Hearts of Oak Lodge came about due to the expressed ideas of a group of brethren gathered at Royal Brighton Yacht Club after ensuring that their vessels were safe during a storm.
That certainly seems to be the case and that their idea of a Lodge with a distinct maritime flavour would be the outcome. The new Lodge also gathered members from Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron and Sandringham Yacht Club in its early life.
The original members appear larger than life in our telling of the foundation and indeed the perpetual Past Master’s Jewel of gold came from one of those original brethren, Rt. Wor. Bro. Archibald Douglas Henderson Moses, known to all as Arch Moses. Its presentation to each newly appointed Immediate Past Master of our Lodge is well and truly established as one of our traditions. Arch was also the driving force behind our commemorative Little Ships night.
While it may be an unpopular reminder to some, one of our most treasured customs, the Little Ships Ceremony, infers in the prologue that the “little ships” were largely responsible for the rescuing of the 338,000 British and French soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk.
Indeed this belief is common in the wider community largely due to the perceived spontaneity of the action. However it is a matter of record that approximately 98,671 soldiers were rescued from the beach at Dunkirk by the “little ships” while 239,555 were embarked from the harbour by larger vessels. This does not in any way diminish the service and sacrifice of the crews of the little ships as none of these civilian/recreational seamen were forced to risk their lives in this operation. Our celebration of their courage and sacrifice in the face of seemingly overwhelming force is an appropriate one.
It is in our customs that Hearts of Oak stands apart from other Lodges with a character almost unique within the Victorian Constitution, although Maritime Lodge, the other seafarers’ Lodge, shares our place in some areas. An explanation of our customs and practices follows.
While a dinner suit or tails is the usual mode of dress for a Freemasons Lodge meeting at night other Lodges resort to “shirt sleeve order” in the Summer period [the duration coinciding with Daylight Saving Time] the order of dress at Hearts of Oak for this period is a white Mess Jacket. Serving and retired members of His/Her Majesty’s Forces may, if they wish, wear the jacket with the insignia of rank and decorations appropriate to their status and service.
There has in the past been the occasional comment from “on high” about proper masonic dress however the practice of our Lodge is now firmly established and accepted. This is principally as a result of ignoring the comments and demonstrating that our practice was one with respect for the Craft and a symbol of our “individuality”.
This hat, a gift from the late Worshipful Brother Pat Swinchat, sits above the Master’s Chair during the period the Lodge is open and is worn by the Master when in procession leaving the Lodge Room and entering “the South”.It has no deeper significance than that it is representative of a tradition and way of life at sea which has disappeared with the modern world but is worth remembering.
The Director’s baton was presented to the Lodge by Right Worshipful Brother Stuart Austin who once stood for election as Grand Master of the Victorian Constitution when such things could be done.
Each meeting there is a Burgee displayed in the East, usually against the North wall of the Lodge Room, and on the dais. It was designed and painted by Rosemary Klenner, daughter of one of our Foundation members.
The burgee is in the shape of a pennant quartered and defaced with a white cross bearing the name and number of the Lodge along the horizontal arm of the cross. Central on the Cross is a blue disc with a narrow gold border with a gold “foul anchor”in the centre of the disc and the Latin phrase “Amate Fratres” around the upper part of the disc and Oak leaves and acorns around the bottom of the disc. The Latin phrase translates to “Love thy Brethren”.
The “heading” of the pennant is white and bears, vertically, the words “In memory of Bro. G. D. Low”.
The upper canton at the hoist is a seascape with a two masted yacht under sail in the foreground and a motor launch in the background. The lower canton at the hoist bears the stars of the Southern Cross on a blue field. The image of the constellation is inclined towards the fly. The upper canton at the fly bears a crown on a blue field while the lower canton at the fly is red and bears a gold wreath with the initials BL over the numerals 37. BL stands for Brighton-Lowry Lodge Number 37 which was the Sponsor Lodge for Hearts of Oak.
The Festive Board [the South] at Hearts of Oak is decorated with strings of flags which have been presented to the Lodge over the years. Many of them come from the father of Brother Graeme Forbes collected in his travels and passed to the Lodge.
