Written in lock down over the past six months and published in late-August, Ric Berman’s latest book, The Grand Lodge of England & Colonial America: America’s Grand Masters brings together for the first time a unique collection of pen portraits of America’s Colonial Grand Masters. Ric presents an unvarnished picture of who they were, how and why they were appointed, and their impact on American freemasonry. He shines a sharp light once again on the origins and nature of early American Freemasonry. Ric’s earlier books are available here.
Welcome to James Logan, our latest Local Secretary serving Nova Scotia in Canada.
VW Bro James Logan is a retired veteran of the Canadian Navy and currently works for the Canadian Defence Department.
He was raised in Cornwallis Lodge No.95, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in 2014, and is a Past Master & Lodge Historian. James is currently the Junior Grand Deacon, Webmaster, and Facebook administrator for the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia. He is also active in the Royal Arch.
James has a keen interest in Masonic education and research, and has written several articles, lectures, and study guides for his jurisdiction. He can be contacted at: james.f.logan@gmail.com
Originally from Chicago, Ill, Jose A. Venzor, Jr. was made a Mason in 2018 in Federal Lodge No. 1 (est. 1793), a founding lodge of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, F.A.A.M. During his time in the Craft he has focused on research and travelling as a Mason and looks forward to promoting Masonic scholarship in the nation’s capital. Professionally, he is a civil servant in the U.S. federal government and has degrees in international relations and law. He is a supporter of the Chicago Cubs and Tottenham Hotspur!
Jose can be emailed at QC.LocalSecretary.DC@gmail.com
We are delighted to confirm that we will be working with the Grand Lodge of California over the next few months to produce a series of live online lectures and Q&As. The presentations will be given by members of QC (Mike, Brent, Mark and Ric), and QCCC (Hans and Ben) and are detailed below. The delivery times will, we hope, suit members in the USA, Canada, and Latin America, as well as some of those in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Rim. For those based elsewhere and in less convenient time zones, and those unable to make the specified times and dates, the lectures will be recorded and will be available online on demand the following day on the GL of California’s Masonic Speakers Series’ Archive Page. With the exception of my ‘lunch time’ lecture, all presentations are live at 7.00 pm California time (PST).
If you wish to attend these presentations, either all or some, please register by clicking on the relevant link.
5 August at 7.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Dr Hans Schwartz – Freemasonry in Revolutionary New England
To find out more and to Register, please click here
12 August at 7.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Dr Mike Kearsley – Rob Morris, The Conservators, and the failure to establish a Grand Lodge of the United States
To find out more and to Register, please click here
19 August at 7.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Dr S. Brent Morris – The Higher Degrees in the USA, 1730-1830
To find out more and to Register, p[lease click here
26 August at 7.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Ben Williams – Freemasonry in the Territory of Colorado – Masons, Miners, and the rush to Statehood
To find out more and to Register, please click here
9 September at 7.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Mark Tabbert – American Freemasonry: Three Centuries of Building Communities
To find out more and to Register, please click here
23 September at 12.00 pm Pacific Standard Time (GMT+7)
Dr Ric Berman – The Antient Grand lodge and the Foundations of American Freemasonry
To find out more and to Register, please click here
We are delighted to welcome Michael J. Ramos as our new Local Secretary for the San Francisco Bay Area. Michael lives in the Bay Area and works at the Grand Lodge of California as its Lodge Development Manager and as a Leadership Development committeeman, and will be known to many California masons.
Michael holds membership under both California and English Constitutions in Craft, Chapter, and the Progressive Orders. He is a Past Master of Crow Canyon Lodge No. 551, Primus Master of Templum Rosae Lodge No. 863, a Founder Steward of Essex Cornerstone Lodge No. 9968, a joining member of Lodge of Merit No. 8523, and is a life member of the Northern California Lodge of Research. In Chapter, Michael is a Past First Principal of Siminoff-Daylight Chapter No. 163, a joining member of Shoeburyness Chapter No. 6665, a life member of the Golden State Chapter of Research, and serves as Inspector of the 15th District for the Most Excellent Grand Chapter of California.
