Famous Freemasons - King George VI
Food For Thought
Shortly before Albert became king, a position he was reluctant to accept, he went, the day before the abdication, to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child"
After war broke out in September 1939, George VI and his wife resolved to stay in London, despite German bombing raids. They officially stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war, although they usually spent nights at Windsor Castle.
The first German raid on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in the East End.
On 13 September, the King and Queen narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there. In defiance, the Queen famously declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. We can now look the East End in the face".
The first German raid on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in the East End.
On 13 September, the King and Queen narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there. In defiance, the Queen famously declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. We can now look the East End in the face".
The royal family shared the same dangers and deprivations as the rest of the country. They were subject to rationing restrictions, and Eleanor Roosevelt, champagne-socialist wife of the US President, remarked on the rationed food served and the limited bathwater that was permitted during a stay at the unheated and boarded-up Palace. The White House, needless to say, was never bombed during the war. In August 1942, the King's brother, Prince George, Duke of Kent, was killed on active service.
Throughout the war, the King and Queen provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites and munitions factories, and (in the King's case) visiting military forces abroad. Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance. In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during the Victory in Europe Day celebrations. The King invited Churchill to appear with him on the balcony to public acclaim.
When he died in 1952, King George VI was one of the best beloved of British monarchs. He had become, rightly, a symbol of self-sacrifice and duty. His attitude to monarchy was that of a Christian king, namely that it was a role that should imitate Christ the King, the suffering servant king who sacrificed his own desires to serve his people.
Yes, it is true that King George VI was obliged to become a Freemason, as part of the usual British Protestant establishment ritual, but that was not where his heart was. His heart, a profoundly Christian heart, was with his people, his duty, the Empire, his family and, ultimately, with God.
It is true that he was not a Christian saint like St Edmund, St Edward of Mercia, St Edward the Confessor, St Oswald, St Osbert, St Kenelm and other British kings, but he was, nonetheless, a good, humble and devout man, a fine husband and father to his wife and children and a fatherly figure to his people. In short, he was a good model for Christian kings to follow.
May God give peace and eternal rest to the soul of our last King-Emperor and his wife, our last Queen-Empress!
SOURCE: http://romanchristendom.blogspot.co.nz/2009/10/king-george-vi-servant-king-and-perhaps.html
Throughout the war, the King and Queen provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites and munitions factories, and (in the King's case) visiting military forces abroad. Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance. In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during the Victory in Europe Day celebrations. The King invited Churchill to appear with him on the balcony to public acclaim.
When he died in 1952, King George VI was one of the best beloved of British monarchs. He had become, rightly, a symbol of self-sacrifice and duty. His attitude to monarchy was that of a Christian king, namely that it was a role that should imitate Christ the King, the suffering servant king who sacrificed his own desires to serve his people.
Yes, it is true that King George VI was obliged to become a Freemason, as part of the usual British Protestant establishment ritual, but that was not where his heart was. His heart, a profoundly Christian heart, was with his people, his duty, the Empire, his family and, ultimately, with God.
It is true that he was not a Christian saint like St Edmund, St Edward of Mercia, St Edward the Confessor, St Oswald, St Osbert, St Kenelm and other British kings, but he was, nonetheless, a good, humble and devout man, a fine husband and father to his wife and children and a fatherly figure to his people. In short, he was a good model for Christian kings to follow.
May God give peace and eternal rest to the soul of our last King-Emperor and his wife, our last Queen-Empress!
SOURCE: http://romanchristendom.blogspot.co.nz/2009/10/king-george-vi-servant-king-and-perhaps.html
Photograph of the marriage of Prince Albert (George VI) to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923 with their parents, Prince Albert and his wife, and one of the first photographs of the couple and their first child, now Queen Elizabeth the second
Two family photographs and the Coronation photograph on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
King George VI in his masonic regalia, at his desk in Buckingham Pace, and with his queen and daughter
King George VI in his RAF uniform visiting a factory, The King with Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and The King with Queen Elizabeth inspect the damage from the latest overnight bombing raid
EDITOR'S NOTES:
I have included the web addresses for the two above articles. One may wonder why I included the third last paragraph in the second article - It does us well to know that some people will only print half truths, or even bend the truth to suit themselves. The first article documents in detail the King's masonic history, and his personal thoughts, which contradict the above. However, the second sentence of that paragrph describes King George and his masonic ideals.
I would also draw the reader's attention to a much fuller biography in Wikipedia, and also the Victory stamp, the design of which was chosen by the King to mark winning the second world war - further proof of his belief in Freemasonry - note the Square and compasses.
Wikipedia Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_VI
Details of the Victory stamp: http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/art/victory_stamp.html
I have included the web addresses for the two above articles. One may wonder why I included the third last paragraph in the second article - It does us well to know that some people will only print half truths, or even bend the truth to suit themselves. The first article documents in detail the King's masonic history, and his personal thoughts, which contradict the above. However, the second sentence of that paragrph describes King George and his masonic ideals.
