Introduction

Hello everyone - my apologies for not updating this site. For the reasons why please go to the News Page.

The Australian and New Zealand Masonic Research Council (ANZMRC) was established in 1992 with the principal purpose of promoting Masonic Research and Education in those countries. It is a measure of the council's success that it has been able to attract the most eminent Masonic researchers, historians and writers to travel across the world to give lectures.

The ANZMRC sponsors a biennial lecture tour and a number of well known Masonic historians and lecturers, several of whom are members of Quatuor Coronati Lodge, have been privileged to have been invited to be an ANZMRC Touring Lecturer. It was a delight, and something of a surprise, for me to be asked to follow in the footsteps of such illustrious Brothers. For details of previous touring lecturers please visit the ANZMRC web site.

To read more about the ANZMRC and its' aims please visit their web site by clicking on the highlighted acronym ANZMRC or on the logo above.

This web site is intended to serve several purposes:

• To support the work of ANZMRC

• To demonstrate one specific example of Masonic co-operation across continents, and indeed, the world.

• To serve as a record of the 2005 tour by way of images and commentary as gathered by the lecturer, and others, during the course of the tour.

• To comment on travel experiences in order to advise and assist those who may follow in the 2005 lecturer's footsteps.

• To this end travelling experiences with the following airlines will be recorded on this web site:

Air New Zealand

American Airlines

British Airways

Cathay Pacific Airways

Qantas Airways

United Airlines

All travel was arranged by the Williamstown Flight Centre, 7 Douglas Parade, Williams Town, Victoria, Australia. This travel agency is part of a world wide 'chain' - the main web site is: www.flightcentre.com

I hope to enlighten, inform and occasionally entertain, those who visit this site. Of course the site is principally intended for Freemasons but I hope that non-Freemasons who stumble across it might find something of interest.

Another purpose of this web site is to  provide a big thank you to all at ANZMRC and the Grand Lodge of California, The Grand Lodge of New Zealand, The Grand Lodge of Washington, The District Grand Lodge of India and of course the Grand Lodge of Scotland, for the privilege of being able to convey some of my thoughts on various aspects of Freemasonry, with particular emphasis on Scottish Freemasonry, to those who are interested in this wonderful Craft of ours.

A book: Freemasons, Templars & Gardeners has been produced to accompany the tour. For further details click here or on the previous link.

In order for visitors to this site to 'see' how I hope to develop the site, as I travel, I have created, as an example, a photo gallery of images from where I live and work - Edinburgh, Scotland. Please note that this is an intention. not a definite commitment! I have no way of knowing if I shall have the time, the facilities, or the technology to allow me to complete this task whilst on the tour. In any event I shall complete the web site even if it requires to be done after my return home.

Navigation I have tried to make navigating this site as easy as possible. To return to this page, the home page, where-ever you are in the site click on 'home' at the bottom, top or side bar, of the page. To navigate within the site use the 'site links' in the left side bar on each page. Please note that some of the facilities on this site (e.g. the search page) are not yet functioning. All links are shown in red - for example: Tour Book. Occasionally these links maybe underlined especially when the link is a URL.

If this web site assists in promoting Freemasonry in general and the aims of ANZMRC in particular then I shall be more than content.

Please note that this site is always going to be 'under construction' and is therefore a 'living document' and there will certainly be errors and omissions. Once the tour is complete I will try to devote time to 'tidying up.' You, dear reader, are welcome to offer comments and suggestions by clicking here but, as I am trying to get round the Masonic World in 77 (or is it 76 or 78?) days you will, I hope, forgive me if I do not reply timeously.

Brother Robert L. D. Cooper, Curator,

the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library.

June 2005