Fylde Lodge of M.M.M. Installation
 
On Thursday 28th. November 2019 fifty plus Mark Master Masons enjoyed a splendid evening attending the Installation Meeting of The Fylde Lodge of Mark Master Masons at Blackpool Masonic Hall Adelaide Street. The principle guest was Right Worshipful Brother Keith Alan Beardmore Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire although Rt.W.Bro. Beardmore is a member of Fylde Lodge. At 6.00 p.m. the meeting was called to order and opened by the Acting Worshipful Master, Worshipful Brother Brian K. Ogden, the Worshipful Master being indisposed through illness and completed the domestic items on the agenda.
Rt.W.Prov.G.M., Ass. Prov.G.M. with Nine Grand Officers
On a report the Lodge Director of Ceremony Worshipful Brother William Atcheson Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer announced that the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master was requiring admission. With the Worshipful Masters assent the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master accompanied by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master Worshipful Brother Giles Frederick Berkley Past Grand Junior Deacon and ten Grand Officers entered the lodge room in processional order and the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master was  presented to the Worshipful Master who bid him welcome. The Right Worshipful Grand Master was escorted to a seat in the Lodge  and the usual salutation were given.
 
The next item of business was to install the Master Elect, Senior Warden of the Lodge, Brother Patrick Dwyer. After the Installing Officers were in place the Master Elect was presented by the Director of Ceremony. The Brethren, who were not yet Installed Masters, retired and the Master Elect was Installed into the master’s Chair by the Installing Masters in an exemplary manner, with much dignity and sincerity. Those Brethren who had previously retired returned and greeted their new Worshipful Master. The Worshipful Master then Appointed and Invested his officers for the ensuing year.
Assembled Brethren (not a bad turn out!)
The address to the Worshipful Master was delivered by Worshipful Brother Raymond Keith Lamb Past Provincial Grand Senior Overseer in a delightful manner as were the addresses to the Wardens and Overseers by Worshipful Brother Robert Young McGown Past Grand Senior Deacon and Worshipful Brother Ernie Gavan Past Grand Standard Bearer/Provincial Grand Tyler respectively. The address to the Brethren was delivered by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master in the manner we have come to expect from our leader.
 
The Installation being over the Worshipful Master continued with the remainder of the agenda and the next item was to present the charity giving’s which amounted to a sum in excess of two thousand pounds. The Right Worshipful Master congratulated the lodge on all their good work achieving such a sum, particularly the Charity Steward, Worshipful Brother Peter Green Past Provincial Grand Senior Deacon.
Prov.G.M. Sp.Rep. D.J. Forster, Rt.W.Prov.G.M., W.M. Patrick Dwyer
and Ass.Prov. G.M. with Six visiting masters in office
The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and his Assistant Provincial Grand Master along with the Grand Officers retired from the lodge room in processional order. There being no other business the Worshipful Master closed the lodge. All the Brethren remained in the Lodge to facilitate a photo shoot, after which we repaired to the bar/lounge for a refreshing aperitif.
 
Dinner was a delightful four course meal in the upper dining room. The food was good the wine flowed and the company excellent. The toast to the Grand Officers was proposed by the Senior Warden for the night Worshipful Brother John Rory Maskell and the response by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master Worshipful Brother Giles Berkley who finished the response by proposing a toast to the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master adding it was particularly pleasing as he was in attendance. In his response The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master congratulated the Worshipful Master on being Installed into the chair of this the Fylde Mark Lodge, the Installing Masters for their work and congratulated the Brother who presented the working tools along with the Brethren that gave the addresses. He ended by wishing the lodge every success in the future.
Rt.W.Prov.G.M., W.M. and Ass.Prov.G.M.
The toast to the Worshipful Master was proposed by the Acting Immediate Past Master who wished him well in his year in office. The Masters song was sung by Brother john Darrell and accompanied on the piano by Brother Grant Thornburrow in an exquisite manner. The Worshipful Master suitably replied and after the Tyler’s toast presented a bouquet of flowers for Mrs. Beardmore. Worshipful Brother Beardmore thanked the Worshipful Master For his kindness. The Worshipful Master, Right Worshipful Grand Master and his Assistant Provincial Grand Master retired from the festive board to warm applause.
 
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