Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
City Starkie District News

 

Broken Column Dinner

Monday 19 May 2008 saw Manchester Masons host their annual Broken Column Dinner at the Freemasons Hall in Manchester. About 160 widows and their escorts sat down to an excellent dinner after being received at a reception in the Goulburn Lodge Room.

The entertainment this year was provided by two of the Houghton Weavers and everyone agreed it was excellent. Apparently they have been booked for next year already.

Pictured in the centre facing the camera is Len Hayes, the organiser, and to the far left of the picture the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro Martin Caller.

An event like this does not happen overnight; a lot of work went into it. The masons of Manchester are extremely grateful to Len Hayes, Bill Pye, Brian Durkin, Keith Hatton, and all those who gave of their time to make this a truly excellent evening for our Lodge widows.

The cost of such an evening is borne by the Districts of Manchester who raise their funds through the social events they arrange. All Manchester Masons are urged to support these events in anyway they can - primarily by attending - but by donation if not. However, all Masons and their friends are invited to these events wherever they live in the Province.

Townley Parker Lodge No 1083  30th April 2008.

On this evening we initiated Mr Rana Prithvi David a 23 year old Lewis whose father is a member of Montford Lodge, No. 249, under the jurisdiction of United Grand Lodge of India, which is recognised by the UGLE, and is a Provincial officer in the Southern India District of Yercaud, near to Madras.

Ranas   father, WBro Asa  J. David PAsstRGIG had always dream’nt of the day his son would be initiated into Freemasonry. His own father  was a Grand Officer in India. However because Rana had settled in England where he was working after graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, it was a matter of would it be India or England. Fortunately  Rana had become friends through his local church with the ADC of Townley Parker Lodge WBro Ian Blaylock, where their conversations had included Freemasonary. After discussions with the Lodge secretary  and more importantly his father, Rana decided to join an English Lodge, as he felt he would be able to attend more meetings and would be able to give more to the order.

WBro Asa David travelled from India to be present at the ceremony resplendent in his Grand Lodge of India Provincial Regalia. The meeting was attended by nearly 40 brethren followed by an excellent social board which both father and son enjoyed immensely. Proposing the toast to his son, Asa said how proud he was, not only to see his son initiated into Freemasonry, but also to attend an English lodge, which had made his trip a memorable one. Asa is staying for  a few more days in England before travelling back home to India but will be returning next February for Rana’s 3rd Degree ceremony.

From left to right: WBro  Asa J David (father) Bro Rana Prithvi David (candidate) WBro Bob Sharples PProvSGD (WM)
and WBro Rick  Kenyon (IPM) who conducted the ceremony.

Provincial Grand Master's Visit

The Provincial Grand Master accompanied by a Provincial Delegation, including APGM W.Bro Martin S Caller, visited City Sykes and City Starkie Districts on Friday 28th March 2008.

 

The event was hosted by Cornucopia Lodge No. 4553 of City Sykes District.  Around 60 brethren saw Bro. Stephen Morris of Cornucopia Lodge passed to the Second Degree, in a fine ceremony conducted by the Worshipful Master, Bro. Roy Chapman. The Lodge was presented with artefacts from the now closed, Lancastrians Lodge, by W.Bro Jim Fallon. The Provincial Grand Master received two cheques on behalf of ELMC.


The Provincial Grand Master was able to meet a number of brethren during pre-dinner drinks, and was entertained at the dinner by the newly passed brother, Stephen Morris, and a number of other junior brethren.  In his address, the Provincial Grand Master stressed the importance of the initiative re mentoring in the long term future of the Order.

 

District Representatives’ Newsletter – March 2008   

The Provincial Grand Master will be visiting Cornucopia Lodge on Friday 28 March 2008 to meet as many newly initiated, passed and raised brethren of Starkie and Sykes District Lodges as possible. Masters and Wardens of Lodges and Lodge Mentors are particularly asked to accompany their junior brethren and all freemasons will be welcome. Please ensure that your Lodge will be represented that evening by contacting Cornucopuia Lodge Secretary, W.Bro Bill Bell on 01925 264 696 or bill.bell@onetel.com

A new Communications Officer has been appointed for Manchester, succeeding Mike Birks, and has taken over the role from March 1st.  He is Stephen Hancock, currently Secretary of Justice Lodge, and he can be reached at 6 Garrowby View, Stamford Bridge, York  YO41 1LP, on 01759 371445  and  07939 161974  and shh@talktalk.net.  We trust you will give him the same support you have given Mike by continuing to send items of interest and especially photographs for publication in City News, the Deacon and on the Web.

Arkscroll Lodge No. 6594 was formally launched at an impressive ceremony on 6th March in the presence of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Very Worshipful Brother Dr Nigel Graham Bramley-Howarth, together with a Provincial Deputation and over 100 brethren. The new Lodge is an amalgamation of Ark Lodge No 6594 and Scroll Lodge No. 7395 and is the culmination of many months of careful planning. We wish Arkscroll, now the newest Lodge in the Province, a long and secure future. The Lodge has a busy few weeks ahead with the Installation meeting fixed for 19th March and the first delightful task for the new Master will be to oversee the 50th Masonic Birthday celebrations of W.Bro. Henry Donn, PPrJGW on 3rd April.

Reservations for the “Not Another Sportsman’s Dinner – Comedians Only” on Thursday, 10 April 2008 are encouraging but there are still places available. You will recall that this event is open both Masons and their non Masonic guests and proceeds will be used to fund the Broken Column Evening and other Masonic Charities.

A Giving Evening is being organised to give Lodges the opportunity of personally presenting their Charitable donations to representatives of those charity.  This will take place on Friday 9 May 2008.  It is hoped that the publicity generated by the event will reflect well on the Craft and stimulate some interest in the media.  Lodges  interested in participating should contact their District Secretary in the first instance and details will be forwarded as they become available.

The Manchester Masons’ Care in the Community project supporting ADAS is now well under way with a total of 24 volunteers committed to helping this small local Charity by giving practical assistance in refurbishing properties for clients of the Charity. A property in Levenshulme was completely redecorated between November 2007 and January 2008 and we are now awaiting our next challenge. A very big thank you to those volunteers who took part and if there are more brethren who are prepared to demonstrate the caring face of Freemasonry in our community, or would like further information about the project, please contact any of the Starkie District Team.

We are constantly looking out for interesting stories about what is going on in Lodges.  The Deacon is the voice of the province, the City Mason the voice of the City and the website our face on the world.  Items of interest, particularly including photographs, should be channelled through Steve Hancock, our Communications Officer, who will submit them to the several editors.  Steve can be contacted on 01759 371 445  shh@talktalk.net.  And if something interesting is happening in the future you can publicise it on www.masonicnews.co.uk.

The viability of most publications depends upon advertising and the Deacon is no exception.  Should you wish to advertise your business to every mason in the Province then please contact Brian Durkin 01925 763073 briandurkin@btconnect.com .

Tuesday 13 May 2008 is the date of the annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter, one of the more colourful events on the Masonic calendar, to be held at St George’s Hall, Blackburn, and all companions are welcome to attend.

 

 

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