It was originally intended to give this explanation at the Banner Dedication last month but in view of time constraints it was deferred until this meeting. There is little documentation relating to the early days so these notes were prepared from original minutes and recollections of senior Lodge members. It is really for the benefit of Junior members of Vectensian Lodge to give an idea of the characters who were involved in its formation.

When I was reading the Minutes of the Consecration and First Installation Meetings of Vectensian Lodge, which took place in October 1962, I found a list of the Founding Officers and noticed that there was one office which remained vacant, that of Treasurer. Later on in the minutes, various Brethren were proposed as joining members and Bro Maurice William Alfred Jacobs a Master Mason of Spithead Lodge was one of them. “Jake”, as he was known, was proposed by W Bro Percy Russell, who you will see was the main player in the formation of this Lodge. At that time Jake lived in Westwood Road in Ryde and Percy moved in opposite some years later. Jake was balloted for and invested as Treasurer at the next Regular meeting in November and held that office for 19 years until 1981 when I took over from him. He was a Chartered Accountant, my Principal when I was an Articled clerk and also my proposer into this Lodge and I soon found out why he was so keen for me to join because two years later guess what, I was landed with the books.

But the reason I am telling you this is because being Treasurer I sat next to the Secretary W Bro Bill Marler. Bill was not the Founding Secretary but he had held the office for a number of years and had been a member of Yarborough Lodge. He was then Headmaster of a village school at St. Helens and when he retired he bought a small shop in East Cowes from where he traded in Antiques. I acted as his Accountant and we became great friends over the years. I remember him telling me about a summer evening, when he used to live in a very large house in Ryde and had been entertaining some friends to a dinner party. After dinner the gentlemen had retired to the veranda to discuss Masonic matters and W Bro Percy Russell, who was present on that occasion, mooted the idea of a new Lodge, and according to Bill that was the first time this had been mentioned and it was that evening that Vectensian Lodge was conceived. Unfortunately I do not know the date of this rather informal, inaugural meeting, neither does the Lodge have records of other meetings of the steering committee but it must have been some time before the Lodge was consecrated, so possibly in the summer of 1961 or even 1960. Bill told me that during the early 1950’s not many people owned cars and it was normal for Brethren to join a Masonic Lodge in the town where they lived, but by the end of the 50’s more individuals had become car owners and consequently travel between towns to attend Masonic meetings became an option. It was apparently Percy Russell’s vision that the new Lodge would draw candidates from all parts of the Island. As you know the word Vectensian is derived from the Roman word for the Island “Vectis” and Vectensians was the name given to residents of the Isle of Wight.

It was originally hoped that the Lodge would meet at Newport and be a daughter lodge of Albany but apparently little enthusiasm was encountered from that quarter and East Medina 175 ended up as our Mother Lodge.

So after all the administration had been completed to form a new Lodge, on Wednesday 10th October 1962 the Consecration of Vectensian Lodge took place at Ryde Town Hall and was conducted by R W Bro Wilfred Attenborough, Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

I mentioned earlier that some joining members were proposed at the first Installation Meeting, which took place after the Consecration meeting, there were also two candidates proposed one of whom is present now, W Bro Archie Whitehead.

Unfortunately during the Lodge’s first year, W Bro Sidney Mew, who was the founding Worshipful Master, was sadly called to the Grand Lodge above in December 1962 and Bro Harold Dibbens the founding Senior Warden took charge for the rest of the year.

It had been decided that no Founders Jewels be struck and instead the Founding Officers each presented the collar and jewel of their respective office and on the reverse of the jewel one will find the name of the Brother who presented it.

Lets have a brief look at the Founding Officers and start with the IPM, W Bro Mark kindly tell me who donated your Jewel ? W Bro W M Quick Little is known of W Bro Quick unfortunately he was unable to be invested at the first Installation meeting due to illness and W Bro Bill Marler stood in for him.

I have already mentioned the founding Master W Bro Sidney Mew who was the proprietor of Mew’s Block who made artificial stone blocks and the Senior Warden Bro Harold Dibbens so if we continue down the list in order of seniority and go to the Junior Warden, Bro Junior Warden kindly tell me who donated your jewel ? Bro G Craddock Gordon Craddock ran a wholesale meat business, also donated the lodge gavels which were made of Ivory but have subsequently disappeared. The replacements were made by W Bro Peter Toogood, John Mundell’s Father in Law. Chaplain W Bro H Collier Bert Collier worked for Eldridges the Solicitors he also donated the VSL and the inscribed box of working tools, and I understand that he donated the stained glass windows at the west of the Temple. These windows were acquired from the former Congregational Church in Melville Street when it was being demolished and contain many Masonic Emblems. Treasurer Bro Maurice Jacobs Jake who I have already mentioned. Secretary W Bro G Mansell George Mansell traded in postage stamps from a shop in Union Street,Ryde and his beautiful copperplate handwriting can be seen in the first Lodge minute book where he recorded the minutes of the Consecration and first meetings of the Lodge for which I have an enlarged copy for you all to see. Show example and tell amusing story about reading the minutes.

