Consolidation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AMALGAMATIONS

1. My Lodge is in difficulty due to falling numbers, how do we contact an Amalgamation Co-ordinator so that we can discus the options open to us?

Answer:
The initial enquiry and request should be made from the Lodge to the APGM via your District Chairman; a co-ordinator will then be appointed and the Provincial Secretariat advised.

2. Can we amalgamate with a Lodge in another District?
Answer:
Yes, but the negotiations must involve the APGM’s for both Districts who will appoint a single co-ordinator acceptable to all parties.

3. Does the older Lodge become the first named in the new name for the Lodge?

Answer:
Not necessarily. For example, when Corinthian Lodge No 3767 (the Daughter Lodge) joined St John’s Lodge No 221 (the Mother Lodge) the members of both Lodges were agreeable to the name and number of the “new” Lodge becoming
Corinthian Lodge No 221. This shows that whilst the larger Lodge, Corinthian, was willing to amalgamate in order to preserve its Mother Lodge it was also anxious to preserve its identity in the form of its name.

4. Does the size of membership, e.g. a stronger Lodge, assume the role of the dominant partner?

Answer:
Not necessarily. Please see the answer above. In some cases the mother-daughter relationship must be acknowledged and in all cases careful consideration should be given to the age of the Warrants and the prestige of the lower number.

5. Chains:
Does the amalgamated Lodge adopt one WM’s chain or could they be worn on alternate evenings, similarly with the WM’s apron etc.?

Answer:
The WM should always wear the chain of the Receiving Lodge. The chain of the Closing Lodge could either be worn at the same time by the IPM or, if preferred, by the WM at the Social Board.

5a. Chains (continued):
When three or more Lodges amalgamate into a fourth receiving Lodge can the WM’s collars of the closed Lodges be worn by the IPM and the Senior and Junior Wardens?

Answer:
Yes, provided the relevant Collar Jewels are attached.

6. Past Masters:
Do they need to assimilate the respective PMs’s into some pecking order, likewise master masons who may be in office and working their way towards the chair of K.S?

Answer:
Yes. They should be taken strictly in date order for the combined membership of both merging Lodges i.e. date of Initiation for MM’s and date of Installation for IPM’s, irrespective of which Lodge.

6a. Past Masters (continued):
Are they each able to celebrate anniversaries that they have may have reached had they remained separate (e.g. Lodge A – 48 years, Lodge B – 95 years – so in two years time the new Lodge will celebrate the Lodge A’s Golden Jubilee and in five years time the new Lodge will celebrate the B’s Centenary)?

Answer:
No. Henceforth they can only celebrate the anniversaries of the Receiving Lodge – hence the greater importance of careful consideration under items 3 and 4 above. It would be up to them if they “unofficially” acknowledge the more
important anniversaries of the “former” Lodge(s) e.g. Centenaries and the like, by a special private dinner or some such event. Personal 50th’s and 60th’s would be unaffected, provided the individual Mason’s membership of the Craft/Province remained uninterrupted.

7. Will matters of ritual and Lodge procedure have to be agreed by the members?

Answer:
Yes. This should be negotiated in a generous spirit of “give-and-take” so that the nuances of ritual dear to both parties can continue to be observed where practical and provided they do not cause needless controversy. [If agreement
cannot be reached on any particular oddity – which is very unlikely–stick to the ritual as written]. At the same time, opportunity could be taken to clear away any inexplicable “tradition”, introduced by some long forgotten DC that now merely causes irritation and bewilderment, especially to young newcomers.

8. Would the new Lodge assume responsibility for the widows and other dependant’s, etc., of all amalgamated Lodges?

Answer:
Yes: This would be expected of them and they should treat the Closing Lodge’s widows precisely the same as their own. To acknowledge this, the Closing Lodge should be prepared to transfer some of their Charity Account to that of
the Receiving Lodge [bearing in mind that henceforth the joining members will be making their contributions to the combined Charity Account in the same way as the original members]. The Almoner of the Receiving Lodge will need to write to the in-coming widows to explain carefully the new situation. It is suggested that a member of the Closing Lodge, preferably their former Almoner, accompanies him on his first visits.

9. Honours:
Could the Province be slightly more generous through it’s honours policy via Petitions, Discretionary Collars and Promotions?

Answer:
No. Fewer Lodges mean fewer honours to share around. However, with the strict date order contemplated in item 4 there should be no likelihood of preference creeping in.  Nevertheless, it should be clear that all may have to wait just a little longer [either for progression through the Lodge Offices to the Chair, or for Provincial honours].  Promotions in Provincial honours should be governed by merit anyway and are never guaranteed. The ceremony to celebrate the merger of two or more Lodges, denominated the Amalgamation/Unification Ceremony, is designed to emphasise the
“one-ness” after the coming together. It is a symbolic kind of re-birth whereby all the members of the newly formed body are equal in their unity. Thus, when the ceremony is being planned care must be taken that as many members of the
Lodges involved participate and that the Offices of the new Lodge are shared between them. This is particularly important where there are Junior Brethren to ensure that those from both sources are properly progressed. This is where the
“engagement period” is so important, since it gives the opportunity for the assessment of individual strengths and potentials to take place. Any hint of “us” and “them” must be avoided and rapidly stopped if in danger of arising.

