'... and so to refreshment'

A Masonic Talk by Clive Moore. 12 A5 pages including illustrations, plus illustrated covers.

This booklet tells the fascinating story of Masonic dining. We call our meals 'festive boards', in this context a 'board' is a table laden with food, as in the phrase 'bed and board'; medieval stonemasons also held such festive boards, they are mentioned in the late 14th century Regius manuscript, which also gives instructions on how masons should behave at them.

A lively and entertaining read, this booklet has proved popular with a wide Masonic audience. It gives a detailed history of our festive boards; including the different forms they have taken, their unusual customs, and a history of Masonic Firing in its many different forms. It recounts many amusing anecdotes; including some about the strange punishments given for bad behaviour, the risks of letting women into meetings, a description of the largest ever festive board, and some surprising raffle prizes. The booklet finishes with two short addendums, one about Music & Singing in lodges and the other about the origins of the word 'toast'.