Very Worshipful Brother Anthony (Tony) John Tallon P.G.J.O.
60 Years a Mark Man
 
On Thursday the 9th of December 2021 the members of Wilbraham Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 523 gathered for a very special meeting of the Lodge to celebrate the achievement 60 years as a Mark Mason of V.W.Bro. Anthony (Tony) John Tallon.
Assistant Provincial Grand Master, John Charles Bicknell, together with 23 members and visitors gathered together at Widnes Masonic Hall at 6.30 p.m.
After the lodge had been opened by the W.M., Bro. Ian Rowan, and the lodge business attended to, the acting Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, W.Bro. David Emmerson P.G.S.D., entered and informed the W.M. that the Assistant Provincial Grand Master stood without and demanded admission and he was admitted in the company of W.Bro. Roy Hedges, Prov.A.G.D.C., W.Bro. Phillip Lyon Prov.G.S.D. and W.Bro. Doug Holgate, Prov.G.Stwd and the celebrant, V.W.Bro. Tony Tallon P.G.J.O.
The W.M. welcomed the Assistant Provincial Grand Master and offered him the gavel of the lodge which was accepted.
 
The Assistant Provincial Grand Master then invited V.W.Bro. Tony to occupy the chair of Adoniram and he gave a brief history of Tony’s life and Masonic achievements which included serving as a Group officer for the Craft Province between 1985 and 2000 and being honoured with the rank of P.J.G.D.; and being appointed by R.W.Bro. Dr. Brian Bennett Ratcliffe, the Provincial Grand Master for the Mark Province of West Lancashire, as his Special Representative in 1992. An office which he held until 2007 when V.W.Bro. Eric Drinkwater was appointed.
 
The Assistant Provincial Grand Master closed his talk by presenting certificates from Grand Mark Lodge and Provincial Grand Mark Lodge acknowledging the 60 years of service V.W.Bro. Tony had given to the Mark degree.
 
A splendid festive board, which included fish, chips and mushy peas for the main course, followed and the W.M., W.Bro. Ian Rowan, proposed a toast to V.W.Bro. Tony who gave a brief response reflecting on the sad decline of the lodge membership numbers over his years as a member and encouraging all the current members to do all they could to get new members to join the lodge and see it thrive for many more years.
 
Words and pictures by W.Bro. Roy Hedges.
Words by V.W.Bro. John Bicknell