Centenary Jewel 1989 - Letter from RWBro Allan Paull OAM, PJGW
Last year we reported that the Centenary Jewel and the Masonic Birthday Cards of WBro Ernest Daniel “Ernie” Maskiell (18 June 1916 to 25 Feb 1994) been returned to Lodge Devotion. In that article I wrote “We understand that a Centenary Jewel marking the 100th Anniversary of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria in 1989 was issued to each Lodge with their number stamped on the back. Our stamped Centenary Jewel has been long lost. However, many Lodges are said to have purchased a Jewel for esteemed members, while members of Lodges working under UGLV could also purchase their own.”
I was surprised when a reader of Devotion News who I was chatting to (and a Freemasons I have known since early in my Masonic Journey) said he had read the article referred to above and commented in passing “Oh, I designed the Centenary Jewel”. The Jewel’s designer was RWBro Allan Paull OAM, PJGW.
Dear Damien,
This reply to your email of last year regarding my designing the Centenary Jewel, trying to work out the new computer and eventually finding many lost emails this reply may no longer be relevant to your excellent Devotion News. It may not fit the bill anyway but here it is! At 85 in March please forgive me! I will send a couple of photographs separately.
Regards,
Allan
Yes Brother – still very relevant!
RWBro Allan Paull OAM, PJGW, designer of the Centenary Jewel, will be presented with a 60 year Jewel on Saturday 13 July 2019. He was presented with an OAM in 2015 “For service to the community through charitable and social welfare organisations.”
On receiving his OAM, he said “I have always believed that if you see a need you stand up and take a lead. So many people believed in me and joined me in support and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. This is their award. I believe I am a people person. As an entertainer from an early age I have been privileged to bring pleasure to audiences over my lifetime. For this I can thank my mother who, in 1944, doing voluntary work at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, saw a young boy playing the accordion at one of their concerts, bring pleasure to the wounded WWII soldiers. She thought how wonderful it would be, if one of her sons could also do this. I soon began learning the instrument and had the privilege of entertaining our soldiers in Vietnam in 1966 some 22 years later.
Bro Allan continues;
CHARITY
I practice brotherly love, relief and truth!
Giving of oneself is the cement which holds society together.
Perhaps, call me old fashioned, but perhaps these days money dominates society.
In this sense, to use an analogy, in years gone by the prime cost of anything was materials. Today it is the cost of labour.
FREEMASONRY
Been a member since 1959 – of those years, I have only been out of office for one.
As a Trustee of the Charitable Foundation over a number of years, it was heart warming and gave me immense satisfaction to present cheques to such a wide range of needy charities in the community, particularly the disabled.
Until the recent change of direction by the management of Freemasons Victoria in their philanthropic activities I was a member of the Board of Benevolence and it too gave me great satisfaction in meeting the needs of the community.
I am disappointed that following these major changes, I am not able to continue this wonderful role.
Freemasonry is not a charitable organisation or institution; it is a social welfare organisation practicing brotherly love, relief and truth.
A Freemason for 60 years in July, charity has always been a cornerstone of the principles we practice and although no longer actively attached to the Benevolent committees of Grand Lodge I treasure the memories from my being a Trustee of the Freemasons Public Charitable Foundation and a member of the Board of Benevolence. The work they did during my time was monumental.
In the early eighties I was on the Centenary Committee of Grand Lodge and as a designer I had the task of designing every graphic item for the Centenary in 1989. One item which I am still particularly proud of is the Centenary Jewel which today some lodges use as a perpetual jewel for the retiring WM. I get a kick out of seeing it when visiting.
As an entertainer from an early age I have been privileged to bring pleasure to audiences during my Touring South Vietnam for the Government, performing for Australian and American troops during the war was a rewarding experience. The concert for 4,800 sailors on an American aircraft carrier USS Ranger, the flagship of the Seventh Fleet, was a far cry from my first appearances in 1947 playing the piano accordion with a concert party as a 13 year old, at public institutions around Melbourne.
I won the Swallows ‘P & A’ Parade as a piano accordionist in 1956. A popular 3KZ radio talent quest the prize was a world trip and I sailed to the UK where I performed on BBC television and radio. On my return I was a regular on Graham Kennedy’s GTV9, In Melbourne Tonight and other TV shows, but I still enjoyed performing for the underprivileged with the original concert party.
An active Freemason, I am a member of the United Press Lodge, Seavic Lodge, Malvern Waverley Mark, the Whitehorse HRA Chapter and Mt Calvary Rose Croix.
I have been on the Executive of the Navy League of Australia (Vic) since 2003, a member of the Cornish Association, the Original Showbiz Club and past president of the Australian Free Chinese Cultural and Economic Association which are a few of my many interests over the years.
I am a Life member of the AJA (Australian Journalists Association) and the Advertising Club of Victoria.
In 2011 Melbourne Books published my autobiography entitled ‘Who ‘the hell’ is Allan Paull’ which gave me the opportunity to reflect and reveal my fortunate life as Bert Facey had done in his memorable book ‘A Fortunate Life’.
In fine, my call to arms has always been-”If you see a need - you are elected!” and being old fashioned, giving of yourself will always be one of the best forms of charity.
On my being awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours list in 2015, I was overwhelmed, proud and humbled but I believe it belongs to the people who have supported me in so many ways... It is indeed humbling, and I feel ‘being a ‘people person’ it really belongs to the many wonderful people in the many organizations I have been involved with over more than 60 years, not the least my many Masonic friends and brothers.
FURTHER THOUGHTS!!!!!!!
I have always believed that if you see a need you stand up and take a lead. So many people believed in me and joined me in support and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. My OAM is their award.