Asst. Director Of Ceremonies – Kevin Wadhams
My name is Kevin Wadhams. I became a member of Aldermaston Lodge in June 1987, joining my father John Wadhams and two elder brothers, Brian and Keith. I was initiated by my eldest brother Brian who was the Master of the Lodge that year.
At this time Aldermaston was a thriving Lodge with sixty three members made up of several construction trades and other occupations. There were also a number of members who had retired from industry.
The Hutt family from Mortimer, comprising of Les Hutt, his brother Ken and Ken’s two sons Robert and Nigel, Brian Rawlings, Bob Denton, and Ron Sherwood were all builders, Lionel Voke was a roofing contractor and Roy Stone an electrical contractor. Vernon Coles and Harold Wilkinson both retired Royal Navy personnel and Jimmy Morris a retired mechanic to name but a few who influenced my Masonic adventure over the years.
After becoming a Steward of the Lodge I was taken under the wing of the then Treasurer WBro. Harold Wilkinson who gave me the job of collecting any unpaid dining fees or yearly subscriptions on meeting nights.
At the Lodge of Instruction we had many eminent Preceptors over the years who were invaluable for learning the ritual and peculiar perambulations of Aldermaston Lodge, especially WBro. David Cannings, from whom I learnt the art of delivering the words in a story like manner rather than just reciting the words I had learned.
I eventually became Master of the Lodge in 1997-1998, one year before the Centenary of the Lodge. I was installed as Master by my brother Keith who was Master in 1996-1997.
On leaving the chair I was presented with a Past Masters Jewel which was made from a Founders Jewel and belonged to Bro. E.O. Farrer who became Master of The Lodge on 15th July 1908. This was odd as our installations are usually held on the last Wednesday of the month of July – the significance being my birthday is 15th July. My father, who had been Secretary of The Lodge for a number of years, had kept hold of this Jewel in the hope that I would someday become Master. How he obtained it I do not know. Sadly he was unable to attend the meeting due to illness and he passed away in September of that year, never actually seeing me in the chair.
I became Master again in 2015. In September 2023 I will have the honour of being promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden, an office both my blood brothers hold. We have also all held at the same time the ranks of Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works and Past Provincial Grand registrar, I believe this is a unique achievement in the Province of Berkshire.
