Taurus Lodge

By W Bro Gus Samuel LGR

We first took a look at the Association of Medical, University and Legal Lodges (AMULL) in the pages of Arena way back in Issue 9.

Since then, AMULL has grown, and has
exciting new developments on the horizon.
What better time, then, to take another
look at the association?

The association s chairman, VW Bro
Nicholas Le Poidevin QC PGSwdB, told
Arena about the history of AMULL:

“AMULL was formed in 1999 when several
like-minded Freemasons developed the
idea for a group of professional Lodges to
join in promoting the social and charitable
sides of Freemasonry. The association holds
an annual festival, the first of which took
place in 2001, when members of AMULL
Lodges and their guests enjoy a day
together. Funds raised during the annual
festival have historically been put towards
AMULL s charitable initiatives of providing
funding for students in financial difficulty.
Festivals rotate with two years held in
London, followed by one held elsewhere
in the country.”

Long-time readers of Arena will no doubt
recall having seen several of AMULL’s
festivals in past years being covered in the
magazine, but may not know so much
about the Lodges that make up the
association. As you can see from the list in
the adjoining box, Metropolitan Grand
Lodge has its fair share of AMULL Lodges
— too many to give each one the focus it
undoubtedly deserves. We will therefore
be looking at one Lodge from each of the
association s constituent fields — legal,
university, and medical — to give you a
flavour of what you might expect, but
there is no doubt that should you visit any
AMULL Lodge, you would find the same
warm welcome and fraternal camaraderie
as you would at our three featured Lodges.

MEDICAL

fisculapius Lodge No 2410
The AMULL connection is strong for
fisculapius Lodge, with one of the original
founders (a Grand Original!) and driving
forces behind the association, W Bro
Charles Akle PJGD, an active member.
The oldest medical and dental Lodge in
London, fisculapius now has a broad
membership but maintains a core focus on
the medical and dental professions. The
Lodge meets four times per year at Great
Queen Street and prides itself on convivial
but high-quality working.

The Lodge’s medical heritage is rich, with
historical membership rolls including a
good number of leading immunologists
and microbiologists who would no doubt
be interested in the current state of affairs.
fisculapius Chapter has an equally rich
history, with members including the
likes of Sir Alexander Fleming. Since it
is a Lodge full of those in caring
professions, opportunities for charitable
giving are plenty.

Regular donations include support for vital
dental services in India at a clinic established
by a now sadly departed member. Most
recently, two charity shooting days funded
a large donation towards the purchase of
a portable EEG machine (a vital piece of
equipment for diagnosing epilepsy in the
emergency department) for Conquest
Hospital in Hastings.

The good work doesn t stop there of
course, with many of our members having
contributed substantially to the recent
response during the Covid crisis.

Along with Bro Charles, the Lodge
members have supported AMULL from
the beginning, and we regularly send a
bumper contingent to the annual festival.
Two further members, including our
current Worshipful Master, W Bro Jake
Mossom, sit on the AMULL Committee.
Bro Jake, who was initiated through the
Universities Scheme in 2016, currently
serves as an AMULL Charity Steward and
is now involved in the Universities Scheme
in London. In recent years, the Lodge s
engagement with the Universities Scheme
has led to a steady stream of students and
younger professionals joining.

Many newer brethren are now progressing
through the Lodge, forming an energetic
and enthusiastic ladder of officers to
continue the good work whilst having
plenty of fun!

UNIVERSITY

Lodge of Good Fellowship No 3655
LoGF, as it is referred to by its members,
is a relative newcomer to the AMULL
club, having joined in 2018. Its career as
a University Lodge is short, but it does
have a long history and a distinguished
pedigree predating its involvement in both
the AMULL and the Universities Scheme.

One of three daughter Lodges of the Lodge
of Emulation, No 21, it was originally a
City Lodge later coming to be dominated
by brethren from the pharmaceutical
industry.

By the early 2010s the Lodge had fallen
on hard times. It was on verge of handing
back its Warrant when, in 2014, it was
rescued by a team formed by the UGLE
Universities Scheme – coincidentally led
by a former and current AMULL Charity
Steward – one of whom, W Bro Julian
Soper PSGD, is now the Lodge’s
Metropolitan Grand Inspector.

This take-over has since been used as a
model for many other Lodge take-overs
around the country.

Since its rescue, the Lodge has thrived,
initiating 28 London students, including
the son of a Foreign Constitution s
Grand Master.

