Camberley Lodge No.5591

W.Bro. P.W. White PGD, PPGD was the founding Worshipful Master of Camberley Lodge. He went on to install each of his three sons as Worshipful Master of the Lodge. The photograph below was taken to commemorate this event.

W.Bro. P.W. White PGD, PPGD with his three sons

Left to right (back) :– W.Bro. P.W.S. White P.P.G.D. ( Surrey ), W.Bro. D.J. White P.P.G.D. ( Surrey ), W.Bro. R.H. White P.A.G.D.C. P.P.G.S.W. ( Surrey ),

Front:– W.Bro. P.W. White P.G.D. P.P.G.D. ( Surrey ), P.P.G.D. (Bucks.).

 

Lodge of Istruction - dining at the Royal Military Academy in 1973

I remember many of the Officers in the photograph of the 1961–1962 Officers, in particular Bro. Mace and George Taylor who was my D.C.; Bro. Wade and of course the Whites, Arthur Coventry and Bro. Hersey. The Tyler was, I believe, the father of Harry Tribe, a son in law of Percy. I knew W.Bro. Neville well, he was an antique dealer. Stan Fox who was an estate agent Installed me and I later Installed Billy Jeans. Looking at the then members, Percy White (senior) started in a small way but built the 'White's' garage and car sales business. He was the motive force for all Freemasonry in Camberley. At one time Percy was Camberley Masonry. Bob Price, the Senior Warden, was, or became, the local council's Health Officer and Tommy Topliffe (Tommy was the manager of the 'White's' workplace in York Road ) was the Junior Warden.

Arthur Coventry was the local rating officer. He (and Percy White) did a second term as Master. He persuaded me to go on and 'start life' as his Inner Guard.

R.H. (Richard) White was Percy's eldest son and the first of the three sons to die.

Bro. MacLean Keil started life as solicitor's clerk but later became a builder. He eventually owned a large part of Park Street , and became one of the richer Camberley masons. Glen Green, who later became Secretary to Camberley Lodge, was a son in law to Percy White. Bro. Verran was the local butcher and fishmonger. He and Bro. Appleton had their establishments on the south side of the London Road just west of the junction of that road and the north end of the High Street.

When Percy White was installed as Worshipful Master for the second time, on his installation night there was a knock and we were told that the Provincial Grand Master was outside and demanded admission. When offered the gavel he declined but as we got to the Installation he said that he wanted the gavel. Arthur Coventry handed over and we had the Provincial Grand Master in the chair, Richard White as Senior Warden, 'Young Percy' (second son) as Junior Warden and Jack (third son) as Inner Guard. At dinner the Provincial Grand Master was commenting on his own work and said that we may have thought that the changes were because he was rusty but 'No! It was his Province and if he saw fit to make changes he would.'

Lodge of Instruction

In the 1970s a joint Lodge of Instruction was held with Camberley Lodge No. 5591, Albert Edward Lodge No. 1714 and Agincourt Lodge No. 7172, together with visitors from local and London Lodges, under the supervision of Preceptors W.Bro. Bert Weeler (prior to 1974) and W.Bro. Cliff Murray (from 1974). In 1973 a celebration dinner was arranged by Lt.Col. Tom Jagger M.B.E. for the Lodge of Instruction at the Staff College of the Royal Military College , Sandhurst . A table 40 feet long was necessary to accommodate those attending and music was provided by the Band of the Irish Guards under Capt. Mick Lane , Director of Music. The photograph below was taken in 1973.

Camberley Lodge was honoured at the regular Lodge meeting of 3 rd April 2007 by an Official Visit of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master W.Bro. M.E. Yalden PSGD . During this visit the Deputy Provincial Grand Master commented that whilst this was his first visit to Camberley Lodge it was a particular pleasure for him because his father was Initiated into Camberley Lodge in 1944 and had been member until he had to move to Godalming in 1965.

W.Bro. William (Bill) Michael Yalden was born on 13th October 1909 and died in 1984. He was proposed into Camberley Lodge by Brother Arthur Gunner, a Police Sergeant in Haslemere and seconded by Brother Louis Chapman, a Police Sergeant at Frimley. At the time of his Initiation he was a serving regular Police Officer in the C.I.D. branch, based at Camberley.

He had joined Surrey Police Constabulary in 1934 having served in the regular army in the Royal Corps of Signals, joining as a boy soldier. He served much of his Army time in India on the North West Frontier and was awarded the North West Frontier Medal. Bill Yalden's father Capt. T.H. Yalden M.C. served under the colours for 50 years! He too was a Freemason and was Sword Bearer to the Prince of Wales as Provincial Grand Master for Surrey .

When Bill Yalden joined Camberley Lodge he was living with his family at Frimley Police Station. In 1946 he left the police to run the family business, a newsagent and confectioner, after his wife's father died. He then joined Bargate Lodge No. 5829, becoming Master in 1952 and later Treasurer for 25 years. He was appointed Acting Provincial Grand Persuivant and later promoted in Provincial Grand Lodge to PPGD and then PPJGW. Later he was honoured in Grand Lodge by appointment to PAGDC. He was a founder and DC of Woolsack Lodge No. 8221, with his son M.E. Yalden (the current Deputy Provincial Grand Master) as first Steward in 1968.

The Camberley Lodge Banner was dedicated on Monday 5th April 1937 by The Provincial Grand Master W. Bro. Canon J.C. Morris M.A.

The image on the Banner is similar to that on the Founders' Jewel and Crest and on subsequent Past Masters' Jewels. This was designed by Bro. Evelyn Arthur Smith, a chemist and a Founder of the Lodge and Member from 1936 to 1966.