Demonstration teams are popular attractions at lodge and chapter meetings and in recent years a plethora of teams have performed with demonstrations of 18th century degree ceremonies, Scottish degree ceremonies, modern chapter exaltations, ‘Talking Heads’ presentations and many more; not forgetting the Fylde Group Lodge of Instruction Festival.

For this purpose, a gathering of 29 West Lancashire brethren from the Fylde Coast, Southport and Wigan Groups met at Preston station. They were preparing to travel to Freemason’s Hall, Queen’s Street, London as a team with a difference; they were going to the home of United Grand Lodge to demonstrate a West Lancashire installation, for real!

The organiser of the trip was Chris Sage, holder of London Grand Rank and a member of Broadwater Lodge No 9027 that meets at Fleetwood. Chris was also the master elect of the Lodge of St Mary Balham No 3661 that meets at Freemason’s Hall. The team consisted of friends that Chris has made since his move to Blackpool in 2000. The team was going to install one of its own, ‘an honorary northerner’ as one brother put it. As many will know, there are no two lodges that work exactly the same. The team therefore choreographed an eclectic ceremony combining a number of the ‘quirks’ seen in their respective lodges. There were also reserves in the team ready to cover if necessary. Peter Bawden of Broadwater Lodge was one such member who assisted the lodge by acting as their opening inner guard while Mark Allen of Mount Lodge No 6654 was organist throughout the whole event.

The lodge was opened by its master Marios Alexandrou, in the Buckinghamshire Temple. There were six distinguished brethren present. They included Metropolitan Grand Inspector Jeremy Beech who is a Past Senior Grand Deacon; senior visiting officer Jonathan Hillman, accompanied by other grand officers Ronald Worby, George Cody and Barry Payne, with the lodge’s visiting officer Peter Walker, holder of Senior London Grand Rank, present in his official capacity.

The secretary Keith Waddy transacted the business of the lodge with alacrity and the scene was set for the installation ceremony. WM Marios Alexandrou then invited John Deal of the Southport Emulation Lodge No 3675 to occupy the master’s chair. Brian Dicks of Mereside Lodge No 6360 was asked to act as director of ceremonies while Tony Hind and Provincial grand steward of the Province of West Lancashire Jim Finnegan, both also of Mereside Lodge, took over as installing senior and junior wardens respectively. With Ben Clarkson of Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship No 7692 acting as installing inner guard and Darren Shillito of Thornton and Cleveleys Lodge No 3854 becoming chaplain, the team was in place and ready.

The lodge was opened in the second degree and Darren Shillito presented Chris Sage as master elect, after which Chris advanced and recited his obligation. In customary fashion, the lodge was opened in the third degree and the installing officers assumed control. Chris was duly installed according to ancient custom in fine style. Thus installed, Chris invested his predecessor Marios Alexandrou as immediate past master and Marios was presented with a past master’s jewel, with an explanation thereof delivered by Ron Fenton of Hesketh Lodge No 950.

Brethren were admitted in their order of precedence and they saluted and greeted the newly installed master in the appropriate degrees. The working tools in the third degree were explained by Carl Gittins of Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship, those in the second degree by John Brumfield, master of Mereside Lodge and finally Steve Cullen of Southport Emulation Lodge explained the first degree tools.

Glenn O'Brien of Landmark Lodge No 7273 presented the Hall Stone Jewel. This golden jewel on a sky blue collarette was presented to the lodge on 1 December 1926. It serves as recognition that former members of the lodge contributed worthily to the building of, the then new, Freemason’s Hall.

The appointment and investiture of officers of the lodge then followed. The senior warden Andy West and junior warden Jason Reid were placed in their chairs by the installing wardens who explained their gavels, columns, duties and pillars. The remainder of the lodge officers were then invested. The address to the deacons was by Graham Suthers of Blackpool Lodge of Fellowship. The address to the inner guard was by Ben Clarkson, with the address to the stewards given by Jim Finnegan. The principal addresses were then delivered by Walter Daubney of Mereside Lodge, who delivered addresses to both the newly installed master and to the brethren, with Clive Gitsham of Tithebarn Lodge No 8446 delivering the address to the wardens.

