St Paul's Lodge

IT'S YOUR ARENA
To send a story to Arena, please email arena@londonmasons.org.uk
We are also looking for writers – please email the Editor at the same address if you would like to contribute.

 

W Bro David Thomas writes…

An unexpected email from Austria led Muswell Hill Lodge No 2728 to rediscover a remarkable wartime connection – and to welcome a delegation of Brethren from Paracelsus Lodge for a day of friendship, ceremony, and shared history.

In late 2024, I received an unexpected email from Grand Lodge asking whether they could share my contact details with a Lodge in Austria wishing to arrange a visit to Muswell Hill Lodge No 2728. As Secretary, I agreed and waited to hear more.

A few days before Christmas, I received a message from Bro Clemens Aigner, Master of Ceremonies of Paracelsus Lodge, based in Villach, Carinthia. He explained that in 1945, shortly after the liberation of the region, a British Freemason named John William Mander had played a key role in helping to reestablish Freemasonry there. According to their records, Mander had been a member of our Lodge.

None of our current members recognised the name, and I began to worry that we might not be the Lodge they were seeking. As a last resort, I contacted our honorary member, W Bro Dennis King SLGR, who not only remembered Mander but confirmed that Mander had been the Master who initiated him in 1952. With that, the historical link was firmly established.

Finding the Missing Link

Once we confirmed the connection, Clemens and I began planning their visit for our first meeting of the new Masonic season in September 2025. This gave their members time to arrange travel, accommodation, and – importantly – to bring their wives to enjoy London.

Paracelsus Lodge planned to attend with around twenty Brethren, including some who were not yet Master Masons. Fortunately, we were conducting a Second Degree ceremony, meaning all could attend. With our own members turning out in strong numbers, we expected more than forty Brethren in the Temple and at the Festive Board.

Greeting our Guests

I arrived early at Mark Masons' Hall, slightly anxious about how I would recognise our Austrian visitors if they arrived separately. I needn't have worried – they arrived like a perfectly formed Masonic procession. Down the hill from the direction of The Ritz came a phalanx of dark-suited gentlemen, each carrying a regalia case. There was no mistaking them!

After initial introductions, we prepared for the meeting. We had invited them to take part in the ceremony, but they preferred to observe and allow our officers to perform their duties.

Our guests spoke excellent English and were able to follow the agenda and enjoy witnessing the Passing of our candidate.

A Ceremony Shared Across Languages

One of the highlights of the evening was a presentation by Dr. Robert Birnbacher, Brother Preparer of Paracelsus Lodge, entitled "The Lodge Paracelsus in Villach and Its Historic Ties to English Freemasonry." He outlined the remarkable contribution of W Bro John William Mander in helping to revive Freemasonry in Carinthia after the war – a story many of us were hearing for the first time.

Our Worshipful Master, W Bro Bhupendra Lodhia, presented their Worshipful Master, W Bro Walter Dorn, with a commemorative scroll. Our Deacons then distributed a specially struck medal to every Brother present as a memento of the occasion.

Stories, Friendship, and a Jewel for the Master's Collar

Following further introductions in the bar, we sat down to a well-attended Festive Board. The table plan was arranged so that each Austrian brother was seated with a member of our Lodge, encouraging conversation and new friendships.

As Secretary, I offered a short welcome speech in both English and German (with thanks to Google Translate), and we enjoyed an excellent meal accompanied by wine.

W Bro Walter Dorn expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and presented our Lodge with a beautiful jewel to be added to the Master's collar as a lasting reminder of their visit. He also extended an open invitation for us to visit their Temple in Villach – an invitation I am certain we will one day accept.

The evening concluded, as many good evenings do, with several of us retiring to a nearby hostelry to continue our conversations long into the night.

A Legacy Rediscovered and Preserved

After the visit, I contacted Jules, daughter of W Bro Mander, who now lives in Cheshire. She had written a book about her father's life in Freemasonry, including the connection with Villach; something she only discovered after his passing. A copy of "A Journey Around My Father" is held in the Freemasons' Library at Great Queen Street, along with a gavel and block presented to him.

I am now working with Jules and the Museum to ensure that her father's papers from that period are preserved and archived alongside the existing artefacts, so that his contribution to Austrian Freemasonry is never forgotten.

---

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 61 – Summer 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 61 here.

Get Arena stories direct to your phone with the Arena App, available for Apple and Android smartphones here: