Frank Kensett Memorial Lunch

Thank you John for your proposition of the Toast to the Craft – and you Brethren and guests for your reception of it.

John, I must firstly thank you for highlighting the importance of this occasion – and for your offer that the dinner will continue as an annual event and in the name of our much esteemed brother, Frank Kensett.

It is often said that Australia is a very lucky country. Australia as we know it has been forged through a spirit of volunteerism since way before Federation. As a Nation, and as individuals, we have each benefitted from this, whether it has been in a military or a community sense. Australia’s commitment to the Boer War in 1899 consisted entirely of volunteers, and Australia’s commitment to the Great War through the 1^st Australian Imperial Force also consisted entirely of volunteers.

In our community, we have always been supported by volunteer emergency services, coast guards, life savers, and many other examples where individuals have committed themselves to their fellow Australian. Some of these have been out and out legends, such as Weary Dunlop, Albert Coates, Fred Hollows and Victor Chang. While these are all medically trained Australians, there are other quite modern achievers such as Dick Smith, Steve Waugh and some of our recent Governor’s General, who have made a particular and voluntary commitment to our society.

As importantly, there are many more ordinary Australian’s, and many of these we regularly see recognised through our Order of Australia acknowledgments.

In Freemasonry, there are also many known to each of us who would regularly put their hand up to voluntarily undertake that extra effort needed by our organisation.

One of those men was, of course, Frank Kensett. Frank began by volunteering to serve his country, and he went on to undertake further periods of service later in his life when his country again called.

But it is for Freemasonry, that most of us have seen the best of Frank’s volunteering.

Most of us would openly admit that it was Frank who created something special here in Royal Empire. As Secretary and organiser, he doggedly pursued his dream – and he never gave up.

Each of us would be aware of other examples of Frank’s tenacity in our own world:

There is a book titled ‘The Greatest’, and it is a celebration of the greatest and most compelling era in Australia’s cricket history. The author, Malcolm Knox, writes that in Chennai in March 1998, Journalist Robert Craddock fixed Tendulkar with a long look and said, ‘This tour is against you and Warne. Shane Warne will be at you, and at you; he will never let up, mentally or physically; his accuracy and flight will grind you down.’

These words could also be said of Frank.

In John F Kennedy’s inaugural speech on 20 January 1961, he concluded with the words ‘Ask not what America will do for you, ask what you can do for your country’.

Frank would have asked this in the context of how we would treat Freemasonry.

When General Peter Cosgrove came to his retirement, he visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. He laid a wreath, stood back, saluted, and groped for some meaningful words. All that he could come up with, after more than forty years in uniform, was ‘I did my best mate’.

These words positively reflected Frank’s life.

In so many ways, Frank created that for which we are all so grateful. We must never let him down. Indeed, wasn’t it Abraham Lincoln who encouraged us all ‘to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they so long fought for’.

It is indeed an honour to have this opportunity to offer just a few words at this inaugural Frank Kensett Memorial Lunch. I can’t tell you how proud I am to reflect on these small memories of Frank.

Many significant Australians are remembered long after their passing, through an Oration, sometimes on an Annual basis, sometimes with some ad-hoc timing - for example, there is the Field Marshal Sir John Monash Annual Oration and the Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Annual Oration.

I would think it would be entirely appropriate for Freemasonry and Royal Empire Lodge in particular, to have an annual Frank Kensett Oration. How appropriate might it be for a short Annual Oration, for around fifteen minutes, in the name of Frank Kensett.

It is my hope that the Royal Empire Lodge might develop this concept further so that perhaps our luncheon program could simply note that there is to be a ‘Toast to the Craft’ and this would be followed by ‘The Oration.’ Such an activity would take on an importance of its own. It would further set this great Lodge apart and build on the occasion of this Luncheon. The Oration could become the Annual opportunity to reflect on the many volunteers and other committed assistance given by so many people to the craft and craft related activities.

Frank worked tirelessly for the Royal Empire Lodge. He firmly brought out the best in us, he searched for the positive, the humorous, the entertaining and the ridiculous in each of us. He encouraged us to take the first step. In this Lodge and in his life, Frank forged a wonderful standard and a wonderfully principled outlook.

I am proud and honoured that Frank Kensett thought to most generously gift to me his personal and highly treasured Masonic fob watch - and I particularly thank his wife Betty for her part in passing this wonderful gift to me at the time of Frank’s passing. As you would expect, Frank put some particular caveats on that gift, and I was the recipient of some sage advice from him – and I can assure you that I made him some life promises which I will always strive for. I will not let him down.

Frank Kensett was a great man, a humble man, who contributed so much to each of us and to the Craft in general.

I again thank him for his magnificent personal contribution and I thank you, the members of the Royal Empire Lodge, for this opportunity to express my thoughts today.

Thank you.