THE MASONIC PROVINCE OF YORKSHIRE WEST RIDING

Harrogate & Claro Freemasons Lodge No 1001, Station Avenue, Harrogate raised £300 to provide funding for Harrogate & North Yorkshire Stroke Friendship Group, to support a social outing for their members.

The group is run by and for people with Aphasia, to support people with language loss following a stroke, head injury or a neurological condition. They provide support to each other, share experiences, make new friends, rebuild self-confidence and develop new skills by practising total communication using words, drawing, pictures and gesture.

The group has more than 25 members from Harrogate, North Yorkshire and North Leeds (from as far afield as Masham). They meet nine months of the year at St Marks Church Community Centre, Leeds Road Harrogate and listen to a variety of speakers.

The money will pay for transport to take the group out for an afternoon tea, as many of our members have mobility problems.

Fabian Ware is considered the Founding Father of the Commonwealth (originally Imperial) War Graves Commission. 

During the last decade of the 19th century he was a modern languages teacher at Bradford Grammar School before becoming an early schools inspector and playing a key role in the integration of the Dutch provinces of South Africa after the Boer War.

At the outbreak of the War he was the Director of the British Red Cross Ambulance Service in France when he proposed the creation of the Commission.

On the formation of the Commission organising committee based in St Omer, France, he was the Founding Master of The Builders of the Silent Cities Lodge No.12 in the French Constitution along with Rudyard Kipling and other leading officers.

The name of the lodge was proposed by Rudyard Kipling

When the Commission opened its principal office in London the brethren formed The Builders of the Silent Cities Lodge No 4948 in the British Constitution. It still meets today at Freemasons Hall.

The story of the Commission is fascinating for anyone interested in the past. 

Brethren will not fail to recognise how the principals of Freemasonry underpins everything the Commission has achieved. 

Max Dutton, Commission Historian, will deliver a lecture on the establishment of CWGC and the creation of the various War Graves Cemeteries and Memorials following WWI.

It will take place in the main Price Hall of Bradford Grammar School.

Light refreshments will follow.

There will also be a display of memorabilia relating to Fabian Ware.

Tickets are free, with a retiring collection in aid of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Educational Foundation.