Many people have asked me:
“My dear Mr. Owens, might I be so bold as to inquire, what circumstance or contemplation hath occasioned your retreat from those esteemed endeavours which you have so diligently pursued within the Province of North Wales? Your absence is most keenly felt amongst the brethren.“.
Well maybe not as fancy as that, but the gist of the question is the same. They are curious why I am stepping back in everything after spending a lot of my free time over the last 9 years doing Masonic “stuff”. And the answer is, after it was announced our Provincial Grand Master was retiring, and then who his replacement was to be (Someone who has issues with me), Several incidents happened that could be mere random coincidences, but could also be classed as knives in my back.
The North Wales Association for Masonic Study (NWAMS)
I was the Wrexhamian Lodge Representative for three years before becoming one of the main committee members during Lockdown. I’ve been an official speaker since 2020 and unofficial since 2017. Over the last couple of years while working on the Speakers Profiles, and the presentations the Secretary had mentioned on multiple occasions he was thinning of stepping down, and asked would I be interested in taking over the role. I of course said Yes. These conversations happened every few months over the years, it was organised that when he stood down, I would take over.
Then the new PGM was selected, and I received an email from the Secretary saying he had decided that this year he would be stepping down, and that he had arranged with the Chairman, the Executive, and the Powers-That-Be that someone who was not on the committee, and had only been a speaker for less than a year be confirmed as the new Secretary. Making it a done deal, and preventing me putting my name forward, even though we had spent years arranging it.
Group 7/Group 7+8/Wrexham Region
In 2022 I created a Facebook group for Group 7 and ran it for the then Group 7 Chairman. The group was then expanded when groups 7&8 merged into a super group under a new Chairman.
This new “Super Group” actually got more organised and we had a team of us created to advertise what was going on, encourage visiting, sort charitable events, help mentor people. We had a few team meetings, and there was even a team photo taken, and posted online to advertise the new team.
Then the new PGM was selected, and an email went out from the Group Chair saying that the group system was changing, and new regions were being created. He informed one team member that his role was not needed any more, but a new one would be found for him. And me I was informed that Facebook would not be used, and I was not needed in the team and was kicked out. Not only that but a new Region page was to be created on the Provincial Members Portal, and screenshots were provided. Including a group photograph which was just the old one with me cut out of it.
Oddly. They had a meeting for the Team and all the Secretaries in the Region a few weeks after I was kicked out for not being needed, and one of the points raised was they were a couple of people short in the team so they needed volunteers. Not only that, but the Facebook group they are not using, well the Regional Chairman has been changing the cover image, the name, description, rules, etc because it is still to be used.
Provincial Honours
This year I was due a promotion, since my last one had been five years ago. Now in the Province of North Wales there is a basic step up you would get, and then if you did a lot for the Province over that last five years you would tend to get higher, and if you did absolutely nothing you get lower. Which is a fair and balanced system.
Over the last five years I have been Lodge Secretary for three, Lodge mentor for four, went back through the chair to help a lodge out, took part in multiple ceremonies, visited Lodges and Chapters all over the Province to give talks, was the Assistant Provincial Grand Mentor in Craft and Chapter, was an active member of the Provincial Pathway Team, did training to Groups on the new Membership system, organised and ran talks for Masonic Bodies, published several Masonic books to raise money for the 2028 Festival, published multiple Masonic articles, raised thousands for Blood Bikes Wales, and so on. I also attended every Provincial team outing during my active year, and stood in to others when the other Senior Deacons could not make it.
Some would say that counts as doing a lot and should make me eligible for a higher promotion, or since I was the assistant Mentor for five years and part of organising the work and training, that I would also be in a good position to take over the role since the current Mentor was standing down. Myself, I think it should at least get me the Basic, default, standard promotion.
Then the new PGM was selected, and I was given a below average promotion. In fact I was given the same as someone I know who did not turn up for any outing during his active year, and has not done much in the last five years.
And so, as the Americans are wont to say in their peculiar sporting vernacular, ‘Strike three, and you are out’. I must confess, I am indeed out.
The tally now stands at three affronts, and I find myself compelled to withdraw. My Masonic career, once pursued with fervour and devotion, now lies in quiet ruin. For five years I have laboured with diligence and honour in service to the Craft, yet I have received less recognition than those who have contributed but the barest minimum. This inequity, I regret to say, stems from the disposition of the newly appointed Provincial Grand Master, under whose tenure “potentially a decade in length” I will most likely receive naught. I have not been doing all that I have to get high honours, I was the Provincial Webmaster for five years because I wanted to help spread the work on the good we did, I helped the ladies in the office manage PECS and mailchimp because I had the time and skill and it freed them up, I took on the assistant mentors role to help teach and explain to the curious amongst us. At no point was any of my efforts partaken with the view of receiving rewards.
If my earnest efforts, my time, and my unwavering commitment are to be valued less than idleness, if I am to be used and discarded, then I see no merit in continued exertion. The path before me is now forked: either I undertake the considerable burden of relocating to another Province, with all the travel that entails, or I relinquish my active participation in both Craft and Royal Arch Masonry, maintaining only nominal membership to preserve my standing in other Orders.
It is a bitter reflection, yet one I make with clarity and resolve!