A notice of motion in the name of Robert Harvey, the lodge almoner, then proved in favour of £300 being donated to Prostate Cancer and £300 going to the Metropolitan Masonic Charity. Following this a collection of alms raised a very generous sum of £179.

Salutations, which in this lodge occur just before the risings, were extended to the grand officers, receiving a suitable response from Jeremy Beech and to the officers of Metropolitan, Provincial and District Grand Lodges, receiving an informative response by Peter Walker.

The lodge was then closed and the brethren retired to the Dorset Suite at the Grand Connaught Rooms for a fine banquet, during which the toasts appropriate to a London lodge were observed. In response to the toast to holders of Metropolitan, Provincial and District Grand Lodges, Peter Walker observed that the hub of conversation during the meal was a clear indication of the friendly and vibrant effect of this wonderful event. He praised the installation team for an interesting and fascinating ceremony which was so well done, adding that there were pieces of ritual that he had never witnessed before. He concluded by saying that he hoped that the brethren from West Lancashire would return on future occasions.

The toast to the WM was delivered by Marios Alexandrou, He stated that the Lodge of St Mary Balham had installed a great master and added that Chris had done a fine job during the evening and the lodge was looking forward to a successful year in his capable hands. He noted that it was nice to see so many guests present from the north, who added so much to this meeting. He urged Chris to bring his many friends as often as possible. Following this toast the ‘master’s song’ was performed by Arthur Caldicott, to the delight of all.

Chris responded with special thanks for the support of his visiting team. He spoke of the work done to make sure that the ceremony ran smoothly and said that he knew how ‘nervous’ St Mary Balham director of ceremonies Arthur Lewer had been about what the team were going to do, but knew the meeting would go well. Chris advised his audience that 12 West Lancashire lodges had been involved in the team and hoped that everyone had enjoyed the ceremony. He closed by expressing his pleasure to be at a banquet with so many people in attendance.

The toast to the visitors was delivered by Andy West, saying that it had been a splendid night with a brilliant ceremony. He added that it was a treat to see how things are done in West Lancashire and concluded by urging all the visitors to return whenever they could. In response, Mike Fishwick of Sincerity Lodge No 3677 expressed his pleasure at being asked to respond on behalf of the visitors, having been present on a previous occasion that Chris went into the chair. He thanked the members of the lodge for the way they had received the visitors and for providing such a magnificent meal.

In keeping with the West Lancashire theme, the raffle was conducted in the ‘Westhoughton’ fashion by Mark Tomlinson of Thornton and Cleveleys Lodge. With an excellent table of prizes, the numbers were flying. With that extra prize for claiming the last number up for grabs, there was some interesting and amusing bidding in the later stages. The raffle raised the excellent total of £420 which will be donated to Masonic and non-Masonic charities.

After starting the following morning with hearty breakfasts, the team met with Mike Baker, the Director of Communications at Grand Lodge, who treated the team members to a special tour of Freemason’s Hall, including rooms that the general public don’t get to see. The day continued with a boat trip down the Thames to Greenwich. After a fish and chips lunch they removed to the Tower of London where they had a brief walk before moving onto the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub in Fleet Street, which was rebuilt shortly after the Great Fire of London. There has been a hostelry there since 1538. It was in such a historic setting that the team enjoyed a final sojourn before collecting their luggage and catching the train home.

A Past Master from Shropshire has walked a mammoth 11 miles in aid of Masonic charity this autumn – a praiseworthy but not especially remarkable achievement, perhaps, until you realise that the brother concerned, Clive Jones, is completely blind.

Clive, a former Welsh Guardsman and keen Mason, heard that Brethren from his lodge, St Mary’s Lodge No. 8373 were walking from Whitchurch to Market Drayton as part of a series of walks connecting all the lodges of Shropshire. These “Provincial Perambulations” are designed to celebrate and raise funds for Shropshire’s Grand Charity Festival over the next few years, and will culminate in a final grand walk from Shrewsbury to Great Queen Street in 2019.

Clive immediately insisted on being part of the Whitchurch event – indeed, with characteristic good humour he appointed himself official map-reader. Five Brethren set off from the North Shropshire Masonic Rooms on the morning of Sunday, 25th October, and after a brief unplanned diversion soon left the town behind them. After completing the 11.2 mile walk, they rested weary limbs before visiting St Mary’s lodge the following evening. Congratulations went to all of the Brethren who had taken part, but Clive in particular deserves special praise for completing the course in fine style and thereby raising sponsorship for this excellent cause.

