Semper Fidelis Mark Lodge No. 880. The Palace, Garden St, St Annes-on-Sea |
Monday 15th April. 49th Annual Mark Festival “Mexico to Mark.” |
| After being ill for so many weeks I am looking forward to this evenings meeting even more than normal, Semper Fidelis always present an interesting topic for this Annual Festival and this year was as always excellent, the very poignant story of the tragic loss of life by the local Lifeboat crews, in fact it was and still is the biggest loss of life suffered responding to one incident by the Lifeboat Service ever, in saving the sailors lives who were on the German sailing barque “Mexico” on that fateful night the 9th Dec 1886. |
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WM Pedestal |
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| Lodge Banner |
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PPr Grand Master
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| Festive awaits |
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Lodge Shields
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| Set off early as usual with my nephew Norton driving, traffic was pretty good for once and he only took a couple of wrong turns, we spent some time driving round Lytham looking for the hall which of course is in Lytham St Anne’s-on-sea. Once he made it to the right town I remembered where the Palace was and what an excellent Masonic meeting place it is, once you can get inside that is, it is one of my favourites. |
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Lifeboat Assoc Display |
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| Anyway for this report I will let the photographs do the talking and hope they bring back memories of the great evening we all had and if you weren’t one of the lucky ones in attendance put next year’s meeting in your diary as soon as it appears and get along to the seaside for a brilliant evening in good company. |
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Mr David Forshaw Lifeboat Assoc who presented the display |
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| Three Merry Mark Mason |
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View from upstairs window
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| Display Cabinet |
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Happy as Always
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| The 125th anniversary of a disaster in the Ribble Estuary, where 27 volunteer lifeboat crewmen lost their lives, has been commemorated in Lancashire. |
| On the night of 9 December 1886, the German barque Mexico was wrecked at the mouth of the Ribble during a gale. Three lifeboats from Lytham, Southport and St Anne’s put out to attempt to rescue the crew. The RNLI said it was the worst disaster to befall the institution in its 187-year history. The Lytham Lifeboat launched first and rescued the 12 men on board the stricken vessel. They landed them safely back at Lytham at 03:15 GMT on 10 December to loud cheering from a large crowd gathered on the beach. The Southport Lifeboat was taken along the beach to a suitable launching site and put to sea. |
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The Orator Bro Geoffrey Hirst |
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| The Display Board |
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DC’s All
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| PGM and His Wardens |
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PGM His two Two Asst PGM’s and Grand Officers
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| Washed ashore |
| It reached a position close to the Mexico and was about to go alongside when it was capsized by a large wave. boat crew drowned The lifeboat was washed ashore and only two out of its 16 crew members survived. The St Anne’s Lifeboat headed out and was not seen again until it was found upturned on Southport beach the following day. Its entire crew of 13 drowned. Volunteer crew members of Lytham St Anne’s RNLI and relatives of the men who lost their lives attended a service at St John's Church to mark the anniversary. |
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Two Very Proud Acting Grand Officers |
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| The Craft Masons who attended |
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The PGM with members of the display team
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| PGM WM Group |
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The Presentation Team
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| The Church is situated on East Beach, opposite the Lytham windmill, and the former lifeboat house where the survivors from the Mexico were brought ashore. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Peter Whalley, from the RNLI Lytham St Anne’s, said: "The sacrifices of these 27 volunteer lifeboat men must not be forgotten in this modern age. |
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| Part of the Map Board |
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The Hard-working Sec and Treasurer
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| The busy bar |
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More Display Items
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| "They gave their lives in the attempt to save total strangers and upheld the fine traditions of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in the worst disaster to befall the service." |
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| Painting |
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Description Sign
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| The Pipe Organ |
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Organ Description
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| An excellent meal was served up at the Festive board followed by the usual Toasts and responses, the evening ended with some musical entertainment which included I am told some sea shanties, (which I unfortunately missed having to have left early. |
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Festive Board
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| He’s here again with that camera |
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PGM and WM Toast
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Tylers Toast Prov Tyler Ernie Gavan |
| Here’s to the next meeting Temperance Lodge which are now situated at Woolton Golf Club in wonderful surroundings, I look forward to seeing old friends and those I have yet to meet. |
| Words and pictures by Austin N Fletcher GStwd. |
| Flixton Shepherd Eastwood Mark. No.1173 |
