George Harradon Advancement 17/5/18
 
For their close of season meeting at Liverpool Masonic Hall, on 17th May, George Harradon Mark Lodge No956 was lucky enough to have an advancement ceremony to perform.
However the Worshipful Master WBro Dave Jones ProvGSD was not able to attend as he was on holiday and so in the time honoured method of drawing straws and finger pointing a substitute WM was selected to perform the ceremony.
Peter Szatmary & Derek Gaskell
The lucky winner was the Lodge’s Junior Deacon WBro Derek Gaskell PProvGJD. With holidays and sickness it meant that the Lodge needed substitute officers. As always with the Mark Degree you can always find willing volunteers on the night and the lodge DC VWBro Fred Hargreaves PGJO soon had all the officers positions filled.
 
With everyone in place WBro Gaskell opened the lodge and the other business of the lodge was carried out. Then it was ballot time for the new candidate, and this proved successful and so the ceremony of advancement could begin. 
 The acting Inner Guard WBro Jack Parker PGStB Designate (congratulations Jack), announced the candidate, Bro Dr Peter Szatmary and took notice on what he entered. It was then the turn of the Senior Deacon Bro Roger Boyle to take charge of the candidate for the rest of the ceremony and he was assisted by the acting Junior Deacon for the night Bro Adam Kennaugh, WM of Liverpool University Mark Lodge No1062.
Steve Walls; Tom Marlow; Peter Szatmary; Derek Gaskell; Roger Boyle; Alan Foster
This was Bro Boyle’s first Advancement ceremony acting as Senior Deacon and he did a fine job.  (Roger had big shoes to fill; for when Roger was advanced the Senior Deacon on the night had been RWBro Peter Connolly PProvGM. The overseers for the night were WBro Tom Marlow PProvGJW as Master Overseer accompanied by two guests WBro Steve Walls PAGDC and WBro Alan Foster PProv GSW taking the Senior and Junior overseers offices respectively.
All three entered in to the spirit of the ceremony and made the night most enjoyable for the candidate.   The Wardens, WBro Les Moore PProvGSW (Senior Warden) and Bro Jorge Perez (Junior Warden) also played their part in making it an unforgettable night for Bro Szatmary.      With the ceremony over WBro Gaskell thanked all those who had taken part for their hard work and help on the night.    It was then time for the Lodge to elect a Worshipful Master for next season and there was a unanimous vote for Bro Jorge Perez.
Les Moore (SW); Peter; Derek; Roger Boyle (SD) & Jorge Perez (JW)
Bro Perez thanked the Lodge for their confidence in him. The Lodge was then closed in the usual manner. Later at the festive board Bro Dr Peter Szatmary in response to the toast to the Candidate health thanked everyone for making it such an enjoyable night for him and could understand why the Mark Degree is called the Friendly Degree. Bro Szatmary said he could see how much fun everyone was having with smiles all round, but without losing the dignity of the ceremony.He also thanked WBro Gaskell for the standard of the ceremony.  George Harradon Mark Lodge wishes everyone an enjoyable summer.
 
Words by Derek Gaskell and pictures byMike Mansfield-Corbett
P.S.  On a personnel note; congratulations to fellow website contributor WBro Austin Fletcher on his Grand Honours (GStwd).