Dorset Masters' Lodge Meeting in Poole

Today was hotter than yesterday with temperatures approaching 30 degrees - really hot for September.  The weather didn't help the fact that I had to dress up in my full Masonic regalia for a meeting at Branksome Masonic Centre, Poole of the Dorset Masters' Lodge and luncheon.  I set off for Poole at 8.45 am and arrived at the Centre in Poole at around 10.15 am, having driven past the Centre once.  I was given a place of honour in the lodge and at the top table for the luncheon as well as a ticket for a free drink from the bar (a light white wine spritzer).  The meeting mainly consisted of a really interesting lecture from a Gosport Freemason on the making of an Afghan Mason - which was the story of the initiation of the Amir of Afghanistan in 1907.  According to the lecturer, the Amir's initiation into Freemasonry produced a wonderful diplomatic understanding between the united Kingdom and Afghanistan such that when the First World War broke out, Indian troops could be sent to Gallipoli and other theatres of war in support of the Allied Forces without fear of insurgence from Afghan rebels on the border.  The main architect of this was a British diplomat named McMahon who is better known for the drawing of the McMahon Line to mark the agreed border between China and India.  I sat with Mike Codd, the former Assistant Provincial Grand Master for Hampshire and Isle of Wight who was a also a former British Airways Jumbo pilot. we had a number of interesting conversations.  My car was absolutely boiling hot when I was ready to leave and had to open all the doors and in order to cool it down before setting off back to Salisbury. I decided to drive through the centre of Bournemouth and follow the old trolleybus route all the way to Christchurch and then on to Mudeford where we used to spend our Whitsun holidays as children.  The tide was up and there were many people in the water enjoying this late summer sun.  Tonight we had six of us for House Group and we enjoyed watching a bible study talk on DVD from Gerard Kelly followed by a short discussion on 1 John afterwards.  James stayed behind for a pint of Doombar (which was also, incidentally, being served down at the Branksome Masonic Centre) and a catch-up chat.