Lodge of Grace No 6418 incorporates Blundellsands Lodge No 2289 and meets at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. An installation meeting is always a flurry of activity, and in the anteroom the members of the lodge welcomed visitors and each other in anticipation of the main event.
The lodge was duly opened by WM Kieran Senneck and having completed the opening business, director of ceremonies Robert Menzies retired for a short time, before returning to announce that the principal guest, Paul Shepard, stood without.
A contingent of Provincial grand officers and grand officers formed a procession, led into the lodge by Provincial Grand Stewards Michael Fox and Anthony Collins who is also the lodge secretary, John Donnelly, Provincial Junior Grand Deacon, John Reynolds, Gladstone Group Secretary, Assistant Provincial Grand Master and lodge member John James and of course Paul Shephard the principal guest.
Paul was introduced to WM Kieran by Robert Menzies, and once all were settled down the necessary salutations were attended to, Paul remarked that he was very happy to attend Lodge of Grace again and was looking forward to the ceremony ahead.
Kieran then requested Ray Erskine to please occupy the chair of senior warden, with Mark Dimelow remaining in the junior warden’s chair, and Alan Hutchinson to occupying the position of inner guard, the scene was set for the installation ceremony to begin.
Master elect Alan Morris was collected by presenting officers, John James and Ray Erskine, and presented for the benefit of installation. Alan confidently strode forward to the pedestal and recited his obligation as master elect in a polished and assured manner.
Having opened a board of installed masters, Alan was installed into the chair of King Solomon in time honoured fashion by Kieran, who having only been through the chair himself for the first time, performed the ceremony superbly. Having been attended to and saluted accordingly, Alan closed the board of installed masters.
Inner guard Alan Hutchinson then admitted master Masons and Daniel Senneck instructed the newly admitted brethren with the correct salutations in that degree with the corresponding procession around the lodge. With the same occurring for the admission of fellow craft and entered apprentices, the lodge having been closed in the intervening periods in the correct degree.
Special mention must be made of the presentation of the working tools, by Alan Moore in the third degree, Casey McCormack in the second degree and Will Mackintosh in the first degree. All three were superb in their delivery of their respective tools and as Paul Shepard made in his closing remarks, especial praise and commendation to them for their hard work and exemplary delivery, particularly as light blue Masons.
Following the investment of officers of the lodge, John James delivered the address to the master, Ray Erskine the address to the wardens and finally with Paul Shephard delivering the address to the brethren of the lodge, a fitting end to a superb installation ceremony.
Alan was then presented with the Hall Stone Jewel of the lodge, which is a silver gilt jewel on a light blue ribbon to be worn around the collar. Following the end of the Great War 1914-1918 to commemorate the peace, a Masonic £1,000,000 memorial fund was launched in 1920 to fund the building of the Masonic Peace Memorial and to honour those Freemasons who made the ultimate sacrifice in the great war. We now recognise this building simply as Freemasons Hall.
The lodge Hall Stone Jewel is handed down from master to master of lodges who achieved an average contribution to the fund of 10 guineas per member, (in today’s value reflecting the price of gold in a guinea, an astonishing average of £4,000 per member).
The jewel is in the form of a cross, symbolising sacrifice, with a perfect square at the four ends, on the left and right, squares being the dates 1914-1918, the years in which the supreme sacrifice was made. Between these is a winged figure of peace presenting the representation of a temple with special Masonic allusion in the pillars, porch and steps. The medal is suspended by the square and compasses, attached to a ribband, the whole thus symbolising the Craft’s gift of a temple in memory of those brethren who gave all for King and Country, peace and victory, liberty and brotherhood
Following completion of the risings of the lodge, all retired to the palatial surroundings of Crompton’s Dining Room for dinner, the room adorned with magnificent chandeliers forming the backdrop to continue the celebration of the installation of new master Alan Morris.
Principal guest Paul Shephard leading the toast to Alan and indeed all members of the lodge who partook in the ceremony, congratulating them all for their hard work and in making the evening a very enjoyable occasion. With Paul’s humour and generosity of spirit perfectly summing up the occasion, all congratulated Alan and wished him well for the forthcoming year.