At just 34 Simon Dalley was installed as master of Townley-Parker Lodge No. 1032 in the Province of West Lancashire

The lodge is completing its 150th celebratory year with the installation of the lodge's youngest ever master. Attending the installation as the principal guest and representative of the Provincial Grand Master, was the Chairman of Leyland and District Group, Stewart Seddon.

Simon was installed during a well conducted ceremony by Eddie Webster, who had become the ruler of the lodge for the second time in 2014.

Following the installation, Simon presented the Grand Lodge certificates to two of the lodge’s newest members, Joe Kawalski and Gary Mooney.

Simon said: 'I’m hugely honoured to have been given the privilege of becoming master of Townley-Parker Lodge. As for being the youngest ever master, over the last couple of years we’ve seen a surge in younger members and I plan to ensure that I don't hold this title for too long!'

Simon is a Lewis mason (son of a mason), having been proposed into the Craft by his father – a member of the lodge for almost 40 years. His great grandfather was also a member of the lodge. Since his raising ceremony in 2009, Simon has worked his way through all of the progressive offices.

Eddie Webster commented: 'I’m really proud to see Simon take the master’s chair. I seconded him into the lodge and I’ve seen him grow and develop during his time as a Freemason and I think he’s a real credit to our lodge, the Province and to the Craft in general and I’m confident he’ll be a brilliant worshipful master.'

Less than two years ago Townley-Parker Lodge had entered amalgamation talks with other lodges. Over the last two seasons however, a number of new members have joined the lodge and the lodge has benefited from a number of returning and joining members and the members are looking forward to their bicentenary.

On 30th November 2015, the Leicestershire and Rutland Lodge of Installed Masters No. 7896, which meets at Freemasons’s Hall, Leicester, received a lecture on the ‘Masonic Echoes in Gilbert and Sullivan’ by W Bro David Hughes.

W Bro David is someone rather well qualified to deliver it as not only is he a well known masonic researcher and current Master of the Lodge of Research No. 2429, but he has a long 'performing pedigree' in the Savoy Operas having commenced his on-stage life with them in 1961 at his school in Dudley. He subsequently went on to be a leading member of both the Liverpool and Cambridge University G and S Societies, and later becoming a regular stage director of the Operas in Leicester.

W Bro Hughes began by outlining the masonic careers of both Gilbert and Sullivan. Gilbert originally joined a masonic lodge in Scotland while he was a volunteer officer in Aberdeen, while Sullivan was initiated most appropriately into the Lodge of Harmony No. 255. Both were subsequently exalted into the Royal Arch and perfected in the Ancient and Accepted Rite.

Sadly, the masonic influence on the works of "G and S" have been neglected by their biographers, though most recently the tide seems to have turned in this respect, especially with regard to Sullivan where it is increasingly accepted that his membership of the Craft had an influence on all his output, and certainly assisted in moulding his character and conduct. It must also be remembered that Sullivan was a unique figure in English Freemasonry, being the only holder of Grand Rank as a Rosette appointment – but he did have friends in very high places in the person of the MW Grand Master His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

W Bro Hughes demonstrated that there are explicit masonic references in The Grand Duke of 1896, where one character states 'we are all tiled here'. Then in the Song of the Sausage Roll, reference is made to the giving and receiving of signs whereby one brother learns he may fully trust another.

However, it is rather through Gilbert's use of Topsy-Turvey arguments that the allusions become more plain. Gilbert used a dramatic method whereby everything is turned on its head so that it becomes its own opposite. Thus good is bad, bad is good, day is night and night is day, vice is virtue and virtue is vice and so on. By this means Gilbert constructs his satires. In The Grand Duke the Masonic satire hinges on a touring company of actors planning to overthrow a minor German prince. Thus Freemasonry which is most certainly not about the seizure of political power and the advancement of the private interests of its members is turned on its head to become exactly the opposite of itself.

