The tankard is engraved on the front with a square and surrounded by the word “Doyles Lodge of Fellowship No 84 Masters Cup” the underside is engraved with the words “Dorum Fabricatum et Deditum” that translates to “made of wood and given” along with his name and the year 1935.
W Bro Symons was an excellent woodcarver and interestingly a very good silversmith with a registered assay mark that were his initial’s A.N.S within an oval and can be found on most of his pieces.
W Bro Symons joined Freemasonry in 1902, being initiated into Royal London Hospital Lodge No.2845 then meeting at Albion Tavern, Aldersgate Street, London on 8 January 1902 at the age of 26.
And joined Doyle’s Lodge of Fellowship No.84 on 9 March 1927 from Royal Alfred Lodge No. 877 St Helier, Province of Jersey where he was a Past Master, having joined that Lodge on the 11th April 1905. He was also at that time (1927) a Past Prov. Grand Senior Warden in the Province of Jersey. He was also a member of De Carteret Lodge No.3459 also in the Province of Jersey having joined them in 1910. In Doyle’s Lodge of Fellowship, he was Worshipful Master in 1935, he was – Senior Grand Warden in 1932 and Deputy PGM in 1933. He also held the rank of Past Junior Grand Deacon of England.
In Royal Arch he joined Doyle’s Chapter of Fellowship No. 84 on 15 January 1931. He was Z for Doyle’s in 1936, and the same year was made, PAG Soj of England in Grand Chapter. He was a member of Victor Carey Chapter Rose Croix No. 322. W Bro Symons was also at one time President of the Library and Museum.
As well as a very active Masonic carer he was also very active in Island Life, he became Chief Health Officer for Guernsey in 1927, During the German Occupation of the Islands he became part of the Controlling Committee covering all the medical needs of the population, he was awarded the OBE on 11 December 1945. He served in several offices in the Société Guernesiaise, he joined them in 1928, served as Honorary Treasurer from 1933 to 1939, despite having been president in both 1935 and 1936, he also served as president through the German Occupation from 1941 to 1946. W Bro Symons passed to the Grand Lodge above on the 8th March 1957.
This beautiful piece thankfully survived the occupation and the ransacking of the Masonic Temple at Le Marchant Street by the occupying forces and is on permanent display at the Masonic Centre.