The Lodge prides itself on the quality of
its multiple-candidate ceremonies and
includes some leading practitioners of this
form of ritual amongst its membership.
Student members have progressed to take
on many Lodge offices, including the
Secretary, and a number of LoGF members
have been active in subsequent Lodge takeovers
for the Universities Scheme.

Meeting four times a year at Freemasons
Hall, visitors would find in LoGF a relaxed
and friendly Lodge filled with youthful
exuberance.

Given the significant proportion of students
and recent graduates amongst its ranks, it
may not be surprising to discover that
LoGF is rumoured to have the youngest
average age of any Lodge in London at less
than 30. In a normal year, the Lodge would
have relativity active social calendar, with
successive Social Secretaries finding ever
more intriguing venues to visit.

Given the age of the brethren, LoGF
doesn t actively encourage significant
financial donations to charity, preferring
its members to give time and effort in
support of good causes, whether that be
running marathons or any number of more
eccentric activities.

LEGAL

Inventions Lodge No 3776

The roots of this Lodge lie in the profession
of Patent Agency, one of the oldest of the
professions, tracing as far back as the 18th
century. In 1882 the Institute of Patent
Agents was formed, receiving a Royal
Charter in 1891. The senior members of
the profession of course knew each other,
met regularly on professional and social
occasions, and many of them were
Freemasons. It was natural therefore that
they should express a desire to form
themselves into a Lodge of patent agent
Freemasons.

Thus, in June 1916 an Emergency Meeting
of Wickham Lodge No 1924 was held to
consider a Petition for a new Lodge to be
named Inventions . The warrant was
issued under No 3776 and dated 20th
June 1916.

Cementing the connection between the
Lodge and patents is the Badge of the
Lodge, which is derived from the Great
Seal of King James I during whose reign
the Statute of Monopolies, which
constituted the basis of British Patent
Law, was passed in 1624. The Great Seal
was affixed to all Patents of Invention
prior to 1850. Permission was sought and
granted for the Seal to be copied and used
by the Lodge.

The Lodge was Consecrated on 1st August
1916 by VW Bro. Sir Edward Letchworth,
Grand Secretary and in 1922 the Lodge
was certified as a Hall Stone Lodge.

Originally membership of the Lodge was
restricted to senior partners in private
professional practice. Now, membership
is open to any person with an interest in
Intellectual Property.

The Lodge has always taken its charitable
responsibilities seriously. Recent donations
include £11,000 to the CyberKnife Appeal
and £10,000 to the Air Ambulance Appeal.

Hopefully this has given you some insight
into the types of Lodges that make up
AMULL, and that you feel encouraged
to visit any of the association s Lodges
once circumstances allow. We return
to Bro Nicholas for some final words,
and an exciting new development for
the association:

“2020 has been difficult, with the festival
cancelled and activities curtailed.
However, the year has seen the formation
of The AMULL Charity to oversee an
increase in charitable activities and
renewed ties with the Universities
Scheme, which allow AMULL to
complement the Scheme’s objectives.
More details about AMULL can be found
at amull.org.uk and the association’s
President, R.W. Bro. David K.
Williamson, PAGM, will have news for
Arena readers in early 2021.”

We thank VW Bro Nicholas Le Poidevin
QC PGSwdB, W Bro Clifford Sturt
PGStB, W Bro Jake Mossom and Bro
Simon Moore for their invaluable
contributions to this article.

AMULL Lodges in Metropolitan:

Gihon Sancta Maria No 49 (Medical)

Pilgrim No 238 (University)

University of London No 2033 (University)

fisculapius No 2410 (Medical)

Chancery Bar No 2456 (Legal)

Rahere No 2546 (Medical)

Cavendish No 2620 (Medical)

Royal London Hospital No 2845 (Medical)

Lodge Chere Reine No 2853 (Medical)

Cheselden No 2870 (Medical)

University of Edinburgh No 2974 (University)

University of Durham No 3030 (University)

Trinity College Dublin No 3153 (University)

Western Circuit No 3154 (Legal)

Misericordia No 3286 (Medical)

Caius No 3355 (University)

In Ardius Fidelis No 3432 (Medical)

Lodge of Good Fellowship No 3655 (University)

Inventions No 3776 (Legal)

Think and Tank No 4112 (University)

Templars No 4302 (Legal)

Imperial College No 4536 (University)

Gray’s Inn No 4938 (Legal)

Tetragon No 6302 (University)

John Snow No 7715 (Medical)

City University No 7962 (University)

Roentgen No 8980 (Medical)

David Kenneth Williamson No 9938 (University)

This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 43 January 2021 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in the Arena Issue 43.