Additionally, Michael has been a founding member, and holds current office, within various bodies of the Progressive Orders. His research interests primarily revolve around early 18th-century English Freemasonry and the development of various ‘high degrees’ and rites throughout the British Isles and Continental Europe.
Michael can be reached at MRamos.QCCCSec@gmail.com
Welcome to Wayne Frampton, our latest Local Secretary for Portsmouth and the surrounding area. Wayne has been a member of QCCC for some four years and is based in Portsmouth on the south coast of England. He is the current Worshipful Master of The Portsmouth Lodge, 487, where he was initiated in 1991; Wayne holds Provincial Grand Rank in Craft (PPDepGrReg), and in Royal Arch, (PPGrSwdBr).
Wayne can be reached at wayneframpton@ymail.com and at 07941 866518.
Welcome to Dr Charles L. Stuppard, our Local Secretary for the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.
Charles is a graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, which he followed with a Master’s in National Security and Strategy from the US Naval War College, and a PhD in Humanities from Salve Regina. He presently serves as an executive board member of Cornell Council, among other organisations.
Charles recently retired as a Navy Captain, having commanded the lead Aegis warship USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), the first Joint US Army-Navy Base, and two special Task Groups overseas.
Charles was raised a Master Mason in Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington DC in 2009. He is active in several Masonic organisations and enjoys Masonic research as a life member of the Washington DC Scottish Rite, a founding member of L’Haitienne Lodge No. 925 in Washington DC, and through QCCC. He can be reached at CLS4QC.VA@gmail.com.
Welcome to Pierre Martin, our new Local Secretary for New Brunswick. Pierre studied at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences, where he graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree. He subsequently earned an MBA at the University of Quebec, Montreal, and took a third cycle program in business administration at the University of Sherbrooke.
Between 2011 and 2014 Pierre was Regional General Manager for the North and Eastern regions of New Brunswick for Brunswick News. He is currently a Trade Commissioner for Atlantic Canada at the Government of Quebec.
Pierre has chaired boards for several regional and national organisations and bodies, including the board of governors of the University of Quebec. He has also served as chief executive officer and a senior executive for several SMEs with international operations.
Pierre was raised a Master Mason in Loge Keith No. 23 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 2019, and is currently serving as an officer of the lodge.
Pierre can be reached at pierremartinmba@gmail.com
Open Lectures on Freemasonry (OpenLFM) has been developed as a series of monthly online lectures with the aim of increasing the visibility and accessibility of research into Freemasonry. The lectures are open to any one who is interested in the subject.
The first speaker was Andrew Prescott in a session chaired by Susan Mitchell Sommers. The next lecture is on 23 May and will be given by John Cooper, PGM of the Grand Lodge of California.
Forthcoming lecturers include John Belton (QC), Brendan Kyne, Adam Kendall (QC), Susan Sommers, Cécile Révauger and Fabio Venzi (QC).
Details can be found at www.openlfm.org. Past lectures will be available on SoundCloud & YouTube.
QC Lodge member Bro. Bob Cooper, PM, Curator of the Library & Museum at the Grand Lodge of Scotland and author of many articles and books on Scottish Freemasonry (https://www.robertldcooper.
The dates and times for each lecture are:
April 29, 5.00pm (British Summer Time)
– Rosslyn: the story debunked
May 2, 5.00 pm (BST)
– The Early Rituals
May 5, 5.00pm (BST)
– Freemasonry in Scotland and England, 1717-1813.
May 9, 5.00pm (BST)
– Scottish Freemasonry across the globe.
You can access the talks (on Zoom) by clicking here
The Meeting ID is 371 361 2444 and the Password is Adonai777
If you wish to participate, please login 15 minutes before the start time and please mute your microphone on entry. The number of participants is limited to 500. The talks will be recorded and made available online afterwards. The number able to view at any one time may be limited. Please note that we do not host these recordings.