I would also draw the reader's attention to a much fuller biography in Wikipedia, and also the Victory stamp, the design of which was chosen by the King to mark winning the second world war - further proof of his belief in Freemasonry - note the Square and compasses.
Wikipedia Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_VI
Details of the Victory stamp: http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/art/victory_stamp.html
INTRODUCTION
The life of King George VI is well known and well documented.
Among the best of the biographies dealing with King George's masonic career is the article entitled "The King and the Craft", by John Hamill, and published first in the MQ MagazineIssue 14. The text is reproduced below. The second article is a personal biographical article on King George VI. Photographs gathered from the internet are arranged throughot this website in rough chronological order.
THE KING AND THE CRAFT
“The world today requires spiritual and moral regeneration. I have no doubt, after many years as a member of our Order, that Freemasonry can play a part in this vital need”.
The above was written by HM King George VI on 5 November 1951 in a letter to MW Bro Rt Hon the Earl of Scarbrough. His Majesty had promised to install Lord Scarbrough as Grand Master on 6 November, but was prevented from doing so by what proved to be his final illness. It echoes similar statements he had made on a number of occasions when he attended Grand Lodge as both King and a Past Grand Master. He was in no doubt that Freemasonry was a force for good and had a vital part to play in the life of his country and empire.
Born in 1895 as the second son of King George V and Queen Mary (then Duke and Duchess of York), he seemed destined for a supporting role in Royal and national life. Like many previous younger sons he looked towards a service life and joined the Royal Navy.
When the First World War broke out, unlike his older brother the Prince of Wales, he was allowed to go on active service and saw action at the Battle of Jutland.
Invalided out because of a duodenal ulcer, once that was operated on he determined to get back into uniform and transferred to the Naval Air Service, which was soon to be combined with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force.
Although he qualified as a pilot, the King would not allow him to go on raids but he continued on active service until the end of the War.
Although King George V had not been a Freemason, Prince Albert (as he was then styled) knew of the long connection between the Royal House and Freemasonry.
His great-uncle, HRH The Duke of Connaught, was Grand Master 1901-1939, his Grandfather, King Edward VII, had been Grand Master 1874-1901 and in 1919 his brother, the Prince of Wales, was initiated in the Household Brigade Lodge No. 2614.
As a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, Prince Albert sought admission in the Navy Lodge No. 2612, of which his Grandfather had been the founding Master. He was initiated by the Pro Grand Master, Lord Ampthill, in the absence of the Grand Master on 2 December 1919. In response to the toast to the initiate the Prince said:
“I have always wished to become a Freemason, but owing to the war I have had no opportunity before this of joining the Craft. All my life I have heard about Freemasonry, and though there has always been a certain mystery attached to it, I have learned that Freemasons in this country have been a great help to the poor and friendless and have been notable for their efforts on behalf of children. One can see by the great Masonic Institutions and schools how successful their work has been in this cause, and I like to think that in the future I shall be associated in their great work”.
The event was widely reported in the press, as were his subsequent Masonic activities. He became Master of Navy Lodge in 1921 and, following a precedent set by his ancestor King George IV, was to be its permanent Master until he ascended the throne. A shy man with a pronounced stammer, it was remarked by those present that his stammer rarely surfaced when he was involved in ritual. In a personal letter to the secretary of the Navy Lodge, on 2 November 1920, he wrote:
“Greig [his Equerry] told me you were writing to me about the meeting on December 3rd. I hope you will come to see us and put us through our paces again. I have found the passage in the little book. It is not very much to learn”.
The Duke of York, as he was to become, took very much to Freemasonry. He joined five Lodges in addition to Navy Lodge. He was exalted into the Royal Arch on 13 February 1921 in United Chapter No. 1629 (now United Studholme Chapter No. 1591). He and the Prince of Wales joined the Rose Croix in United Chapter No. 169 in 1921 and the Duke was advanced in the Mark in Grand Master’s Mark Lodge No. 1 in 1928.
In Grand Lodge he was invested as Senior Grand Warden in 1923 and in 1924 he was installed as Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex, a position he held until he became King.
No mere figurehead, in addition to presiding at the annual Provincial Grand Lodge he took an active part in the life of the Province, the more so after he became the Provincial Grand Master in the Mark. He took part in consecrations of new Lodges, centenaries and many social events, at all of which he was accompanied by the Duchess (our late and much loved Queen Mother). To the delight of the Province, in 1934 he accepted the Mastership of Middlesex Masters Lodge No. 3420.
In 1935 the Grand Lodge of Scotland were beginning preparations for the celebration of their bi-centenary. They hoped to celebrate by having a Royal Grand Master Mason, in particular the Prince of Wales. King George V died in January 1936 and the Prince became King Edward VII and, following precedent, resigned his various Masonic offices. Scotland approached the Duke of York, who was delighted to accept.
There was one small problem, however. To be elected Grand Master Mason he had to be a member of a Scottish Lodge.
