London Provincial Meeting |
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11th July 2013 |
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“London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained” (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) |
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| Well, six brethren from West Lancashire drained into the capital on the 11th July, headed by our RW Provincial Grand Master, Bro Peter Connolly, to make for Freemasons Hall and the Provincial Meeting for London. Neither loungers nor idlers, an early start and preparedness for the day’s labours encountered a sizzling metropolis. By our lunchtime arrival the whole of London seemed to have poured out of their offices to catch a breath of air! The prospect of an afternoon indoors needed the promise of many rewards to justify any discomforts on such a hot day. And well rewarded we were! Attending from West Lancashire were also Bro Paul Ashbolt (son of the Provincial Grand Master for London and ME of Bootle Mark Lodge), WBro Peter Brockbank PPrGJW, Eric Drinkwater PGJD, W Bro Rev’d Graham Halsall AsstGChap and W Bro Jimmy Rogers PAGSwdBr. | |
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| Graham Halsall with & Peter Connolly and | Jimmy Rogers and Eric Drinkwater |
RW Bro. Richard Victor Wallis (Deputy Grand Master) |
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| When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave us this pen-portrait of the rising London populous in his novel A Study in Scarlet (1887) the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was already prospering, in spite of having been jettisoned by the Craft. Judging from the success of this meeting, London, the largest Mark Province, seems to continue in her prosperity still. The opulence of the Grand Temple was complimented by fanfares from the splendid brass ensemble and ‘Willis’ organ, greeting each of the many processions and delegations. Not only did we witness the traditional procession of RAM Commanders but also processions of Masters of Mark Lodges and, in their own train, a large number of new ‘Advancees’. What must they have thought of this, their first encounter in provincial matters! All were greeted with great acclaim. | |
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Graham Halsall with RW Bro. Trevor Walker PGM Linc's |
Peter Brockbank, (former long serving Secretary of |
Bootle Mark Lodge) with Eric Drinkwater & Jimmy Rogers
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| The musical accompaniment set the many and varied tones of the meeting, a most moving part of which was calling to mind brethren departed during the last year by a visual roll call against the gentle strains of Abide With Me, concluded by the almost chilling Last Post. It provided a poignant moment for many of their friends and relatives, for sure. If that was the solemnity of the day there were also lighter moments. One such was the investiture of a new Assistant Provincial Grand Master in VW Bro Jeremiah (Jerry) Gangadeen, whose delegation entered to the bright and jolly “If I’d known you were coming I’d have baked a cake”, the recipient being a master confectioner. Also, in his new role as Deputy Grand Master, RW Bro Richard Victor Wallis graced the occasion and spoke to the many challenges and opportunities of the Order and Province with some encouragement. | |
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Peter Connolly with Paul Ashbolt and father the PGM for London |
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| But of course the day belongs to those honoured for their dedication and progress in the Order and service to their Lodges and Province, and the dispensation of the honours and awards was a joy to behold and share. The distinguished guests of the Province were well received and acknowledged: indeed some of the West Lancashire delegation were privileged to participate in the procession which opened the proceedings. | |
| A much less ‘pressed’ banquet than that following the Grand Lodge Investiture meeting in June rounded off the day in the Connaught Rooms, with more time and more elbow room to spare! A splendid meal followed a Champagne reception, and ended with port to honour the toasts, with time to bid farewell to newly made friends and brethren. For the writer it has been quite a month in Mark Masonry: acting Grand honours to cherish, a wonderfully successful Fun Day to witness, and now a Provincial occasion to share. I ask, does it get any better than this? | |
Conan Doyle’s description of squalour and sleaze is hardly a fitting epitaph for this most enriching day out to the Province of London, so I rather side with Samuel Johnson, when he says that, “A man who is tired of London is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford”. At the end of this day, I couldn’t have agreed more! |
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| Rev’d Graham Halsall, | |
| Assistant Grand Chaplain | |
Provincial Grand Chaplain, Mark Province of West Lancashire |
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