Country Pursuits Lodge of West Lancashire No 6615 installed its second WM since being formed. The master elect on this occasion was Ian Heyes and was to be installed in the presence of Assistant Provincial Grand Masters Andrew Whittle and Peter Schofield, Past Provincial Grand Master Tony Harrison, Provincial Grand Secretary Peter Taylor and a host of other grand and Provincial grand lodge officers.
However, the evening started off with the very poignant eulogies for the passing of David Kirkham and David Winder who had passed away since the last meeting. The eulogy for David Kirkham was delivered by the WM, Mike Casey and that to David Winder by the lodge secretary Chris Tittley. The brethren then stood in silence in honour of departed merit. As this lodge now only meets peripatetically four times a year, this was the first opportunity they had to pay their respects.
Before the installation ceremony commenced there were two important items of business. The first was to vote for the election of joining members and to vote for a candidate for initiation, which was successful in each case. Then Mike Casey presented the cheques and list of charitable donations made by the lodge during his year. Andrew read the list as follows: Blue Skies £500, A Bear name Buttony (children’s charity) £500, Lancaster ‘Neuro Dropin Centre’ £250, Sam’s Place £250, Swallows £250, Stanley’s Community Centre (Morecambe) £250 and St Annes Masonic Hall. Andrew then thanked the brethren of the lodge for their very generous donations.
The installing officers were then invited to take post. They were; installing senior warden John Topping; installing junior warden Bill Swindlehurst and installing inner guard Peter Roberts. The master elect was then presented for installation by his son, also Ian Heyes. After the WM had delivered his opening address, the new master was installed with the assistance of the past masters present. The working tools of an installed master were very ably presented by Andy McClements.
Younger brethren were then invited to return to greet and saluted the new WM in the three degrees. This was choreographed in a slightly novel way, in that the perambulations were led by three different past masters in each degree. So, master Masons were admitted and the WM was proclaimed by Matthew Catlow in the east and was saluted and greeted. The working tools of the third degree were presented poignantly by James Newhouse. Fellow craft Freemasons were then admitted and the WM was proclaimed by Lee Fisher in the west and was saluted and greeted. The working tools of the second degree were presented skilfully by William Buchanan Snr. Then entered apprentice Freemasons were admitted. The WM was proclaimed by Colin Preston in the South and was saluted and greeted. The working tools of the first degree were presented expertly by Derek Carr.
Following this very interesting and excellently executed variation, the address to the deacons was given by Provincial Junior Grand Deacon Colin Thorne, the address to the stewards by Provincial Grand Steward David Paton, the address to the inner guard by Peter Roberts, the address to the tyler by Bob Reeves and the address to the new WM was delivered with some feeling by Richard Dennison. The address to the wardens was delivered in fine form by Tony Berry and the address to the brethren of the lodge, in his usual polished way, by Andrew Whittle. Andrew then conveyed the greetings from the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews and in so doing walked to each of the young brothers who had delivered the working tools and congratulated them and the installing masters for a job well done.
Damian McKeand, WM of Old Huttonian Lodge No 7614, congratulated the lodge on behalf of all the visitors for delivering an excellent installation ceremony and wished the newly installed WM a healthy and successful year ahead. The lodge was closed shortly afterwards and the brethren retired to the bar in readiness for taking their seats at the festive board.
Responding to the toast to the grand officers, Andrew Whittle congratulated the lodge on an excellent evening and a wonderful ceremony. He also congratulated them on creating such a successful and healthy lodge. He praised the members on having made charitable donations totalling £2,250 largely to non-Masonic charities. He wished the lodge every success in the future and hoped he would be able to visit them again in the future.
Andrew went on to talk about the 50 places for the ‘light blues’ at the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting in on 8 May, the Provincial Ball being held again at Bolton Wanderers Football Club and a fall off of applications for assistance to the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, urging members to use that charity’s help line should they be in need of assistance or personal advice.
The toast to the new WM was then proposed by Mike Casey, who mixed anecdotes, advice and good wishes into a fine speech. This was followed by a fine a cappella performance of the Master’s Song by Kevin Langshaw. Ian Heyes then replied with a series of thanks to the many brethren who had ensured the success of a fine meeting. The evening was concluded by the new lodge tyler Adam Ellis who proposed the final toast.
