Furness Boon Time
 
17th February 2017
I have to admit thoroughly enjoying myself at the installation meeting of Furness R.A.M. Lodge No 375 held at Ulverston Masonic Hall.
Wally Atcheson, Stuart Brackstone, Keith Beardmore, Ken Boon, Geoffrey Lee and Dave Sear
It wasn’t just the appearance of the Provincial Grand Master Keith Beardmore and his team, nor was it the fact that the 84 dining spaces had been fully booked weeks beforehand.
Brian Gregson, Arthur Robinson, Ken Boon, David Emerson, Neil Brown and Steve Walls
The main reason was that as installing Commander I was placing my good friend Ken Boon in the chair.
 
Ken and I go back a long time. He went to Barrow Boys Grammar School and I took a similar course some years after. Ken joined the police in Barrow in Furness which I did later.
The provincial team
Our police careers followed a pattern with me tending to follow Ken into various roles and promotions although we both served together in the C.I.D. for several years. His final position was as the Decision Maker in Barrow. I replaced him in that role which was also the position from which I retired.
 
In Freemasonry Ken was initiated before me, achieved the craft chair before me and received honours well before me. My installation into the chair of Furness Mark Lodge No 36 was some years after Ken had enjoyed that honour.
Ken Boon and Keith Beardmore
So what made the installation ceremony of Furness R.A.M. particularly pleasurable and unique for me was that at long last Ken Boon was having to follow me for a change.
 
The Provincial Grand Master had elected to make the meeting one which would be graced with a provincial team visit to mark the outstanding service Ken had given to the province in his many years as a Deputy Director of Ceremonies.
The rehearsal
Quite appropriately Provincial Director of Ceremonies David Emerson was accompanied by four other deputy and assistant D.Cs. They were all called into service when the provincial team rehearsal started an hour before the start of the meeting.
 
As a member of the provincial team for the past two years it was nice to be able to watch the procession into the lodge room from the aspect of the Commander’s chair and then welcome Keith to the meeting.
It seemed to all go quite well. That in no small part is down to the efforts of lodge D.C. David Smith and his assistant Keiron Mullan who had kept me up to speed throughout the year.
Carl Hallows, Bob Herbert, Barry Fitzgerald, Keith Beardmore and Darren Stainton
Lodge scribe Peter Hampson, another provincial team member, had had a particularly challenging time in having to deal with such numbers (and so much gold braid!). Even on the day he was having to turn down requests to dine.
 
To mark the auspicious occasion Ken presented Keith with a cheque for the West Lancashire Mark Charity in the sum of £500 with a portion of that ring fenced for the Rosemere Cancer Charity.
The workers; David Smith, Peter Hampson and Keiron Mullan
On the evening there were two proposals for elevation with another two to be made at the next meeting. Ken is going to have a busy year.
 
The diners who filled the dining room included amongst their number several who are not yet Royal Ark Mariners who I feel must have been favourably impressed.
The diners
The catering was undertaken by the in-house staff who provided an excellent four course meal. Ulverston Masonic Hall is in the process of being expanded and it was nice to be able to raise £360 from the raffle for the hall building fund. No doubt the profits from the bar will help out as well.
 
This revenue will please newly appointed Furness R.A.M. senior warden Russ Greenhow who is the hall chairman. In that role he is very much hands on in taking responsibility for setting up the dining room, arranging the catering and then acting as head barman and maitre’d as well. In short he is one of those unsung workers which all halls need.
Provincial Grand Tyler Ernie Gavan practising for the final toast
At the festive board I remarked to the Provincial Grand Master (I’m not too embarrassed to name drop) that there was a real buzz about the dining room with lively chatter and much laughter. That in itself is not a unique occurrence at meetings of our order but it is still pleasant to sit back and just take notice of the happy atmosphere.
Words, pictures and ceremony by Dave Sear.