Folder including notes concerning freemasonry in a prisoner of war camp in France...

MSS 49/36

Folder including notes concerning freemasonry in a prisoner of war camp in France and Royal Arch Masonry in France by Cyril Ernest Kila Northwood Batham

File including notes concerning freemasonry in a prisoner of war camp in France and Royal Arch Masonry in France, with details concerning the Lodge meeting in the Ninth Regiment of Foot, No. 221 [SN 1413], at Valenciennes during the war with France.

Folder 57. Papers are listed individually at file level, retaining an original order sequence used by Cyril Batham, with miscellaneous papers added at the end of the sequence.

See also GBR 1991 MSS 49/11

English

1 file

Cyril Ernest Kila Northwood Batham was born at Sutton Coldfield on 29 June 1909, the son of Isaac Ernest Northwood Batham, a house painter and his wife, Sussanah Penelope née Herridge. He was educated at Bishop Vesey's School. He entered the insurance industry and held various positions at home and on the continent until he became a Head Office Underwriter. He was subsequently an insurance broker and company director in the City of London. He married Florence A. Drinkwater at Tamworth in September 1931 and the couple raised a daughter. His wife died in 1962 and he married Olga Bishop at Epping Forest, Essex in May 1989. In Kelly?s Trade Directory for Birmingham he is recorded as Manager, Gresham Life Assurance Society Ltd. and Gresham Fire and Accident Insurance Ltd., Martin?s Bank Chambers, 59 Bennetts Hill in 1938. In the English Census he is recorded as living at 62 Queen Street, Sutton Coldfield with his father and mother in 1911. He was initiated as a freemason in Jerusalem Lodge, No. 686 [SN 2210], Bristol on 8 November 1955, where he was passed on 13 December and raised on 11 January 1956, before resigning in 1966. He joined Peel Moat Lodge, No. 7633, Heaton Moor in 1959, resigning in 1963. He joined Old Veseyan Lodge, No. 7924, Sutton Coldfield in 1963, resigning in 1966. He became a member of the Correspondence Circle of the research Lodge, Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, London in 1966. He was elected to full membership in 1969 and he was installed as Worshipful Master in 1972. He joined Fratres Calami Lodge, No. 3791, London in 1972; City of London Lodge of Installed Masters, No. 8220 in 1974; Grand Master's Lodge, No. 1 [SN 460], London in 1980, where he served as Secretary and was elected Worshipful Master in 1984; Lodge of Regularity, No. 91 [SN 370], London in 1980, resigning in 1987; joined Lodge of Research, No. 2429, Leicester in 1985; Jubilee Masters Lodge, No. 2712, London in 1985; David Garrick Lodge, No. 4243, Stratford upon Avon in 1986; Grand Stewards Lodge. [SN 162], London in 1986 and Warwickshire Installed Masters Lodge, No. 4538, Birmingham in 1987. He was appointed Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies by the United Grand Lodge of England in 1978 and he was promoted to Past Grand Standard Bearer in 1980. In France he was an Honorary Member of Georgian Lodge, No. 11; Chevalier Ramsay Lodge, No. 85 and Anglo Saxon Lodge, No. 103. He was a member of St. George's Lodge, No. 3; Britannic Lodge, No. 9; Fidelity Lodge, No. 10; Duquesne Lodge, No. 48 and Loge Villard de Honnecourt, No. 81. He was a Past Master of Stability Lodge, No. 29 and Phoenix Lodge. No. 30. Except for Loge Villard de Honnecourt, all these lodges worked the ceremonies in English. In the Grande Loge Nationale Française he served as Assistant Grand Secretary from 1965 to 1968 and he was appointed Past Senior Grand Warden in 1974. In the Grand Lodge of Belgium he was an honorary member of Chevalier Ramsey Lodge, No. 29. In Royal Arch, he was exalted in Chorlton Chapter, No. 1387, Chorlton-??cum-??Hardy on 15 March 1963, resigning in November the same year. He joined Assurance Chapter, No. 5160, London in 1967 and was elected First Principal in 1970. In 1974 he joined London First Principals Chapter, No. 2712, London, where he served as First Principal in 1985. In 1977 he joined Grand Master's Chapter, No. 1 as Scribe E and was elected First Principal in 1981. He was appointed Past Assistant Grand Sojourner by the Supreme Grand Chapter of England and Wales in 1985 and was promoted to Past Assistant Grand Deacon in 1989. He was also a member of St. Johnstoun Royal Arch Chapter (Scotland), Fidelity Royal Arch Chapter (France) and he was an Honorary Member of Duquesne Royal Arch Chapter (France). In the Grand Chapitre de l'Arche Royale pour La France, he was Assistant Grand Scribe E from 1965 to 1971, Grand Scribe E from 1971 to 1974 and Third Grand Principal in 1974. In Mark Masonry he was advanced in Shepherd Eastwood Lodge, No. 1173, Urmston, Manchester. He served as a Past Master of Old Kent, Time Immemorial Mark Lodge. In the Mark Grand Lodge he served as a Past Assistant Grand Standard Bearer. He was a member of Paris Lodge, No. 1192, Paris, France; Gibraltar Lodge, No. 1336, London and Flanders Lodge, No. 1496, Boulogne-??sur-??Mer, France. He was elevated in Chorlton Royal Ark Mariners' Lodge, No. 394, Chorlton-??cum-??Hardy, Lancashire, he was a member of Gibraltar Royal Ark Mariners' Lodge, No. 1336, London and a Past Commander of Paris Royal Arch Mariners' Lodge, No. 1192, Paris, France. In Knights Templar, he was Past Preceptor of Galilee, No. 185, London. In the Knights Templar Priests, he was a member of Surrey Tabernacle, No. 27, Ewell, Surrey and Past High Priest of Galilee Tabernacle, No. 48, London. In the Order of Secret Monitor, he was a Past Grand Steward and Past Supreme Ruler of Rose and Lily Conclave, No. 69, London. In the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine, he was Grand Herald and Past Sovereign of Plantagenet Conclave, No. 2, London. In the Allied Masonic Degrees, he was a Past Master of the Rose and Lily Council, No. 15, London, of Rumbelow Council, No. 67, London and Supreme Ruler Conclave, No. 123, London. In the Order of the Royal and Select Masters, he was a Past Master of Dungarvan Council, No. 25, London. He lectured extensively at home and abroad on Craft, Royal Arch, Royal Ark Mariner and Knight Templar freemasonry topics and in 1981 presented the Prestonian Lecture, 'The Grand Lodge of England according to the Old Institutions'. To stimulate research in the Royal Arch, he donated funds for the Supreme Grand Chapter to sponsor an official Royal Arch Lecture, similar to the Prestonian Lecture in Craft Masonry, instigated as the Batham Royal Arch Lecture in 1985. He died on 10 October 1996.