Gorton Mark Lodge No.1034, reduced to 10 active members with an average age of 76 years, reluctantly surrendered their Warrant on 30th March 2021.
On Thursday 8th July the Officers of the Lodge made their final Charity donation to St James’ Parish Church, Gorton.
A bequest of £6,000 was left by a Lodge widow34 years ago in memory of her husband. The widow, herself a Lady Mason, stipulated that the money must be used for charity and that should the Lodge ever have to close down, the capital must go to a charity of our choice.
Accordingly, the money was put into a Savings Bond and, each year since the annual interest has contributed to the annual charitable donations of the Lodge.
Knowing that the donors were Gorton people, married at St James’ and regular members of the congregation, we agreed that St James would be our charity.
Their current Project is to re-order the West-end of the church to provide a small kitchen and servery, a meeting room, a creche area and toilets. This will make the building available to the Community through the week instead of only opening for prayer and Services on a Sunday. The plans also include a full re-wire of the electricity within the building.
The Project is partially funded by the sale of a house, bequeathed to St James’ by a former Church Warden, and it is hoped that the Diocese will match-fund the monies raised. Our gift of £6,000 is gratefully received. We had a plaque made in the form of a Keystone in light oak (see photo) The plaque will be prominently displayed in the West-end of the church and so, we hope, the name of the Gorton Mark Lodge will be remembered in perpetuity.
Footnote: Gorton Mark Lodge has a special link to St James’. The Rev’d Canon Thomas Whitehead Taylor M.A. was Rector of St James’ from 1937-1945. From 1942-1948 Canon Taylor was Mark Deputy PGM of East Lancashire and was a Past Grand Chaplain (Eng.) He was the Consecrating Officer of Gorton Mark Lodge on 28th November 1945.
The photo shows (L to R) Peter Norbury (S.W.) David Roberts (Treasurer) Peter Ratcliffe (W.M.) Barrie Billinge (Secretary)