The Woolton Years
 
Temperance Mark Lodge No 774 moved its regular meeting place from Liverpool Masonic Hall to Woolton Golf Club in 2016. The idea of the move was to boost membership of the Lodge and to have a Mark Lodge meeting at Woolton. However, at contract negotiations with Woolton Golf Club management in 2024 it became clear that Masonry could not continue at the Golf Club and so all Masonic units will move out of Woolton Golf Club in May 2025.
Steve Williams, Andy Whittle & Steve Lyon
Following is a short history of ‘The Woolton Years’ of Temperance Mark. The Lodge’s first meeting held at this venue was on 16th February with RWBro Keith Beardmore, the Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Team in attendance. This was the Installation meeting and welcomed 14 joining members; WBro Steve Lyon was installed as Master and WBro Les Moore receive a field promotion to PPrGSW from RWBro Keith Beardmore.
Graham Sinden & Gordon Sandford 
Then in 2019, WBro Mike Cunliffe became the first Brother to take the chair of Temperance Mark Lodge at Woolton and indeed he was the first Brother to have done so for very many years. In the same year, the Lodge hosted the Liverpool Mark Festival, with a presentation called ‘Why the Mark?’    (Presentations of ‘The Magic of the Mark’ in most cases seem to have replaced the Festival for attracting non-Mark Masons to the order.)
 
The festival meeting of course meant another visit from PGM and Provincial Team. We now move to 2022, which proved to be a very unusual year. Due to illness the Installation meeting had to be moved from February to the April meeting, but before Bro Doug Lace could be installed into the chair, there was a need to perform a double advancement ceremony! Incidentally, Doug was the first member to be advanced and take the chair of Temperance Mark Lodge during the Woolton years. To round off that year, the Lodge celebrated its Centenary at the December meeting.
Steve Lyon, Steve Walls, Rob James & Sandy Kean 
The Lodge received its Warrant on 20 July 1922 and of course it was another visit from RWBro Keith Beardmore, the Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Team. It was known at the start of 2025 that the Lodge would have to move to another venue for their meetings after May 2025 and so RWBro Keith Beardmore very kindly brought the team to the Installation meeting in February 2025.
Tommy Lunt with Sandy, Andy & Steve in the background
Temperance Mark Lodge No 774 held their last meeting at Woolton Golf Club on 15 April 2025. During their time at this venue, they have advanced 14 new members and received 4 Team Visits. From September 2025, Temperance Mark Lodge No 774 will meet at Garston Masonic Hall. We wish Temperance many happy years and even more new candidates at their new home.
Words and pictures by Derek Gaskell