It is something of the measure of the man that rather than join one of the “society” Lodges in Edinburgh he chose to affiliate to Glamis Lodge No. 99 which met near the ancestral home of his wife. A village Lodge, the Master was one James Beattie, a rural postman attached to the Forfar Post Office.
The life of King George VI is well known and well documented.
Among the best of the biographies dealing with King George's masonic career is the article entitled "The King and the Craft", by John Hamill, and published first in the MQ MagazineIssue 14. The text is reproduced below. The second article is a personal biographical article on King George VI. Photographs gathered from the internet are arranged throughot this website in rough chronological order.
THE KING AND THE CRAFT
“The world today requires spiritual and moral regeneration. I have no doubt, after many years as a member of our Order, that Freemasonry can play a part in this vital need”.
The above was written by HM King George VI on 5 November 1951 in a letter to MW Bro Rt Hon the Earl of Scarbrough. His Majesty had promised to install Lord Scarbrough as Grand Master on 6 November, but was prevented from doing so by what proved to be his final illness. It echoes similar statements he had made on a number of occasions when he attended Grand Lodge as both King and a Past Grand Master. He was in no doubt that Freemasonry was a force for good and had a vital part to play in the life of his country and empire.
Born in 1895 as the second son of King George V and Queen Mary (then Duke and Duchess of York), he seemed destined for a supporting role in Royal and national life. Like many previous younger sons he looked towards a service life and joined the Royal Navy.
When the First World War broke out, unlike his older brother the Prince of Wales, he was allowed to go on active service and saw action at the Battle of Jutland.
Invalided out because of a duodenal ulcer, once that was operated on he determined to get back into uniform and transferred to the Naval Air Service, which was soon to be combined with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force.
Although he qualified as a pilot, the King would not allow him to go on raids but he continued on active service until the end of the War.
Although King George V had not been a Freemason, Prince Albert (as he was then styled) knew of the long connection between the Royal House and Freemasonry.
His great-uncle, HRH The Duke of Connaught, was Grand Master 1901-1939, his Grandfather, King Edward VII, had been Grand Master 1874-1901 and in 1919 his brother, the Prince of Wales, was initiated in the Household Brigade Lodge No. 2614.
As a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, Prince Albert sought admission in the Navy Lodge No. 2612, of which his Grandfather had been the founding Master. He was initiated by the Pro Grand Master, Lord Ampthill, in the absence of the Grand Master on 2 December 1919. In response to the toast to the initiate the Prince said:
“I have always wished to become a Freemason, but owing to the war I have had no opportunity before this of joining the Craft. All my life I have heard about Freemasonry, and though there has always been a certain mystery attached to it, I have learned that Freemasons in this country have been a great help to the poor and friendless and have been notable for their efforts on behalf of children. One can see by the great Masonic Institutions and schools how successful their work has been in this cause, and I like to think that in the future I shall be associated in their great work”.
The event was widely reported in the press, as were his subsequent Masonic activities. He became Master of Navy Lodge in 1921 and, following a precedent set by his ancestor King George IV, was to be its permanent Master until he ascended the throne. A shy man with a pronounced stammer, it was remarked by those present that his stammer rarely surfaced when he was involved in ritual. In a personal letter to the secretary of the Navy Lodge, on 2 November 1920, he wrote:
“Greig [his Equerry] told me you were writing to me about the meeting on December 3rd. I hope you will come to see us and put us through our paces again. I have found the passage in the little book. It is not very much to learn”.
The Duke of York, as he was to become, took very much to Freemasonry. He joined five Lodges in addition to Navy Lodge. He was exalted into the Royal Arch on 13 February 1921 in United Chapter No. 1629 (now United Studholme Chapter No. 1591). He and the Prince of Wales joined the Rose Croix in United Chapter No. 169 in 1921 and the Duke was advanced in the Mark in Grand Master’s Mark Lodge No. 1 in 1928.
In Grand Lodge he was invested as Senior Grand Warden in 1923 and in 1924 he was installed as Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex, a position he held until he became King.
No mere figurehead, in addition to presiding at the annual Provincial Grand Lodge he took an active part in the life of the Province, the more so after he became the Provincial Grand Master in the Mark. He took part in consecrations of new Lodges, centenaries and many social events, at all of which he was accompanied by the Duchess (our late and much loved Queen Mother). To the delight of the Province, in 1934 he accepted the Mastership of Middlesex Masters Lodge No. 3420.
In 1935 the Grand Lodge of Scotland were beginning preparations for the celebration of their bi-centenary. They hoped to celebrate by having a Royal Grand Master Mason, in particular the Prince of Wales. King George V died in January 1936 and the Prince became King Edward VII and, following precedent, resigned his various Masonic offices. Scotland approached the Duke of York, who was delighted to accept.
There was one small problem, however. To be elected Grand Master Mason he had to be a member of a Scottish Lodge.
It is something of the measure of the man that rather than join one of the “society” Lodges in Edinburgh he chose to affiliate to Glamis Lodge No. 99 which met near the ancestral home of his wife. A village Lodge, the Master was one James Beattie, a rural postman attached to the Forfar Post Office.
