The Polytechnic Lodge

No sooner had Brother George Bregasi announced his marriage to his long term girlfriend Elpi Vourtzoumi (lovingly known to us all as Nicky) and threw out open invitations to all Polytechnic Lodge members to attend the ceremony in the beautiful island of Corfu, Greece, Worshipful Brother Ron Wainer started liaising with Metropolitan Grand Lodge to see if he could co-ordinate anything with Freemasons in Corfu.

Elaine Faux, the Personal Assistant to Captain David Swain, Metropolitan Grand Secretary, proved to be tremendous help to the Polytechnic Lodge in organising such matters, liaising with the Grand Chancellors office at United Grand Lodge, who commenced the administrative process of liaising with the Grand Lodge of Greece. Communications between the two jurisdictions quickly revealed that there were no English speaking Lodges that were meeting in Corfu during the dates that our lodge was visiting, but stated the English speaking Lord Byron Lodge in Corfu would be delighted to welcome the Polytechnic Lodge and suggested we had dinner together in a local taverna in the Old Town of Corfu.

Permission was granted by both Masonic Jurisdictions for the Polytechnic Lodge to liaise directly with the Lord Byron Lodge and contact was made with Worshipful Brother George Poulimenos, Secretary of the Lodge in Greece. Worshipful Brother George P could not have been more helpful and eager to arrange something for us and made arrangements with several of his Lodge members to meet up with us all.

Thirteen Polytechnic Lodge members with our partners met up with the Lord Byron Lodge members and their partners at the Pergola Taverna. It was weird. Within seconds of meeting these Brethren, we were like old friends who had known each other for ages. We really hit it off immediately we met. The food ordered by Brother George P was typically a Greek affair, delicious and plentiful and the drinks flowed like water, while the hours slipped by.

At what I thought was going to be the end of the evening, I presented Lord Byron Lodge with an engraved gavel and sounding board on behalf of the Polytechnic Lodge to much applause and merriment. This was a great evening and one not to forget. The Lord Byron Lodge was, quite simply, the most perfect hosts. We all left the restaurant, literally feeling food drunk having eaten so much food and stood outside chatting with our new made friends.

An indication of the success of that first meeting with Lord Byron Lodge was that Brother George Bregasi, the groom of the wedding, invited Lord Byron members to both his Bachelors Party the following evening and the wedding on the Saturday. In particular, Brother Spyros Psailas from Lord Byron Lodge greatly assisted the groom with some additional last minute high quality arrangements for the wedding.

After the wedding, we all kept in contact with members of Lord Byron Lodge and met up nearly every night on a very casual basis until the last one of us left the island.

This was not however the end of what seemed to be a perfect evening. After the meal, we were taken by Brother George Poulimenos and another Lord Byron Lodge member, quite a lovable character named Brother Spyros Psailas, to the nearby Akamatra Taverna where we were greeted by its owner, a delightful man and freemason named Brother George Rantos. Unbelievably, even more food and alcohol was taken well into the small hours. Many other Corfiot Brothers called by to give us there well wishes, thanks to the arrangements of Worshipful Brother George P.

For the remainder of our trip many of our called in to see Brother George Rantos at the Alamatra Taverna, often intending only to stay for half an hour, but such was his hospitality and brotherly love this was always extended to many hours. Any member who visits Corfu on holiday really should pop in and see Brother George and his delightful wife ‘Apple.’ You can be guaranteed not just good food but genuine brotherly love.