening was my final Masonic event of 2025! and I swear, this time it really is the last one.
Hugh had been battling a bad cold and couldn’t make it to Wynnstay Lodge on Wednesday, so we agreed the year wouldn’t feel complete without a proper Masonic pint with him. That’s how I ended up visiting his Lodge of Wrexhamian.
In hindsight, I should have just met him afterwards for the drink and ended my Masonic year on the high note of the tribute to Norman.
The Lodge room was practically empty. The Junior Warden sat alone on his side of the room. Numbers were so low, in what was once one of the largest Lodges in the area, that the only Steward had to double as Inner Guard and Tyler, while the A.D.C. was doing triple duty as A.D.C., I.P.M., and Chaplain.
We had the usual annual talk on the Royal Arch, followed by the Membership Officer giving a presentation on recruitment. Ironically, every suggestion offered was something the Lodge used to do before the current leadership took over and ran it into the ground.
During the closings, a member stood to propose a charitable donation, only to be told that the Lodge had decided (without any vote) that members are no longer allowed to propose charity giving. All decisions will now be made solely by the Committee. Ordinary members, it seems, no longer get a say.
The whole evening reminded me that I made the right choice in leaving Wrexhamian Lodge. Its decline isn’t just continuing, it’s accelerating.
The Last Masonic Meeting of 2025 – Try Two
This evening was my final Masonic event of 2025. I am all done until next year.
Ok, So I may have already posted about my last Masonic Meeting of the year, but in my defence when I wrote that post it really was my last meeting of 2025. I had nothing else planned!
And then I heard that Wynnstay Lodge were doing a special event at their meeting to pay tribute to Normal Jones who sadly passed away at the start of the month. I liked Normal, and have known him for as long as I have been a Mason, so I had to attend.
therefore, I ended the year with Wynnstay lodge, in Ruabon. The Lodge did not parade in for the opening since Norman had been the current Master, going back into the chair for the umpteenth time. one of the members read out a tribute to the life of Norman, and it was very interesting to hear that amount of Royalty and Celebrities he knew. It was a very moving tribute.
The lodge than initiated a new Candidate, before retiring to the festive board. I was offered a free meal if I wanted to go, but they were dining at the Maesgwyn so the Beer and Food is not the best, instead several of us went to a CAMBRA wining pub for some real ale.
This was a better way to end the Masonic year of 2025, by paying tribute to a very worthy mason.
RIP Norman. Everyone will miss your cowboy lecture.
Coronatio Quadrans – “Persecution of French Freemasons In The Second World War”
The latest issue of Coronatio Quadrans (Issue #8 – Winter Solstice 2025) just hit the news-stand (And by the news-strand, I of course mean my inbox), so why not do and try and get yourself a copy for some interesting Christmas time reading.
Once again, I have an article in this edition “The Persecution of French Freemasons In The Second World War”. I picked out the topic around about November 11th, thinking it was a relevant topic for the time of year.
Who would have thought that just a few short weeks later it would be even more relevant from the recent announcements from the Met Police, regarding the need for Freemasons to register themselves. What is next, being forced to wear red triangles?
Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Kommunist.
BBW – The Christmas Party
This evening was the Blood Bikes Christmas Party!!! We had decided (by popular vote) that we would move the monthly meeting to a Saturday this month and turn it into a Christmas Party. So at 7:30pm all the good boys and girls of the NE Blood Bikes Wales gathered up to celebrate the season. Christmas Jumpers were optional, and in attendance.
So we had a quick update on the last months actions, including how we had been given a new bike by the family of someone who had passed away. Then we were informed that the High Sheriff of Clwyd who has been a fantastic supporter of the Charity for several years now (I think we are on the third or fourth bike she has gotten us) had put some money behind the bar to pay for our drinks.
We then spent a while eating and drinking and making merry to celebrate another busy year with the charity. Blood Bikes Wales Christmas baubles were presented to the members, some 10 year volunteer badges were handed out (I believe I would have been a volunteer for 10 years in 2026). We then had a raffle which raised £180(ish) I forget the exact amount, I did mention the free beer didn’t I?
I managed to win two raffle prizes, and Nev, Hugh and John won none, which made my day because Facebook had reminded me that last year ago the four of us had visited a Lodge to give a talk for Blood Bikes and those three had all won two raffle prizes, and I had won none.
Karma gets there eventually.
Blood Bikes Wales
Blood Bikes Wales is a charity that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.
Our riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.
The Last Masonic Meeting of 2025
This evening was my final Masonic event of 2025. I am all done until next year.
I ended the year with Wrexhamian Chapter. The plan for the evening was to do a demonstration of an exhalation ceremony. To gives the new officers a chance to practice their roles ready for a live candidate at our next meeting. Only we had so many people call off that the majority of the officers were past Zerubbabel’s standing in. It was a pointless idea to do a demo with so many Past Z’s in place, and they decided to do the full signs and everything. Most of us there thought that we should call it a miss and have a chat, or an informal evening due to the numbers. But the DC was insistent, It was so bad that the Grand Chapter Officer (and Assistant PGM) who was down decided he was not staying, and took his regalia off and went home before we even opened the Chapter.