The Duke was installed as Grand Master Mason of Scotland on 30 November 1936, but his rule was to be short lived. On his return to London the Abdication Crisis came to a head and on 11 December King Edward abdicated, becoming Duke of Windsor, and the Duke of York ascended the throne as King George VI. Following the precedent of his predecessors he resigned all his Masonic offices. The Craft did not wish to lose the connection with one who had been so active in Freemasonry and the suggestion that he be appointed a Past Grand Master was greeted with acclamation.
To celebrate the coronation and to invest the King as a Past Grand Master an Especial Grand Lodge was held at the Royal Albert Hall on 30 June 1937. Sadly, the Grand Master had been taken ill and was unable to attend. The Pro Grand Master, the Earl of Harewood (who was the King’s brother-in-law), welcomed the nearly 8,000 brethren who attended, including deputations from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the United States.
The King entered in procession, to loud and prolonged cheers, and was invested with the collar and jewel of a Past Grand Master. To the great delight of those present, he then took the chair and, on behalf of the Grand Master, invested 130 brethren who had been promoted in, or appointed to, past Grand Ranks in celebration of the coronation.
Responding to an address by the Pro Grand Master, the King said:
“... I have, since my initiation in 1919, been greatly interested in my association with Freemasonry. My work as a Provincial Grand Master for over thirteen years and in other directions gave me real pleasure, and I was sorry when it became necessary for me to cease my activities. In this work the Queen also, to whose family connection with the Craft you have alluded, has been interested, and has attended with me various gatherings - for instance the great Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution in 1931. Today the pinnacle of my Masonic life has been reached by my investiture at your hands ... with the insignia of Past Grand Master, an honour for which I thank you, and which is greatly appreciated ...”
Having been active in the Mark degree, as Senior Grand Warden in 1929 and Provincial Grand Master for the Middlesex Mark Province since 1931, he accepted the rank of Past Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons in 1937.
In the Ancient and Accepted Rite he had become an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council when they conferred on him the 33rd Degree in 1932. Surprisingly, in the Royal Arch, although he had been through the three Chairs of his Chapter, he did not take high office, being content to remain a Past Principal.
By time honoured tradition, King George’s appearance in Grand Lodge in 1937 should have been his last formal contact with Freemasonry. Despite himself being a traditionalist, he broke the convention, and on three great occasions appeared as King and Past Grand Master in Grand Lodge.
In 1939 the Duke of Connaught, who had ruled as Grand Master for 38 years, retired. Grand Lodge elected the King’s brother, HRH The Duke of Kent (father of our present Grand Master) to succeed him.
On 19 July 1939 the, at that time, largest ever gathering of Freemasons in England took place when 12,003 brethren met at Olympia in Kensington for an Especial Grand Lodge at which the King took the Chair and installed his brother as Grand Master. In welcoming the new Grand Master the King said:
“This great and representative gathering of recognised Freemasons, who have come from all quarters of the Globe to greet you on his occasion, will indicate the support you may expect in the future. You know that you have my good wishes, and as a Brother Mason, I shall always follow with great interest your rulership of the Craft and the progress of our Order”.
The high hopes of that great meeting were to be short-lived as the new Grand Master was to die tragically in an air accident whilst on war duties with the Royal Air Force in 1942. The installation of his successor, the Earl of Harewood, was to be a more muted affair. On 1 June 1943, just over 1,600 brethren assembled at Freemasons’ Hall in London.
In contrast to the Olympia meeting, wartime conditions limited the delegations form other Grand Lodges to Ireland and Scotland. As the press reported, the entrance into the Grand Temple of the King was greeted by tremendous applause. In the course of his address to the new Grand Master, his brother-in-law, the King said:
“... we have seen how the Brethren have looked to Masonry to provide the moral support and fraternal association which is at all times, and particularly in times of stress, so necessary. I have been most interested to hear how difficulties have been overcome by Brethren in certain areas in their determination to continue their Masonic privileges. ... You will appreciate, Most Worshipful Grand Master, that you enter upon the duties of your office at the beginning of perhaps the most critical period in the history of the Craft. English Freemasonry has behind it the experience of nearly two and a half centuries of steadfast adherence to fundamental principles, and I believe that a determination to maintain the values which have been the rock upon which the Masonic structure has stood firm against the storms of the past is the only policy which can be pursued in the future ...I thank the Brethren for the warmth of their reception, which has deeply touched me. I cherish my association with the Craft and pray that the GAOTU may continue to pour His Blessings upon it, upon its Grand Master and upon every one of its members.”
Lord Harewood died unexpectedly in May 1947, the King commented:
“The death of Lord Harewood came as a shock to us all. He had carried out the exacting duties of his office, I fear, with entire disregard for his own health”.
