Athenaeum Lodge of Installed Masters No 9368 is a lodge which meets for its annual installation meeting at a different Masonic hall or meeting place each year. On this occasion, Litherland Masonic Hall was chosen as the meeting place for the 2024 installation. The lodge is made up of many members of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity office in Huyton, Liverpool.
The lodge was opened in fine form by the WM Paul Baines. After a solemn pause in memorial of tyler, John Hibbert, the next order of business was to ballot for a joining member. The ballot proving unanimous, Derek Parkinson, Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master, was admitted to the lodge and warmly welcomed as a member of Athenaeum Lodge of Installed Masters.
Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies David Boyes entered the lodge announced to the WM and brethren that the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Frank Umbers stood without and demanded admission. Master of the lodge Paul Baines announced that the lodge would be honoured to receive him.
A procession was then formed consisting of Frank Umbers, accompanied by Assistant Provincial Grand Masters John James and David Thomas, Immediate Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master Phillip Gunning, with an accompanying a plethora of grand officers, led in by Provincial Grand Stewards, Michael Daly and Michael Fox, all under the expert direction of David Boyes who was accompanied by Assistant to the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Gregory Pinnington.
After the necessary salutations were attend to, WM Paul rose to offer the gavel of the lodge to Deputy Provincial Grand Master Frank, who on this occasion said he was content to watch proceedings and was delighted to be in attendance on this auspicious occasion.
Paul requested Alan Riley to please occupy the chair of King Solomon as installing master for the next part of the ceremony. Having settled into the chair, Alan asked for master elect Len Hudson to be presented to him. Len was collected by presenting officers Alan Malthouse and John Marsden.
Len was exemplary in his oration of his obligation as master elect, and in turn Alan was equally impressive in his conduction and ritual knowledge throughout the installation ceremony. Len was installed as master of Athenaeum Lodge of Installed Masters in fine fashion. Grand officer Roy Pine was exemplary in his delivery of his address to the master.
In his closing remarks following the completion of the installation ceremony, Deputy Provincial Grand Master Frank Umbers was effusive in his praise for all the members of the lodge for a ceremony well conducted. The lodge business being concluded the brethren, and the many guests retired to the hall dining rooms for a celebratory dinner. At the dinner, many fine toasts were given and received with warm applause and the room filled with laughter and enjoyable conversation. Immediate past master Paul Baines led the toast to new master Leonard.
Paul explained that Len had been initiated into St Luke’s Lodge No 6006 in 1968 at a very youthful age of 21, celebrating his golden jubilee of 50 years in Freemasonry in 2018 at St Luke’s Lodge. Len, being one of only seven recipients in the lodge’s long history of reaching that amazing landmark achievement of 50 years.
Len has taken a very active part in St Luke’s Lodge, having been the treasurer for some 30 years, not to mention many other offices in Royal Arch as well as other Masonic Orders. Having joined the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity team some five years ago, he has also recently become the Chairman of the Liverpool Ladies Institution in 2023, another charity with long Masonic connections. Paul requested everyone to stand and honour the toast to the WM
Grand officer Steve Kayne then took centre stage and threatening to keep on singing until everyone joined in, began the Master’s Song. Steve need not have worried as all joined in those familiar strains, and with the final verses of ‘here’s to his health in a song’ the celebration of Len taking charge at Athenaeum Lodge of Installed Masters was complete.