In Memoriam of Brian Clifford Wareham

In Memoriam of Brian Clifford Wareham
Passed to Grand Lodge Above: Born 1st July 1946 - Died 29th December 2020

Brethren All, It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the passing of our very dear friend RW Bro Brian Wareham, a Past District Grand Prefect of our order, who lost his valiant fight against cancer today in the Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford.

Brian held high offices in many Masonic Orders and was always supportive in sharing that vast knowledge of ritual in all the Orders he belonged to. He will be sadly missed and a greatly respected Freemason.

Our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time go out to Tina and all the family in the hope that with the passing of time the happy memories will take over from the sadness they are feeling now.

Tina and his family have asked to be left in peace for a while. No doubt details of funeral arrangements will be made known in due course, though I expect it be for family and close friends only.

With the passing of Brian, we have lost a very dear friend and Brother. We shall not only miss him but remember him affectionately.

Please take care and keep safe.

With kind regards, yours sincerely & fraternally,

R W Bro John French
District Grand Prefect for Surrey

A eulogy to Brian Clifford Wareham

On Tuesday 29th December 2020 Bro Brian Wareham, one of the most inspirational Freemasons of recent years, lost his valiant fight against cancer in the Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford. Brian was the very epitome of a Freemason and this shone out in all that he undertook. He always brought out the best in everyone and had a most generous heart. He was so greatly respected and will be sadly missed..

Brian is remembered by many as one of the finest Grand Marshals to have held office in the Red Cross of Constantine. He was so at ease in the Office, which he held with distinction for 10 years. Those that aspired to become a Director of Ceremonies used to sit back in awe and just watch Brian. He naturally had every attribute required of a Director of Ceremonies. When he spoke he captivated and inspired people; he did not walk around the Temple he glided; he knew the ritual and so was always in the right place at the right time; but perhaps more importantly if you had something to do Brian was ‘just there’ in case you needed some help or a prompt. Like all Grand Directors of Ceremonies Brian prepared his brief and he expected his Deputies not only to know their duties but his as well. He was a stickler for perfection and was his own greatest critic. To his Deputies he was quick to praise and slow to chide. There was never a cross word just sound advice. To work under Brian was a privilege in itself.

So where did it all begin? Probably when Brian was born and in the Boys Brigade but in reality it was those days prior to the constitution of the Mark Province of London and the early formative years of the Province where Brian cut his teeth. There are many who have no knowledge of Mark Masonry in London, pre 1990, when it did not have a Provincial structure. Mark Masonry in London was run from ‘London Office’ within Mark Masons Hall; and there was no Provincial Grand Rank after a Brother had passed through the chair. Instead after due time and having been deemed to have worked well and worthily he could aspire to London Mark Grand Rank. This was no different to the other Orders administered from Mark Mason’s Hall. Fortunately the then Grand Secretary at Mark Masons Hall, R W Bro Peter Glyn Williams, had other ideas.

These ideas led to the formation of the Province of London for Mark Masonry in 1990, with R W Bro Henry de Lerisson Cazenove being installed as the first Provincial Grand Master. It immediately became the largest Province in the Mark Constitution and the Provincial Grand Master had not only a Deputy Provincial Grand Master but four Assistant Provincial Grand Masters. To become an active Provincial Grand Officer at the constitution of a new Province, in any Order, is an honour indeed; to be an active Provincial Grand Officer in the Mark Province of London you were special. Brian was appointed to the office of Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. Sadly R W Bro Henry de Lerisson Cazenove passed away within months of his appointment to be replaced by one of the finest Provincial Grand Masters, in any Order of Freemasonry, that I have known and worked under, R W Bro Dr Roeinton Burjor Framji Khambatta. London Mark at this time had many exceptional Brethren who were to go on to become Grand Masters in their own right, not only in the Mark Degree (I think that Pro Grand Master qualifies) but also other Orders of Freemasonry; whilst others became Deputy Grand Masters, Grand Directors of Ceremonies and Grand Secretaries.

Under R W Bro Khambatta Brian soon became Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies and then Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies. Among very many highly respected, qualified and talented Freemasons Brian was at the forefront. Brian wrote the ‘Template’ for the duties of an ‘Escorting Officer’ for London Mark; a document which so many of us learnt by heart and practiced to the best of our ability. Brian was, arguably, the best Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies in the Constitution and it was apparent to all that he was destined to go further. Further became reality in 1996 when he was appointed as Grand Marshal of the Red Cross of Constantine. He then immediately discharged his duties as Grand Marshal with the installation of Commander Ronald A Champion, R.N., as Grand Sovereign. Brian was, as always, sublime.

