Davyhulme Lodge No 3715 held an Olde English night at their meeting held at Urmston Masonic Hall. The last event of this kind held by the lodge was in 1985, so there was plenty to celebrate as was demonstrated by the numbers attending.
The purpose of this event was to raise charitable funds and also hopefully to recruit new members into Freemasonry, hence the festive board was open to non-Masons as well as a Masons.
The festivities were preceded by a brief lodge meeting performed by the master of the lodge, Paul Curran and his installed officers. The highlight of the meeting being the celebration of the promotion of John Tollitt Snr, who has been recognised for his work in the lodge by receiving the rank of PPSGD. John, who has been recovering from illness, was welcomed by the lodge members who were happy to receive him.
The meeting was closed and the brethren retired to the festive board to join the visitors and non-Masons for the evening’s entertainment and fraternity.
All those present were met with a coloured napkin which were made professionally by Tom Fredrickson’s wife, Brenda. The majority were coloured red and for those who supported City, they were sky blue. Everybody seated, the WM entered the room to announce that the ‘Fines Master’ was about to enter. In followed the ‘Fines Master’ in the guise of John Tollitt Snr, in his gown, wig and bifocals.
Once seated, John announced that the fines would be in the denominations of 10 or 20 pence, or that each person could donate the sum of £5. There was also a joker card which was passed round the tables and if that card was in your possession when the gavel was banged, then you would have to tell a joke or forfeit a fine which raised much laughter as well as much money for charity.
The food consisted of traditional pea and ham soup followed by black pudding and tripe, hot pot, trifle and cheese and biscuits topped up with ale. The WM, Paul Curran, provided engraved wine glasses to each guest to mark the occasion. A Dutch auction raised the sum of £201 which will go to a charity of the choosing of Paul, to which he gave grateful thanks to everyone for their generosity.
In his response for the visitors, Ezra McGowan thanked the lodge for an enjoyable evening and for the non-Masons who had attended, he hoped that that they would consider joining Freemasonry having sampled the fraternity and friendship which can be enjoyed in Freemasonry.
At the end of the evening, the master of the lodge, Paul Curran, thanked everyone for their support and wished everyone a safe journey home.
