Editorial: Bones of Contention
Editorial: Bones of contention
Nick Chappin (75)
Editor
I must confess, in the past my knowledge of freemasonry was limited to the usual urban myths: silly handshakes (courtesy of Monty Python), dodgy dealings in the upper echelons of the police force (courtesy of The Sweeney and similar), and a theory linking the Jack the Ripper murders to masonic ritual (courtesy of an old friend who wrote a book on the subject). Of course, as an essentially secretive organisation they don’t do themselves any favours on the PR front. As any spin doctor will tell you, create an information vacuum and people will rush to fill it – and whether it’s the truth is largely irrelevant.
I’m therefore grateful to John Williams, Secretary of the OA Lodge, for his fascinating contributions to every issue of the Bulletin. As well as giving us a regular peek under the covers of the Lodge’s activities of the Lodge – and in particular their unceasing charitable work – he always manages to feed us some tasty factual morsels about the history of freemasonry. We all know, for example, that St Alban was the first English martyr, but hands up those who knew that he was also the patron saint of freemasonry? And there are bonus points on offer for anyone who was aware that his relics (bones to you and me) had not been lost during the destruction of his Shrine after all, but instead had been transported to Rome. They were then given by the Vatican to a German Duke as a wedding present (these were the days before toasters, remember) and subsequently enshrined in Cologne Cathedral. In 2002 a shoulder bone, believed to be that of St Alban, was presented to the Abbey and is now back within the restored shrine. Having clocked up nearly as many air miles as Alan Whicker, it’s nice to think that part of him at least is back where he belongs.
Still on the subject of bones, Justin Pollard (86) has had another book published: The Story of Archaeology: 50 Discoveries that Shaped our View of the Ancient World, while Jonathan Trigell’s Boy A recently won an online public vote as ‘The Book to Talk About’ and actor Andrew Garfield, who played the main character in the C4 TV adaptation, scooped the best actor BAFTA for his portrayal. As usual, OAs have been busy in all walks of life – see Mike Highstead’s Gazette on page 18 to find out more.
Anyone at the School from the late 60s onwards will have memories of Pen Arthur. My compliments to the writer of the School’s website, who describes it as “a well-equipped Field Studies Centre”. He or she is surely destined for a successful career as an estate agent. The Pen Arthur I recall was, to put it bluntly, a freezing hovel that you wouldn’t keep a goat in. At least there were no mice; they’d packed their Bermuda shorts and departed for more hospitable climes years ago. Our Sixth Form English set visited late one Autumn, and it was so cold that serious consideration was given to a ritual burning of our Shakespeare texts. My abiding memory of this cultural outing was incendiary rather than literary, as one of our number entertained us royally with pyrotechnic displays of igniting his farts with a cigarette lighter. As for the rest of us, we were just grateful for the small bursts of heat.
David Camplin (70), a member of the first group to visit the newly acquired farmhouse in the Brecon Beacons, offers some rather more refined memories of his trip on page 22, and Development Officer Kate Le Sueur has issued an appeal for further Pen Arthur memories the School’s Facebook group. Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find the usual sports club reports, and a good crop of letters from OAs of all vintages. My thanks as always to everyone who has provided material or this edition, and I will end with my usual appeal for contributions to the next issue, which is due to be published in November.