A Weekend Away For St Clair Lodge

Lodge members, family and friends at W. Bro Bob Seaman’s house

Members of St Clair Lodge No 2902 together with wives and partners made the long journey to Torquay to enjoy a weekend away and have some fun. This was on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th July. Essentially this was to bring together families and friends and redefine the strategies of retention and building membership. What better place than the English Riviera. However, this was not a random choice, but an opportunity for W. Bro Bob Seaman PProvAGDC, PProv1stAGSoj to act as host. Bob’s wife Rose is extremely unwell, and it is not possible for them to travel to Lodge social events in Middlesex. So, what better than all your Lodge colleagues make the journey down.

W. Bro Bob is a “died in the wool” Middlesex man having been born in Southall when it was in the County of Middlesex. He later lived in Heston and attends Lodge and Chapter at TDMC. An opportunity arose for Bob to move with his family to Torquay which he has never regretted. Bob and Rose own a guest house and he has wonderful views over Torbay from his home.

Waiting to get hungry again at the Chinese All You Can Eat

The guests arrived on the Friday afternoon and enjoyed a Chinese buffet meal in a local “all you can eat” Chinese restaurant in the evening.

The next day, Saturday 6th, an excursion had been planned on the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company crossing to Dartmouth. This preserved railway actually had a number of Pullman Cars one of which was named Claire. Close enough to Clair and the members had booked their seats in this particular carriage.

W. Bro Ian Taylor – preparing the punch bowl

Later that day Bob and Rose hosted a Caribbean BBQ with W. Bro Ian Taylor LGR acting as Chef. Ian is well known to Lodge and Chapter members and attends the Lodge when he can and also the Lodge of Instruction.

Events like this are important to cement relationships in the Lodge and as part of retention plans. The harmony of the Lodge extends beyond the four walls of the Temple and, indeed, into the lives of the members and their families.

More weekends away and socials are planned, and an invitation is extended to masons and non-masons alike who may be prospective candidates to join the Lodge.

Even though Bob is far away from his Middlesex Masonic home, he is sufficiently motivated to participate locally in freemasonry. He is a member of Chapter of St Mary No 5148 in the Royal Arch, Torre Chapter No 599 in the Rose Croix as well as having been MEZ for 3 years of the Royal Arch Chapter, Petitor Chapter No 8234 during the Covid period. Regrettably, through lack of patronage the Chapter has since been sadly erased. Bob’s son, Robert Jnr, has also become a Devon Craft mason and is a member of Petitor Lodge No 8234 where he is Inner Guard. Robert Snr visits Craft and Mark Lodges in Torquay as a guest.

Both St Clair Lodge and St Clair Chapter are planning to hold meetings on the same Saturday apart from Installation. This will be a “dummy run” to see if it will increase attendance at Chapter and Lodge as there is already a cross over of Membership. Hopefully, this may encourage Craft Brethren to join Chapter if they have not already done so and create a strong bond between the two masonic units.

Train spotters in Torquay
Back to top of page