*Please note- This site search does not include the Vic. & Tas. BMD's, Lots o' Links & Worth a Look Books
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Now Castles were built long ago,
To guard the surroundings from foe;
Invaders arose
their will would impose,
defeated and wounded they'd go
To guard the surroundings from foe;
Invaders arose
their will would impose,
defeated and wounded they'd go
PECULIAR PLACEs
and other destinations
Isle of Purbeck 2
1. Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
2. Corfe Castle
3. Purbeck Villages
4. Baden-Powell & Brownsea Island
5. Jurassic Coast
6. Purbeck Marblers
7. Masons vs Freemasons
8. Complicated Brotherhood
9. Offshoots & Persecution
10 Mason's Marks
11 Purbeck Clay
12 Enid Blyton & Dorset
2. Corfe Castle
3. Purbeck Villages
4. Baden-Powell & Brownsea Island
5. Jurassic Coast
6. Purbeck Marblers
7. Masons vs Freemasons
8. Complicated Brotherhood
9. Offshoots & Persecution
10 Mason's Marks
11 Purbeck Clay
12 Enid Blyton & Dorset
Stonemasons vs Freemasons
In the 1300's a Craftsman's Guild was established and Stonemasons kept craft secrets
In order to keep the craft at a high standard, secret signs and passwords were instigated
Journeymen could use these signs & passwords, to prove that they were master craftsmen
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Just as surviving the Millennium Bug when the year 2000 clocked over was a concern, a similar fear was attached to the year 1000 when it clocked over.
When the people had realised that they'd survived the 1st Millennium, they gave thanks to God & built around 9,000 religious buildings in England alone
During this period, Stone workers were in great demand
Operative Masons were those who actually worked with stone. In the operative lodges or guild lodges, they were not only labor unions, they were educational platforms. There a young man who had little or no opportunity outside the lodge for education in the various arts and sciences found it within the lodge. Geometry, techniques for refining stones to fit them for the building were skills that were given to the young operative apprentice. He would also be taught how to read and write, two skills critical for making a plan for a building and following a plan for a building.
Operative V. Speculative There are two kinds of masons- Operative (those that work with stone) & Speculative (the Freemasons)
Speculative Masonry, individuals who do not work with stone and who instead work in the more philosophical realms, use the tools and skills of operative masons as metaphors for living a good life. One of the more common uses that appears in popular language is "on the level". Someone who is on the level in a speculative sense is being straight forward and honest. In masonic ideas it means also that we are all equal.
Operative V. Speculative https://www.masonrytoday.com/index.php?new Many trades use a Level, including Stonemasonry
If you're doing your "Level Best", you are trying your hardest to get it right or straight
If you are "on the level", you are being straight forward
and honest |
A softer form of Limestone arrived from Northern France & Southern England (probably Purbeck) which they named 'Freestone', due to the ease of which the stonemasons could use it. From this, came 'Free-Stone Mason'. This is one of the theories of where the term 'Freemason' came from.
Another theory is the fact that stonemasons were 'free' to travel for work.
Another theory is the fact that stonemasons were 'free' to travel for work.
In England in the 17th century, men of various professions had been regularly approved and initiated into the Order
The Guild or Fraternity of Free-masons (actual working stone masons) from the earliest period of its history had admitted into its connection persons of rank and influence who were not workmen of the Craft. After the decadence of the Roman Empire architecture which had fallen into decline, began to revive, the Masons were employed in the construction of religious edifices, the dignitaries of the Church naturally became closely connected with the workmen, while many of the monks were operative masons. Bishops and Abbots superintended the buildings, and were thus closely connected with
the Guild. History of Freemasonry Even after the Free-masons had withdrawn from all ecclesiastical dependence, and up to the 18th century non-operatives were admitted into full membership of the Fraternity, under the appellation of Gentlemen or Theoretic Masons, or as Honorary Members, to increase their numbers
History of Freemasonry https://archive.org/details/historyoffreem |
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Four Old Lodges of London, combined to form the first Grand Lodge in 1717
The title of Speculative Freemasons never came into general use until some time after the Grand Lodge was organised
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The co-mingling of Operative and Speculative Masons in the same Fraternity, was to beget a spirit of rivalry between the two classes. This eventually culminated in the dissolution of the Guild of Operative Freemasons |
During the purely Operative period of Free-masonry there was only one system of admission into the brotherhood, common to the three classes of Masters, Fellows and Apprentices
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There was only one degree, with 3 classes, practised by the
Operative Craft When the Theoretic members dissociated from the Operatives in the year 1717 and formed the Speculative system, they, at first accepted the old method of admission. But within two or three years they'd adopted another system and fabricated what are now called the three degrees of ancient Craft Masonry, each one of which was exclusively appropriated as a form of initiation to one of the three classes and to that one only. What had formerly been a division of the Fraternity into three classes or ranks became now a division into three degrees.
History of Freemasonry The Speculative Masons adopted their own initiation into the 3 classes, calling it the Three Degrees
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From the Cooke Manuscript, undated manuscript from the mid -15th century, was the first statutory use of the word 'Freemason' in England, appearing in the Statutes of the Realm enacted in 1495 under Henry VI, although the archaic term "frank mason" had been used fifty years earlier. Prior to that, the earliest use of the term "free Masons" was in a 1376 reference to the "Company of free Masons," one of the numerous craft guilds of London.
True Masonic orders by Henry Epps
True Masonic orders by Henry Epps
Just as Stonemasons have their working tools, Freemasons have nine tools with a moral significance
1 Degree- Apprentice, Fellow, Master
The Gauge or rule is equal lengths of wood joined by hinges, so it will fold & close together in a compact fashion. When extended, the full length is rigid.
