The Mark Provincial Sword returns to the Degree, and to its former glory!
   
This magnificent sword was first presented to the Mark Province of West Lancashire in 1913, and was our original Provincial sword.  It was presented by the very first Deputy PGM of West Lancashire, after the Province divided in 1910. His name was V W Bro Loius S Winsloe, Past Grand Overseer of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masters.
Steve Clarke wields the sword
He presented the sword in 1913, when his successor, a well known to us all in this Province, George A Harradon took over as DepPGM, to become PGM in 1920, for 15 years!  The presentation could well have taken place at Provincial Grand Lodge, which in that year took place in Southport.....a familiar venue for us today, a hundred years later.
Peter Connolly accepts this wonderful sword
At some time in the past, this magnificent sword was lost to disrepair and neglect, and was actually not used for ceremonial events, replaced by the current sword which we have all seen on display.  The sword was actually re-discovered around 4 years ago in the cellar at Hope Street, Liverpool, and was handed back to our Degree. 
The ancient punishment is inflicted!
It was used for the first time this season at Temperance Lodge in Hope Street, where the PGM Peter Connolly acted as Senior Deacon of the Lodge for an advancement ceremony, conducted by his Wardens, Giles Berkley & Peter Hegarty. Because the Provincial Deputy Grand Sword Bearer, Steve Clarke was present, he processed in with the PGM and his Wardens, and happened to notice that the sword was in a really poor state of repair. He asked David Emmerson the Provincial DC if he could perhaps take it for refurbishment in the future, and David agreed wholeheartedly. 
The sword positively glows now it is pristine
After an extra meeting at Chorlton Lodge, Steve saw his chance and took the valued artefact home with him. Notwithstanding the appearance that he had carried a dangerous stolen weapon through the streets, he set to work. That ancient alchemist potion, used for generations by skilled craftsmen, was employed to great effect, with a little measure of brute force, to pull the blade from its rusty resting place.
This blade is over 100 years old!
I refer of course to WD40, which freed the blade after an overnight soak - it had previously been rusted solid.  I would like to think that the WD stands for Western Division, but that is highly unlikely! We can only imagine the state of the blade after it had been rusted solid for many years. A quick look at the photographs will show the hard work Steve invested in returning this wonderful heirloom of the Province back to health, and returning it to our Provincial Grand Master at the 150th celebration of West Lancashire Mark Lodge, where it was used by David Kemp, our Provincial Grand Sword Bearer to escort Peter Connolly and his Team into the Lodge, whilst the other Provincial sword was used by Benjamin Addy.   
The joy on the face of Peter Connolly was there for all to see as Steve Clarke returned the sword to him, and we also owe a debt of gratitude for restoring this magnificent antique to good order. The only problem now is.......which one will the PGM use?
 
Words and pictures by Giles Berkley, elbow grease by Steve Clarke