On the afternoon of 1st December 2018, at Ilkeston Masonic Hall, Worshipful Brother Robert John van Woerden was installed as the third Worshipful Master of the Cornucopia Lodge of Provincial Grand Stewards of Derbyshire No. 9925.
The many distinguished visitors and guests attending the Lodge witnessed the Installing Master, Worshipful Brother Paul Foster, deliver the Installation Ceremony to his successor in fine style, following which he received many favourable comments regarding the way he had conducted himself throughout the proceedings.
Worshipful Brother Foster was ably supported by officers and members of Cornucopia Lodge, some of whom were performing duties in an acting capacity due to unavoidable absence by some Lodge members.
The Worshipful Master was delighted to be presented with a magnificent ceremonial sword by Worshipful Brother Malcolm Prentice. The sword had been recently bequeathed to Cornucopia by a former member of the Derbyshire Air Training Corps. The newly installed Worshipful Master then formally presented it to the Lodge Tyler to assist him in performing his official duties outside the door of the Lodge.
The previous owner of the RAF officers sword started his love of the service in joining a North London ATC. First stationed after initial training in West Germany, by 1984 and 85 found himself in the Ascention Islands for the Falkland War conflict, in the 90’s the Gulf, and with NATO forces in the Balkans, leaving the service in late 2008.
In this 100 year anniversary of the foundation of the RAF Derbyshire Freemasons have been pleased to support all of the Derbyshire ATC units so it only seems fitting that this officer sword, which is an emblem of honour, duty and service now finds its new home with Cornucopai Lodge, emblematically to protect them at the door of the lodge for many years to come.
The incoming Master was also presented with a set of Steward’s working tools by Worshipful Brother Philip Millard. At the festive board later Worshipful Brother Millard explained that the tools were his own personal set and had been given to him when he joined the Cheshire Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge but that he now wanted to gift them to Cornucopia Lodge.
