Bro. Mervyn Payne R.O.H.
When the 1914/18 war descended upon us I doubt if Grand Lodge can be blamed for failing to take an all out National view of what the Order might accomplish if the whole of its efforts were co-ordinated but as it was the delegates adopted a middle course which, all things considered, was very effective in many respects.
It is clear from the sequence of business in October 31st, 1914, the first meeting of Grand Lodge after the declaration of war on August 4th, 1914, that the full implications, as far as it might affect our Order had not really been appreciated.
First item, and again perhaps not an unnatural one, was to report at some length the death of the Grand Registrar, Bro. W. Good Storey, together with details as to the arrangements to convey the body of our brother from the place of death to his home at Scarborough, the particulars given including the fact that the coffin was “of oak with solid brass furnishings”. This was done on the instructions of the Grand Primo and his action was confirmed: Grand Lodge agreed to pay any expenditure involved and instructed the three chief officers to attend the funeral.
Then we have the report of the Benevolent Board with a vote of condolence and with grants in three categories of a grand total of £20 15s. 0d. plus Imperial Fund Grants (of which more anon) of £40 19s. 0d. Proceeding, we find reported the current work of the Grand Knights Chapter the most important item of which was their just demand for remuneration at 10/6 per diem., and it is only as part of the report of the Grand Secretary, which follows these earlier items, that we find a mention of the fact we were at war. Even the Grand Secretary did not mention the fact or use the word “War”, but assured Grand Lodge that although we were going through a crisis they need not be unduly depressed; he outlined the difficulties as (a) the earlier closing of public houses, (b) the depression in business and (c) the large number of brethren who had joined the colours in spite of which we were still progressing.
Bro. John Wilson Grand Primo
It was in the last active item on the agenda, number thirteen for the information of the superstitious; that the Grand Primo, (pictured above) Bro. John Wilson, really got to grips with the subject which must have been on the mind of every delegate present on that occasion.
The Grand Primo then returned to his idea of a Grand Lodge effort and moved “that Grand Lodge purchase one or more ambulances and present them to the country through The Times and that the Special Disaster Fund be used for this purpose”.
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