Imperial Lodge of Mark Master Masons
 
The venue for the Installation meeting of The Imperial Lodge of Mark Master Masons was the Masonic Hall in Poulton le Fylde, Poulton le Fylde is situated in the north of the Fylde Coast. the Fylde Coast is that strip of land between the river Ribble in the South and river Wyre in the North. Poulton is a quaint little town and the Masonic Hall can be found in the center of the town.
Local Grand Officers
On the 1st. December, the first Friday in December, the townsfolk of Poulton turn out in goodly numbers to welcome a special visitor. I refer of course to Santa Clause and because of this the Lodge decided to start earlier than usual so we could find parking spaces and access the Hall. At 4:30 pm we made our way through the fairground rides into the Hall for a 5:00 start.
Visiting Masters Semper Fidelity, Bispham/Norbreck, Fylde, & Wyre with the WM
Present was the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Masters representative for the night Worshipful Brother  John Charles Bicknell Past Grand Junior Deacon / Provincial Grand Secretary, eleven local Grand Officers, a good number of Provincial Grand Officers, four Visiting Masters in office of other Mark Lodges and number of brethren, both members and visitors.
Rep. With W.M.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00pm and after the lodge was opened and the domestic items concluded the Representative of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master entered in processional order along with the Grand Officers. The Worshipful Master Brother Ray Smith welcomed  W.Bro. Bicknell to the Lodge and after the salutations he suitably responded. On completion of the salutations we settled down for the main item of business, the Installation of Brother Michael William Glover  Senior Warden Master Elect.
Grand Officers and Lodge A.D.C. working when photo's being taken
Bro. Glover was presented to the Worshipful Master  by Worshipful Brother Roland Alderton Provincial Grand Senior Deacon / Lodge Director of Ceremony. Brethren who were not yet Installed Master retired and the Worshipful Master Installed Bro. Glover into the Masters Chair with much sincerity and dignity with the assistance of the Lodge D.C.Bro Alderton. The Keystone Jewel was presented by Worshipful Brother T. Sloan Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden. The Working Tools were presented in an excellent manner by Worshipful Brother Clive Gitsham. Those Brethren that had retired earlier returned to the Lodge and greeted and acknowledged their new Worshipful Master. The address to the Worshipful Master  was delivered by Very Worshipful Brother Colin Moxey Past Grand Junior Overseer in a faultless manner.
J.W., W.M., S.W.
The Worshipful Master then appointed and invested his officers for the ensuing year. The address to the Wardens was given by Worshipful Brother Douglas John Forster Past Grand Junior Deacon / The P.G.M.'s Special Rep. for the Fylde Coast in a manner we have come to expect from W.Bro. Forster, the address to the Overseers was given in an equally delightful manner by Worshipful Brother Shaun Haynes Provincial Grand Organist. It was a pleasure to listen to W.Bro. Bicknell's address to the Brethren.
Tylers work never done
W.Bro. Bicknell gave greetings from the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and was presented with a cheque for Mark Masonic Charities. The Installation being ended the Worshipful Master completed the remaining items on the agenda. After the first rising the Representative and Grand Officers then retired to await the closing of the lodge When the Lodge was closed we returned to the lodge room for the now popular photo shoot before we adjourned to the bar for a refreshing pre-dinner drink.
Rep. Resonds to Toast No.3
Dinner was a rather nice three course meal with tea/coffee. The toasts were not to long and the responses equally so. the Representative was presented with a bouquet of flowers for Mrs Bicknell. W.Bro. Bicknell thanked the Worshipful Master and the Lodge for their kindness. The evening being over we went back into the night and made our way to our homes, the fairground had been put away for the night and Poulton returned to it's peaceful self.
 
Words and pictures by Ernie Gavan