The Gavel or Mallet, is used in conjunction with a chisel. The chisel is hit on it's head by the mallet, to enable enough force so that the mason can use the chisel to shape stone blocks and slabs. The Chisel Chisels come in a variety of sizes and shapes, dependent upon the function for which they are being used. A chisel is used for removing large amounts of material from the stone surface, leaving the stone with a fine finish. A Stonemason also uses-
The Square is a tool with two straightedges set at right angles to each other, to be able to mark the stone or object as completely square before cutting.
The Level A level shows when its frame is exactly horizontal with the earth's surface. Levels had a line which would hang down the wall, or against the wooden frame. If the level was flat the line (& weight or bob) would align with drawn markings, or the wall. The Plumb Rule/Bob or plummet, is a weight, usually with a pointed tip on the bottom, suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line, or plumb-line. It is essentially the vertical equivalent of a "water level". The Skirret is an implement which acts on a centre pin, from where a line/string is drawn, chalked and struck, to mark out the ground for the foundation of the intended structure.
The Pencil is an instrument used by operative Masons to mark and layout their work The Compass is a drawing instrument used for inscribing circles or arcs. As dividers, they can also be used as tools to measure distances, in particular on maps. Compasses can be used for mathematics, drafting, navigation and other purposes. |
1st Degree- Apprentice
The 24 Inch Gauge represents the 24 hours of the day which is divided into three parts: for God, for your neighbour and for yourself
The Gavel, like your Conscience, like the Gavel, will "knock off all superfluous knobs and excrescence's" so that the rough stone of our character will become the Perfect Ashlar fit for the Temple. The Chisel demonstrates the advantages of discipline & education. The mind like the diamond in its original state is unpolished, but by grinding away the external coat we are enabled to discover the latent beauty of the stone. 2nd Degree- Fellowcraft
The Square is to square your actions; The compasses, to circumscribe and keep you within bounds with all mankind"
The Level is the surface of a fluid at rest, a man who has passions and desires like our own, but who is master of his own soul, enduring calamities of misfortune and not become bitter, and meet good fortune, keeping his feet on the ground The Plumb Rule is the emblem of integrity, the man of integrity stoops to nothing mean or petty, is ruled by duty and loyalty, and will never take an unfair advantage. So it is in the spiritual world, but here it points unerringly to God. 3rd Degree- Master Mason
The Skirret points out the straight and undeviating line of conduct laid down for your pursuit. "Straight'' is the shortest distance between two points; With the Skirret guidance, the Mason has a spiritual balance.
The Pencil reminds them not to write, print, carve, etch or engrave etc. any secrets of Freemasonry. The Compasses remind the Mason of God's unerring and impartial justice and to limit his desires in every station of life, circumscribing his passions and keeping desires within bounds. http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/working |
A Trowel is used to spread mortar onto stone during the construction of buildings.
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A Trowel in Freemasonry is regarded as the principal tool. Its symbolical use is to spread the cement of brotherly love & affection
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Freemasonry is not a Religion, it's a Brotherhood, but you do have to believe in a Supreme Being to join
The Skirret is also a root vegetable
https://www.incredible Travelling Free-masons of the Middle Ages
http://www.themasonic Evolution of Operative into Speculative Craft http://www.masonicdict What is Speculative Freemasonry? https://zenmasonry Master Mason: A stonemason at the very top of his career, capable of undertaking and supervising every aspect of stonework.
Stonemason Dictionary |
There was also a Legend or Allegory, nothing, however, like the modern legend of the Third degree, which connected the Craft traditionally with the Tower of Babel and the Temple of Solomon.
History of Freemasonry In Sao Paulo, Brazil, there is a remarkable sight: a full-size replica of Solomon’s Temple
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/51444/ The theory that Freemasonry originated at the Temple of Solomon was for a very long time a universally accepted proposition, constituting, in fact, the orthodox creed of a Freemason, and conscientiously adopted, not merely by the common and unlearned masses of the Fraternity, but even by Masonic scholars of distinguished reputation. The Temple of Solomon legend, however, must be retained as a part of the ritual as long as the present system of Speculative Freemasonry exists, and the legendary and allegorical narrative must be repeated by the Master of the lodge on the occasion of every initiation into the mysteries of the Third degree. History of Freemasonry |
In both the First and the Third Degrees, the candidate is informed: That the apron is the badge; it marks his membership of the Fraternity; he must always wear it in Lodge. That it is the "bond of friendship" http://freemasonry.bcy Coopers’ (Barrel Maker) & Other Trade Tools https://cooperstoolmus Stoneworking Tools http://www.artofmaking Old tools stone cutter https://www.google.com A Master Stonemason's skills extend from labouring, to the role of architect. It is now a much misused expression, there are very few who can genuinely claim to be Master Stonemasons Stonemason Dictionary |
Giving someone the 'Third degree' asking them intense questions, as in an interrogation, this comes from the highest level of mainstream Freemasonry, the Third degree being the hardest level to pass.
Degree means- Step, Tier or Rank. As an Academic degree, is a step closer to your career and as the degrees on a thermometer creep up, when the temperature rises.
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'Shoddy' means, 'Not up to standard',
but where did the word come from? Some Stonemason's words & their meanings- Shoddy: Small brick shaped stones, sawn on 5 sides and roughly pitched, leaving a fractured face. Used frequently in fireplaces etc. A way of using up awkwardly shaped sawn off cuts. Ashlar: Dressed rectangular or square blocks of masonry fixed in regular courses to create a wall face Banker: A stonemason’s bench, usually built out of scrap stone Diaper: A painted or carved pattern of squares, each containing a simple foliate device Freestone: Any stone which can be cut with a chisel, as opposed to rough squaring with a hammer Groin: The angle formed by the intersection of two vaulted surfaces Quirk: A narrow groove, or sinking. Also a cranked chisel for getting into awkward places Wicket: A small door in a larger Cathedral door that allows access without opening the main door Stonemason's Dictionary http://www.finestoneminiatures.com/dictionary_a.htm |
Complicated
Brotherhood
Brotherhood
Prime Ministers of Australia who were Freemasons-
Edmund Barton 1901-1903 1st Prime Minister George Reid 1904-1905 Joseph Cook 1913-1914 Stanley Bruce 1923-1929 Earle Page 7-26 Apr 1939 Robert Menzies 1939-1941 Arthur Fadden Aug-Oct 1941 John McEwen 1967-1968 John Gorton 1968-1971 William McMahon 1971-1972 https://www.mof.org.au/articles/ |
Freemasonry has been associated with the British discovery and settlement of New South Wales from the very beginning. Joseph Banks, the naturalist who sailed into Botany Bay with James Cook in 1770; Thomas Lucas, a Private in the Marine Corps who arrived with the First Fleet; Thomas Prior, a First Fleet convict, and Matthew Flinders, who arrived in 1795, have been identified with Freemasonry.
