Impressive - Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2

Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2

Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2 - so just to remind you

Previously we informed you of Harold Williams a Lieutenant General, a Companion of the Order of the Bath and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Bro. Harold Williams joined Beauchamp Lodge in India on the 2nd August 1921 from his Mother Lodge, which was the Light-in-Arabia Lodge No. 3870.

Lt. General Sir Harold Williams KBE CB was a very distinguished army officer, a respected engineer, and an eminent Freemason; yet he still found time to help start a children’s charity, climb mountains, and write a book about bird-watching in India.

Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2 contd. The above picture is of the Distinguished Engineer Officers Board at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The board lists two distinguished brethren of the Beauchamp Lodge; Lt. General Sir Lionel Bond, Worshipful Master 1926 and, Lt. General Sir Harold Williams, Worshipful Master 1928 & 1951.

Bro. Williams gave a lifetime of service to Freemasonry in India. A Past Grand Warden of Grand Lodge, and a Past Deputy Grand Master of Bengal; he helped prepare the way for creating the Grand Lodge of India, and was President of its first Board of General Purposes. He first visited the Beauchamp Lodge in 1921, and joined it that same year.

Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2 contd. Recently the Lodge was contacted, through the website, by a Gordon Macfarland whose father's brother 'Harry Macfarland' had been a member of the Lodge, when he was resident in India. When we sought to obtained further detail from Gordon he wrote back to say, "Just to clarify, as youngsters in those days we were not able to have "Open" chats with our elders and I always heard his name as Harry."

So there you have it. Harry Macfarland is positioned 2nd from the right, rear rank (as you view the below photograph) wearing evening dress (black tie). At the time of the photo Bro. Harry was Inner Guard of the Lodge.

Interestingly Bro Harold Williams can also be seen in the photograph positioned 2nd from the left, front rank (as you view the below photograph).

Standing on the shoulders of Giants 2 contd. Points to note:
The banner displayed in the photograph (India 1947) is the same banner displayed at each and every meeting of the Beauchamp Lodge

Bro Frank Collinge, who was instrumental in relocating the Lodge (from India to England), can also be seen sitting 1st right, front rank (as you view the below photograph). Frank was Director of Ceremonies at the time of the photograph having been Worshipful Master 1945. He occupied the chair again in 1973.

This Standing on the shoulders of giants 2 post has been created by the West Kent Military lodge for information. If you would like to now more about the Lodge contact us here