The flags vary in age and size and include national flags, signal flags, yacht club burgees and House Flags from shipping companies.
One of the most significant is that of the Royal Thames Yacht Squadron, the donation being arranged by the Foundation Secretary, and the donor none other than Sir Winston Churchill. They are a constant reminder to the brethren of a proud maritime heritage.
The “Stars and Stripes” of the United States was presented by Wor. Bro. Ted Daniels, a former serving member of the US Armed Forces and is reputed to be one of the last flags brought out of Saigon when the last US Forces left Saigon in March 1973.
These flags are dominated by our National Blue Ensign and a huge White Ensign of the Royal Australian Navy gifted to the Lodge by V.Wor Bro David Axup having had it presented to him by a Serving Senior Naval Officer in token of appreciation for services rendered in another place.
Also among this array of flags is a magnificent flag of the United States Marine Corps presented to the Lodge by Worshipful Brother Randy Walton who served with the United States Marine Corps and is a Past Master of Hearts of Oak.
The Ballot Box used by the Lodge is in the shape of a navigation buoy that used to be located off Brighton. It was crafted by Bro. Leslie Fox.
In many Lodges it is customary to find Sherry being offered as a brother enters the dining hall however at Hearts of Oak the Sherry is augmented by Rum.
Each newly initiated Brother is presented with a small gold anchor badge which is worn on the left lapel of the jacket subordinate to any decorations or awards the brother may have. It is unique to this Lodge and the wearer of such a badge is either a member of Hearts of Oak or it has been presented to him by the Lodge as a recognition of some significant service or association with Hearts of Oak. It is customarily given to the Grand Master if he has conducted the ceremony of Installation of a new Worshipful Master.
This badge, embroidered in blue cotton, also adorns the white gloves worn with winter dress and a pair of these gloves are presented to each newly initiated member and also to joining members.
The South also provides examples of the Lodge character.
Usually placed on the floor near the Master and used in presentations to brethren. The brother to whom the presentation is to be made is called to stand on the mat to receive whatever is coming his way whether it be an anchor lapel pin and gloves for a new brother or some other 'award'.
The mat is an intricate piece of rope work known as a Long Knot or Prolong Knot.
A Ship’s Bell is also found in the South and is used to draw the attention of the brethren to the Director of Ceremonies in his conduct of the proceedings.
At 2230 hours in the First Watch the attention of the brethren is gained by the sounding of five bells. For us the purpose is to call the attention of the brethren to the proposal of the toast to absent brethren and in particular those who 'use the sea'.
Five bells is sounded on time at 2230 hours irrespective of what else is happening and in the past has been sounded on time during an address by the Grand Master on a night of installation. In fairness the Grand Director is always advised that the sounding of five bells takes precedence over anything else.
If the South looks like finishing before 2230 hours then Five Bells will still be sounded when it is time for the presentation of the toast.
The words of the The Ship’s Bell toast are;
Five Bells, Five Bells at Hearts of Oak
I claim your silence, please
While I propose this toast to you
Craftsmen who use the seas
To all our absent brethren
On watch or at your post
We send fraternal greetings
Tonight, from Hearts of Oak
Lonely brethren of the First Watch
Remember, at the stroke
Of Five Bells, that we are with you
Tonight, at Hearts of Oak
GOD bless, sustain and guide you,
Return you to your port
That you might drink this toast with us
Again at Hearts of Oak
As in many other things Hearts of Oak has its own visitors song to welcome those brethren who come to visit:
To our friends and guests assembled,
Hearts of Oak wish you good cheer,
True fair winds and pleasant sailing,
As your homeward course you steer.
May our welcome here this evening,
Be to you a guiding star,
Guide you safely into harbour,
Where your friends and loved ones are.
The Grace offered up in the South was composed by Wor. Bro. R.D. McComb. P.G.Std. B with the assistance of Wor. Bro. Bert Blair a WW2 Destroyer Captain who served in the North Sea.
Let us give thanks,
For tho’ the waters rage and swell,
And the mountains shake at the tempest,
God is our refuge.
For he makes the storms to cease,
So that the waters are still
And we are at rest.
He brings us to that haven,
Where we would want to be.