The 46th Regiment of Foot, which arrived in 1814, had attached to it the Lodge of Social and Military Virtues No. 227, Irish Constitution. The 48th Regiment with Lodge No. 218, Irish Constitution, replaced this regiment in 1817. It was this Lodge that granted dispensation to form the first Lodge in Sydney in 1820
https://www.mof.org.au/articles/items-of-interest/42-early After many attempts, the first Australian Grand Lodge was established in Sydney 1820
Index of British Regiments, Corps & Detachments in Australia
https://www.bda-online.org.au/sources/military/ Name Search http://www.bda-online.org.au/mybda/search Australian Entertainers who were Freemasons
Herbert Henry "Smokey Dawson" (1913 –2008) country music entertainer Graham Kennedy (1934-2005), entertainer and "King of Television" "Chips Rafferty" John William Pilbeam Goffage (1909-1971) Film actor. Charles "Bud" Tingwell (1923-2009) actor and spitfire pilot. Ken G Hall (1901-1994). Australian film producer, 1st Aust to win an Oscar. Henry Wm Mobsby(1860-1933)artist, photographer, motion picture pioneer George Seth Coppin (1819-1906), politician, comic actor and entrepreneur. Roy Rene (born Harry Van Der Sluys) (1892-1954) "Mo McCackie" Nathan Phillips “Stiffy” the clown https://www.mof.org.au/articles/famous-freemasons/ Sir Donald Bradman was also a Freemason
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It would be more than one hundred years after the arrival of the Mayflower on American soil before traces of actually structured and documented Masonic activity would appear. As many authors before me have observed, even in England, Freemasonry was at this time still in its archaic, primitive state. A certain number of lodges, often quite far from one another, were then active in the New World. They soon saw the necessity of attaining obediential cohesion by placing themselves under the authority of a provincial grand master. This grand master would, ideally, be named by the grand master of the Grand Lodge of England, with jurisdiction over the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The responsibilities of this position would fall to a soldier, Colonel
Daniel Coxe. The first supporting documents date only from July 30, 1733. These are the annals of the Grand Lodge Saint John of the Orient, in Philadelphia, recording the appointment of Henry Price by the Duke of Montagu, grand master of England, to the duties of the provincial grand master of North America. |
Henry Price is sometimes referred to as "The Father of Freemasonry in America"
http://www.masonicworld.com/edu |
Merely one year later, Benjamin Franklin published the first American version of Pastor James Anderson's 'The Constitutions of the Free-Masons', which was also the first Masonic work to be published in the American colonies. Shortly thereafter, Franklin would be given the responsibilities of provincial grand master for Pennsylvania. During the months immediately following his appointment, Franklin shared with the grand master of London the wishes of the Freemasons of his jurisdiction to elect a provincial grand master and his advisers, in the expectation that an autonomous grand master would be established for America. This move was very likely ahead of its time, but it heralded the affirmation of the American brothers' desire for emancipation that was already making itself heard in Europe. Yet it would not be until 1778, two years after the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, that the official separation with the Grand Lodge of England would take place.
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=FGEoDwA
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=FGEoDwA
Benjamin Franklin became a Freemason when initiated into St. John’s Lodge, Philadelphia in 1731
https://nationalheritagemuseum Mozart
Mark Twain Winston Churchill John Jacob Astor Andrew Jackson William 'Bud' Abbott Benedict Arnold Nat King Cole Duke Ellington Scottie Pippen All 7 Ringling brothers Shaquille O'Neal Oscar Wilde John Wayne |
In 1778, two years after the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the official separation with the Grand Lodge of England
took place.
Paul Revere was one of the first York Rite Freemasons in Colonial Massachusetts, when he became a Royal Arch Mason & Knight Templar on Dec 11 1769 (according to the records of St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter, Boston, Massachusetts. He also served as the most Worshipful Grand Master, of the Grand lodge of Massachusetts from Dec 12 1794 until Dec 27 1797 http://www.mwsite.org/papers/mwrevere.html |
Includes Names of Masters & others 1860
World's Masonic register: containing the name, number, location, and time of meeting of every Masonic lodge in the world https://archive.org/details/cu31924015970811/page/n11 List of Notable Freemasons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Freemasons The symbol of the skull and crossbones with notions of piracy and poison has no doubt left many Masons desirous of distancing themselves from these and similar emblems....the Knighting ceremony of the Order of the Temple in the York Rite or the Knights Kadosh Degree in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of the Southern Jurisdiction, the primary reminder of the grim truth that death is ever imminent is the chilling human skull and crossbones.
https://flor999.org/wp-content/.pdf The UGLE had the original entrance requirement of believing in a Supreme being
As to religious requirements, the oldest constitution found in Freemasonry — Anderson's Constitutions of the Freemasons, 1723 — says that a Mason "will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine" if he "rightly understands the Art". The only religious requirement was "that Religion in which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves". In 1815, the newly amalgamated UGLE modified Anderson's constitutions to include "Let a man's religion or mode of worship is what it may, he is not excluded from the Order, provided he believes in the glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth, and practices the sacred duties of morality."
