A Grand Day Out at Mark Grand Lodge
Great Queen St, London, Tuesday 11th Sept 2019
 
Always a great day to look forward to and as I have said before if you’ve not yet made the journey to London for a Mark Grand Lodge meeting put it on your list for must do things for next year, not forgetting that there is a Royal Ark Mariners Meeting in December which is just as spectacular.
Group Pictures
And with & PGM
Eric Drinkwater.
Always Smiling

Up early as I have to go the long way round due to the dreaded road works which have been going on for nearly two years to get to Piccadilly station, my wife dropped me off in good time, no train in yet so I thought get a paper, go upstairs and get a coffee, oh oh was this the first signs of today’s trouble, none of the escalators were working, ah well climbed the stairs made my way to the posh lounge, couldn’t get in.
All this modern technology, when I left home this morning the ticket blobby thing was on my phone now it was gone, sorry sir but we can’t let you in !! What a good job I had put one of those old fashioned things in my pocket, called a real paper ticket. Got myself a coffee and a couple of pretzels, eventually found a seat which I settled into only to look up at one of the screens to find that the train was now boarding, ah well off we go.
Mike the WebMaster
Around the Tables
PGM’s Table Cheers

Great journey down as always, enjoyed a bacon roll, listened to some southing Don Williams songs whilst I read a comedy piece in the paper about our wonderful MP’s (not) who are doing such a sterling job (not) debating you know what, think we would get more sense from the characters in the Beano. 
Peter Connolly and Tony Harrison
Top Table
Dinner
Wow A Few Mark Masons
Great Ceiling View
Arrived on time went to the Taxi rank climbed on board asked for Grand Lodge Great Queen Street, he said the areas a mess with road works down every street so I’ll have to go via who knows where, twenty five minutes later the driver (who sounded like, shall we say a “Londoner”) said nearly there, I looked around and thought oh oh, this isn’t Great Queen Street. He was taking me to St James’s Street !! Fifteen minutes later and a tour of London which included Trafalgar Square we arrived at the entrance to Grand Lodge, he must have thought it’s one of those from “Up North”, some debate followed as you can imagine regarding the fair due, we sorted it out amicably, I alighted and with a great sigh of relief I finally walked up the steps into the Hall, now is it me am I just unlucky, nobody else ever seems to have any problems.
From the Balcony
Holding up the Roof
Brilliant Stairway
Yes were Listening  
Now I think we will let the pictures do the talking, everybody is always so pleased to see each other, lots of smiles and genuine handshakes, what a pleasure it is to belong to this wonderful fellowship of like minded people and when you’re at Grand Lodge it’s not just your friends from West Lancashire (which is always well represented) but from all over the country and even some who journey from other continents.
Taken by PGM
I will just mention one member who is always in attendance and genuinely delighted to see you in London none other than our very own PGM Keith Beardmore, who never misses a meeting and joins in all the fun.
Here’s to seeing the friends I know and those I have yet to meet at my next Mark Masons Meeting, not a member of the beautiful Royal Ark Mariner Degree yet, why not come and join us, ask your Mark secretary, area Special Representative or enquire at the Provincial office any of which will be glad to point you in the right direction.
Mark Well
Words and pictures by Austin N Fletcher. P.G.Stwd.
Flixton Shepherd Eastwood mark Lodge. No.1173