Similarly in Ruddigore of 1887, masonic ritual is parodied both in words and music in telling the tale of a man who is condemned by an ancient curse to commit a crime each day or perish in agony which 'gets worse by degrees', inflicted on him by his ghostly ancestors who form a mock lodge for the purpose of making him make, not a daily advancement in masonic knowledge, but a daily descent into a life of crime and wrongdoing. Once again our beneficial and moral order is turned on its head to become its exact opposite for the purposes of satire.

At the close of the meeting, the Master of the lodge, W Bro Ian Johnson, thanked W Bro Hughes for an enlightening and entertaining talk.

During the summer barbecue held by Granite Lodge No. 2028 at the home of W Bro Mark Stewart-Halford, guests were encouraged to purchase a helium balloon which would be set free with a tag attached asking the finder to contact the lodge via its website.

Guests old and young were eager to try their luck and keen to see how far the balloons would go.

After the barbecue, results started to come in of balloon sightings, starting in Lincolnshire and then all the way out to Belgium in the North Sea.

Nothing however prepared the lodge to expect the farthest distance travelled, over 1,000 miles to Kullaberg in Sweden where a local diver, Mr Ian Fernheden spotted one of the balloons underwater on one of his dives. The moment the diver found the balloon underwater can be seen here: Granite Lodge balloon find.

The day raised over £1,000 for the Master's chosen charity, the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Token of thanks

Hertfordshire Freemason Keith Townsend of Ravenscroft Chapter, No. 2331, has presented a cheque for £1,300 to Luton and Dunstable Hospital Trust in thanks for the care he received following two heart attacks. Since 2014 Keith has been attending the hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation unit, which works to build heart strength following cardiac arrest.

Sci-fi convention supports little havens

Nick Joseph has presented a cheque for £1,200 to Little Havens Hospice in Essex on behalf of Leyton Grange Park Lodge, No. 5473. The money was raised during the Romford Essex Sci-Fi Charity Convention in July, which was organised by Nick with help from members of the lodge. 

Victorian snuff box returns home

Mark Littler is an auctioneer and valuer at Tennants Auctioneers in Yorkshire. He was consigned a Victorian silver snuff box with an inscription relating to Phoenix Lodge of Saint Ann, No. 1235, in Buxton, Derbyshire, which was given to its first Master, John Millward. 

Thanks to Mark, of Thornborough Lodge, No. 6434, Leyburn, Phoenix Lodge of Saint Ann Secretary Henry Kukuewicz came to the auction and successfully bid for the item. In its archives, the lodge has the minutes from the meeting when the box was presented to Millward. The snuff box features his name and the date of the expiration of his year in office, 19 February 1870. 

Globe Chapter milestone

The sesquicentenary celebrations of Globe Chapter, No. 23, have taken place at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street. The chapter started life in 1865 as Panmure Chapter, No. 720, but in 1914 was unusually allowed to change to its current name and number.

Everyone present at the celebration received a copy of the chapter’s history written by member Richard Gan, who also gave a talk, after which the 50 or so companions dined together in Globe tradition at one very large table. 

During its long existence the chapter has had 373 members, only 33 of whom have come from Panmure Lodge and 77 from Globe Lodge. The remaining members have had no affiliation to either, which has been one of the chapter’s strengths.

Lodge gets on board in Poole

A cheque for £1,000 has been presented to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Poole from the Grand Charity Relief Chest of Public Schools Installed Masters’ Lodge, No. 9077. This donation was part of the Master’s List raised by the lodge during Lt Cdr James King’s year as lodge Master and was received by Will Collins, an RNLI employee and volunteer member of the Poole lifeboat. 

‘Mr Seafront’ honoured

A Brighton bus has been dedicated to Sussex mason Andy Durr, a former mayor and councillor. On his death at the end of 2014, Andy left a lasting legacy to Brighton that few councillors will ever surpass. He had the idea of revitalising the seafront between the piers, leading to the council restoring the lower esplanade. The work took place in the 1990s, with Andy dubbed Mr Seafront. 

As well as being a Labour councillor, Andy was a lecturer at the University of Brighton, a member of the West Pier Trust, and founder of the fishing museum. In 2000 he became mayor and welcomed HM The Queen to the Royal Pavilion. 