(True Masonic Orders) Pressured by Latin countries, The GOdF, created Two Streams within their Orginisation, The First, you had to be a believer in the Grand Architect of Heaven & Earth, The Second Stream, accepted Atheists as well as Women
In 1849, France (GOdF) followed the English (UGLE) lead by adopting the "Supreme Being" requirement, but pressure from Latin countries produced by 1875, the alternative phrase "Creative Principle". This was ultimately not enough for the GOdF, and in 1877, it re-adopted the original Anderson document of 1723. They also created an alternative ritual that made no direct reference to any deity, with the attribute of the Great Architect of the Universe. This new Rite did not replace the older ones, but was added as an alternative, as Continental European jurisdictions, generally, tend not to restrict themselves to a single Rite, offering a menu of Rites, from which their lodges may choose. (True Masonic Orders)
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U.S. Presidents who were Freemasons
George Washington 1789-1797 James Monroe 1817-1825 Andrew Jackson 1829-1837 James K. Polk 1845-1849 James Buchanan 1857-1861 Andrew Johnson 1865-1869 James Garfield Mar-Sept 1881 William McKinley 1897-1901 Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909 William Taft 1909-1913 Warren Harding 1921-1923 Franklin D. Roosevelt 1933-1945 Harry Truman 1945-1953 Gerald Ford 1974-1977 The Spread of Freemasonry
Freemasonry in France appears to have been established by exiled Jacobites
The Grand Orient of Italy was created in 1805. German Grand Lodges date from the 1740's, In the Russian Empire, Freemasonry was brought by foreign officers in the Russian service Most Russian lodges practice the Swedish Rite https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Freemasonry There are Different Versions & Variations of Freemasonry
There are Two Versions of Freemasonry-
*The Anglo/American, which follow the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) *The European or Continental, which follow the Grand Orient de France (GOdF) The Great Schism of 1877
A great schism in Freemasonry occurred in the years following 1877, when the Grand Orient de France (GOdF) started unreservedly accepting atheists, and recognized Women's Masonry and Co-Masonry. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) deemed this to be irregular and a violation of the ancient landmarks of the Fraternity. UGLE withdrew its recognition of GOdF. The majority of Grand Lodges around the world, especially those in the English-speaking world, followed UGLE's lead. However, a minority, mostly in Europe and South America chose to follow GOdF's example. Thus, Freemasonry was split between the Anglo-American concept of Freemasonry and the Continental concept of Freemasonry. Adding to the tensions between these two systems, French Masons tended to be more willing to discuss religion and politics in their Lodges; unlike the English who banned such discussions outright. The schism between the two branches was occasionally, (unofficially or partially) breached, especially during the First World War when American Masons overseas wished to visit French Lodges. True Masonic Orders by Henry Epps https://books.google.com.au/books?id Hoodwinked- Although this term dates back before Freemasonry, in Old German/Anglo Saxon, 'Hood' means to cover, 'Wink', means to close eyes, a new candidate wears a Hoodwink during the 1st Degree initiation, so as to heighten their other senses. https://www.masonic-lodge-of-education.com Black balled- In the election of new candidates, lodges use white and black balls, and no person can be "admitted a member of a private lodge, or made a Mason therein if two black balls appear against him." In many lodges, one black ball, under their by-laws, is sufficient to exclude, but in any case should two be found the applicant must be refused. http://www.masonicdictionary.com/ballot.html |
There are Different 'Rites' belonging to separate orders of Freemasonry
Males, stand with your feet in these positions before a masonic judge and you will receive a lighter sentence
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Mainstream Freemasonry (UGLE), has 3 degrees of Advancement & believe in a Supreme Being
1st degree Apprentice
2nd degree Fellow Craft 3rd degree Master Mason Stand with your feet in these positions before a Dance Adjudicator & they'll know that you've studied Ballet
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The York Rite, has 10 Degrees of Advancement. You must already be a Master Mason before you can join the York Rite
Capitular Degrees- 4th degree Mark Master 5th degree Past Master (Virtual)
6th degree Most Excellent Master 7th degree The Royal Arch Cryptic Degrees- 8th degree Royal Master 9th degree Select Master 10th degree Super Excellent Master Chivalric Orders- 11th degree Knight of the Red Cross 12th degree Knight of Malta 13th degree Knight Templar The York Rite (American Rite), is based on the early remnants of Craft Masonry that were practised in the early 1700's. The formation of the first Grand Lodge of England in 1717 specified that the lodges were to confer only the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason, all other degrees being considered spurious. However, many lodges had been conferring other degrees that they considered an integral part of Masonry, in particular that of the Royal Arch, and formed their own Grand Lodge in 1751.... With the merger of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 into the United Grand Lodge of England, the lodges agreed that only the 3 accepted degrees would be used by the lodges, but the Royal Arch degree would be attached to Chapters allied directly to these lodges, bearing the same lodge number, but as a separate body. The York Rite have acknowledged the fact that they are considered appendant to the Ancient Craft Masonry. http://www.yorkrite.com/degrees/ |
The York Rite has 10 Degrees of Advancement, making 13 Degrees in all
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The Scottish Rite includes the degrees from the 4° to the 32°. You must have also completed the first 3 degrees previously
The Lodge of Perfection: 4th degree- Secret Master
5th degree- Perfect Master 6th degree- Intimate Secretary 7th degree- Provost & Judge 8th degree- Intendant of the building 9th degree- Elected Knight of the Nine 10th degree- Illustrious Elect of the Fifteen 11th degree- Sublime Elect of the Twelve 12th degree- Master Architect 13th degree- Royal Arch of Solomon 14th degree- Grand Elect Perfect Sublime Mason Chapter of Rose Croix: 15th degree- Knight of the East, of the Sword, or of the Eagle 16th degree- Prince of Jerusalem 17th degree- Knight of the East & West 18th degree- Knight Rose Croix Council of Kadosh: 19th degree- grand Pontiff 20th degree- master of the Symbolic Lodge 21st degree- Noachite, or Prussian Knight 22nd degree- Knight Royal Axe, Prince of Libanus 23rd degree- Chief of the Tabernacle 24th degree- Prince of the Tabernacle 25th degree- Knight of the Brazen Serpent 26th degree- Prince of Mercy, or Scottish Trinitarian 27th degree- Knight Commander of the Temple 28th degree- Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept 29th degree- Scottish Knight of St. Andrew 30th degree- Knight of Kadosh, or Knight of the White & Black Eagle The Temperature keeps rising
Consistory: 31st degree- Inspector Inquisitor
32nd degree- Master of the Royal Secret Court of Honour: Knight Commander of the Court of Honour, holding the 32nd degree for 46 months 33rd degree- Inspector General Honorary, outstanding work in the rite or public life Grand Cross of the Court of Honour: Bestowed on 33rd degrees in very exceptional circumstances http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masons/Misc/ Friend to Friend- A Brotherhood Undividedhttp://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/other-monument
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The Swedish Rite, has 10 Degrees as well, with an Exclusive 11th degree, but they differ from the York Rite Degrees. Also, to be a member of the Swedish Rite, you must be a Christian, having a belief in the Holy Trinity.
