Quiz Night at George Harradon Mark Lodge No956
 
George Harradon Mark Lodge’s February meeting was held at Liverpool Masonic Hall on Thursday 21st. With no ceremony to perform, the Lodge secretary WBro Dr Alan Boyle, MBE, PPrAGDC, had arranged for a quiz night on the Mark Degree. And so with WBro Graham Radford PPrGSD acting as Senior Warden, the Lodge DC VWBro Fred Hargreaves, PGJO informed the Worshipful Master that his officers were in place.
This being the Lodge’s first meeting since the Installation meeting; it was the first time that WBro Jorge Perez had opened the Lodge. After the business of the lodge was complete; this had included a successful ballot for a new member, who will be advanced at the May meeting. It was then time for the Mark Quiz. There was a wonderful first prize on offer if any member who got a 100% score then WBro Derek Gaskell, PPrGJD would not tell any jokes at the next festive board!
At this prospect things became serious. The Quizmaster before starting the quiz handed out bonus points to those members of the lodge who are not Grand or Provincial officers. Bro Roger Boyle got 5 points the WM got 4 points and WBro Eric O’Callaghan 3 points. Time to start, now I am not sure if it was the questions or the fact that the members had to choose, A); B); or C) for the answer but it took a while to get the hang of things. They all said it was the Quizmaster’s fault for not saying A): B): C) each time but everyone got there in the end.  The questions were wide ranging, but all from the ritual book. However this was disputed when the answers that were given at the end of the quiz did not match the answers members had chosen.
Fortunately there were only 15 questions, or else the Lodge would have been late for dinner. With the quiz over it was time for the answers. The answer to question one was officially challenged and so the referee was called in. (The referee was the Senior Deacon, who was totally independent and just happened to be the Quizmaster). Once the offending section was read out from the ritual book that WBro Dave Jones, PPrGSD had being hiding under his question paper, it was one nil to the Quizmaster. Finally it was all over and there were no 100% scores and so there will be jokes at the next festive board. After the quiz, WBro Mike Winterbottom, PGSD thanked the Quizmaster and asked if the thanks could be recorded, at which point the Worshipful Master asked if the answer was A); B); or C)?

During AOB it was stated that the Liverpool Mark Festival will be hosted by Temperance Mark Lodge at Woolton Golf Club on 16 April; and will be called, “Why the Mark”? See website for details.) Then the Lodge was closed and it was off to dine. The quiz was the topic of a lot conversation for a lot of the meal but with tremendous humour and as WBro Jorge Perez said the evening and meeting highlighted the fun and friendship of the Mark Degree.  Mark Well.
Words and pictures by Derek Gaskell