French lessons in Jersey

The Masonic Classic Vehicle Club has made an annual visit to Jersey for eight years, each time touring the island in vintage and classic cars, as well as enjoying a fraternal visit to Loge La Césarée, No. 590. Of the 11 lodges meeting at Stopford Road in St Helier, Loge La Césarée is the only one that conducts its ritual in French. The La Césarée songbook includes many World War II songs and the visitors joined in with gusto on their latest visit. 

Circuit breaker

Dave Binch, 45, of Elliott Lodge, No. 8569, relived his youth at the annual TT motorbike event on the Isle of Man to raise funds for charity. The father of two from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has raised more than £13,000 for Cancer Research UK and the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB).

The former semi-professional rider reached speeds of 150mph around the 37.73-mile circuit. Hours later, he ran the entire course in eight-and-a-quarter hours, which included tackling a 2,034-foot mountain at 2am. Nottinghamshire Provincial Grand Master Keith Dalrymple presented him with a cheque for more than £1,500 and further funds came from the Manx Hamond Chapter Rose Croix to go to the RMTGB.

W Bro Alan Hurdley of the Lodge of the Argonauts No. 8210, meeting in Leicester, had a very unusual guest at their recent meeting on the 1st December 2015, one that has united the two brethren from different Provinces.

W Bro Alan Hurdley met with his namesake W Bro Alan Hurdley from Prince of Wales Lodge No. 2520 which meets in the Province of Yorkshire, West Riding.

The meeting came about when W Bro Alan Hurdley from Yorkshire contacted W Bro Alan Hurdley after noticing the similarity in their names whilst using ADelphi 2, the United Grand Lodge of England's membership system. While not directly related, it seems that the two possibly share an ancestor originating from the village of Hurdley in Powys, Wales.

Both W Bro Hurdley’s enjoyed the evening in each other’s company and may well be the start of many visits between the two as members of the Craft.

Ian Mould was born in Bedfordshire and has lived there all his life and his father, Gordon Mould, is a Freemason and member of the Old Dunstablians’ Lodge No. 5974. 

From an early age Ian has been inspired by military, history and as a young boyscout he regularly went to the local war memorial in November each year. This ignited Ian’s interest in the Bedfordshire Regiment. Though a small county, Bedfordshire had its own infantry regiment in WW1 which, after the war, was joined with Hertfordshire and then in 1958 both were absorbed into the Anglia Regiment.

Ian has been visiting the Western Front for 20 years and was struck by the peace of the area in what was once the most violent place on earth.

Ian realised that though the Bedfordshire Regiment sacrificed so much so gallantly, there was no Western Front memorial to the regiment. He worked tirelessly raising monies by asking most parish and town councils, organisations, clubs and businesses in the county for contributions, built a mock up memorial and took it to various shows and fêtes.

Having raised sufficient funds, Ian started to order materials. Bedfordshire being famous for its brick making, it seemed appropriate that it should be constructed mainly from Bedfordshire bricks and Portland stone.

The Keep, which is the Bedfordshire Provincial Office, was originally the headquarters of the Bedfordshire Regiment, so to maintain the link, there is one brick from the Keep with a plaque giving its origin and connection.

His first achievement was to find a fitting place for the memorial which would be widely accepted, and it was agreed to erect the memorial at Tyne Cot, along the pathway to the visitors centre.

With the help of friends, the memorial was built in early November 2014 in time for the WW1 centenary.

The memorial was unveiled on the morning of 10th November 2014 as part of the WW1 centenary commemorations with representatives of the Anglian Regiment, the War Graves Commission, local dignitaries, friends and family, 100 years and one day from the meeting of the two battalions at Locre, as depicted in the painting in the main bar at the Keep.

A wreath was also laid at the memorial at Locre to commemorate that event.

The memorial site was donated free of charge by the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 and will be looked after by them in perpetuity.

IN MEMORY
OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN
OF THE
BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT
1914 – 1918
LET THOSE THAT COME AFTER
SEE THAT THEIR NAMES
ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

After visiting a number of other lodges whiles they were all very friendly the meeting days did not suite my work and when I was getting up at 4am to go to work lodges that met Monday to Thursday were not suitable for me. I visited Lodge University of Sydney Rose Criox Chapter and their Recorder Bob Lions invited me to visit his lodge, Lodge University of Sydney No. 544 which meets at the Sydney Masonic Centre on the 3rd Friday in the month.

