Edmund Taylor Royal Ark Mariner Lodge No. 296
 
The Installation meeting of Edmund Taylor Royal Ark Mariner Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall Adelaide Street in Blackpool on Tuesday16th October at 7.00 o'clock in the lower lodge room. The principle guest was Very Worshipful Brother Stephen Windsor Leach Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank and was supported by a goodly number of both Grand and Provincial Grand Royal Ark Mariners.
P.G.M. congratulates Worshipful Commander
Principle guest congratulates W.C.
I.P.C. Worshipful Brother Arrund  congratulates W.C.
At 7.00 o'clock the meeting was called to order and the Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Commander Brother Robert Arrand. The Worshipful Commander welcomed V.W.Bro. Leach to Adelaide Street and Edmund Taylor Lodge in particular. After the domestic items had been despatched the usual salutation to Very Worshipful Brethren, Grand and Provincial Grand Officers were given with suitable responses. Next item on the agenda was to Install Commander Elect Brother Peter Neville Lodge Junior Warden
P.G.M., I.P.C., W.C., Principle Guest and P.G.M. Special Rep. for the Fylde Area.
I.P.C. taking wine with W.C.
Very Worshipful Brother Stephen Windsor Leach in full flow.
Once the Installing Officers were in place Brethren not yet Installed Commanders retired and the Worshipful Commander Install the Commander Elect in a ceremony par excellence and placed him in the Commanders chair, he was saluted by the Worshipful Brethren. Those Brethren not yet Installed Commanders re-entered the lodge and greeted their new Worshipful Commander. The new Worshipful Commander appointed and invested his officers for the ensuing year.
W.C, Responds to the toast to his health.
The other items of a domestic nature were concluded and after any other business the Worshipful Commander closed the lodge. The Worshipful Commander and the principle guest retired from the lodge. We took the opportunity before dinner to take a few photos and repaired to the bar / lounge for a quick aperitif. The Director of Ceremony Worshipful Brother Raymond Keith Lamb Provincial Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank soon called us to the dining room where we partook of a fine three course meal with coffee and mints. The toasts were proposed, and responses given and before long we were out in the night air making our way homeward.            
Words and pictures by Ernie Gavan