Tony Taylor, the master of Ulverston Lodge No 7872, has been proclaimed as WM for a second year at the 2024 installation, in a delightful ceremony at Kings Road Masonic Hall in Ulverston.
Principal guest for the ceremony was Past Provincial Grand Master Tony Harrison, the representative of the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. Tony was accompanied with over 70 brethren who enjoyed a splendid, although necessarily brief ceremony.
A glittering array of grand officers, the Furness and South Lakeland Group executive and four acting Provincial grand officers witnessed some first-class ritual. Two fellow crafts, one of which was a visitor, and an entered apprentice were also in the lodge for the ceremony. The atmosphere of happiness, warmth and good humour was evident from the first rap of the director of ceremonies wand and continued throughout the afternoon and evening.
Having been escorted into the temple by Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Barry Fitzgerald, Tony was presented to the WM Tony, and voiced his pleasure at being back at the top of the Province. Salutations were given and received, the junior ranks retired for a short time and the stage was set.
Opening up to the third degree, the working tools of a master Mason were presented and explained by senior warden designate Lee Parkinson. The lodge was then closed in the third degree. Fellow crafts Walt Nayman and Elliott Haughin were then readmitted. The working tools of a fellow craft were presented and explained by Micky Flitcroft. The lodge was then closed in the second degree. Entered Apprentice Nick Smith was then readmitted. The working tools of that degree were presented and explained by Walt Nayman.
After the proclamation of Tony Taylor as WM for the ensuing year by the DC Stuart Allison, the addresses were given by; former group chairman Gary Rogerson to the wardens, Tony Harrison to the brethren of the lodge, Provincial Senior Grand Deacon Tony Jackson to the deacons and Provincial Grand Steward Phil Renney to the stewards. Tony Harrison then rose and congratulated all who had taken part in the ceremony, calling it delightful and tremendously smooth from start to finish. Special mention was made of the three brethren who had presented and explained the working tools. WM Tony then presented Tony Harrison with a cheque for £500 for the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, for which he thanked the brethren of the lodge for their generosity.
On the first rising, Alan Jones, past group chairman, brought the greetings of United Grand Lodge and his fellow grand officers, Rowley Saunders, Michael Church-Taylor, Barry Fitzgerald and Phil Preston echoing their appreciation for the standard of ritual, also praising DC Stuart Allison’s thoughtfulness and planning of what is effectively an unwritten ceremony. Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden Richard Green Wilcock brought the greetings of the Provincial grand officers present and further praised the work of all participants.
On the third rising, Tom Irvine of Lodge of Furness No 995 gave congratulations and greetings on behalf of all the visitors. Alms collected in the lodge for the WLFC amounted to £201:65. The raffle at the festive banquet, held at the Olde Mill, Bardsea, achieved £455 for the Building Fund, augmented by £16.00 from the ‘visiting master’s swindle’.