This is an unusual lodge by the members own admission. It prides itself on not being stuffy and formal. While it recruits the students and past students from the university it will take graduates from other universities. It always has taken students and 18 years of age has always been the minimum initiation age. This bears a resemblance to the current universities scheme that some may be aware of. The lodge meets eleven times a year which is not unusual here. On top of that it has a hectic social schedule, including bare foot bowls!

The summons will show a few offices which most will not be familiar with. Wine maker is an office quickly identified. I am still not sure what they do!

The members quickly spot a new face and soon introduce themselves. Everyone wears light blue even the GM. This is because they do not have undress dark blue and the dark blues are worn only at installation visiting grand lodge or representing the district or grand lodge. Also, to cope with the heat in summer, the dress code is Dinner Jackets or a White Eaton Jacket. On Installation evenings or group visits (called a ‘Fraternal’) they wear academic gowns.

They sing different odes for opening and closing of each degree but I only recognised one. The visitors then paraded.

The Festive Board or “The South” as it called is very informal with various round tables and no top table. It is all very informal and they all sing the university song in Latin!

It is all good fun, different, but shows Masonry is universal and the differences translate to different locations and cultures. Lodge University of Sydney is a young vibrant growing city lodge and friendly with a capital F.

We all know that white weddings can be eye-wateringly expensive and the real cost may turn out to be double the first number you might think of!

When Bro Andy Gough and his bride-to-be Maria started to plan their wedding, they decided on three crucial features: the wedding was going to be white, it had to be local so that their family and friends could attend, and they wanted charity to benefit. So began a most unusual story as members of Andy’s lodge and their partners turned their hands to wedding planning.

No need to hire a wedding limousine, a photographer, pay for flower arrangements or wedding invitation cards – the Caer Caradoc Lodge No. 6346 family simply rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in. Andy’s mum made the wedding cake and a local pub turned its premises over to the couple for the day.

On Saturday, 9th May 2015, Andy and Maria tied the knot before fifty family members and friends at St Peter’s Church in the quiet parish of Rushbury, near Church Stretton. Later on, over two hundred guests joined the happy couple at the nearby Swan public house to keep the celebrations going. Something was still missing though.

Wedding presents were conspicuously absent – no attractively gift-wrapped boxes and packages in sight. Instead, there were some envelopes. Both Andy and Maria had asked their guests to make a charitable donation in lieu of giving them wedding gifts, so raising £1,000 towards the Shropshire 2019 Grand Charity Festival.

As Maria explained: 'Andy and I couldn’t believe how much help and kindness we received from lodge members and their ladies in making our wedding day so special and memorable – it was fantastic.

'Without any hesitation, we both agreed that our wedding gift donations should go to Shropshire’s 2019 Festival Appeal. Freemasonry has come to mean a lot to us both – Andy really enjoys the meetings – his enthusiasm just keeps growing. I enjoy the social side - it’s not just that the ladies get together for supper on lodge nights, but that everyone really cares. Shortly before our wedding I had to go into hospital for an operation – during my recovery someone from the lodge called me every day to wish me well – it cheered me up no end!'

It was straight back to work after the wedding – Andy who runs his one-man plant management and services business is busy working on the M54 extension to the new Jaguar Land Rover factory. Maria, who occasionally drives a coach, is also devoted to her job as a minibus driver for Shropshire County Council, transporting Special Needs children.

With a small amount of feminine persuasion, Andy consented to taking a week off in December for a belated honeymoon break in Turkey. And where did they find their holiday of a lifetime? Where else but in the pages of Freemasonry Today!

Forget-Me-Not charity set up by Freemason brothers to help the homeless

The adjective term of a ‘down and out’ person relates to a person being without money, a job, or a place to live, in fact quite destitute. This form of destitution is clearly apparent and seen on many of the UK city centre streets, under many highways and by-ways. The term ‘objective’ relates to ‘a thing aimed at or sought a goal’, conjoin these two terms and in this case is where the needy become quite literally, served by some good.

Ezra McGowan of Hand and Heart Lodge No. 4109 and his brother Nathan, a former Freemason in a London lodge but soon to be a joining member of a West Lancashire lodge, through their travels have seen many situations in our city streets and in particular Manchester, Peterborough and London where people were and clearly still are, just living in tents and makeshift cardboard box homes or just sleeping rough and in fact quite destitute and many through no fault of their own.