9a. Honours (continued):
What happens about future recommendations for Provincial honours or promotions?

Answer:
Problems in this area should not materialise in practice. Due to reduced numbers, many members of one or all Lodges will probably already be Provincial Officers, or they wouldn’t need to merge. A combined list of PM’s from both sources showing which month/year they went through the Chair should readily define seniority in time, assuming all other factors are equal. A similar list of Provincial Officers will equally show time-seniority, when promotions are considered and the same system can be employed for MM’s “going up the ladder”. It is stressed, though, that “Buggins Turn” is not the sole criterion – work done, dedication etc, must also feature large.

10. Officers of the continuing Lodge:
What happens to the Master and the Elected Treasurer of the continuing/receiving Lodge?

Answer:
The Installed Master and the Elected Treasurer of the receiving Lodge must continue in office until the next Installation. If members of the Closing Lodge were also members of the Receiving Lodge, then appropriate recommendations could then be made at the business meeting when the elections for Master and Treasurer are made.

10a. Officers of the continuing Lodge (continued):
What about the other Officers?

Answer:
Substitutions may be made in all other offices equally between all sources. This must all be done carefully and by agreement, particularly to facilitate the progress of Junior Masons through the offices. Avoid, if possible, interruption to
this progress unless accepted by the Brother concerned.

10b. Officers of the continuing Lodge (continued):
Which WM becomes Master of the combined Lodge?

Answer:
The WM of the surviving Lodge i.e. that whose number continues, regardless of whether the name is amended or not. It is NOT the Master of the Lodge whose Warrant is to be erased. That is because the Book of Constitutions is quite clear
that only the current SW [or if he is not available, the current JW] may succeed a reigning Master in the event of death or resignation. Once he is a member of the surviving Lodge, however, there would be nothing to prevent the Master of
the surrendering Lodge being elected as the next Master at the next business meeting.

11. For Brethren transferring from one Lodge to another, when does membership of the receiving lodge commence and that of the surrendering Lodge end?

Answer:
Membership transfers with the vote of acceptance into the receiving Lodge. Therefore, duality of membership will continue until the closing Lodge is erased by United Grand Lodge, i.e. even after the closing Lodge may have held its final
meeting and effectively ceased to operate. Resignation letters from the surrendering Lodge will not therefore, be necessary. By careful timing, however, it should always be possible to ensure that no transferring Brother finds himself
having to pay double dues for the year in question..

12. By Laws
Which By Laws must we adopt?

Answer:
The By Laws of the receiving Lodge must, of course, continue. Therefore proposals to change the By Laws of the receiving Lodge (i.e. dates of meeting, name of Lodge, etc.) must be running concurrently with the proposed notice of
motion and the further notice of motion regarding the amalgamation.

13. Installations
Which Installation date must we adopt?

Answer:
Provided that the appropriate resolutions are made and the By Laws accepted by all parties, the date of Installation can be changed to suit all members.

14. Honorary Members
Can we accept honorary members from closing Lodges.

Answer:
Honorary Members of the Closing Lodges can, of course, be transferred to the Receiving Lodge, although they will need to be subject to an election by the Receiving Lodge. The Receiving Lodge can, if it wishes, confer honorary membership on, say, the RW Provincial Grand Master and the Assistant Provincial Grand Master for the Area, at the time of the Amalgamation Ceremony.

15. Amalgamation Ceremony:
A copy of the Amalgamation Ceremony is available on the Secretariat Web site.

15a. Amalgamation Ceremony:
Venue
The venue must be sufficiently large enough to accommodate the ceremony and the many anticipated members/guests.

15b. Amalgamation Ceremony:
Time of Ceremony
The time of ceremony is determined by the Provincial Grand Secretary, after consultation with the RW Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Director of Ceremonies.

15c. Amalgamation Ceremony:
Printing
Templates for the Lodge summons/programmes/toast lists etc. will be included in the administrative documentation.

15d. Amalgamation Ceremony:
Rehearsals
The date, time and place of the rehearsals will be determined by the Provincial Director of Ceremonies, in consultation with the Receiving Lodge’s Director of Ceremonies.

Further questions will undoubtedly arise as we continue to organise more amalgamations. The solutions to them can be similarly discussed and recorded for future reference. In this way we will build up a “reference bank” for the future, based on firm experience.

If you have any observations or any further questions please email them to
secretariat@eastlancsmasons.org.uk
Provincial Grand Secretary
March 2006

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