The Duke of Devonshire was elected to succeed him and the Royal Albert Hall was again called into service on 23 March 1948 when the King attended to install the new Grand Master. In contrast to the previous occasion, over 7,000 brethren were present with delegations from the United States, Canada and the newly revived Grand Lodges in Europe. In his address to the new Grand Master, the King again stated his belief in the fundamental principles of Freemasonry:
“During the past ten years we have passed through the most devastating war that the world has known, and now all nations are exerting themselves to restore order and prosperity within their frontiers. It is only by the revival of those spiritual and moral values which are always the first victims in war that this rehabilitation can be achieved. With this in view, many men enter Freemasonry today in the belief, which is so fully justified, that it is based on fundamental principles which guide and support them in their endeavours. When I addressed your predecessor at his installation, I said, ‘I believe that a determination to maintain the values which have been the rock upon which the Masonic structure has stood firm against the storms of the past is the only policy which can be pursued in the future’. I think that warning needs emphasising today, when men, sometimes swayed by sentimentality or an indiscriminate tolerance, are apt to overlook the lessons of the past. I cannot better impress this upon you than by quoting from the Book on which we have all taken our Masonic obligations: ‘Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set’.”
The King’s death on 6 February 1952 was universally mourned. At the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on 5 March the Deputy Grand Master, the Earl of Derby, summed up the feelings of both the Craft and the people in general when he said:
“I think that for all of us this is a sad occasion, as it is the first time that Grand Lodge has met since the death of His Majesty, our Most Worshipful Brother King George VI. I feel, too, that we all have a deep sense of personal grief at his passing. I do not believe that there was any man who desired Kingship less, or came to the throne under more difficult circumstances, yet we all know that during the years of his reign he was everything we hoped and expected a King to be. I feel that to all of us he set three great examples in a way that we should realise: firstly, in his devotion to duty and in the way that he always set his subjects and his duty before himself; secondly, in his own courage, which he showed during the war years by always sharing the dangers of his subjects, and later by his personal courage during those long months of illness; and lastly, he set us the example of what family life should be”.
From the meeting, messages of condolence were sent to the new Queen, the Queen Mother and to Queen Mary. In a personal response, after thanking the Craft for its condolences and sympathy, HM The Queen Mother wrote:
“His Majesty’s interest in the activities of your Order, to which you have referred, was unfailing and sincere, and I ask you to accept my assurance that this recollection adds very greatly to the value of the message you bring.”
To demonstrate that assurance, on 28 October Her Majesty paid an informal visit to Freemasons’ Hall, spending the greater part of the morning touring the building and viewing the Museum. On her return to her home she selected from the King’s personal collection an 18th century Chinese porcelain bowl with Masonic decoration to be presented to the Museum as a permanent memorial of the King and his connection with the Craft.
(Author: John Hamill, the Director of Communications of the United Grand Lodge of England)
SOURCE: http://www.mqmagazine.co.uk/issue-14/p-07.php (to /p-10.php)
KING GEORGE VI, THE SERVANT KING AND PERHAPS OUR BEST FOR 250 YEARS
His Highness Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George of York (3 years later styled His Royal Highness after the 1898 letters patent of Queen Victoria) was born at Sandringham on 14 December 1895.
He died, on 6 February 1952, having ruled as King George VI of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India (until 1947), the last King of Ireland (until 1949), and the first Head of the Commonwealth.
His family name of Wettin (or more fully Welf-Este-Wettin) was later changed to Windsor in view of the war with Germany. The Welf-Este family had ruled in Saxony and Bavaria and northern Italy. The Wettin family were their ancestors who had ruled Saxony.
The Hanover dynasty, from whom Queen Victoria descended, were Welf-Este and the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, from whom Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria, descended, were Wettin.
Interestingly, the Italian branch of the Welf family (the Guelphs) were the pro-papal party against the pro-imperial party, the Waiblingen, (the Ghibellines), during the investiture contest in the 11th century.
As the second son of King George V, Prince Albert ("Bertie") was not expected to inherit the throne and spent his early life in the shadow of his flamboyant elder brother, Edward, later King Edward VIII, and, later still, Duke of Windsor.
Prince Albert served in the Royal Navy during World War I, and fought at the Battle of Jutland, and after the war took on the usual round of public engagements. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, daugher of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth (who succeeded him as Queen Elizabeth II) and Margaret.
His elder brother ascended the throne as King Edward VIII on the death of their father in 1936. However, less than a year later Edward revealed his desire to marry the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. The British Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, advised Edward that he could not marry Mrs Simpson and remain king, this being contrary to the teachings of the Church of which he was temporal head.
So, when Edward abdicated in order to marry, King George VI was crowned in his place and ascended the throne as the third monarch of the House of Windsor.
Within twenty-four hours of his accession the Irish parliament, the Oireachtas, passed the External Relations Act, which essentially - and illegally - removed the power of the monarch in Ireland.
Further events greatly altered the position of the monarchy during his reign: three years after his accession, his realms, except Ireland, were at war with Nazi Germany and later with Italy and the Empire of Japan.
Though Britain and its allies were ultimately victorious, the United States and the Soviet Union rose as pre-eminent world powers and the British Empire declined. With the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, and the foundation of the Republic of Ireland in 1949, George's reign saw the acceleration of the break-up of the Empire and its transition into the Commonwealth of Nations.
