Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
Bolton District Archived News

Farnworth Lodge No 5301 Celebrates 75 Years

On 15 th November 2006 Farnworth Lodge No. 5301 celebrated its 75 th anniversary. The meeting was held in two parts. First there was an installation ceremony when the Worshipful Master Bro Kenneth Tyler P.Prov.S.G.W was proclaimed Master for a second year. There followed a short break after which the Lodge re-convened and W. Bro Philip Mountford, Assistant provincial Grand Master and the District Delegation was received. The 75 th Anniversary of Farnworth Lodge was celebrated.

As part of the celebration each member of the Lodge and all the visitors received a copy of the history of the Lodge on a CD. The history had originally been prepared by the Worshipful Master some 16 years previously. It comprised of three parts: The consecration, Masonic work at the original meeting place, The Rawson Arms, and finally the move to their present home Francis Street Masonic Hall now known as ‘Birchfields'

A donation of £850 to the Bolton Hospice was agreed. The purpose of the donation was to purchase some garden furniture and a patio heater for the new garden being built at the Hospice.

The Tyler family have a great tradition of Freemasonry in Farnworth Lodge. Bro Ken Tyler's father, John, was the first Tyler in the Lodge and WM in 144/45. He was followed by his brother, Arthur, and John's son Kenneth who was WM for the first time in 1963/64.. Ken's brother Ernest came next followed by his sons, John and Paul and finally John's sons Jason and Robert. The present Junior Warden is Jason, Kenneth's great nephew and the Senior Deacon is Robert Tyler also kenneth's great nephew bringing the total number of Tylers in office for the year 2006/7 to three. There have been members of the Tyler family in Farnworth Lodge since 1932.