The journey started in 2009 when WM Willliam Durman first took the chair of King Solomon in Hambrook Lodge 8909 to a packed room at Filton Masonic Hall, based at the edge of Bristol and meeting near to the ancient boundary of Gloucestershire in Stapleton. Since that day W Bro Durman has had a remarkable journey in Gloucestershire Freemasonry, advancing to PGSW by 2023 and even joining Lodge of Fidelity 6943 with others to help to save that lodge and he spent three years as WM there during and after lockdown.  

As I write about this journey, I owe a debt of gratitude to W Bro Durman for his friendship and hospitality as well. Lockdown was a horrible time for us all and WM Durman invited me to all of his lodge meetings at Lodge of Fidelity when he was in the Chair there for a few years and as we came out of lockdown in 2021, and when we were WMs in the corner, even though I was at the time WM in Somerset, I’d soon form my circle in Gloucestershire as well and today I consider a lot of people as good friends who became WMs within those years as well as before and afterwards and people I wouldn’t know nearly as well on a personal level otherwise.

I’d first met WM Durman after meeting W Bro Dick Smith in the local pub and visiting his Hambrook Lodge 12 years ago and we’d all visit each other’s lodges regularly thereafter. W Bro Smith has become a very close friend and the opportnities he gives to young Masons is remarkable and with W Bro Durman they kindly attended my own Installation as well in Keynsham and now it’s great to visit WM Durman’s in 2025.

During the months straight after lockdown, and when lots of brethren were apprehensive about attending lodges, WM Durman spent lots of evenings as DC for other lodges as well, I remember being hugely impressed with how he knew everyone in Stapleton by name and across so many different lodges and how he supported those lodges by finding people to cover the offices for the next 18 months as stand in DC.

Here was a W Bro who was extremely involved with the GMCA as well and has just stepped down as Chair of the GMCA from this summer and who has overcome cancer since lockdown and has now taken the chair again.  

As APGM W Bro Mark Steventon-Smith said yesterday at WM Durman’s Installation again at Hambrook Lodge “I thought you would be taking a break after everything that you have been through and done for the Province, but I should have known better, you are an exceptional Freemason and we’re all very proud of you again today”.  

Like the book by Talkien, The Hobbit in Lord of the Rings, it was a reminder of W Bro Durman’s journey titled ‘There and Back Again’, as W Bro Durman was Installed into the Chair with humour by the Installing Master as the room filled with smiles and happiness and a memerable name.

Brethren who have been Secretary and Treasurer for the past five and ten years at Hambrook Lodge were thanked by WM Durman and presented with gifts from the lodge for their outstanding contributions and another gift to a lodge founder in attendance, who just this year also received his 50th Certificate in Freemasonry by  APGM W Bro Mark Steventon-Smith and W Bro Mike Blackmore was thanked for his years as Lodge DC and who is now DPGDC for Gloucestershire and supported the evening on behalf of the Province.  

£513 was raised during the evening for the Gloucestershire Freemasons 2029 Festival by 70 Brethren including 42 visitors, some in the name of W Bro Chris Kitson for his own festival challenge which so many brethren followed on the Provincial WhatsApp groups as he cycled between the Masonic Halls of Gloucestershire for two days and in freezing conditions as a ProvGStwd and WM of Harmony and Concord Lodge and member of lodges in Staple Hill Masonic Hall.

Wishing Hambrook Lodge 8909 another ‘bumper’ year and building on the work of Installing Master W Bro Rob Shorland, who as APGM Mark Steventon-Smith also praised for the dedication in his year and for the visiting he did far and wide across the Province of Gloucestershire as a WM in the corner.  Another wonderful circle of friends has been established as well throughout 2024 and 2025 by those remarkable light blues who are the future of the Province of Gloucestershire and their membership of Prorsum Semper. https://prorsumsemper.co.uk 

Here’s to a ‘bumper year’ WM Durman.