King George had been a sickly child and often suffered from ill health and was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears".
His parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was not uncommon in aristocratic families of that era. He was forced to write with his right hand although he was naturally left-handed, and developed a stammer that lasted for many years. He suffered from chronic stomach problems as well as knock knees, for which he was forced to wear painful corrective splints that kept him awake at night and often in tears of pain.
Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. The Duke of York became the new Prince of Wales. Prince Edward moved up to second in line to the throne, and Prince Albert was third.
From 1909, Albert attended the Royal Naval College, Osborne as a naval cadet. In 1911, he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. When Edward VII died in 1910, Albert's father became King George V. Prince Edward was created Prince of Wales, and Albert was second in line to the throne.
Albert was commissioned as a midshipman on 15 September 1913 and one year later began service in World War I. His fellow officers gave him the nickname "Mr Johnson".
He was mentioned in dispatches for his action as a turret officer aboard HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland (31 May-1 June 1916), an indecisive action against the German navy which emerged as a strategic victory for the United Kingdom.
He did not see further action in the war, largely because of ill health caused by a duodenal ulcer.
In February 1918, he was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service's training establishment at Cranwell. With the establishment of the Royal Air Force two months later and the transfer of Cranwell from Navy to Air Force control, he transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force.
He was appointed Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell and he remained there until August 1918. During the closing weeks of the war, Albert served on the staff of the Independent Air Force at its headquarters in Nancy. Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the continent as a staff officer with the Royal Air Force.
In October 1919, Albert went up to Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied history, economics and civics for a year.
On 4 June 1920, he was created Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney. He then began to take on royal duties; he represented his father, the King, toured coal mines, factories, and railyards, and acquired the nickname of the "Industrial Prince".
But it was the Abdication crisis that changed his life forever for then Albert was to become King-Emperor, an appointment he dreaded and did not want. But he was the choice of Providence and he did his duty and was crowned in a glittering ceremony which can be seen in this clip shown in cinemas at the time:
His speech impediment, and his embarrassment over it, together with his tendency to shyness, caused him to appear much less impressive than his older brother, Edward.
However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He developed an interest in working conditions, and was President of the Industrial Welfare Society. His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds, from elite public schools like Eton and Harrow together with boys from slum schools and grammar schools.
Because of his stammer, Albert dreaded public speaking. After his closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on 31 October 1925, which was an ordeal for both him and the listeners, he began to see Lionel Logue, an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently.
As a result of the training, the Duke's opening address at Australia's Federal Parliament at Canberra in 1927 went successfully, and he was able to speak subsequently with only a slight hesitation. Most famously, the King was able to give his famous broadcast near the beginning of the war - "the King's Speech".
To celebrate the coronation and to invest the King as a Past Grand Master an Especial Grand Lodge was held at the Royal Albert Hall on 30 June 1937. Sadly, the Grand Master had been taken ill and was unable to attend. The Pro Grand Master, the Earl of Harewood (who was the King’s brother-in-law), welcomed the nearly 8,000 brethren who attended, including deputations from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the United States.
The King entered in procession, to loud and prolonged cheers, and was invested with the collar and jewel of a Past Grand Master. To the great delight of those present, he then took the chair and, on behalf of the Grand Master, invested 130 brethren who had been promoted in, or appointed to, past Grand Ranks in celebration of the coronation.
Responding to an address by the Pro Grand Master, the King said:
“... I have, since my initiation in 1919, been greatly interested in my association with Freemasonry. My work as a Provincial Grand Master for over thirteen years and in other directions gave me real pleasure, and I was sorry when it became necessary for me to cease my activities. In this work the Queen also, to whose family connection with the Craft you have alluded, has been interested, and has attended with me various gatherings - for instance the great Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution in 1931. Today the pinnacle of my Masonic life has been reached by my investiture at your hands ... with the insignia of Past Grand Master, an honour for which I thank you, and which is greatly appreciated ...”
Having been active in the Mark degree, as Senior Grand Warden in 1929 and Provincial Grand Master for the Middlesex Mark Province since 1931, he accepted the rank of Past Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons in 1937.
In the Ancient and Accepted Rite he had become an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council when they conferred on him the 33rd Degree in 1932. Surprisingly, in the Royal Arch, although he had been through the three Chairs of his Chapter, he did not take high office, being content to remain a Past Principal.
By time honoured tradition, King George’s appearance in Grand Lodge in 1937 should have been his last formal contact with Freemasonry. Despite himself being a traditionalist, he broke the convention, and on three great occasions appeared as King and Past Grand Master in Grand Lodge.
In 1939 the Duke of Connaught, who had ruled as Grand Master for 38 years, retired. Grand Lodge elected the King’s brother, HRH The Duke of Kent (father of our present Grand Master) to succeed him.
