Latest news with #Masonic
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
JK Rowling: New Cormoran Strike novel under Robert Galbraith announced - including release date, plot details
The eighth novel in the Cormoran Strike series, written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, will be published later this year. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The release date of JK Rowling's new novel in the Cormoran Strike series has been revealed, with the lead characters set to investigate the discovery of a corpse in Freemasons' Hall. Penned under the byline of Robert Galbraith, the eighth book in the Strike series, entitled The Hallmarked Man, will be published on September 2. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Author JK Rowling | Getty Images In the latest novel, detectives Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott will be on the case after a dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. A synopsis of the initial plot details revealed by publisher Sphere Books said: 'The police initially believe it [the body] to be that of a convicted armed robber – but not everyone agrees with that theory. 'One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she is certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend – the father of her newborn baby – who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more Strike and his business partner Robin delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it is located beside Freemasons' Hall and specialises in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima's boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault. 'As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever.' Galbraith is the pseudonym for Ms Rowling - the author of the hugely-popular Harry Potter Series. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger star as Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott respectively in the Strike TV series Seven books have previously been published in the Strike series, including The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm. The series has been adapted for television, produced by Brontë Film & TV, starring Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger in the leading roles. The series is broadcast by the BBC in the UK.
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
JK Rowling: New Cormoran Strike novel under Robert Galbraith announced - including release date, plot details
The eighth novel in the Cormoran Strike series, written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, will be published later this year. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The release date of JK Rowling's new novel in the Cormoran Strike series has been revealed, with the lead characters set to investigate the discovery of a corpse in Freemasons' Hall. Penned under the byline of Robert Galbraith, the eighth book in the Strike series, entitled The Hallmarked Man, will be published on September 2. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Author JK Rowling | Getty Images In the latest novel, detectives Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott will be on the case after a dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. A synopsis of the initial plot details revealed by publisher Sphere Books said: 'The police initially believe it [the body] to be that of a convicted armed robber – but not everyone agrees with that theory. 'One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she is certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend – the father of her newborn baby – who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more Strike and his business partner Robin delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it is located beside Freemasons' Hall and specialises in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima's boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault. 'As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever.' Galbraith is the pseudonym for Ms Rowling - the author of the hugely-popular Harry Potter Series. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger star as Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott respectively in the Strike TV series Seven books have previously been published in the Strike series, including The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm. The series has been adapted for television, produced by Brontë Film & TV, starring Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger in the leading roles. The series is broadcast by the BBC in the UK.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Murders and mystery: The dark history behind Camp Floyd
FAIRFIELD, Utah () — There's more that meets the eye to an abandoned Civil War-era military base deep in the desert of Utah County, from assassinations to masonry. , now a state park, was once a U.S. military camp that housed the largest concentration of troops at the time. Amid rumors of Mormon rebellion in Utah, President James Buchanan ordered 2,500 soldiers to the area in May 1857. With little to do, soldiers began building watering systems, planting gardens, and even organized a circus. Members of the Army even formed Utah's first Masonic lodge. Many artifacts still remain on the site, including a number of unmarked graves. A marker at the camp's cemetery shows over 40 soldiers died during the camp's short, three-year stint. Many of the soldiers died under suspicious circumstances. At least four men were found murdered, while 20 are believed to have died of disease or illness. Those believed to have been murdered include the following: Private William Bryan, Private Edward O'Hara, Corporal Christian, Otterback, and 1st Sergeant Ralph Pike. Little is known about the deaths; however, records show Pike was assassinated in Salt Lake City on Aug. 14, 1859. These 13 cities are the best places to live in Utah, according to U.S. News Despite records of 44 deaths, a radar scan conducted in 2009 found just 30 burials and one double-burial at the cemetery. The camp was not officially rectified until November of 1858. Within just three years, the base was abandoned due to the outbreak of the Civil War. Camp Floyd historic sites open for Memorial Day (Courtesy: MJ Jewkes) Camp Floyd State Park continues to host each year on Memorial Day. Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will be able to experience camp life through demonstrations like cannon and musket fire. The museum entrance fee is $5 per person and $15 per family. Tours of the historic Stagecoach Inn, which housed many civilians on the base, are also available. Suspects transporting over 100 pounds of marijuana arrested in Summit County Murders and mystery: The dark history behind Camp Floyd UVU to play Oregon in NCAA Tournament Prebiotic sodas becoming more popular, but health claims stir debate 'It's important to remember': Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson joins annual Memorial Day service in Sandy Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Freemasons' Arrowtown story ends
Among the last members of Arrow Kilwinning Lodge are, from left, Edis Embil, Chris Buckley, Gary Lonsdale and Kent Dow. PHOTO: SUPPLIED The curtain has come down on nearly 150 years of Freemasonry in Arrowtown. About 50 Freemasons from throughout Otago and Southland went to the final meeting of the Arrow Kilwinning Lodge in its historic Wiltshire St building on Monday. Its last 10 members will now join their Queenstown counterparts at the Lake Lodge of Ophir, based in their equally historic building in Marine Parade. Member Kent Dow says the loss of Arrow Kilwinning Lodge's identity is sad, but its membership's dwindled to the point where it didn't make sense to continue. "We need to share the load." On the bright side, the move will boost the membership of Lake Lodge of Ophir to about 60. Its numbers are on the rise, sustained by the Whakatipu's growing, multicultural population, Dow says. The Heritage New Zealand-listed Arrowtown lodge building will remain in Freemason hands though, and they're on the hunt for a tenant for its front room to help pay for its ongoing maintenance. The inner room, with its rare, hand-painted friezes and emblems depicting Masonic symbolism, will remain a "sacred space", he says. Fellow member Edis Embil says Arrow Kilwinning Lodge was formed in 1878, with members travelling on horseback from as far away as Skippers, Macetown and Cardrona to attend the monthly meetings. They met at a hotel for a decade until the Wiltshire St building was completed in 1888. Lake Lodge of Ophir was established first, though, with the Marine Parade building completed in 1864, Embil says. The oldest stone building in the resort town, it's also the oldest building in the country still in use by Freemasons. Freemasonry has its origins in the medieval stonemason guilds of Europe, and is the oldest fraternity in the world, he says. "It used to be thought of as a secret society ... it's a little bit more visible and transparent now." Dow says the idea is to "make good men better". "We're taught to be charitable in our personal lives, but we're fortunate to also be charitable as a lodge." In the past two years alone, it's made grants of about $200,000 to local organisations.
