Duncan is newest member of Wyre Mark Lodge
 
Wyre Lodge of Mark Master Masons No 754, which meets at Fleetwood, added a new member to its ranks at
an advancement ceremony held at the lodge’s first regular meeting since the recess.
 
Duncan Brereton, a member of Royal Oak Lodge
No 5919 in the Craft, joined the lodge at the
invitation of his good friend Joe O’Brian who is
currently JO of Wyre Mark Lodge and a fellow member
of his Craft lodge.
 
The good news for Wyre Mark is that Duncan is soon
to be joined by another Royal Oak member as Joe
has gone on what seems to be a one man
recruitment drive for Mark Masonry.
 
 
Pictured from left to right are:
Giles Berkley, Duncan Brereton, Steve Wilson,
Walter Porter, John Forster and Jimmy Rogers.
 
   
Joe was delighted to deliver the working tools to Duncan as part of what turned out to be a polished
all-round performance by the members of the lodge - and a few visitors who were pressed into service
from the substitute bench.
   
Grand Officers Captain Walter Porter and Special
Representative John Forster, watching from the
sidelines, afterwards were full of praise for what they
had witnessed from their colleague Jimmy Rogers,
who not only fulfilled his usual role as secretary but
also acted as SD for the evening showing he had lost
none of his skills for ritual. Plaudits also went to the
other officers of the lodge for the parts they played in
the ceremony.
 
 
Pictured left: Joe O’ Brian welcomes Duncan to
J Wyre Lodge of Mark Master Masons.
 
 
 
 
WM Steve Wilson, who is recovering from injury, handed over the reins for the advancement ceremony to
his friend, the IPM of Bispham with Norbreck Mark Lodge No 866, Giles Berkley. Giles, who only five days
before had performed an advancement in his own lodge, gave a very memorable and sincere performance
introducing Duncan to Wyre Mark Lodge and the Mark Degree in general. Lodge Chaplain George Clitherow
also very ably delivered the concluding address to Duncan.
 
Other visitors who took part were Terry Murtagh of Cleveleys Mark Lodge No 1176 who acted as JD and
Derek Abbott of Scorton Mark Lodge No 1103 who took post as SO. Derek, at festive board responding on
behalf of the visitors, told a tale of when, in his job as a quantity surveyor, on a bad day at work he had
consigned a hotly disputed item to the rubbish. That very evening at lodge as an overseer he told how he
could barely contain his mirth at the irony and similarity of the circumstances.
 
Speaking as the Special Representative of the Provincial Grand Master John Forster commended the Mark
website to lodge members remarking on the wealth of information and news which is to be had on its
pages. He advised that Mark Masons would be taking part in local Armistice Day parades and would be
presenting wreaths at cenotaphs throughout the Fylde. He also said that following on from the success of
the Fun Days that the Province looked forward to the Christmas Party planned for 29 December at Leyland
to which all Mark Masons, their families and especially their children were cordially invited.
 
Duncan Brereton, following his welcome to Wyre Mark Lodge by Steve Wilson and Joe O’Brian thanked his
proposer and said how much he had enjoyed his introduction to the Mark Degree and how much he was
looking forward to taking part on future evenings.
 
Article and Photographs courtesy of Bob Boal