The Red Rose Blooms |
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25th November 2013 |
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| You wouldn’t expect a red rose to blossom in November but that’s just what happened at the installation of Red Rose Mark Lodge No 1594 which meets at Hindley. | |
| The lodge has suffered with a small membership for some time and life has been difficult for the members, however, when nearly forty members and guests attended the installation of Cyril Peter Phelps, they had a real treat with an almost flawless ceremony as the lodge blossomed like the rose it is named after. | |
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| David Webster, Alan Marlow, Ken Alker, Ian Clarke, Ian Nairn, Cyril Phelps, Geoff Catterall, | |
Malcolm Currie, Ray Pye and Barry Davies. |
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| The Worshipful Master David Webster conducted the usual business of the lodge and then handed over to Ray Pye to conduct the installation ceremony. Ray in his usual quite way carried out a superb installation to the delight of everyone present particular the new Master | |
| The presentation of the Keystone Jewel was ably presented by W.Bro Bill Borrow and the address to the Master by Geoff Catterall. To the Wardens by Chris Reeman and to the Overseers by Colin Sharples. | |
| One of the highlights of the ceremony was the faultless presentation of the Working Tools by Brother Rick Wooley, who was later appointed Junior Warden. | |
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The new Worshipful Master Cyril Phelps with his good friend Barry Davies. |
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| Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Ian Nairn gave the address to the Brethren. | |
| The lodge deserves to be congratulated on a ceremony second to none and an excellent and very enjoyable festive board afterwards. May Red Rose continue to bloom. | |
| A special guest of the new Master was Barry Davies. Barry and Cyril are both Berkshire Masons and they have had a close Masonic friendship for some time. It all came about when Barry initiated Cyril into Westhoughton Lodge No 4215 in 2005 and later installed him as Master in 2010. In the meantime the through a mutual friend, David Barber who was at the time a member of the lodge, a connection between West Lancashire and the Province of Berkshire developed. | |
| David Barber was a member of Valentia Mark Lodge No 623 in Berkshire and he persuaded Barry to join it and in turn Barry advanced Cyril into Valentia Lodge. Sadly David Barber resigned from Westhoughton Lodge and Cyril no longer maintains his connection with Valentia because of work and travel difficulties, but Barry has kept his going and is now a Provincial Officer in Berkshire. | |
| Their Masonic friendship is now maintained solely in Lancashire. A nice little tale of travelling Mason’s. | |
| Article and photographs courtesy of Fred Lomax |