American Press
24-05-2025
- General
- American Press
The Informer: Hurricane wreaked havoc on downtown landmark
The Pujo Street entrance of First Baptist Church of Lake Charles, left, is pictured on Jan. 21, 1978. The outside of the church sanctuary today looks quite different after Hurricane Laura hit the area in 2020. First Baptist Church of Lake Charles began its mission in 1880 — long before its congregants had a church building in which to worship. Originally meeting in the homes of its members, the church formally began offering Sunday school services in the two-story framed courthouse on downtown Ryan Street while funds were being raised for the erection of their own house of worship. 'Shortly after the organization of these few faithful and devoted Christians, they began earnestly to concern themselves about the building of a house of worship; this to them was, all things considered, no small undertaking, but firm in their faith and with an indomitable Christian spirit, and believing in the ultimate success of their prayerful efforts, they set about the undertaking,' reads the front page of the Feb. 13, 1908, Lake Charles Daily American. Steadily the membership of the once-small group increased to 400 as their pastor, A.P. Scofield, traveled about town promoting the church and seeking donations to its building fund. 'The work continued with unabated zeal and effort' until 1907 when their funding goal was met. Their next act of business was to lay a cornerstone for their new house of worship at the corner of Hodges and Pujo streets. The ceremony did not get off to a great start. 'By a misunderstanding which has arisen in the past few days the Masons have withdrawn from the task of placing the cornerstone of the new Baptist church and the ceremonies will proceed without their assistance,' reads Lake Charles Daily American. The newspaper said Masonic law requires that every cornerstone laid by the Masonic order bear the emblem of the order and the name of the grand master. 'When the stone arrived from New Orleans it was dressed in accordance with the Masonic law but a number of members of the church objected to the presence of any inscription or insignia on the cornerstone,' the newspaper reported. 'They were therefore chiseled off and following their law the Masons have withdrawn from the exercises altogether.' Ultimately, nine visiting officers 'of high rank' within the Masonic lodge did choose to participate in the ceremony on Feb. 12, 1908, 'making the entire service one of great beauty and interest to the large crowd of spectators assembled to do honor to the event' the newspaper reported. At the ceremony, a membership roll and copies of the Lake Charles Daily American, the Baptist Chronicle and the Orphanage paper were placed inside the stone as 'Nearer My God to Thee' was played by the Louisiana State Band. 'The building was begun in the latter part of 1907 and promises to be one of the handsomest edifices in the state outside of the city of New Orleans,' the newspaper reported. The church they built as lined with stained-glass windows along the interior of the sanctuary and choir loft. Sunshine from a stained glass skylight also shown down on congregants as they lined the wooden pews, hymnals in hand. In 1941, Dr. William L. Stagg Jr. became pastor of the church. Under his ministry a second building fund was initiated with plans to enlarge the facilities due to the growing membership number. The formal dedication of the new building began on Oct. 16, 1957, with a five-day program of services offered. The Gothic-style brick building they would eventually complete had a seating capacity of 700 in its sanctuary. On the outside of the building a stone replica of the Ten Commandments was erected on an overhang of the lobby's entrance. A community workout center, gym, two-story educational building and fellowship hall would later be added. When Hurricane Laura devastated the region on Aug. 27, 2020, First Baptist Church suffered extensive damage — so much so that its congregants had to relocate to another facility. The congregants now meet at 3091 Advent Court in Morganfield. David Shamieh purchased the church in November 2021 for $8 million. 'I hate to see history destroyed,' he told the American Press on Aug. 27, 2024. 'So many people have told me about their memories here, memories of weddings, baptisms and Sunday School lessons as youngsters.' Shamieh said he would like to see the church on the national historical register, and he wants the sanctuary restored to its original lines and materials, right down to the huge and ornate wood and stained glass design over the doors at the Pujo Street main entrance. Shemiah has already renovated part of the church property for an event center.
