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Trafalgar Night
The last Friday in October is always a special night for White Ensign Lodge as we commemorate the immortal memory of Lord Nelson following his victory at Trafalgar on the 21st October 1805.
Some 25 brethren of White Ensign being in attendance and 61 other brethren taking passage from other lodges around the provinces, of which 7 were from Newry in Northern Ireland and 3 from Germany, it being rather ‘cosy’ in the temple. The lodge was opened in the first degree by the Worshipful Master W.Bro. Martin Carver for the immediate business including two eulogies for recently departed Brethren delivered by W.Bro. Tom Kennedy. The business being concluded, the gavel was duly passed to W.Bro. David Crump to conduct the Passing ceremony.
The candidate Bro. Buddy Kibbles-Searle acquitted himself extremely well under examination with the questions leading to the Second degree, the rest of the formalities being concluded he left the temple. On resumption of the Passing ceremony, W.Bro. Alun Jones conducted the candidate around the temple, Bro. Paul Tuckley delivered the extended working tools and the ceremony was concluded by W.Bro. Martin Green delivering the Charge.
On conclusion of the Passing ceremony and resuming the lodge in the first degree , the gavel was passed back to the Worshipful Master. The remaining business of the evening was concluded and W.Bro. Tom Kennedy sporting a ‘Bosuns call’ promptly piped ‘Cooks to the galley’ and the closed was closed shortly afterwards.
The brethren duly retired to the lounge for ‘up spirits’ and the enjoyment of the customary ‘tot’ at White Ensign, the exception being if the brethren were ‘UA’ (Under Age i.e. <20 years old) or ‘T’ (Temperance), then soft drinks were available from the bar as an alternative.
There was a double ‘Dutch auction’ for two different items which had been kindly donated to the lodge, one being a commemorative plate depicting Lord Nelson, the other a ‘jerry can’ containing a bottle of gin and a pair of glasses to assist in the consumption of said bottle. There was considerable interest amongst the brethren for both items and the ‘Dutch auction’ raised £201.
What is not unusual at White Ensign Lodge festive boards is for the ‘Shore Patrol’ to apprehend those offenders who then generously acquit themselves of any wrong doings by paying a nominal fine. The generosity amounted to a total of £158.45 to wipe the ‘slate clean’.
There was a flurry of both the informal and formal toasts, W.Bro. Tom Kennedy delivering the toast to the Immortal memory of Lord Nelson. Alms were also collected for charity which raised a further total of £612.75. The grand total raised for the evening being £972.20, a fantastic effort.
A brother also made a further generous donation of £100 to the evening.
The Worshipful Masters chosen charity being SSAFA; the daughter of W.Bro. Ian Fothergill is running in the London Marathon (2024) on behalf of SSAFA, a £1000 will be donated to SSAFA.
A Unique First for White Ensign
It has been a while since there was a double initiation in White Ensign Lodge 9169, and by some coincidence the latest double initiation took place on Friday 26th March 2023 at the Masonic Hall in Redditch, that 4 years previously to the day the last double initiation at White Ensign also took place. The dust and the cob webs having been blown off during rehearsals to make this a special night for the initiates.
The candidates for initiation, were Mr Neil Cramb and Mr Gregory Cramb, having been proposed by WBro Mike Tonkin who just happened to be the father-in-law and grandfather respectively. The lodge being duly formed was opened by the Master, WBro Martin Carver. Salutations were given to the Deputy Provisional Grand Mater VW Bro Keith Evans and other Grand an Provisional Officers in attendance.
The gavel was handed over to WBro Ian Hart to conduct the double initiation ceremony. The ceremony flowed across the ‘millpond’, and following the initiates charge given by WBro David Crump, WBro Mike Tonkin presented a White Ensign scroll containing the initiates charge to both our new made Bro’s Neil and Gregory Cramb. The gavel returned to the capable hands of WBro Cpl Martin Carver for the remainder of the lodge business and closure of the lodge. The visitors having been treated to the White Ensign workings of emulation ritual.
The customary ‘tot’ of rum was offered to the brethren who were attending the festive board and the new initiates were formally welcomed into
White Ensign family. A total of £502 (fines, alms and raffle) was collected at the festive board which was distributed to the Worshipful Masters nominated charity by the Charity Steward.
Welcome new Initiate
On the evening of Friday 24th March; White Ensign Lodge welcomed its latest Entered Apprentice into freemasonry.
Bro. Buddy Kibbles-Searle was initiated into White Ensign Lodge No. 9169. Thanks go to the ‘Special Duty men’ who participated in Buddy’s ceremony, W.Bro. Stuart Maris as WM, W.Bro. Ian Fothergill as DC, W.Bro. Les Leek charge in the NE corner, W.Bro. David Crump initiates charge and Bro. Bobby Gill for the first degree working tools.
Following the ceremony the brethren retired for a tot of rum and the commencement of the customary festive board at which Bro. Buddy was formally welcomed into the lodge by the Worshipful Mater, W.Bro. Martin Carver, the final acts being both the Initiates song and the formation of the Initiates chain, the narration of which being delivered by W.Bro. Ian Hart.
During the festive board the following was raised for charity:
Alms collection – £132.00
Offenders fines – £71.00
Making a grand total of £203.00
