Les Excels
 
19th February 2016
 
Well dear reader your northern correspondent’s latest outing was to Ulverston Masonic Hall for the installation meeting of Furness Royal Ark Mariner Lodge No. 375.
Stuart Cowburn, David Sear, Les Preston and Stuart Brackstone.
The membership of the lodge is principally drawn from Furness Mark Lodge No 36 and Jubilee Mark Lodge No. 375 and the name and number of the R.A.M. lodge acknowledges that.
 
Representing the Provincial Grand Master on the evening was Stuart Cowburn. Such was the quality of the work of installing Commander Les Preston that Stuart was led to remark that it was probably the best ceremony he had witnessed.
 
I am not qualified to say how it compares with other ceremonies but can say, without fear of contradiction, that the work undertaken by Les was precise, delivered with meaning, well timed and accompanied by the occasional reassuring smile – I know because I was on the receiving end of it!
standing Geoff Biddulph, Norman Braithwaite, Peter Mason and Rod Bennison.
Although delighted to be installed in such style, and being extremely grateful for the work Les had obviously put in to be able to deliver such a marvellous ceremony, there is also a slight feeling of anxiety as he has set such a very high bench mark for me to reach.
 
It was particularly pleasing to see nine Brethren re-enter the lodge following the inner workings and be able to later appoint them in various positions.
 
To mark the occasion Stuart was presented with a cheque for £500 for the Mark Charity with a request that £125 of that sum be ring fenced as a donation to the Rosemere Cancer Charity.
Bill Joughin and Peter Storey.
Following the installation 48 members and guests enjoyed a superb four course meal, the menu being beef, with the catering by Stollers of Barrow.
 
These things of course do not just happen and the efforts of Director of Ceremonies David Smith and Scribe Peter Hampson in ensuring that everything ran so smoothly must be acknowledged.
There were two other Worshipful Commanders in attendance, Peter Storey from Duddon R.A.M. based at Millom in the province of Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness R.A.M. member Bill Joughin who is in the chair of Philadelphia R.A.M. Lodge No. 1646.
The P.G.M.’s special representative Stuart Brackstone was among the many distinguished Royal Ark Mariners who graced this special occasion.
The glitterati of the local craft were also much in evidence in the persons of Assistant P.G.M. David Grainger, group chairman Alan Jones, group vice-chairman Peter Schofield and group secretary Barry Hadley. Of these only Alan is a Royal Ark Mariner with the others being guests at the meal – there is still much work to be done!
The evening can perhaps be best summed up in a brief conversation between Stuart Cowburn and myself at the top table. In the lull between courses we both remarked on the cheerful chatter and laughter going on around us, the background buzz being a sure sign that everyone was taking part in that most important aspect of the degree of Royal Ark Mariner - enjoying themselves and each other’s company.
 
Article and Photographs Courtesy of David Sear