The Lodge St. Michael No.2933

I am a New Zealander living in Singapore where I am a Past Master of Centenary Lodge No.7629. On 30 September 2022, I will be installed as Master of The Lodge St. Michael No.2933 which is one of the oldest research lodges in the English Constitution, outside of England. At my Installation, I will be giving a paper built around my Grandfather's experiences in visiting Masonic lodges in Egypt during WWII, where he was the NZ Expeditionary forces and based at Maadi Camp, on the outskirts of Cairo. I was prompted to explore this subject as I received his Masonic records and found among them, 3 papers delivered by W. Bro. N. M. Mishellany, which he had brought back from Egypt. I then learned from your website (which is extremely interesting by the way!) that W. Bro Mishellany was a distinguished scholar and Member of your Lodge. I will track down the Quartor Quronati papers referenced on your website, but was wondering if you have digitised records of the Attendance Register during the years 1942- to 1946, when my Grandfather, Duncan Thomas Matheson, was in Egypt?

Thanks for your email.

I have the History of Freemasonry in Egypt by F D Stevenson Drane which was published across two editions of Quatuar Coronati. I have scanned them into a word file if you would like them.

I thought I had papers by Nasheem Mishellany but can’t easily find them as my sight is now very bad.

I have compiles a detailed history of the Lodge with some difficulty as all our early records were destroyed by fire in 1895 and everything up to 1955 was sequestered by the Egyptians at the time of our hasty retreat from Egypt during the Suez crisis.

Sadly, whilst I have been able to compile a detailed list of members, I have no records of any visitors

I would also be interested to know if you have a full record of W Bro Mishellany's papers and where I may access them. Of course, I would also be happy to send you what I have.

What a delight to hear from you! The more I read about your distinguished lodge, the more fascinating the tale becomes.

If it is not too much trouble to share the Word versions of the two QC papers, kindly do forward them to me otherwise, I will track them down separately.

I don't need too much more regarding Bro Mishellany, (perhaps we should use his Rt Wor. title? ) but was really trying to establish his credentials, and your website helps with that. The presentation I am preparing will feature one of the papers he had written about Freemasonry in Syria and in particular, to share his explanation of Masonic-like practices of the region - which help support the case for the origins of Masonic practices dating back to antiquity. Of course, we often hear that assertion, but it is difficult to separate fact from legend.

If you do manage to find any of Rt.Wor Bro Mishellany's papers on this subject, please do share them and in the mean time, here are the 3 papers my Grandfather brought back to New Zealand when he left Maadi Camp (Cairo) in 1946. It is not clear to me whether they were delivered at meetings of Bulwer Lodge which the Kiwi soldiers visited in Cairo or, meetings of a New Zealand Expeditionary Forces Lodge which Rt. Wor Bro Mishellany visited. However, based on the following information from your website, I presume the former. I was also encouraged by the mention of the Attendance Register in the 1943 reference, but alas, it seems this has not survived.

1942

Alfred Geoffrey de Tracey Gould was Passed on 7th March 1942 and Raised on 4th December 1943 on behalf of a New Zealand Lodge. Robert Hugh Hamilton Nevin was Passed 7th March 1942 on behalf of a New Zealand Lodge. J. H. Nevin was re-obligated on behalf of a New Zealand Lodge.

1943

During 1943, the Lodge met at Freemasons’ Hall, Cairo, in January, (Installation), February, March, April, 1st May, 5th June, 2nd October, 6th November & 4th December. No minutes are available for 1943, thus the missing dates. All information has been obtained from the Attendance Register.

I am copying Mike Kearsley, who as a Prestonian Lecturer, Past Grand Orator and Member of Quartor Coranati with strong Kiwi connections, has pointed me to some helpful research on this subject.

Please do stay in touch and if I am able to join any more dots on this fascinating history, I will not fail to share them with you.