We used to be the largest normal Chapter in North Wales, and yet this evening we only just had enough people to open the chapter. I think we need to find out why our members never turn up. I suspect it is boredom, we only do the one ceremony (ignoring Installation), and we do it EVERY MEETING!. I think we need to have the occasional meeting with an interesting Chapter talk, or maybe just do the three lecturers and let the newer members each take a third of one of the lecturers. Currently we only do one, and it is normally done by the same Past Z’s who are also doing the ceremony.
Basically people join, then spend years just sitting on the side-lines watching the same people do the same ritual every meeting. I would find that boring. We need to engage with them more, and make the Chapter more than the “one trick pony” that a lot of masons have taken to calling it. I started working on people this evening, and saying we need to do more. So maybe 2026 will be the year of Wrexhamian Chapter.
The Anti-Masonic Metropolitan Police
The United Grand Lodge of England (“UGLE”), the home of Freemasonry in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, notes today’s announcement by the Metropolitan Police that it will now require mandatory declaration of membership of Freemasonry as a declarable association, meaning that male and female officers and staff who are Freemasons will be compelled to inform the Met of this.
Whilst aware of recent concerns over police vetting procedures, UGLE considers this policy decision to be unlawful, disproportionate, unfair and discriminatory.
UGLE has endeavoured to engage constructively and openly with the Met on this matter over recent weeks and is most disappointed that it has reached this decision without a genuine dialogue or any direct engagement with UGLE on the substantive reasons which affect the integrity and the positive regard in which our members are held.
Commenting on behalf of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Order of Women Freemasons and the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons, Adrian Marsh said:
“We are disappointed that a decision which potentially affects our members has been taken without open or effective consultation. Our values of Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Service are paramount in Freemasonry and have never been of more importance. We see this action as unwarranted, and we are carefully considering an appropriate response. We will issue a further statement in due course.”
So the Metropolitan Police that it will now require mandatory declaration of membership of Freemasonry as a declarable association,
Why? Because they believe freemasons will look out for each other,
What about members of Golf Clubs? Everyone knows big business is done on the golf course, with people plotting and helping out their friends, but nope the Met do not need to to declare membership of a Golf Club.
What about Churches, a lot of Church communities are very tight, and help each other out, surely the Met would require someone to declair membership of those?
What about the Lions? The round Table?, the RAC, The AA, any hobby club, Fan club, band, choir, Scouts, Guides, St Johns, Charity Group, Family. Every group or association in the world could be said to be a group where two members may look out for each other or do favours. Why has the Met got such a hatred for Freemasonry?
Who wants to bet that one of the powers that be in the Met was black balled?
BBW: Frost Fayre More like Wet Fayre
To recover from the stress of yesterdays Provincial Convocation, I decided to have an easy day today. So I went along to the Ruabon Frost Fayre to see Santa with the Blood Bike Wales guys.
And as the song goes “The weather outside is frightful” and it was, since it was raining. But the Fayre was really busy with loads of people, stalls, and fundraising events.
Chatting to Santa he was shocked to hear we deliver 365 days a year, he said the reindeers would strike if he tried to do more than once a year.
To finish off the day a few of us Blood Bikers decided to get dry by going to sit by a fire in a real-ale pub and having a few drinks (off duty I should point out)
My First Provincial Convocation (organising it)
I can now relax!
Today was the Province of Western Counties and North Wales’ Provincial Convocation. This is our annual meeting where we all gather together, see how all the colleges in the Province are doing, what is new, and Invest the Provincial officers for the next year. We also announce the winner of the best paper in the province, and listen to it.
It is a big event in the year, and this year for the first time ever, I was the one organising it all because I am the new Provincial Secretary.
So for the last few weeks i have been dealing with organising the officers, the bookings, the colleges for their reports, the Director of Studies for his report and the winning paper, trying to sort out the provincial jewels, and 101 other things. All for the first time.
To make it all easier, a bunch of VIPs decided they wanted to attend, you know just the Senior Substitute Magus, the junior Substitute Magus (England & Wales), Members of High Council, etc. I can tell you, the whiskey I poured myself when I got home was well earned.
Overall it was a very enjoyable day, and next year will be even better since I now have an idea of what to do.
Junior Substitute Magus – Suffragan – Chief Adept – Senior Substitute Magus
Provincial Officers for 2026
(Or those that stayed for the photo)
First Christmas Dinner of 2025
Today was my first Christmas Dinner of the year!
It was an odd occasion since I was the one who picked the meals. But Checking my calendar for December, I noticed this year I would only be having the one Christmas Dinner. Now while I am ok with that, I figured after the last few years of multiple dinners, to the point of keeping track I really should have more than one.
So for Bishop Wilkins meeting, I picked Christmas Dinner. I did add to the summons that if anyone objected we could change it. I am not evil. Ok I am not totally evil!.
The meeting itself went great, we had a ceremony, and then an Installation. And it was a rare installation since the Frater going into the chair had never been in any chair of any order before. So we got to see him mind blown.
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.)
The Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (S.R.I.A.) stands as the world’s oldest independent society of Rosicrucian Freemasons, proudly composed of Master Masons from Lodges acknowledged by the United Grand Lodge of England.
Our Colleges are strategically located across the globe, including England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Wales, France, and Holland. To find the most convenient location for you, please click HERE to access our interactive map of S.R.I.A. College Locations.
For more information on the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia, please click on the link to the Societies website, or the Province of Western Counties and North Wales website.