The next 10 years as Grand Marshal of the Red Cross were busy years. He also became, at various times a Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in other Orders administered from Mark Masons Hall as well as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master in London Mark. During this period he was also travelling Overseas as a Director of Ceremonies (As a Grand Director of Ceremonies when an Overseas trip was undertaken by your Order you also acted as a Grand Director of Ceremonies for any other Orders work undertaken at the same time).

Brian visited Scotland, France, Switzerland, Greece, USA, India, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and South Africa always making new friends, meeting old friends. Grand Honours were well and worthily earned by Brian from Sovereign Orders Overseas during this time. Grand Appointments in many other Orders also followed in England and Wales (Brian was an excellent ritualist in all Orders of Freemasonry) together with Provincial Appointments. In 2004 Brian was appointed as President of the Executive Committee of the Order of the Secret Monitor by M Wy Bro Peter G Williams, who by this time had become the Grand Supreme Ruler; and the following year he was appointed as Deputy Grand Supreme Ruler. As a consequence, and after 10 years Brian and stood down as Grand Marshal of the Red Cross of Constantine. There then followed another highly exciting and fruitful period in Brian’s masonic life. M W Bro Peter Glyn Williams had long cherished the prospect of resurrecting the Scarlet Cord which was worked in Conclaves of the Order of the Secret Monitor in the previous century. Brian was instrumental in resurrecting the Order and led a small team which eventually led to the Inauguration of the Ancient & Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord. As was to be expected Brian oversaw the ritual for the Order; its Statutes; a Local, Provincial and Grand Structure; finances; and the ceremonial for the Inauguration of the Order. Brian oversaw and organised the birth of an Order and his achievements were considerable.

Brian’s Masonic appointments are many and I list the Grand appointments as follows:

He was the only recipient of the Order of Service to Secret Monitor Masonry
He was a Past Deputy Grand Master of two Orders in Freemasonry (Order of the Secret Monitor and The Ancient & Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord)
He held three very senior ranks in perpetuity:- Knight Grand Cross of Constantine in the Red Cross Of Constantine, Grand Chancellor in the Order of the Secret Monitor and Grand Regent Vicarious in the Ancient & Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord
He was the Provincial Grand Master for the Southern Counties of England in the Royal Order of Scotland (the second oldest Order of Freemasonry in existence) and the only Order which is administered worldwide by one body
He had also served as a Provincial Grand Master in another four Orders in Freemasonry:
The Mark Province of Sussex; Royal Ark Mariner Province of Sussex; the Southern Counties of England of the Allied Masonic Degrees; the Royal & Select Masters District of Sussex
He was a Grand Officer in twelve Orders of Freemasonry:
Craft; Royal Arch; Mark; Royal Ark Mariner; Knights Templar; Red Cross of Constantine; Order of the Secret Monitor; Royal & Select Masters; Allied Masonic Degrees; Scarlet Cord; Knights Templar Priests; and the Masonic Order of Athelstan

In most of these he was entitled to the honorific of a Right Worshipful Brother or equivalent.

Brian was very passionate about his Freemasonry and always gave of his very best. In turn all that he ever asked of a fellow Freemason was that they gave the same commitment. He greatly enjoyed those times when he was a Director of Ceremonies, either in a Lodge, a Province or in Grand Lodge. Many of us have fond memories of Brian’s time as Grand Marshal of the Red Cross of Constantine.

He was so proud that four of his Deputies went on to become Grand Masters in other Orders of Freemasonry. Many others went on to become Deputy Grand Masters and or Provincial Grand Masters.

Brian became a Freemason to seek out the best in himself and to help others do the same. There is no doubting he found the best of himself in Freemasonry, as he did as a Husband, a Father, and Grandfather. He helped and taught so many how to conduct themselves in life and as a Freemason. He has inspired Freemasons in our Country and Overseas and will live on through all those that he taught. He was truly liked by everyone that knew him. I do not think that we will ever see the likes of Brian again.

Thank you Brian on behalf of so many Freemasons for all that you have taught us. You masonic legacy will stand the test of time and you will never be forgotten.

Roy W Leavers

Click here to download this tribute to Brian as a pdf file.

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