On 19 July 1939 the, at that time, largest ever gathering of Freemasons in England took place when 12,003 brethren met at Olympia in Kensington for an Especial Grand Lodge at which the King took the Chair and installed his brother as Grand Master. In welcoming the new Grand Master the King said:
“This great and representative gathering of recognised Freemasons, who have come from all quarters of the Globe to greet you on his occasion, will indicate the support you may expect in the future. You know that you have my good wishes, and as a Brother Mason, I shall always follow with great interest your rulership of the Craft and the progress of our Order”.
The high hopes of that great meeting were to be short-lived as the new Grand Master was to die tragically in an air accident whilst on war duties with the Royal Air Force in 1942. The installation of his successor, the Earl of Harewood, was to be a more muted affair. On 1 June 1943, just over 1,600 brethren assembled at Freemasons’ Hall in London.
In contrast to the Olympia meeting, wartime conditions limited the delegations form other Grand Lodges to Ireland and Scotland. As the press reported, the entrance into the Grand Temple of the King was greeted by tremendous applause. In the course of his address to the new Grand Master, his brother-in-law, the King said:
“... we have seen how the Brethren have looked to Masonry to provide the moral support and fraternal association which is at all times, and particularly in times of stress, so necessary. I have been most interested to hear how difficulties have been overcome by Brethren in certain areas in their determination to continue their Masonic privileges. ... You will appreciate, Most Worshipful Grand Master, that you enter upon the duties of your office at the beginning of perhaps the most critical period in the history of the Craft. English Freemasonry has behind it the experience of nearly two and a half centuries of steadfast adherence to fundamental principles, and I believe that a determination to maintain the values which have been the rock upon which the Masonic structure has stood firm against the storms of the past is the only policy which can be pursued in the future ...I thank the Brethren for the warmth of their reception, which has deeply touched me. I cherish my association with the Craft and pray that the GAOTU may continue to pour His Blessings upon it, upon its Grand Master and upon every one of its members.”
Lord Harewood died unexpectedly in May 1947, the King commented:
“The death of Lord Harewood came as a shock to us all. He had carried out the exacting duties of his office, I fear, with entire disregard for his own health”.
The Duke of Devonshire was elected to succeed him and the Royal Albert Hall was again called into service on 23 March 1948 when the King attended to install the new Grand Master. In contrast to the previous occasion, over 7,000 brethren were present with delegations from the United States, Canada and the newly revived Grand Lodges in Europe. In his address to the new Grand Master, the King again stated his belief in the fundamental principles of Freemasonry:
“During the past ten years we have passed through the most devastating war that the world has known, and now all nations are exerting themselves to restore order and prosperity within their frontiers. It is only by the revival of those spiritual and moral values which are always the first victims in war that this rehabilitation can be achieved. With this in view, many men enter Freemasonry today in the belief, which is so fully justified, that it is based on fundamental principles which guide and support them in their endeavours. When I addressed your predecessor at his installation, I said, ‘I believe that a determination to maintain the values which have been the rock upon which the Masonic structure has stood firm against the storms of the past is the only policy which can be pursued in the future’. I think that warning needs emphasising today, when men, sometimes swayed by sentimentality or an indiscriminate tolerance, are apt to overlook the lessons of the past. I cannot better impress this upon you than by quoting from the Book on which we have all taken our Masonic obligations: ‘Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set’.”
The King’s death on 6 February 1952 was universally mourned. At the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on 5 March the Deputy Grand Master, the Earl of Derby, summed up the feelings of both the Craft and the people in general when he said:
“I think that for all of us this is a sad occasion, as it is the first time that Grand Lodge has met since the death of His Majesty, our Most Worshipful Brother King George VI. I feel, too, that we all have a deep sense of personal grief at his passing. I do not believe that there was any man who desired Kingship less, or came to the throne under more difficult circumstances, yet we all know that during the years of his reign he was everything we hoped and expected a King to be. I feel that to all of us he set three great examples in a way that we should realise: firstly, in his devotion to duty and in the way that he always set his subjects and his duty before himself; secondly, in his own courage, which he showed during the war years by always sharing the dangers of his subjects, and later by his personal courage during those long months of illness; and lastly, he set us the example of what family life should be”.
From the meeting, messages of condolence were sent to the new Queen, the Queen Mother and to Queen Mary. In a personal response, after thanking the Craft for its condolences and sympathy, HM The Queen Mother wrote:
“His Majesty’s interest in the activities of your Order, to which you have referred, was unfailing and sincere, and I ask you to accept my assurance that this recollection adds very greatly to the value of the message you bring.”
To demonstrate that assurance, on 28 October Her Majesty paid an informal visit to Freemasons’ Hall, spending the greater part of the morning touring the building and viewing the Museum. On her return to her home she selected from the King’s personal collection an 18th century Chinese porcelain bowl with Masonic decoration to be presented to the Museum as a permanent memorial of the King and his connection with the Craft.
(Author: John Hamill, the Director of Communications of the United Grand Lodge of England)
SOURCE: http://www.mqmagazine.co.uk/issue-14/p-07.php (to /p-10.php)
KING GEORGE VI, THE SERVANT KING AND PERHAPS OUR BEST FOR 250 YEARS
His Highness Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George of York (3 years later styled His Royal Highness after the 1898 letters patent of Queen Victoria) was born at Sandringham on 14 December 1895.
