Masonic History in Oranjemund - GJ Opperman!

[john wilson]

Oppy as I remember worked in the Power Station as a Deisel Fitter,I was at his installation as Master of the Lodge . I was the Lodge Secretary at that time.

[Richard Opperman]

Hi John321,

That is right my father did work in the power station in Oranjemund.

Sorry for me asking, who are you John321?

[john wilson]

Hello Richard, John321wil my name is John Wilson I was the Power Station Electrical Chargehand in the Power Station the last 4 years I lived in Omund. I left in Dec 1973 for Canada and now live in the outskirts of Detroit USA. The Power Station had its share of Freemasons over and above your Dad we had Roy Fields,Les Head, and your truly. I came off the ladder to take over the Secretarys position from Les Head who wanted a break from those dutys and I agreed to take over.I remember your Dad like it was yesterday and had many a good time with him both at work and at the Lodge. Best Wishes John Wilson.

[Richard Opperman]

Hi John,

Nice to hear you knew my father and that there are still a lot of people around that remember the better years of Oranjemund.

Yes I remember Les Head...the sergeant major...as we children knew him and Roy Fields, both very good guys. Roy had two sessions in Oranjemund. His son Stephen was in my class in the 60s...Roy used to coach soccer to us youngsters in the 60s.

Thanks again and keep well.

[Lance Olivier]

A couple of snaps from braais/socials held at the Lodge most probably in the 60's or 70's

[SandyB]

MUST HAVE BEEN  LATE 60'S / EARLY 70'S   MY DAD IN BACKGROUND  OF SID WORTH PIC .. EDGAR SELBY AS WELL

[Bertie Horak]

I would say 1973-74.  On the photo called "S Worth" - if I'm not mistaken - my whole family's in the background - must be one of only a handful of pictures with all 4 of us in it.  Me peeping at camera from behind Mr Worth, Dad standing, Mom sitting with white pants, and my sister with the long hair with her back to the camera.
Thanx Lance!!!

[Michael Alexander]

Nice snaps Lance, will show them to Jock, got anymore Lodge snaps?

[Richard Opperman]

Thanks Lance,

My mom sitting infront of my father, talking to Inna Bennett.

[Gerda Cloete]

Dont shoot me but we were sh*t scared of the lodge. Cross county running took as passed the lodge and for some reason you picked up speed just to get passed it... shows you how wrong a childs perception can be...

[Lance Olivier]

These are the only other snaps I have of the socials. Mike, I'll check through my Mom's photo's sometime soon and see if I can find more. Cheers for now.

[Michael Alexander]

I got to thinking about freemasonary recently..... and listened to how as a schoolkid running cross country  around the lodge , back in the 70's , the other kids were all in fear of the lodge, the place where the devil lives, where the devil worshippers went..... Sigh! How uninformed the ignorant can be sometime..... a piece of Oranjemund history..... the cornerstone of the lodge structure apon which every other stone is laid, was laid on the North east Corner of the lodge, symbolic to many masons, but for the un informed, I ask you this question.... if this was a place of ill repute, why does the inscription on that corner stone read, I.T.N.O.T.G.A.O.T.U and to the GLORY of GOD  ?

just a point in passing, that stone is still visible on the external NE corner of the lodge...

[SandyB]

Too True  Mike .. Too True ... difference was God was an integral part of a wider  belief  system amongst the freemasons , a difficult thing for estabished religion to accept .. they always believing they had total right on their narrow plane .. the Masons .. the old crafts .. sacred  geometry  etc . the cornerstones of universe and mans existence were embraced by the masons  along with the  belief in God the creator ..

[Gerda Cloete]

Like I said....how wrong can children be. Sad if you think about it. I went to visit the lodge among other places on my visit to Oranjemund two years ago....and could not understand why we had this "wrong" perception as a child.  The gardens where still being maintained...sprayers were on when I got there.

[Michael Alexander]

I sorted of inherited the late Jim Reid's Masonic Bible and of interest to some of you old timers would the signatures of old Oranjemunders.