Two years ago, Ezra along with his brother took an objective decision to try to support these unfortunate individuals and to give some support by way of warm food, warm clothing and in the really destitute circumstances what Ezra refers to as crisis packs which contain, a hat, gloves, sandwich, drink and male or female specific toiletries. Ezra initially purchased what he refers to as a burger van which he had inspected and passed by the authorities for distribution of hot soup and other food.

Between the brothers, they then set up trailers for use in the Manchester, Peterborough and London areas which is where they distribute today. They proudly display the square and compass on their trailers and on their hats, of which they are frequently asked about their significance to which Ezra responds it’s about helping others and helping people to realise themselves.

When Ezra was asked for his reasons and his experiences for their work, he said: 'I have been blessed in life with family and business; I have also been privileged to have the total enjoyment of support from within Freemasonry.' Ezra refers to his lodge as a wonderful friendly experience and he said it’s time he and his brother gave something back into society and he saw the homeless and those very much less fortunate people as a way to do exactly that.   

Ezra’s experiences transmit quite a stark vivid realisation of what it is actually like to be in such a social disposition that affects all are all faiths. He estimates in his own experience that there are less than five women to every 50 males. There can be threatening situations and sees people having to move from location to location. He said that in one recent scenario a man and wife had lost their home, business and everything associated with family and were living in a derelict shop doorway – this is why he helps.

The brothers also assist in supplying provisions to local shelter homes and an outreach men’s home in Salford, Manchester and more recently supported both the local Women’s Institute and PROBUS meetings at Urmston Masonic Hall in providing coffee, tea, biscuits and chocolates.    

Currently self-funded, Ezra along with his brother have recently set up a registered charity, numbered 1164359 which is called The Forget-Me-Not Trust and hope that any further donations they can obtain will assist those who are in dire need. They have a website too which is: http://theforgetmenottrust.org.uk

At a recent Hand and Heart Lodge Christmas ladies to dine evening, a presentation of £50 was donated towards the charity and a forget-me-not raffle raised a further £110 with a further donation of £20 from a very moved lady, Ezra responded by thanking the lodge members and their ladies for such fine support saying he was most humbled and quite taken by the support and said that the donation will go such a long way in feeding a lot of people on these forthcoming, cold winter nights.    

Fleetwood Freemasonry

Freemasonry has flourished in Fleetwood for over 152 years and can trace its roots on the local scene back to 1863 when its oldest lodge, Hesketh Lodge No. 950, named after the town’s founder, was formed.

Bob Boal, who has been a Fleetwood mason for over 23 years, recently gave an account of the organisation’s history and its firm place in Fleetwood to the Fleetwood Weekly News:

Freemasons believe in an ethical approach to life. Our values are based on integrity, kindness, honesty and fairness.

Members are urged to regard family as paramount. However, Freemasonry also teaches and practices concern for people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need.

Fleetwood masons are proud of our reputation for helping others particularly in the communities where we live and work.

Fleetwood and Cleveleys masons belong to the North Fylde Group of Freemasons, one of 22 groups which form the masonic Province of West Lancashire and meet in 25 lodges, seven of which are at Fleetwood.

Last year local MP Eric Ollerenshaw and the Mayor and Mayoress of Wyre John and Linda Hodgkinson joined with North Fylde Group Masons to meet the representatives of 40 local charities to hear how these organisations in turn gave assistance to the community across a very broad spectrum of needy and worthwhile causes.

They saw donations totalling £29,273 handed over to Fylde and Wyre good causes during the group’s ‘giving day’ at which the Mayor said he was astounded on hearing about the amounts given to and received by charities working in the community by local Freemasons.

Funding of worthy causes by Fleetwood masons comes from the members themselves through a variety of fund raising events and not as a result of ‘tin rattling’.

Organisations such Trinity Hospice and its junior wing Brian House, Rosemere Cancer Trust, Blue Skies Hospital Fund, Red Marsh School, Scouts and Guides, Fleetwood Sea Cadets, the RNLI, the Air Ambulance, Coastwatch, Fleetwood Carnival, Fleetwood Parkinson’s Support Group, Hug in a Bag, Streetlife, Donna’s Dream House, Blesma, the RSPCA and Fleetwood Christmas Lights are just some of the local good causes which have received donations ranging from £50 to £5,000.