Director of Ceremonies W Bro P W Russell Percy Russell was a Past Master of Chine Lodge and I have already mentioned Percy’s involvement in the formation of this lodge, he was the main instigator and he was also preceptor of LOI for many years. Senior Deacon Bro R Sumpter Bob Sumpter was the Father of Jane who is W Bro Martin Parson’s wife. Junior Deacon Bro T Fletcher Tom Fletcher was a Hotelier in Sandown. Asst. DC Bro R G Therwell unfortunately no information on Bro Therwell. Almoner – W Bro J Fardell Jimmy Fardell was a Solicitor and one of only two Grand Officers on the Island at that time. Organist Bro J H Russell Bro J Russell was Percy’s brother who lived on the Mainland so the organ was usually played by W Bro Les Baker who was a photographer from Newport and a member of Yarborough Lodge. Asst Sec Bro L Jennings Les Jennings was a Retired Commander in the Royal Navy and a very close friend of the Treasurer Bro Jake. Inner Guard Bro E Kemp Bro Kemp was a Hotelier from Shanklin and the proposer of W Bro Archie Whitehead. Stewards Bro L Bruce Bro Bruce also donated the Banner which was designed by Percy Russell’s Brother who was a graphic designer from an idea of Percy’s. Bros A Tallowin, A Sheaf and K Miller unfortunately nothing is known about these Brethren.

Bro A Wilmot Dick Wilmot was the proprietor of the Monteagle Hotel at Shanklin and later the Landlord of the Bugle at Newport & The George at Yarmouth he also donated the Tracing boards. Bro L Hilliam Les Hilliam was a member of Chine but still is a member of Vectis Fairways Lodge.

The Wardens columns were given by the very first Initiate, Bro Dick Loaring. He was in fact the other candidate proposed at the Installation meeting on 10th October 1962 and initiated by W Bro Jack West, who took the chair for the ceremony. W Bro Jack is our sole surviving founder member who is still a subscribing member of our Lodge and I am delighted to say is here with us this evening. The cushion for the VSL, chair hood and charity bags by W Bro Percy Russell and W Bro George Mansell; the cushion for the Apron by Bro Harold Dibbens and Bro Bob Sumpter.

The joining fee for founder members was £5.5.0 and the subscription for 1962 was £1.1.0 but this seems to have been insufficient because it was increased to £3.13.6 from 1963. The cost of the meal at the festive board was 6s.6d or approximately 32p. The Alms collection averaged about £5.

Brethren I think this illustrates how much times have changed in just 40 years.

Many thanks to Bob Beeney, Archie Whitehead and Jack West for their assistance and recollections.

Thanks were also recorded to Mike for the preparation and presentation of these personal recollections. It was deemed appropriate to record them here in full as a reminder of those early days.

The Lodge banner, for whatever reason, was not available for the consecration and as mentioned was donated by Bro. L.B. Bruce. He presented it at the following meeting in November, when it was dedicated by W. Bro. H.A. Gilroy, Asst. Prov. G. Chaplain., but there was no formal dedication ceremony.

The Banner was originally kept in the store room and brought out and displayed for meetings. It did deteriorate quite badly and was refurbished at Grand Lodge Regalia Department and re-dedicated with ceremony on 7th February 2007. The Dedicating Officer was W. Bro. Allan Gregory, PSGD., Asst. Provincial Grand Master of The Province and the Dedicating Chaplain W. Bro. Bill Whitfield, Prov. A.G. Chap.

The banner is now displayed permanently in the East of the Lodge beside that of East Medina Lodge.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary, the Lodge of Instruction presented a set of Deacons and DC wands and the Lodge renewed the officers collars and gauntlets.

Other items donated to the Lodge include; emblems of M. for the third degree ceremony by Bro. Ron White; poniard - Mike Chandler; wooden square for the second degree ceremony - Frank Bell; ballot box and materials - Don Thompson; stands for the working tools and tracing boards - Peter and Bob Toogood; new stands for the deacons wands - Martin Howe, and a past VGO, Clive Boynton donated a set of pedestal covers, suitably inscribed.

Dave Perkis donated and arranged the provision of a Lodge Display Cabinet, situated in the lower dining room.

The Lodge sponsored the formation of St Boniface Lodge, and the Vectensian Chapter, both meeting at Ryde.

It is interesting to recall that the Lodge donated the princely sum of

£20. 00 to assist with the Chapter funds.

Mention has been made of Percy Russell as the instigator of the founding of the lodge, but he never occupied the chair, he was more interested in conducting the ceremonies and ensuring that the ritual was always at a high standard.

There are no records of the ritual decided on by the Founders, but it would appear that the basis was “The Perfect Ceremonies Of Craft Masonry”, with some variations as decided on by the Steering Committee, and also known as “Nigerian Workings”.

It is mostly the same as Emulation Ritual, as first published in 1969 and now the basis of lodge ceremonies.

The younger members held Percy in some awe, but soon came to realise that he had masonry and the Lodge at heart, and nothing gave him more pleasure than inviting them to his house to view his extensive collection of Masonic memorabilia which has sadly been dispersed.

During the early days of the Lodge of Instruction, the lodge could be quite chilly in the winter months, and Percy would wear his trademark dress of pork pie hat, scarf and overcoat whilst conducting proceedings from the D.C’s chair.

Percy bequeathed a sum of money to the lodge, this was used to provide a Masters Chain Collar which is kept up to date with the roll of Past Masters.