He died, on 6 February 1952, having ruled as King George VI of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India (until 1947), the last King of Ireland (until 1949), and the first Head of the Commonwealth.
His family name of Wettin (or more fully Welf-Este-Wettin) was later changed to Windsor in view of the war with Germany. The Welf-Este family had ruled in Saxony and Bavaria and northern Italy. The Wettin family were their ancestors who had ruled Saxony.
The Hanover dynasty, from whom Queen Victoria descended, were Welf-Este and the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, from whom Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria, descended, were Wettin.
Interestingly, the Italian branch of the Welf family (the Guelphs) were the pro-papal party against the pro-imperial party, the Waiblingen, (the Ghibellines), during the investiture contest in the 11th century.
As the second son of King George V, Prince Albert ("Bertie") was not expected to inherit the throne and spent his early life in the shadow of his flamboyant elder brother, Edward, later King Edward VIII, and, later still, Duke of Windsor.
Prince Albert served in the Royal Navy during World War I, and fought at the Battle of Jutland, and after the war took on the usual round of public engagements. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, daugher of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth (who succeeded him as Queen Elizabeth II) and Margaret.
His elder brother ascended the throne as King Edward VIII on the death of their father in 1936. However, less than a year later Edward revealed his desire to marry the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. The British Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, advised Edward that he could not marry Mrs Simpson and remain king, this being contrary to the teachings of the Church of which he was temporal head.
So, when Edward abdicated in order to marry, King George VI was crowned in his place and ascended the throne as the third monarch of the House of Windsor.
Within twenty-four hours of his accession the Irish parliament, the Oireachtas, passed the External Relations Act, which essentially - and illegally - removed the power of the monarch in Ireland.
Further events greatly altered the position of the monarchy during his reign: three years after his accession, his realms, except Ireland, were at war with Nazi Germany and later with Italy and the Empire of Japan.
Though Britain and its allies were ultimately victorious, the United States and the Soviet Union rose as pre-eminent world powers and the British Empire declined. With the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, and the foundation of the Republic of Ireland in 1949, George's reign saw the acceleration of the break-up of the Empire and its transition into the Commonwealth of Nations.
King George had been a sickly child and often suffered from ill health and was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears".
His parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was not uncommon in aristocratic families of that era. He was forced to write with his right hand although he was naturally left-handed, and developed a stammer that lasted for many years. He suffered from chronic stomach problems as well as knock knees, for which he was forced to wear painful corrective splints that kept him awake at night and often in tears of pain.
Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. The Duke of York became the new Prince of Wales. Prince Edward moved up to second in line to the throne, and Prince Albert was third.
From 1909, Albert attended the Royal Naval College, Osborne as a naval cadet. In 1911, he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. When Edward VII died in 1910, Albert's father became King George V. Prince Edward was created Prince of Wales, and Albert was second in line to the throne.
Albert was commissioned as a midshipman on 15 September 1913 and one year later began service in World War I. His fellow officers gave him the nickname "Mr Johnson".
He was mentioned in dispatches for his action as a turret officer aboard HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland (31 May-1 June 1916), an indecisive action against the German navy which emerged as a strategic victory for the United Kingdom.
He did not see further action in the war, largely because of ill health caused by a duodenal ulcer.
In February 1918, he was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service's training establishment at Cranwell. With the establishment of the Royal Air Force two months later and the transfer of Cranwell from Navy to Air Force control, he transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force.
He was appointed Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell and he remained there until August 1918. During the closing weeks of the war, Albert served on the staff of the Independent Air Force at its headquarters in Nancy. Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the continent as a staff officer with the Royal Air Force.
In October 1919, Albert went up to Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied history, economics and civics for a year.
On 4 June 1920, he was created Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney. He then began to take on royal duties; he represented his father, the King, toured coal mines, factories, and railyards, and acquired the nickname of the "Industrial Prince".
But it was the Abdication crisis that changed his life forever for then Albert was to become King-Emperor, an appointment he dreaded and did not want. But he was the choice of Providence and he did his duty and was crowned in a glittering ceremony which can be seen in this clip shown in cinemas at the time:
His speech impediment, and his embarrassment over it, together with his tendency to shyness, caused him to appear much less impressive than his older brother, Edward.
However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He developed an interest in working conditions, and was President of the Industrial Welfare Society. His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds, from elite public schools like Eton and Harrow together with boys from slum schools and grammar schools.
Because of his stammer, Albert dreaded public speaking. After his closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on 31 October 1925, which was an ordeal for both him and the listeners, he began to see Lionel Logue, an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently.
As a result of the training, the Duke's opening address at Australia's Federal Parliament at Canberra in 1927 went successfully, and he was able to speak subsequently with only a slight hesitation. Most famously, the King was able to give his famous broadcast near the beginning of the war - "the King's Speech".
King George VI and his family wave to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V.E. day, and the Victory stamp with all its masonic symbolism
