Formby Lodge No 5659 as the name suggests first met in Formby, at The Grapes Hotel, Freshfields, Formby in 1937. Then to the Congregational Church Hall in Church Road in the town, before moving back to The Grapes in 1952, where it stayed for a further 13 years, eventually residing in Southport Masonic Hall in 1965.
In recent years, the lodge has transitioned from the traditional meeting times of an evening to become a ‘daylight lodge’, and now meets in the morning/afternoon, with the lodge meeting at Southport Masonic Hall one meeting and Litherland Masonic Hall the next. This choice has proven very popular, and the lodge enjoys a healthy membership.
On a cold and sunny autumnal morning, the brethren and visitors gathered at Southport Masonic Hall for a very special occasion, the celebration of 50 years of Freemasonry for Graham Bull. Having welcomed everyone to the lodge, the master Don Fraser opened the lodge in his usual exemplary manner, assisted by his wardens, Andy Sutton and Stewart Sime, as senior and junior warden respectively.
Master of the lodge Don then delivered a fascinating talk about the Royal Navy, known as the senior service, of which a brief summary is given here. The Navy emerged as a permanent force under Henry VIII, laying the foundation for Britain’s rise as a maritime power. As the Navy grew through the 17th and 18th centuries, its demand for manpower outstripped voluntary enlistment, prompting the widespread use of press-gangs to forcibly recruit able-bodied seamen from coastal towns and merchant vessels predominantly in the southern ports of England,
Life aboard ship was demanding and often dangerous, but it gradually improved as naval administrators learned to confront the persistent challenges of long-distance voyaging. Among the deadliest of these was scurvy, which ravaged crews during extended voyages to remote regions such as the Pacific. The disease killed 1,000s until James Lind’s mid-18th-century dietary experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of citrus in preventing it, eventually leading to the Admiralty issuing lemon or lime juice as a standard ration. Don explained that this information was already well known by experienced seamen long before this date, who often consumed fresh fruit and vegetables whenever the opportunity arose.
As naval provisioning improved, the introduction of higher quality, preserved, and regulated food stores transformed sailors’ diets. Unlike many civilians, who relied on seasonal, inconsistent and often expensive food supplies, Royal Navy sailors received guaranteed daily rations of meat, bread or biscuits, cheese, oatmeal, beer, rum and later citrus juice. The Navy enforced strict standards demanding food that could withstand long voyages without spoiling.
By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this meant that sailors were often better fed, more consistently provisioned and nutritionally healthier than many people ashore, especially the urban poor. In effect, while naval life remained harsh, the structured diet and improved food quality made the average sailor among the best nourished working men in Britain, enabling the Navy to project power ever farther across the world’s oceans.
This was a fascinating talk given by Don, who gave local examples as well as an obvious knowledge of his subject matter. At the conclusion Don took questions and interspersed the talk with some historical anecdotes. The brethren and guests applauded Don for his very informative talk.
This was then the cue for Don Fraser to request Ormskirk and Bootle Group Chairman, Stephen Dunn, to rise and orate a certificate to Graham Bull, which had been struck especially for the occasion of his golden jubilee of 50 years continuous service as a Freemason.
Graham was initiated into Paton Lodge No 3738 in November 1975, the lodge which was consecrated in 1914 was a Hall Stone Lodge. Graham became master of the lodge in 1999 and again in 2005 for two years. The lodge sadly closed in 2011, just three years short of the lodge centenary. Graham had by then joined another lodge, Silver Jubilee Lodge of Installed Masters No 8818, in 1983 and became master of that lodge in 2000. Continuing his Craft journey, Graham joined Starkie Lodge No 1070, and then Formby Lodge in 2013, taking up the chair of King Solomon in 2017.
His contribution to Craft Freemasonry was recognised by the Province with his first appointment of Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon in 1991, with promotion to Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works in 2000, and subsequent promotion to his present rank, Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 2006.
Graham has also been very active in the Royal Arch, exalted in Scarisbrick Chapter No 2295 in 1983, taking the chair of first principal in 1991, and was also a founder member of Silver Jubilee Chapter of Installed First Principals No 8818 in 1994, becoming first principal of that chapter in 2010. Graham has held the office of scribe Ezra cumulatively in both chapters for almost 20 years. His obvious contribution to the Royal Arch was recognised by the province, with a first appointment to Past Provincial Grand Sojourner in 1999, promotion to Past Provincial Deputy Grand Sword Bearer in 2005, and the very high rank of Past Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah in 2012.
The certificate having been read by Stephen Dunn, was passed to Don, who had the honour of congratulating Graham and presenting him with the certificate, to applause and acclaim for Graham on the occasion of his golden jubilee.
The lodge business was then duly concluded and all retired to the dining room at the hall for a splendid early afternoon dinner. The conversation flowed, and all were very appreciative of the hard work which had clearly gone into the preparation of the talk in the lodge room. At dinner, further congratulations were offered to Graham on his golden jubilee, who in response thanked everyone for attending the lodge and making the event such a success. Exhorting everyone present to enjoy their Freemasonry, Graham said that had thoroughly enjoyed ‘his day’ and that he had derived so much pleasure from being a Freemason over the last 50 years.
That famous line in the janitor’s toast ‘the rank is but the guinea stamp, the man himself the gold’ summed up the occasion perfectly which was delivered by the WM Don as the final toast, and befitting of the occasion of the golden jubilee of 50 years of Freemasonry for Graham Bull.
Story by Mike Fox.