County Palatine Lodge of Mark Masters No 156 Installation meeting took place at Stanley House, Manchester Road, Audenshaw, on Monday 8th February 2016 at 6pm. The Lodge was honoured by the presence of Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Worshipful Brother John Hartley Smith, PGJD, accompanied by a Provincial Escort.
The Director of Ceremonies presented WBro Roderick Geeson, Master Elect to the Worshipful Master to receive at his hands the benefit of Installation. Later Worshipful Brother John Hartley Smith, DPGM congratulated WBro Geeson for having been installed in the Chair once again of this worthy and Worshipful Lodge and wished him very well for the ensuing year.
The Treasurer WBro.C.S.Hill PProvGJW proposed that the sum of £100 be donated to the 2021 Festival from the Good Causes Account, and that the sum of £50.00 from the General Account be donated to the Province of East Lancashire to be used at the Provincial Grand Master’s discretion.
At the Festive Board, WBro Geeson WM thanked WBro Smith DPGM for his visit to his Installation, the Provincial Escort Team, Officers of his Lodge and the Visitors. A total of 29 dined, the collection for good causes raised £56 and the raffle raised sum of £122. WBro Smith, DPGM responded to his toast by also thanking all the Officers of the Lodge and the Provincial Escort Team whom were called upon to stand as their names were read out. He touched on the recent floods in the North West region and stated that Grand Mark Lodge had donated £25,000 to the Province of Cumbria and together with donations to other Provinces similarly affected, £100,000 in total. Craft Lodges also made some contributions to the flood disaster fund.
He also mentioned that the Craft have their Festival every 12 years, whereas in the Mark Degree, as Festivals only come round every 42 years, every effort should be made to raise money for the 2021 Festival. He also appreciated the fact that many Lodges have now contributed funds to the Provincial Meetings which help tremendously and which is why East Lancs is famous for having good venues and meetings. The next meeting to be held is at King Georges Hall, Blackburn on Wednesday, 25th May 2016. He also reminded all that VWBro Jeffrey Alan Huddart would be retiring as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master at that Meeting. During his time in Office, VWBro Huddart has made a significant contribution to the work of the Executive Team. I am sure we all join in wishing him well for the future. Accordingly, the DepPGM was delighted to announce that WBro Gerald Noel Howard Young GStwd, has been pleased to accept the invitation of the RW Provincial Grand Master to succeed VWBro Huddart and congratulated WBro Young for his promotion.
WBro. Geeson WM also said that it is a privilege to get back in the Chair again. He also mentioned that every Lodge should contribute something in its own way. Then he made an innovative suggestion that Province wide every Lodge should make the effort of collecting superfluous foreign coins from all the Lodge Members. Every household will have these coins lying around which can be put to good use. Possibly a younger member of a Lodge could be put in charge of coin collection, which can be sent directly to the Province who would do the rest. This scheme has the potential of making a lot of money for the Festival, with each Lodge being credited with the amount they have collected. We should thank County Palatine Lodge No.156 and credit them for this innovative idea !
Report by WBro Sushil Rawal ProvGMO