A splendid evening was enjoyed at Lodge of Harmony No 580 installation in January 2026. This was a special evening as its principal guest was Frank Umbers, Deputy Provincial Grand Master. Frank was accompanied by David Thomas, Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Stephen Dunn, the Chairman of Ormskirk and Bootle Group, Arnie Neale, attending in his acting role of Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies and to keep everyone in check was Peter Littlehles Provincial Deputy Director of Ceremonies.
Antony Prior was the master elect, replacing William Cropper, who is about to celebrate his 60 years as a Freemason in Lodge of Harmony, after William oversaw the 175th anniversary of the Lodge. The evening began promptly at 5 pm, and after the lodge was opened in to the third degree, ProvDepGDC Peter Littlehales entered the room to announce that Frank Umbers and his entourage were ready to enter the lodge room.
Once settled, William asked the director of ceremonies and treasurer Alan Browne to assist him and the lodge by taking the chair as installing Master to install Antony Prior as Master of the lodge. Alan then asked Mike Dutton, a guest of the lodge, to occupy the junior warden’s chair and David Williams remained as senior warden.
William then thanked the brethren of Harmony Lodge for their support during his year in office. The ceremony of installation then took place and Antony was installed as master of the lodge by Alan.
The working tools of an installed master were eloquently presented by David Williams, the third degree tools were presented by Ricardo Oberti, the second degree tools were presented by Alan Browne, who had already installed Anthony into the chair of Kink Solomon and reassumed his duties as lodge DC. The first degree tools were presented by Bill Murphy.
More was to follow from Alan as he also gave the address to the wardens and to the newly installed junior deacon. Malcolm Sandywell then gave the address to the master word perfectly. The Deputy Provincial Grand Master Frank Umbers then gave the address to the brethren of Lodge of Harmony and congratulated Antony and all those involved in the ceremony, including the two newly installed light blue wardens and particularly Alan Browne for his multi-tasking during the evening.
After the Ceremony was concluded, Frank was presented with several cheques for charities, £400 to West Lancashire Scouts, £250 to the WLFC, £250 to OMHA, £100 to the Ophthalmic Trust, £100 to MNDA and £50 each to the Ormskirk Christmas Fayre and the local foodbank appeal, which totalled £1,200. From a small lodge, this amount was wonderful Frank exclaimed and he thanked the brethren of the lodge for their generosity.
The brethren then retired for the festive board, which proved to be an excellent meal as always at Ormskirk Masonic Hall. When Frank addressed the brethren at the meal, he emphasised that the Lodge of Harmony was the mother lodge, and indeed, the grandmother lodge of so many lodges in the group and surrounding areas and yet it only has 14 subscribing members and that brethren should support it by either joining or visiting it regularly, as the loss of such old lodge would be a sad loss indeed.