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A New Worshipful Master
Installation night in White Ensign Lodge is always a special evening as its the start of the new Masonic year with a new leader at its helm. Friday 6th December saw the installation of the Master-Elect W.Bro Les Leek as Worship Master of White Ensign Lodge. The Provincial team consisted of APGM W.Bro PL Wong (Presiding Officer), W.Bro CJ Overall (SW) , W.Bro DW Owen (JW) and W.Bro J Benson (DC). The lodge was opened by W.Bro Ian Fothergill for the commencement of the lodge business which included a ballot for two candidates for initiation and a joining member, the ballot being successful.
The Provincial team, the DPGM VW Bro. Keith M Evans and other Grand Lodge Officers entered the lodge room. The gavel was passed over to the Presiding Officer for a short time until it was passed back to W.Bro Ian Fothergill. Prior to the lodge opening in the second degree, the Entered Apprentice retired from the lodge room. The lodge opened in the second degree and the Master-Elect was duly obligated, on completion the Fellow Crafts retired from the lodge room. The lodge opened in the third degree and Master Masons who were not Installed Masters also retired for a short while. In the meantime, W.Bro Les Leek was subsequently installed as Worshipful Master of White Ensign Lodge. At various intervals the brethren who had retired from the lodge returned for the proclamation of the new Worshipful Master by W.Bro Ian Fothergill.
The Presiding Officer gave his address to the new Worshipful Master (WM), this was followed by the WM investing his Wardens and other Lodge officers for the ensuing year. The Provincial team then gave their respective addresses to the Wardens and brethren of White Ensign Lodge. On conclusion of the installation, the Provincial team, the DPGM and other Grand Lodge Officers departed the lodge room. The remainder of the lodge business being conducted by the WM. On completion, W.Bro Tom Kennedy piped ‘Cooks to the Galley’ and the Stewards retired from the lodge room. The lodge was then closed.
The brethren retired from the lodge room, ‘tot’ of rum in hand as well as other liquid refreshments into the festive board for dinner. Both the informal and formal toasts were given. Alms were collected, the Masonic Shore Patrol collected the fines and a raffle took place. The grand total for the evening being collected for charity was £617.13
The lodge Charity Steward, W.Bro Mike Wroe will distribute the monies to two charities in due course.
The 3 New Principals
Tuesday 2nd December heralded in the start of the new Chapter year for White Ensign with the installation of the 3 Principals of the Chapter. Some 26 Companions were in attendance including the Provincial team which consisted of E.Comp John Crowther, E.Comp Steve Middleditch, E.Comp Barry Griffin and E.Comp Alan Bolton. The Chapter was opened by the Provincial team and the Pedestal illuminated. E.Comp Ian Fothergill delivered a eulogy to the sad passing of E.Comp Roger Shayes.
E.Comp Ian Fothergill was proclaimed as MEZ for the ensuing year, E.Comp Len Venables was installed as ‘H’ and Comp Steve Moody was installed as ‘J’ for the ensuing year. The Chapter officers for then invested by the MEZ for the ensuing year. E.Comp Ian Fothergill thanked the now IPZ, E.Comp Martin Green for his work and then subsequently reminisced that he was the Primus MEZ when the Chapter was founded some 19 years ago and was very pleased to be back at the helm again. The Chapter was closed and the Companions retired for a tot of rum and into the festive board. The alms collection amounted to £140 and the raffle a further £100, the total for the evening being £240. The money being distributed to charities in due course by the Charity Steward of the Chapter, Comp. Mike Wroe.
Trafalgar Night
The last meeting in White Ensign Lodge Masonic calendar year is that of our Trafalgar night meeting which is always held on the last Friday in October, that being the 25th this year which also happened to be the closest date to the actual Battle of Trafalgar (21st October) that the Lodge will ever meet on. Trafalgar night being always a special meeting for a Lodge that has its origins in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
Some 76 brethren gathered for the lodge meeting including the Deputy Provincial Grand Master VW Bro. Keith M Evans who is a member of the Reserve squadron of the lodge, the meeting being a Passing ceremony for Bro. Matthew Price.
The lodge was opened by W.Bro Ian Fothergill and a eulogy to the sad passing of W.Bro Roger Shayes was given by W.Bro Les Leek. Shortly afterwards the attending Entered Apprentices (EA) left the lodge room and Bro. Matthew Price was tested in his proficiency in the first degree, having survived the ‘testing’ he was suitably entrusted and then escorted out of the lodge room. The lodge opened in the second degree, the candidate was readmitted and the Passing ceremony continued. At its conclusion, Bro. Joshua Mangwiro delivered an excellent rendition of the 2nd degree extended working tools to Bro. Matthew Price, the newly Passed Brother, then departed to restore himself to his comforts. The lodge was closed in the second degree, in the mean time the EA’s were invited back into the meeting where the remaining business was concluded which included the declaration and acceptance of the Master-Elect, W.Bro Les Leek and the election of the Treasurer, W.Bro Tom Kennedy.
W.Bro Tom Kennedy, piped ‘Cooks to the Galley’ and the Stewards departed the meeting to prepare the ‘tot’ of rum for the assembled brethren. W.Bro Ian Fothergill subsequently closed the lodge meeting.
The brethren retired from the lodge room to get the customary ‘tot’ of rum and other refreshments before heading to the mess deck for the commencement of the festive board. The dinner was excellent and both the informal and formal toasts where conducted. W.Bro Tom Kennedy gave a rendition to the immortal memory of Lord Nelson. The Masonic Shore Patrol was its efficient self and gathered up the fines from the attending brethren, which totalled £122.00
W.Bro Ian Fothergill swapped the Masters chair for the floor to conduct a Dutch auction of 4 items, the brethren dug deep and a further £775.00 was raised. The Trafalgar night meeting raised a staggering total of £1361.00 which also included £464.00 from the alms collection. The monies being distributed to charities in due course.