I used to be genuinely disgusted by the Metropolitan Police and their new policy that requires every Freemason to declare their membership. At the time it felt like yet another strange idea born from the old conspiracy theories that cling to the Craft. The claim that membership needed to be recorded in order to prevent corruption struck me as unfair, unnecessary, and completely out of proportion. It seemed wrong that Freemasons were being singled out while countless other groups were not. What about the Lions, the Round Table, the RAC, the AA, any hobby club, fan club, band, choir, Scouts, Guides, St Johns, charity groups, or even family associations. Every group or association on earth could be described as a place where two members might look out for one another or do a favour.

For a long time I supported Grand Lodge in their opposition to the policy. I believed the whole thing was misguided and that it placed an unreasonable burden on ordinary members who had done nothing wrong. But recent events have forced me to rethink my position. My view has shifted completely. I now find myself fully on the side of the Metropolitan Police. I believe that Freemasons should be registered and that proper oversight is necessary.

I will now explain why my views have shifted so dramatically.

I am in Rose Croix, and as in every other order there is a steady progression. People on the ladder usually move up one step at the annual Installation meeting. This year the Brother who was due to go into the chair had been unwell for some time. He was not really strong enough to take the chair, but he dearly wanted to, and we were prepared to support him and make it work. Then, in the weeks leading up to the Installation, quiet conversations began to circulate. The Craft Provincial Grand Master wanted to go into the chair of Rose Croix.

I should make it clear that he is indeed a member. He joined, attended for about a year, and then vanished for eight or more years. Now he wished to go through the chair so that he could be made a Thirtieth Degree Mason. The quiet talk suggested that the plan was to hold back everyone on the ladder who should have been promoted this year and simply place the PGM at the top of the list.

More details then leaked out, and the truth was even worse than that. The plan was not only to jump the PGM ahead of everyone who turns up to every meeting and does the work. The plan was to put his name at the top of the line, then on the night when the Master was due to be installed, make that Brother step down because of his health and place the PGM in the chair for one single meeting. He would only need to attend once, do nothing, and then receive his Thirtieth Degree, even though every other member must perform every part of the ritual before becoming eligible.

Sadly the Brother who was due to take the chair became too ill to continue, and the plan had to be rushed. They placed the PGM directly into the chair on his first appearance in eight years. The difficulty was that the order has rules, and those rules state clearly that he was not eligible to go into the chair. The Secretary therefore wrote to the powers above, explaining that the Brother due to be installed was too ill to advance and that no one else was eligible, and asking for a special dispensation to allow the PGM to take the chair even though he did not meet the requirements. As a side note, every single member of our Chapter is more eligible to take the chair than the PGM.

Since the PGM is friendly with those in authority, the dispensation was granted. He was placed in the chair, and he will no doubt receive his higher degrees without doing the work. Not through merit, not through effort, but simply because he holds office in another order.

This is why my view has changed completely. If some Freemasons are willing to trample over their own Brethren in order to advance themselves, then it raises a troubling question. If they will do this to fellow Masons, what might they do to people who are not Masons?

The latest edition of Coronatio Quadrans has officially landed, and this time, it’s not just another quarterly release. It’s their very first Special Edition, and it’s blooming just in time for the Vernal Equinox.

This quarter, the editorial team has gathered a series of thought-provoking papers exploring one of the most elusive and evocative ideas in all of philosophy, theology, and symbolic tradition:The Nature of the Supreme Being AKA The Great Architect of the Universes.

You’ll find reflections from mathematicians, physicists, historians, mystics, and mischief-makers, each offering their own lens on the ineffable. Among them is my own humble contribution:

“The Ever-Shifting Face of the Divine. Or Why Humanity Keeps Rebooting the Supreme Being in Its Own Image.”

And yes, before you ask, all the usual delights are still here: reviews, competitions, commentary, and the occasional eyebrow-raising footnote.

So if you’re feeling cosmically curious, ceremonially inclined, or just in need of a good Equinoctial read, grab yourself a copy. You might just find the Architect staring back at you… with a wink.

Today marks my 20th anniversary of joining Freemasonry.

On the 2nd of February 2006, I arrived at the Masonic Hall in Ruabon at 6pm, suited up and not entirely sure what I was walking into. That evening I was initiated into Llannerch Lodge in the Province of North Wales. I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting, even if I didn’t fully understand what was happening at the time. The pub meal afterwards — the festive board, as I quickly learned — was just as enjoyable. I even had to stand up and thank everyone for welcoming me, after they’d all stood to toast me.

Over the following year, I took my second (Fellowcraft) and third (Master Mason) steps.

The next twenty years have taken me on quite a journey:

Craft

• Took the Master’s Chair of Llannerch Lodge — and stayed there for two years.
• Joined Wrexhamian Lodge, the Maesgwyn Lodge of Installed Masters, and the Provincial Stewards Lodge.
• Took the Master’s Chair of Wrexhamian Lodge.
• Promoted to Active Provincial Steward, then Active Provincial Senior Deacon, and finally Past Deputy DC.

Royal Arch

• Joined Wynnstay Chapter and went through all three chairs.
• Joined Wrexhamian Chapter and am currently in the 2nd Principal’s Chair.
• Promoted to Active Provincial Steward and later Active Provincial Sojourner.

SRIA

• Joined Bishop Wilkins College and, thanks to Covid lockdowns, spent four years in the chair.
• Joined Clwyd College and went through the chair there as well.
• Promoted to Provincial Conductor for five years, and currently serving as Provincial Secretary.
• Advanced to the Third Order.

Rose Croix

• Joined Valle Crucis Chapter and (again, courtesy of Covid) spent four years in the chair.
• Joined Rhodri Fawr Chapter.
• Promoted to the 30th Degree.

Provincial & Other Roles

• Provincial Webmaster & Social Media Officer for five years.
• Assistant Provincial Mentor for five years.
• Member of the Provincial Pathway Team for five years.
• Founder member of the Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association.
• Committee member of the North Wales Association for Masonic Study for seven years.

Writing & Speaking

• Giving Masonic talks since 2017.
• Published several Masonic books.
• Had papers published in multiple Masonic periodicals.

Not a bad twenty years of Masonic work. I think I’ve earned a drink.

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.

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.

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.

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 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?

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)

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.