The Goffs Oak Lodge Travelling Gavel

The Goffs Oak Lodge No.7169
Travelling Gavel 2:
"The Australian Adventure"

Page Updated 6th October 2011

Please scroll down for updates.

While planning his holiday to Australia, Bro. Steve Goan hoped that he might be able to attend a Masonic meeting (or two !) When he asked a few of the Lodge Past Masters about the protocol it was suggested that, if a visit could be arranged, he might take a Travelling Gavel. The result was that Bro. Steve visited Ashton Lodge 218, United Grand Lodge of Queensland, in the city of Brisbane where he brought greetings on behalf of the Worshipful Master, Bro. Steve (left) & Bro. Peter Officers and Brethren of the Goffs Oak Lodge and presented the Right Worshipful Master, Bro. Peter Casper with a Goffs Oak Lodge Travelling Gavel.

This gavel, like the first one, was made by W. Bro. Ron Gibbs. It survived the long journey intact, and it will be passed on to visiting brethren for use by other lodges in the Brisbane area - and beyond (hopefully).

The meeting was memorable for being a double Initiation of the Right Worshipful Master's twin sons, John and Andrew Casper into Freemasonry and was attended by over 160 masons including the Grand Master of Queensland, V W Bro. Graham Ewin with attending Grand Officers, two visiting lodges and other brethren from Brisbane.

So it appears that Travelling Gavel 2 has made a sound start to its Australian adventures !

Having returned to the UK, Bro. Steve has told us all of the warm welcome and generous hospitality he received in Australia.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the second Travelling Gavel, or can remember seeing it at a Lodge meeting at any time, please contact the Lodge Secretary. We would be especially delighted to receive photographs.

Updates (latest at top):

(Received 30th September 2011)

Hi Bro Secretary

I have been asked to advise you that Nanango Lodge No 134 UGLQ has presented to the Kingaroy Lodge number 189 on the register of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, Australia. This presentation was officiated on 30th August 2011 by the Worshipful Master of Nanango Lodge Wor Bro H S Hutchinson to the Worshipful Master Wor Bro M Clifford of Kingaroy Lodge.

Fraternal Greetings to all your Lodge members.

Cheers Mate

Wor Bro Mark Geiger
Senior Warden
Nanango Lodge 134 UGLQ

(Dated 20th November 2010)

This arrived on the day of our own Installation meeting from the lodge which received the gavel that same day. Kingaroy is around 130 miles northwest from Brisbane, whereas Nanango is 125 miles from Brisbane. So gavel 2 is definitely on walkabout....

Dear Sir and Brother,

It is my pleasure to inform you of the whereabouts of your Travelling Gavel....

On the 20th November, 2010 the Gavel was in the possession of Wor. Bro. Harold Thompson, Wor. Master of Blackbutt Lodge No. 216 of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.

The work for the meeting on that date was a Raising to the Third Degree of a Fellowcraft Brother of that Lodge. There was many visitors for the ceremony and later your Gavel was paraded before the Brethren, and the Diary read and discussed.

Wor.Bro. Thompson then handed on the Gavel to Brother Arthur Stuart Hawthorn, Senior Warden of Nanango Lodge and Kingaroy Lodge in District 46 of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.

Brother Hawthorn intends to present the Gavel to his Wor. Master, Malcolm Clifford of Kingaroy Lodge at the next regular meeting, it will then be passed on to Nanango Lodge at an appropriate time.

For your information, the lodges mentioned are country Lodges in an area about 250 klms North West of Brisbane , Queensland and all are members of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland.

Fraternal regards and Good Wishes for the coming Christmas and New Year.

Very Wor. Bro. Arthur Hawthorn

Assistant Grand Superintendent of Workings
District 46
United Grand Lodge of Queensland

(Dated 18th November 2010)

At a recent meeting at Brisbane Valley Lodge in Queensland we were presented with your travelling gavel. We are very pleased to be lent the Gavel in promoting the Masonic Lodge in Australia and overseas.

We are a small lodge in a small town of about 1300 residents apr 100 miles north west of Brisbane, Queensland.

This Saturday we will be doing a third degree and will hope to have a great deal of visitors to which we will pass on the Gavel.

Yours in Freemasonry,

Ross Heaney.

J.W. Blackbutt Masonic Lodge No 216 of the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. Australia.

We received the gavel from St John Biarra Lodge on the 28^th August 2010 on the occasion of our Centenary Meeting and we will pass it on very shortly.

St John Biarra Lodge No 73 UGLQ is in Esk, Queensland Australia some 100kms NW of Brisbane and Brisbane Valley Lodge No 198 UGLQ is in Toogoolawah a township some 17kms further NW.

Please pass on our fraternal greetings to the WM and brethren of your Lodge.

Yours fraternally

J. Peter Nord-Thomson
Secretary
Brisbane Valley Lodge No 198 UGLQ

"My name is Wor Bro Terry Keane, WM C H Harley Lodge 281, holden under the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, Australia. Just this last Evening (Saturday 13^th June 2009) at our regular meeting I was approached by Rt Wor Bro Bob Haigh (Sir Wylie Norman Lodge) and he presented me with a Travelling Gavel in a beautifully presented wooden box, the gavel was of extremely high quality and looked like it was of Oak. It was also suitably inscribed with the Lodge name Goffs Oak Lodge 7169 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

I was honoured to use it for the nights work which was an Initiation for (now) Bro Andrew Fisher into our lodge. It had an accompanying Booklet which was quite new and described its use. As per the enclosed instructions, at the end of the proceedings I presented it to Bro Roy English of Dunellean Lodge, a dear friend and frequent visitor to our lodge, who had recently been installed as JW of his lodge.

The accompanying book listed I think 4 Lodges from memory, and was used in Aston Lodge (Scottish Workings) when W Bro Casper initiated his twin Boys and included Sir Wylie Norman and now of course ours."