ST JOHN’S (Craft) Degrees: 1st degree Apprentice
2nd degree Fellow Craft 3rd degree Master Mason ST ANDREW’S (Scottish) Degrees: 4th degree Very Worshipful Apprentice 5th degree Fellow of St Andrew 6th degree Illustrious Scottish Master of St Andrew CHAPT. Degrees: 7th degree Very Illustrious Brother 8th degree Most Illustrious Brother 9th degree Enlightened Brother of St. John’s Lodge 10th degree Very Enlightened Brother of St. Andrew’s Lodge The FINAL: 11th degree Most Enlightened Brother, Knight & Commander of the Red Cross. This degree is almost exclusively for officers in the Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Masters. https://frimurarareglan.is/wp-content/.pdf The Scottish Rite is one of the two branches of Freemasonry in which a Master Mason may proceed after he has completed the three degrees of Symbolic or Blue Lodge Masonry. The other branch is known as the York Rite, consisting of Royal Arch Masons, Royal and Select Masters, and Knights Templar. The first reference to the Rite appears in old French records where the word “Ecossais,” meaning Scottish, is found. During the latter part of the 17th Century, when the British Isles were torn by strife, many Scots fled to France and resumed their Masonic interests in that country. It is believed that this influence contributed to the use of the word “Scottish”.
In 1732, the first “Ecossais,” or Scottish Lodge, was organized in Bordeaux, one of the oldest and most influential Masonic centers in France. The membership included Scottish and English Masons. 1738-40 saw the formation of the first “Hauts Grades” or advanced degrees. In 1761, certain Masonic authorities in France granted a patent to Stephen Morin of Bordeaux to carry the advanced degrees across the sea to America. In 1763, Morin established these degrees in the French possessions in the West Indies. What he established consisted of a system of 25 so-called higher degrees which flourished in France, and which were known as the “Rite of Perfection”. Within a few years after 1763, other degrees were added, until the Rite had a ritual structure of 33 degrees
http://www.32nddegreemasons.org/ Past Masters from 1620
http://www.masonslivery.org/court/ The Livery Companies and Freemasonry https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-livery |
Offshoots & Persecution
The Knights Templar, is a fraternal order affiliated with Freemasonry. Unlike the initial degrees conferred in a regular Masonic Lodge, which only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religious affiliation, the Knights Templar is one of several additional Masonic Orders in which membership is open only to Freemasons who profess a belief in Christianity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar_(Freemasonry)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar_(Freemasonry)
Who were the Original Knights Templar?
The Knights Templar were devout Christians during the medieval era who protected European travelers visiting the Holy Land After Christian armies in 1099 captured
Jerusalem from Muslim control during the Crusades, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe started visiting the Holy Land. Many of them, however, were robbed and killed as they crossed through Muslim-controlled territories during their journey. Around 1118, a French knight named Hugues de Payens created a military order along with eight relatives and acquaintances, calling it the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon – later known simply as the Knights Templar. In 1129, the group received the formal endorsement of the Catholic Church https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/ The Grand Master Molay & other Knights Templar, were Slow Cooked at the Stake in Paris, on Friday the 13th Oct. 13
Not all of the Knights Templar were captured, many fled. Some say, to Scotland & Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 as a place of worship and services continue to be held there weekly.
Rosslyn Chapel Trust is responsible for the conservation and care of Rosslyn Castle, the ancestral home of the St Clair family. The oldest part of the Castle is the remains of the ‘lantern’ or ‘lamp tower’ by the bridge and this was probably built around 1304, after the Battle of Roslin.
The Holy Grail has been linked to Rosslyn Chapel, with carvings suggesting a connection with King Arthur and also the Knights Templar. These legends, have inspired books like 'The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail', by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln & 'The Da Vinci Code', by Dan Brown
Indiana Jones 3- Knight of the Holy Grail Scene
5:30 Freemasonry is often mistakenly confused with the “Illuminati”.
The infamous “Bavarian Illuminati” has sometimes infiltrated and misused the fraternity of Freemasonry, also several other respectable groups. http://www.knightstemplarorder.org/templars Born, 1748 in Ingolstadt, a city in the Electorate of Bavaria (now part of modern-day Germany)...He was a free thinker, disillusioned with Freemasonry and looking for further 'Illumination', decided to start his own secret society.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology
Baron Von Knigge, a German writer, was a leading member of the Order of Illuminati and he devised a new system which attracted Freemasons and other powerful figures, which gave the movement great momentum....Knigge kept the Order’s original grades untouched but added new grades above them.
https://vigilantcitizen.com/hidden-knowledge/ Freemasons were persecuted by the Nazis during WW2
Hitler said that there was a Jew-Masonic Conspiracy
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Secrets of the Knights Templar - Full Documentary
1:27:35 The Knights Templar had a Banking System & became very wealthy. The Swiss bank today may be linked.
