On a fine October evening in 2026, members of the Chorley and District Masonic Advancement Group, better known as Perfect Points, gathered at Brookfield Hall in Westhoughton for one of their twice-yearly meetings. Held in one of the hall’s banqueting suites, these relaxed events feature guest speakers who deliver engaging, informative lectures designed to broaden members’ knowledge of Freemasonry.
Prior to the evening’s lecture and supper, the annual general meeting was held, with Peter Hannis taking over as Chairman of Perfect Points. He began by thanking Derek Robinson for his years of service as chairman during which time the group had a number of away days visiting sites of interest to Freemasons, culminating in the recent weekend in London and tour of Freemasons’ Hall.
On this particular evening there were two guest speakers, Victor Charlesworth, curator, and Caroline Crook, archivist, from Warrington Museum of Freemasonry, who gave a lecture entitled ‘A Short History of the Province of West Lancashire’. The lecture began with a name many had heard before, Elias Ashmole, who was made a Freemason in 1646. Ashmole was a 17th-century polymath and diarist and was the first recorded speculative Freemason in Warrington.
Some ‘firsts’ were then highlighted, including the first lodge in Lancashire to petition to join Grand Lodge in 1727, which was Lodge of Kings Head in Salford, and the first Provincial Grand Master of Lancashire, Edward Entwistle, who became Provincial Grand Master in 1734.
Another leading figure discussed was Francis Dukinfield Astley, who was the last Provincial Grand Master of Lancashire. He was initiated into Lodge of Minerva No 300 in 1803 and appointed the Provincial Grand Master for Lancashire just four years later. It was during his time as Provincial Grand Master that the Province of Lancashire came under direct rule from London and was ultimately split into East and West divisions in 1826 using the A6 road as the dividing line.
As always, the lecture stimulated much discussion before the chairman thanked the speakers for joining the society for what was another interesting and enjoyable evening.
Membership of Perfect Points is open to all master Masons wishing to advance their knowledge of Freemasonry with an annual membership fee of only £5 and the next meeting will be held at Ridgemont House, Horwich, in April 2027.
