26th October 2019 - King Alfred, Clocks, and Locations of Ill Repute

Thought for the day:"I’m in trouble – apparently the Clocks go back in October and I can’t remember where mine came from "

Seems Legit....

So, two days away in Leicester and two huge dinners and a few glasses of wine...
Now A knight of the Ancient Masonic Order of King Alfred - and of all the surprises - find that I return into the Lodge building with stolen banners from the Vikings... Yup - those banner were clearly a version of the Wolves Banner that I have fought under for many years...

The Ravens of Odin - Huginn and Muninn - must be why I feel so comfortable in this order...

The Valkyries arrive to gather the dead - Stormwolves Ritual

Defending the Wolves' Gate 

Into Battle

okay - not exact - but close enough 

And so I am now a Knight of the ancient Masonic Order of King Alfred..

So this is the Leicester Masonic Hall - a lovely building...

The lodge building has terrible acoustics with microphones used to try to allow the annual Lecture to be heard...  but was a good place to be...

And the dining - to be fair  - was of a good standard  but my catering associate and I could not understand the principle of supplying all the veg first and then bringing the meat !!!

I will admit - my argument was - allow the veg to sit in the serving dishes which were burning hot - and therefore stay hot!! allow the silver service to put the meat into the plate and then in a civilized fashion dish out the veg...   But no - everyone had to take their veg onto the plate because it was on the table!!!   Surrounded by Philistines.. Actually - the service was fast enough so nothing was cold - but it makes you think!!

And talking of my catering expert friend and colleague.
Apparently he  traveled up late - having had a meeting in North Wales on Friday Night.
Finding that the gates were shut for the Hall he parked int eh small lane adjoining the lodge and settled down for a few winks in the driver seat...
Unknown to him, it seems that Leicester Masonic Hall coincidentally is situated within the "Red Light District" of Leicester...   It seems that on four occasions he had a discrete knock on the window and a query whether he was looking "for business". He states that the offers were made from those who had to be described as "pretty rough" such that he felt it better to lock the car doors ...

Later enquiry to the management of the centre suggests that at least two "Houses of ill repute" were in that road itself ...  and similar incidents had been experienced in the past...

A corollary is that this tale was recounted at the festive board at which it was outlined that at least one other Masonic Centre - that of Rochdale, was apparently also int he depth of their red light district.. This prompted the concept of a new Masonic Study - and perhaps a subject for the Chevalier Lecture - studying the correlation of Masonic Centres and areas of Ill repute....

There is nothing within the tenets and rituals of Freemasonry which would suggest such a connection - but the impact of Freemasonry on Society is only just being realised through many studies and Research Degrees into Masonic Studies..  but the Social Impact of Freemasonry into society is undoubted..    It would be interesting to consider if there is such a link !!!

But now I am back from my travels ... I am enjoying a glass of scotch .. The Clocks will go back for an hour tonight   and I shall have a restful Sunday..

and on a political thought ...

Cheers !