In the 15th century, surviving Templars taught stonemasons some Gothic building techniques and sacred geometry, which inspired the esoteric foundations of Freemasonry. For this reason, the higher levels of Freemasonry have honourary “Knights Templar” themed Masonic Degrees and Masonic Orders, named in tribute to the earlier Templars. In the spring of 1314, Grand Master Molay and several other Templars were burned (slow cooked) at the stake in Paris, bringing an end to their remarkable era, and launching an even longer-lasting theory about the evil possibilities of Friday the 13th.
https://www.history.com/news/why-friday-the-13th Built by Stonemasons, Rosslyn Chapel contains curious workmanship.
https://www.rosslynchapel.com/about Genealogie of the Sainteclaires of Rosslyn by Father Richard Augustine Hay 1631-1736?https://archive.org/details/genealogieofsain00hayr/
Genealogy- Saintclaire/St. Clair/Sinclair The Anglo-Norman Saint Clairs in England, the Rosslyn branch in Scotland, and the Irish branch that may have descended from the Rosslyn Sinclairs. https://sinclairgenealogy.info/
In 1982, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, was published. These authors claimed that the Holy Grail was not an object at all, and that the phrase was a mistranslation of “Sang Real”, or “Holy Blood”...This book in turn influenced other writers, in particular Dan Brown, who used the book as a basis for his fictional adventure story, The Da Vinci Code.
Because no primary source material or original documents on Rosslyn Chapel exist, it is difficult to say anything for certain about the Chapel’s origins. The Da Vinci Code and the Search for the Holy Grail https://www.rosslynchapel.com/learning/ Websites for Bavaria
How to find ancestor records in Bavaria: https://ggsmn.org/cpage.php?pt=16 German Emigration Database- Formerly Titled Bavaria & Pfalz Emigration Database http://germangenealogygroup.com/records-search/ Bavaria/Bayern Genealogy Resources http://vgsgermansig.org/research/resources Bavaria and Germany Research http://www.bavariagen.com/lds.html History of Bavaria https://www.bavaria.by/country-people/worth |
Freemasonry under the Nazi regime
On October 28, 1934, Reich Minister of the Interior Wilhelm Frick issued a decree defining the lodges as “hostile to the state” Nazi propaganda linked Jews and Freemasons, portraying a “Jewish-Masonic” conspiracy. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/ Freemason insider lifts lid on HORROR Nazi persecution during WW2
Freemason insider John Hamill said: “It became a very dangerous thing to be a Freemason towards the end of the 1930's”. He added: “As well as seizing Jews and Jewish property, they would round up the local Freemasons and take stuff from the local Masonic Halls back to Berlin". “A lot of people went into labour and concentration camps simply because they were Freemasons”. The Nazi leader accused the Jews of conspiring with them to take control of Germany. He established a sub-department in the S.S. whose task was to locate, arrest and annihilate nearly 79,000 German Freemasons.https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/ |
Other Victims of the Nazis
In addition to six million Jews, more than five million non-Jews were murdered under the Nazi regime. Among them were Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, blacks, the physically and mentally disabled, political opponents of the Nazis, including Communists and Social Democrats, dissenting clergy, resistance fighters, prisoners of war, Slavic peoples, and many individuals from the artistic communities whose opinions and works Hitler condemned. https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/ Adolf Hitler's Family Tree
https://www.thoughtco.com/hitlers-family-tree Many cartoon characters, had their own versions of Freemasonry
Hollywood 'Bigwigs' who are/were Masons
Cecil B. DeMille, Film director and producer. Jack Warner, founded of Warner Brothers Louis B. Mayer, of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Darryl F. Zanuck, co-founder of 20th Century Fox Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal Studios Walt Disney, founded Walt Disney Studios Mel Blanc, voices, Hanna Barbera & Warner Bros https://gnosticwarrior.com/the-freemasons Loyal Order of Water Buffalo
Fred Flintstone and his friend Barney Rubble were members of the Loyal Order of Water Buffalo Lodge No. 26. Originally called the Loyal Order of Dinosaurs the fraternity appeared in twenty episodes. Trivia from The Grand lodge of British Columbia & Yukon http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/fiction/fraternities Grand Poobah is a term derived from the name of the haughty character Pooh-Bah in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado (1885)
Rutland Barrington, the original Pooh-Bah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Poo |
The Hitler Family
52:29 Freemasons have been blamed for everything from the Jack the Ripper Murders, to the JFK Assassination
Was Jack the Ripper a Freemason?
there have been many theories and conspiracies flying around about the identity of Jack the Ripper One of these such theories is that first explored by the author Stephen Knight in his 1976 book Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. In The Final Solution, Knight explained his idea that the Ripper was actually a Masonic conspiracy, perpetrated by a group of secretive Freemasons in an attempt to cover up for a member of the Royal Family. Knight’s elaborate conspiracy theory concluded that the canonical five were murdered by a select group of Freemasons to cover up a secret marriage between Prince Albert Victor (the second in line to the throne) and a working class girl, Annie Elizabeth Crook, to protect the reputation and validity of the monarchy. https://thejacktherippertour.com/blog/ripper-suspects Did Freemasons cause the assassination of JFK? http://www.masonicinfo.com/kennedy.htm
The Freemason's list, is like a 'Who's Who' in Hollywood.
Between, Producers, Directors, Actors, Musicians, Politicians, Composers etc., we shouldn't ask "Who was a Mason?", but, "Who wasn't a Mason?"
