There is an organisation set up in Hertfordshire, by a Grand Lodge Officer, known as the Hertfordshire Wanderers who visit lodges both overseas and in the UK. The link to them was via Rose and Lily Mark Lodge 354 and this led to 2 members of Radcliffe Lodge W.Bro Graham Riche and W.Bro John Bassford with their wives joining 13 other masons and their wives on a visit to Vienna for the installation Meeting of Sarastro Lodge.

The party arrived in Vienna being unsure of the language of the Ceremony to be greeted by two pieces of good news. The ceremony was in English and the Radcliffe Masons were to act as Wardens for the Inner Workings, a true privilege.

The ceremony took place in the Masonic Hall in the centre of Vienna and the only information identifying the Masonic connection on the outside of the Building was a rough ashlar over the doorway. Inside were 10 temples all beautifully equipped and varying in size from one suitable for 40 brethren to a beautiful temple for over 300.

On site not surprisingly were mementoes of W. A. Mozart including his apron. Masonry in Austria is seemingly growing as it is the intention for the Masonic Hall to buy the building across the road for expansion, this being where Mozart died.

The ceremony was well and sincerely conducted in impeccable English, that being the language of this the only English speaking Lodge in Austria and after a convivial evening with the masons of Vienna we returned to collect our wives who had enjoyed excellent food and dreams of the Third Man before we all became tourists for a further 3 days in Vienna.

If you as masons have the chance to visit in a similar manner overseas we can recommend taking the opportunity.

The previous overseas visit of the two intrepid masons from Nottinghamshire with the Wanderers led to TLC, but that is another story.

John Bassford