RT. WBRO. W.A.C. BROMHAM
Soon after a Special Communication was held in Nagpur in early 1934, at another Special Communication Rt. WBro. Sir Reginald Spence installed WBro. W.A.C. Bromham as the new District Grand Master.
A new Lodge Reginald Spence No. 5514 was consecrated in Bombay by the DGM on 12th January 1935, raising the total number of Lodges in the District to 51.
At the 1936 Annual Communication, the DGL passed a resolution mourning the death of H.M. King George V.
The death of Lord Cornwallis, the Deputy Grand Master and Pro-Grand Master Elect, within three months of the death of the Pro-Grand Master Lord Ampthill, was also recorded with great sorrow.
The appointment of Most Worshipful Bro. the Rt. Hon’ble the Earl of Harewood as Pro Grand Master and of Rt. WBro. Gen. Sir Francis J. Davies as Deputy Grand Master was announced.
The DGM reported that during his visit to England, he had the honour of being receiving by Most WBro. The Duke of Connaught, the Grand Master, who observed that he was very glad to meet one of his successors in the office of the District Grand Master of Bombay. (H.R.H. ruled over the District from 1887 to 1901).
H.M. King Edward VIII became Past Grand Master.
A Masonic Charities Association was formed to assist Brethren to help the District and the Home Masonic Charities. A Masonic Ball was held in Bombay in December after the lapse of many years. It was attended by Masons, their families and friends.
At a Special Communication of the DGL held in Karachi in January 1937, WBro. Major R.R.B. McLean was appointed and installed as Assistant DGM. This was the first appointment of its kind in the District. The DGM had made a representation to the Grand Master, that the administration of a far-flung district like Bombay would be facilitated if two Assistant DGMs could be appointed. The sanction was accorded.
The WMs (or their representatives) of the Sind Lodges were presented to the Assistant DGM. The DGM felt sure that WBro. Major McLean, being stationed in Karachi, could look after the interests of Freemasonry in that region much better than could be done from distant Bombay.
At the Regular Communication held in Bombay in March 1937, the DGM appointed WBro. Dr. S.A. Wilkinson as the second Assistant DGM. The appointment, it was hoped, would help Lodges in Central India, Rejputana, Gujarat and Kathiawar.
The September 1937 Communication was held in Nagpur. WBro. R.H. Middleton, Deputy DGM presiding, said that an Especial Communication of the Grand Lodge, where King George VI was invest as Past Grand Master of Grand Lodge of England. His Majesty invested the Brethren appointed to Grand Rank in celebration of his coronation. For the first time in recorded history of English Masonry, the Sovereign of England attended a Communication of the Grand Lodge and acted as the Grand Master.
In November 1937, at a Special Communication, WBro. K.R. Cama was appointed and invested as Deputy DGM.
A Special Communication of the DGL was held at Ajmere in February 1938, the Assistant DGM presiding.
Lodge Vishwanath No. 5716 was consecrated in Bombay on 31st March 1938. This Lodge was renowned for its excellent ritual workings and was transferred to GLI in 1961.
Lodge Tyrell Leith celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1938 when an oil painting of the late Rt. WBro. Tyrell Leith was unveiled in the Lodge building at Baroda.
Rt. WBro. Bromham told the DGL, that H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, who had been installed as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England has resigned and was succeeded by H.R.H. the Duke of Kent.
For the first time in the history of English Masonry, a Brother (H.R.H. the Duke of Kent) was installed on the Throne of Grand Master by the King of England. The Duke of Kent was His Majesty’s blood brother too.
The DGM mentioned in a rare gesture of decency and generosity, the widow of a Parsi Brother who was assisted from the Benevolent Fund a few years previously and whose condition had since improved, made a gift of Rs. 1,001 to the Fund – Rs. 250 more than the amount received by her and asked that “the sum be utilized in helping those who are in need of it, just as I was five years ago when you and other Brethren so kindly helped me” .
At another Special Communication in March 1940, Rt. WBro. Bromham gave up his office as DGM to make way for H.E. Sir Roger Lumley to become the DGM and he reassumed the office as Deputy DGM.
AGAIN AS DISTRICT GRAND MASTER
At the Communication of the DGL held in August 1943, WBro. Sohrab Davar installed Rt. WBro. Bromham as DGM, who in turn installed WBro. Davar as Deputy DGM and WBro. J. Humphrey and J.S. Tilley as Assistant DGMs.
It was reported that Lord Harewood had succeeded H.R.H. the Duke of Kent as Grand Master.
Rt. WBro. Bromham passed away while still on office as DGM in 1944. In private life, he was Chief of Bombay Telephones. Telephones, being a rare commodity in those days, the District Office had no phone. On day, the DGM came rushing to the office to put through an urgent call. He was surprised to learn that there was no phone in the office. Next day, he immediately ordered a formal application to be made and a telephone was promptly installed.
In the absence of Rt. WBro. Bromham, who had passed away, WBro. Sohrab Davar presided over the March Communication of the DGL and was installed as the DGM.