A clear and frosty night in Morecambe was a perfect setting for the last regular meeting of 2023 for West Lancashire’s specialist lodge, Country Pursuits Lodge of West Lancashire No 6615. A brief lodge meeting took place where the main business items were to declare and elect lodge officers for next year, and to ballot for six joining members.
These extra members now bring the total number of lodge members to 56, with potential initiates ‘waiting in the wings’. After the lodge was closed, brethren left the temple to meet in the adjacent dining room where they were joined by 12 gentlemen who had been invited by their hosts to take part in and enjoy an Old English Lancashire Night themed festive board.
During a splendid supper of traditional Lancashire hotpot, mushy peas, Yorkshire pudding and chunks of bread, the 78 attendees were entertained by Fines Masters Andy McClements and Bob Malcolm who tried numerous ways of parting the diners from their cash. This process commenced with fines for those not wearing a traditional flat cap or for wearing baseball and other forms of headdress. It was a good job that Tony Harrison, Past Provincial Grand Master, was suitably attired wearing a Harris Tweed flat cap whilst sat at the top table, to the right of WM Mike Casey, thus avoiding any fine.
At a timely moment in the proceedings, Nigel Parrish, the Lancaster Group Mentor, distributed a double-sided song sheet, picked up his guitar and made his way to the microphone. A fabulous 40 minutes of singing to well-known country songs and ballads got everyone in fine voice with such favourites as Streets of London, Durham Town and a finale of Nigel’s own top pick, that of Geordie folk song Cushie Butterfield. Following which, a rapturous applause to Nigel echoed around the Masonic hall.
Immediately following Nigel’s performance, the raffle was undertaken with a host of superb prizes which included whisky, wine, chocolates and a brace of pheasant. The distribution of prizes was expertly managed by Colin Preston, Andy McClements and David Jenkinson, with all the tickets being drawn from the top table by Mike Casey. Monies raised for charity during the Flat Cap Social Night came to a very impressive £1,544.
During the evening an informal presentation of a beating stick topped with antler, featuring a beautiful miniature dirk and family crest was made by craftsman and lodge member Bob Reeves to Bob Malcolm, the lodge inner guard.
Country Pursuits Lodge of West Lancashire is now looking forward to its first anniversary on Wednesday 31 January 2024 at The Palace, St Annes-On-Sea, where Ian Heyes, senior warden, will be installed as WM and three new joining members will be balloted for.
“We welcome visitors to join us at our meetings and would suggest that contact is made with lodge secretary, Chris Tittley, at chris.tittley@gmail.com to reserve a place at the installation meeting and festive board.” Mike Casey advised.
