Philadelphia Lodge of Installed Mark Masters No. 1646 |
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| Regular meeting of the Lodge at Westhoughton Masonic Hall, Bolton on Monday 27th October 2025. WBro. Andrew Wiltshire PProvGJW acted as WM for the evening as the WM, WBro. Graham Benson ProvGStwd, was unexpectedly indisposed. |
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| 36 members and guests were present. | |
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| The acting WM opened the Lodge and worked through the business on the summons including the declaration that the WM for the ensuing year would be VWBro. Glyn Jackson Davies PGSO. VWBro. Davies thanked the Brethren. | |
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| The treasurer for the ensuing year was to be WBro. Philip Kavanagh ProvGStwd, who thanked the Brethren for the trust placed in him and then proceeded to propose an increase in the subs! | |
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| The main business for the evening was to be a presentation called the “Five days to disaster, the loss of the Mexico” by three members of Semper Fidelis Mark Lodge No. 880. The presentation team consisted of: |
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| The scene was set via a scale model of the coastline along St. Annes, Southport, Anglesey and the Isle of Man, where the disaster unfolded in December 1886 when 27 lifeboatmen lost their lives whilst attempting to rescue the crew of the German Braque (3 masted sailing ship) “Mexico”. | |
| Additional information re the disaster is available at: Southport and St Anne's lifeboats disaster - Wikipedia RNLI 1886 Southport and St Anne’s lifeboat disaster |
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| The presentation by Semper Fidelis Mark Lodge was first aired at the Fylde Festival in 2019. | |
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| Bro. Hirst’s eloquent scene setting narration added to the drama of the disastrous events that occurred in 1886, with WBro’s Kenworthy and Swindlehurst maneuvering the scale models around the diorama to show how and where the events unfolded leading to the tragic loss of life. | |
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| The WM thanked the Brethren for their interesting and dramatic presentation and the Brethren concurred with a round of applause. | |
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| The Lodge was closed and the Brethren adjourned to the bar and dining area to enjoy the usual fantastic fayre on offer at Westhoughton Masonic Hall accompanied by the usual Magic of the Mark banter and craic. | |
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| Speeches were short and shared between the WM and Worshipful Commander of Philadelphia Royal Ark Mariners Lodge; WBro. Ray Thompson, which had met earlier in the day. | |
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| WBro. Alan Eastham, ProvGTyler, rounded off the evening with the Tylers toast. | |
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| All went home happy after great and educational meeting, excellent food and great company. | |
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| Next meeting January 2026 | |
| Words and pictures by Tony Cross |