Even Colonel Harland Sanders (KFC)
was a Mason Famous Freemasons
https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-freemasons It would be nice to think that "The best man gets
the job" But like most things in life, unfortunately, the old saying is right- "It's not what you know, but who you know". "The Old School Tie" or "The Handshake", goes a long way sometimes! |
The Flintstones - Home Movies at the Lodge
4:29 Brotherhood Of Man 1970 - United We Stand
2:54 |
The Simpsons: Stonecutters Song "We Do"
0:45 Brotherhood Of Man 1976 - Save Your Kisses For Me
2:57 |
Mason's Marks
Masons in Medieval England
A mason would have an apprentice working for him. When the mason moved on to a new job, the apprentice would move with him. When a mason felt that his apprentice had learned enough about the trade, he would be examined at a Mason’s Lodge. If he passed this examination of his skill, he would be admitted to that lodge as a master mason and given a mason’s mark that would be unique to him. https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval If you look closely at the walls of many medieval churches and, if the light is right, carefully inscribed marks can
be seen. Masons' marks
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/arthistory/staff/ja/ |
Mason's Marks refer to marks made on the blocks of walling stone and on moulded stone as part of the construction process, and have been in use for centuries
They distinguish one man's work
from another Just like a Logo, or Name Brand on Clothing etc,
only written in stone Mason’s Mark, or Banker mark: Each stonemason traditionally has his own trademark, usually a simple design composed of straight cuts. This mark originally was issued to the stonemason by the trade guild, nowadays it is just the invention of the individual. The stonemason’s tools all carry his mark to identify them and similarly all his work carries his mark. This being partly to quantify the amount of stones worked and, of course, trace the perpetrator of inaccurately dressed stones! Usually the marks are cut into the top bed (uppermost face) of a stone, though in medieval times it was not uncommon to cut into the face of the stone visible when fixed. The Introduction and Use of Masons' Marks in Romanesque Buildings in England
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/ |
There are 3 Different kinds of Marks
- Banker marks were made on stones before they were sent to be used by the walling masons. These marks served to identify the banker mason who had prepared the stones to their paymaster. This system was employed only when the stone was paid for by measure, rather than by time worked. For example, the 1306 contract between Richard of Stow, mason, and the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, specified that the plain walling would be paid for by measure, and indeed banker marks are found on the blocks of walling in this cathedral. Conversely, the masons responsible for walling the eastern parts of Exeter Cathedral were paid by the week, and consequently few banker marks are found on this part of the cathedral. Banker marks make up the majority of masons' marks, and are generally what are meant when the term is used without further specification.
- Assembly marks were used to ensure the correct installation of important pieces of stonework. For example, the stones on the window jambs in the chancel of North Luffenham church in Rutland are each marked with a Roman numeral, directing the order in which the stones were to be installed.
- Quarry stones were used to identify the source of a stone, or occasionally the quality.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason%27s_mark
Mason's Marks
6:13 Medieval Masons' Marks
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/arthistory/staff/ja/ Mason's Marks in Herefordshire https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme Are these markings old Mason's marks?, or is it a message?
The word “rune” comes from Old Norse and means “Secret knowledge and wisdom”. The true age and origin of the runes is still shrouded in mystery. Symbols resembling runes appear as cave markings as early as the late Bronze Age.
10 Mysterious Ancient Stones And Carved Rocks In North America http://www.messagetoeagle.com/10-mysterious Did 'Runes' stem from Mason's Marks?
Are these the Marks of the Masons that worked on that building?
Did these stones form part of a building that's no longer there?
Book of Ballymote fol.170r This is said to be a 7th century manuscript, written by a scholar, attempting to explain the Ogham script
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogham |
Mason's Mark Project
http://www.masonsmarkproject.org.uk/DisplayMarks Masons’ Marks Directory http://www.masonslivery.org/marks/ Livery Companies of the City of London The Worshipful Company of Masons http://liverydatabase.liverycompanies.info/networks On Ancient Mason Marks at Youghal and Elsewhere; And the Secret Language of the Craftsmen of the Middle Ages in Ireland by Fitzgerald, E. 1858
https://archive.org/details/jstor-25502542/page/n1 Irish Masons had their own dialect, known only to them
They called it, "Bearlagair-na-Sair"
'Bearlagair', is said to mean 'Jargon'
'Sair' in a variety of languages, means anything from- Sore, Serve, Come out, Work out, to Chair
But it is a valid Scrabble word
https://1word.ws/sair The Irish craftsmen and masons of the Middle Ages, it is said, not only had private marks, but also a dialect called "Bearlagair-na-Sair," which was unknown to any but the initiated of their own callings; and the writer who is responsible for this statement asserts that this dialect is still in use among masons (though not exclusively confined to them) in the counties of Limerick, Clare, Waterford, and Cork.
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/history/marks/masonsmark Gould R F A Library Of Freemasonry Vol 2 1906
https://archive.org/details/GouldRFALibrary ‘Ogam or Ogham’, an early Irish Alphabet
The Poet's Ogam: A Living Magical Tradition By John-Paul Patton
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=1TsHA The Regius Manuscript, also called the Halliwell Manuscript, is a long poem of 794 verses, intended to determine, in full details, the duties and obligations of stone cutters and masons layers to the Craft and Geometry. It is considered the oldest of the hundred or so Old Charges or Ancient Regulations (1) for the governance of masonry in Britain.
http://theoldcharges.com/chapter-6.htm The Secret Languages of Ireland
by John Sampson 1937 https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_gle_ortho-2 The Stonemasons and their world
https://greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/ The Mason Mark
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/ |
Purbeck Clay
Large deposits of Purbeck Ball Clay in the north give way to parallel strata of Jurassic rocks where the land meets the sea, including Portland Limestone and Purbeck Marble, a very hard limestone that, although it is not strictly marble, is capable of being polished.