Fleetwood Masonic Hall on the Esplanade, where Fleetwood masons meet, as a building has had a chequered history since the original property was first built c1847. Then it was a private house known as ‘The Towers’ (one tower still remains).

In 1945 it became Fleetwood Orphanage and Children’s Home and remained as such until the orphanage closed in 1954 having given scores of Fleetwood children an especially fine start in life.

Local masons – up until 1955 when the building was acquired – formerly met in local hotels and public houses but as a result of unsatisfactory service and terms were on the lookout for a building which could be adapted as a masonic hall, as in those post war years there was a long membership waiting list and it was anticipated that there would have to be an increase in the number of lodges meeting in Fleetwood.

Hesketh Lodge received approval to pay a deposit of £240 for the purchase of the building, and fortunately and co-incidentally had received a legacy of £300 from the estate of a former member.

Massive structural alterations took place under the guidance of local architect James Rawlinson who was a member of Hesketh and though the premises were initially quite spartan without floor covering – or even a bar – the work went ahead and the hall was opened on Thursday March 1956 with all due ceremony, though the celebratory banquet was held at the Marine Hall later that same day.

No time was lost in founding another lodge to join the then existing lodges of Hesketh, Fleetwood and Mount to accommodate members who had been on the waiting list and Pharos Lodge No. 7421 was founded on April 10 1956 followed by Wyre Lodge on November 10 1960. Almost 22 years elapsed before Broadwater Lodge was founded on September 23 1982.

Over the intervening years many improvements have been made to the hall to make it a comfortable and enjoyable environment for members to meet. These improvements are ongoing and it is the aim of the Hall Committee to continue the development of the hall for many years to come and extend its use as a venue for private functions for others to enjoy.

Fleetwood masons gladly join in many of the community activities in the town and recently were represented at the Remembrance Sunday parade, laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in memory of members who have fallen in conflict. Over the summer months they joined in the Scarecrow Festival and Fleetwood in Bloom with displays at their Esplanade base.

Fleetwood Masonic Hall has opened its doors for the past five years during Heritage Open Week giving visitors and local people the opportunity to take a tour of the building.

Visitors who have been especially welcome have been many Fleetwood children, now adults, who spent a happy childhood at the orphanage and who have returned and given ringing endorsements, music to the ears of the hall committee, on the care which has been taken of their former home.

There was a big surprise for one member of an East Kent Lodge, when a very special visitor made an unexpected visit to present a long service certificate.

Members of Rochester Castle Lodge No.9260 had gathered at the Stanley Rooms in Chatham on February 3rd to celebrate Frank Holding’s 60 years in Freemasonry. So popular is Frank that the meeting had to be moved from the usual venue, in order to accommodate almost 70 brethren who had booked in for this very special occasion.

The Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Peter Williams, arrived as expected and was admitted into the lodge to deliver Frank’s award. However, a few moments later there was an unexpected knock at the door. A  “Friend you will know” was announced.

To (almost) everyone’s surprise the unexpected guest was non other than Provincial Grand Master, Geoffrey Dearing. Lodge Secretary Roy Goodhew had discreetly arranged this special visitor and had managed to keep it a secret from everyone else in the lodge.

Retired farmer Frank was “dumbfounded and delighted” to receive such an honour and felt spurred on to lead the rest of the meeting. This included Passing Jake Rowan, during which Frank was ably assisted by Jake’s Father Ian.

“We were delighted to make this such a special evening for Frank.” said Roy. “He was our founding Master and has always been a driving force in the lodge. He is a fine ritualist and one of the kindest men you could hope to meet. As an example, rather than accepting a personal gift for his long service, he asked for a pair of commemorative wands to be purchased for the lodge to use.”

On presenting the certificate, Geoffrey Dearing gave a retrospective of Frank’s life and distinguished masonic career, including a look back at World events from 1955, the year he became a Freemason.

Following the meeting and a fine festive board, Frank went home happy and still somewhat pleasantly shocked by the events of the evening. One member remarked “It was a great night. We were all totally surprised when the PGM walked in, everyone’s jaws hit the floor!”