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.