The world's most important deposits are found in Devon
and Dorset. Ball clay is rare and is only found in a few places in the world. Valued for its whiteness and its special properties when fired, which mean that it is ideal in tableware, bathroom ceramics and in situations where it needs to cope with high temperatures. The clay was ideal for making clay pipes for tobacco smoking. It came to the notice of potters in the Potteries during the 18th Century, and became a key ingredient used by Josiah Wedgwood.
https://www.virtual-swanage.co.uk/ Benjamin Fayle created Dorset’s first railway, the Middlebere Tramway, to carry clay from the Norden area to a wharf on the edge of Poole Harbour at Middlebere. It opened in 1806, and remained in use with horse drawn wagons for a century.
Open cast, and later, underground shaft and adit mines appeared wherever the clay was available across north Purbeck. These were served by a network of narrow gauge railways, with steam locomotives introduced during the middle of the 19th Century. Steam was still being used when most of the lines closed in the 1950's. Underground mining ended in 1999, although open cast mining continues on several sites today. Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum http://www.purbeckminingmuseum.org/clay-history/ The Swanage Railway is a railway branch line from near Wareham, Dorset to Swanage, Dorset, England, opened in 1885 and now
operated as a heritage railway. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swanage_Railway Just to the south of Wareham in Dorset there used to be two interesting narrow-gauge railway systems serving the ball-clay pits and works in that area, providing an outlet to the sea and later to the Swanage branch railway line. Purbeck Clay www.jaggers-heritage.com/PurbeckClay.pdf |
Ball Clay is easily mouldable and white or near white when fired at a high temperature
Ball clays consist of ultra fine clay particles. This helps to make them sticky and easily shaped when damp.
The word 'clay' is derived from the Old English 'claeg', meaning sticky
It is generally accepted that Dorset ball clays - and probably Devon ball clays too - have been used since Roman times to make crude pottery.
Josiah Wedgwood's most famous achievement in 'Queens Ware' was the 952 piece dinner and dessert service with 'Frog' crests made for the
Empress Catherine the Great of Russia in 1774. A typical recipe for such pottery could have included equal quantities of ball clay, china clay, flint (a form of silica) and Cornish Stone (a source of feldspar). Ball Clay Heritage Society http://www.clayheritage.org/pages/wideuses.htm The clay industry was a major employer in Corfe Castle and the surrounding villages from the end of the 18th Century.
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Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton (aka Mary Pollock)
11 Aug 1897– 28 Nov 1968 raised in Buckingham, she was the most successful children’s writer of her generation. She became a governess to a family of boys in Surrey and this experience encouraged her to set up a school for boys. In her spare time, she began writing a variety of children’s stories, eventually completing over 400 books during her lifetime. She is in the top 10 all-time bestseller lists – her books having sold over 600 million copies. https://www.biographyonline.net Swanage Regatta and Carnival is the premier carnival on the South Coast. For one week at the end of July and the beginning of August, Swanage will be radiating to the sound, fun and excitement, from the magnificent two mile carnival procession, vibrant with dance, sound and colour, to the beat of live bands playing in the carnival marquee.
Amazing firework displays, are part of about 100 events in total. https://www.visit-dorset.com/ The History of the Swanage Regatta & Carnival goes back to the mid 1800’s when the first sailing regatta was held in Swanage Bay.
Several years later, in the early 1900’s, a carnival was held to celebrate the finale of the sailing regatta, hence the formation of the Regatta & Carnival. http://swanagecarnival.azureweb “The best way to treat obstacles is to use them as stepping-stones. Laugh at them, tread on them, and let them lead you to something better.”
Enid Blyton, Mr Galliano's Circus |
In the Summer of 1941 Enid Blyton alighted from a steam locomotive at Corfe Castle station in the Isle of Purbeck. She took a short walk through the village, turned right at the war memorial and then she saw Corfe Castle for the very first time. As she wandered its jagged ruins she would have been as giddy as her hyperventilating heroes, the Famous Five, for she had discovered the setting for their very first adventure.
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/europe/ The Famous Five, Secret Seven and Noddy are just a few of the household names created by Enid Blyton, but less well known is the fact that she based some of her characters and locations on people and places in Dorset, especially Purbeck. An area she visited three times a year for holidays for over 20 years. Enid Blyton became an integral part of Purbeck life and was elected president of the annual Swanage Carnival and Regatta.
Five on a Treasure Island (1942) was the first Famous Five adventure and featured Kirrin Castle ruins where some gold is hidden, Corfe Castle was her inspiration. ‘Mystery Moor’ is reputedly based on the heath between Blue Pool and Ridge and featured in Five Go to Mystery Moor (1954) Enid Blyton characters and locations based on the people and places of Dorset https://www.dorsetmagazine.co.uk/out-about/enid-blyton DORSET, UK: THE SETTING FOR ENID BLYTON’S FAMOUS FIVE NOVEL
https://www.escape.com.au/world/europe/dorset-uk-the-setting |
Just a few of Enid Blyton's Wonderful Timeless Tales,
still enjoyed by many
still enjoyed by many
How Noddy has Evolved-
BBC banned Enid Blyton for 30 years
Enid Blyton, the best-selling children's author, was banned from the BBC for nearly 30 years because executives thought her a "second-rater". https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books World gone mad banning books and words in nursery rhymes
https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news I say,
"Leave little Noddy alone, he's harmless" Try reading your Son/Daughter or Grandchildren's High School Novels, then see what should be banned! Get your White-out ready, for the bad language & disturbing concepts Some of these books win Children's book of the year too, What are they Thinking? |
Some Noddy Ephemera
Noddy the T.V. Star
Clip From "The Adventures of Noddy" 1955 3:07
Noddy Sugar Ricicles 1966 Commercial 0:13
Noddy Goes to Toytown 1970's T.V. Show 59:35
Noddy's Toyland Adventures 1992 10:01
Noddy in Toyland 1998 30:20
Make Way for Noddy 2002 10:53
Noddy Toyland Detective 2016 20:45
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