TAMWORTH

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Letter from Olive Branch Lodge #16:
Worshipful Master:
Bruce Kominz, W. Master
Campton, New Hampshire 03223, U.S.A.
January 1 st 2002
Dear Bro. Rick,
Fraternal greetings to you, your, W. Master, and all the Brethren in Lodge Wyong #247, from myself and all the
Brethren of Plymouth Olive Branch #16, New Hampshire, United States of America. It is indeed an honour to
receive your gavel for a short stay in our Lodge. First, the information requested:
29 th December 2001, the Gavel was presented to us (Olive Branch #16) on the occasion of our Installation of
Officers. Presented by Brothers of Charles A. Welsh Lodge, AF & AM, Maynard, Massachusetts. In attendance
was Jeremy J. Sawyer, Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Ancient and
Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New Hampshire.
Olive Branch Lodge #16 was constituted in 1803, and will celebrate its 200 th Anniversary next year. Our
membership has ebbed & flowed and now stands at 91. We moved into a new building in 1999 in Holdemess,
New Hampshire, which we share with Mt. Prospect Lodge # 69 and Chocorua Lodge #83 (plus other Masonic
related groups). I became W.M. at our installation on 29 th December 2001, and expect to be in the East 2 or 3
years.
The Town:
The town of Plymouth, New Hampshire, is located at the base of the White Mountains and just north of the
lakes, about 40 miles north of our State Capitol of Concord, it is a college town, and relies on tourism- skiing &
winter sports, fall foliage, hiking & summer activities. This area of New Hampshire, is known for its covered
bridges, including the newest – the Smith Covered Bridge, which is the strongest covered bridge in the worldjust
completed here in Plymouth in June 2011. The town’s central settlement, where 4,456 people resided at the
2010 census.
That should take care of the official information. How many other Travelling Gavels do you (or Lodges that you
know of) have going around? If only I could travel as much as they do. Your endeavour to “promote the craft, &
to unite Masons throughout the world” is a laudable one. While I personally have only been a Master Mason for
five years (my Grandfather, father- in-law, and great grandfather in-law were all Masons and Masters of their
Lodges), I share in your enthusiasm and look forward to doing good work both in and out of the lodge. I have
been to Australia, in 1990 (on a choral tour), and have travelled on the Indian-Pacific, and saw the H.M. Bark
Endeavour Replica under construction in Fremantle. Most enjoyably, I later sailed on her as a voyage crew
member (from Tortola, B.V.I.) in 1998. I promise if I am lucky enough to return to your fair country, I shall
make every effort to make it to Lodge #247 in Wyong. And, if any of your Brothers make it to the United States
you are always welcome!
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your project.
Sincerely & Fraternally,
Bruce H. Kominz, W. Master