Mark grandees help out at advancement
 
17th February 2016
 
Grand Mark officers showed that they had lost none of their former skills when they took part in the advancement ceremony which took place at Wyre Mark Lodge No 754 at the latest meeting of the lodge at Fleetwood Masonic Hall.
John Forster welcomes David Platt to Wyre Lodge and the Mark Degree.
The lodge’s newest member David Platt was memorably welcomed by Wyre Mark’s WM Bob Boal and his lodge colleagues thanks to a concerted team effort which also included the Grand officers of and in the lodge.
 
Jimmy Rogers PAGSwdB emerged from behind the comparative safety of the secretary’s table where he usually holds sway, to act as SD for the purposes of the ceremony.
 
During the ceremony David submitted his work for inspection to the very high ranking Walter Porter PGJO, who, as the lodge’s reigning junior overseer, in age old fashion nimbly side stepped taking responsibility for approving it, preferring instead to pass that decision further up the line.
 
Later in the ceremony Stephen Leach PAGChaplain was involved in reading the passages of scripture which are an intrinsic part of the ceremony.
David is congratulated by WM Bob Boal on joining ‘Wonderful Wyre’.
And even a visitor to the lodge, John Forster PGSD and the PGM’s Special Representative who said he would have felt left out if he didn’t make a contribution as his Grand lodge colleagues had done gave the explanation of a Grand Lodge certificate to new member Tom Egan
 
Provincial officers also got in on the act and the senior Provincial officer of the lodge, Jeff Smith, PPrJGW took post as SW due to the illness of the regular incumbent Joe O’Brien who is unfortunately currently hospitalised.
 
Another visitor who was pressed into service was Terry Murtagh of Cleveleys Mark Lodge No 1176 who acted as Tyler in place of Bob Robinson who took post as IG.
 
The contributions all of these brethren made was gratefully acknowledged by Bob Boal as Wyre Mark’s WM. Bob was also ably assisted by his predecessor Brian Dicks who shared some of the work with him as the ceremony unfolded.
 
As the new boy David Platt said he was thoroughly overawed and impressed by the occasion and praised the brethren of Wyre for all the hard work they had put into making his advancement so special. He also said that he was proud to be wearing an apron which had once belonged to a very worthy and much missed member of his Craft lodge, Alf Blackshaw, who sadly has been called to the Grand Lodge above.
Bob Boal congratulates DC Dennis Smith on a well deserved promotion.
The hard work in making the evening a success to which David referred did not happen by chance and was down in no small way to the efforts of Wyre Mark’s veteran DC Dennis Smith.
 
John Forster delighted the lodge by advising that Dennis’ service has been rightfully recognised and rewarded as Dennis is to be promoted to PPrGJW at the next meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge.
 
Article and Photographs Courtesy of Bob Boal