Southport Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 472 – 3rd November
 
An excellent Advancement ceremony took place at the meeting of Southport Mark Lodge No 473, in the Southport Masonic Hall, on Thursday 3rd November.  This really was a brotherly affair, with W.Bro. Roy Hedges (WM) and his brother, Bro. Derek Hedges (SD), conducting the majority of the work to Advance Bro. David Patrick Paton.
Bro. David Patrick Paton and Worshipful Master, W.Bro. Roy Hedges
The candidate could not fail to have been impressed by the quality of that ceremony, which was witnessed by several Grand and Provincial Grand Officers.  The former included V.W.Bro. Brian Molyneux, who had earlier been made an Honorary Member of the Lodge.  Among the Provincial Grand Officers were the Provincial Senior and Junior Wardens, W.Bro. Alan Foster and W.Bro. Alan Fairhurst, respectively.
 
Although every effort was made to conduct the ritual at a very high level of quality, there was still room for a little humour.  We all had a laugh when the normally perfect DC, W.Bro. Chris Hamilton, P.Prov.G.Reg., renamed the Prov.G.S.W. as Alan Jones (even though he has known me now for a number of years).
W.Bro. Colin Jenkins, Pr.G.Stwd., W.Bro. Alan Fairhurst, Pr.G.J.W. and
W.Bro. Kevin Collins, P.Prov.G.J.W. (Special Representative for the R.W.P.G.M.)
As we can see in the above picture, the Tyler, W.Bro. Colin Jenkins, Pr.G.Stwd. (and also the Southport Masonic Group Chairman) obviously had a difficult job in deciding on whether to let these two brothers into the Lodge.  Since one was the PGM’s Special Representative for the Southport, Ormskirk and Bootle group of Mark and RAM Lodges and the other was the Prov.G.J.W., he was lenient and let them enter.
A good night was had by all and we trust that Bro. Paton will have many more such nights to enjoy.
 
Words and Pictures by Alan Foster, Prov.G.S.W.