Adelphi Lodge No 6819 met for the occasion of the installation of their master elect Thomas Murphy. The evening began with the lodge being opened in the first degree perfectly by all officers. The minutes of the last meeting having been communicated, the WM, Colin Higginson, gave the director of ceremonies Paul Dooley permission to retire to form the procession of the acting officers and the visiting grand officer.
The director of ceremonies then returned to the lodge and announced that Paul Shepherd, the representative of the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, seeks admission. The WM then welcomed the principal guest Paul Shepherd after which the entered apprentices retired and the lodge was opened in the second degree.
The WM then asked all fellow craft to retire and he opened the lodge in the third degree.
Paul Shepherd and the Gladstone Group Chairman Paul Storrar were then greeted by all the brethren with three grand or royal signs. John Reynolds was then saluted as the senior Provincial grand officer. The lodge was then closed in the third degree and resumed in the second degree and fellow craft Freemasons were then readmitted. David Douglas then took the chair of the senior warden; John Warren occupied the chair of the junior warden and finally, Peter Mc’Carthy took the chair of the inner guard.
Thomas Murphy was then presented by Paul Shirley to the WM Colin Higginson as master elect. The WM then recited the qualifications for the master’s chair. The master elect gave his assent to the regulations, read out by the acting secretary Paul Shirley. The master elect Thomas Murphy then gave a faultless recital of his obligation, and the WM adjourned the fellow craft lodge and resumed in the third degree. Officers of the lodge assembled in the north and the WM thanked them for their support during his year as master. Brethren below the rank of an installed master then retired.
WM Colin declared a Board of Installed Masters and the master elect recited his obligation. The immediate past master Colin Higginson gave an exemplary explanation of the signs and invested the master elect with the badge and jewel of his office. The immediate past master then placed the master elect in the chair of King Solomon and gave him the gavel to keep order in the lodge. The newly installed WM then installed his immediate past master, Colin Higginson.
New WM Thomas was then greeted with five grand or royal signs by all the past masters. Master Masons were readmitted and saluted the newly installed WM Thomas Murphy; the master Masons greeted the WM with three grand or royal signs. The master Masons tools were presented by Joseph Lynch and the meeting then closed in the third degree and resumed in the second degree. The inner guard admitted the fellow craft who saluted the WM with five.
The second degree tools were then presented superbly by David Beckett. The WM closed fellow craft lodge and resumed in the first degree. The inner guard admitted the entered apprentices who greeted the WM with three entered apprentice salutes. The entered apprentice tools were presented by Christopher Shepherd who gave a great rendition. The immediate past master presented the WM with the warrant of the lodge and book of constitutions.
Mike Fox gave a wonderful address to both the senior and junior wardens. The address to the WM was given by Paul Shirley, and officers were appointed to the following positions: Daryl Fulton senior warden, David Beckett junior warden, Mike Fox treasurer, Joe Muscroft (absent) secretary, Paul Dooley director of ceremonies, Tom Smith almoner, Dean Dwyer (absent) charity steward, David Douglas membership officer, John Warren mentor, Peter McCarthy senior deacon, Joseph Lynch junior deacon, inner guard Christopher Shepherd and tyler Robert Morris.
The address to the deacon’s was given superbly by Provincial Grand Steward Stuart Kidd and Paul Shirley then gave an exemplary address to the tyler Robert Morris. The inner guard address was given by the DC Paul Dooley to Christopher Shepherd. Paul Shepherd gave a wonderful address to the brethren.
The Immediate Past Master then informed the WM of the conclusion of the installation; Paul Shepherd then rose and brought the congratulations of the Provisional Grand Master Mark Matthews and then congratulated all the brethren who took part.
The WM then presented Paul Shepherd with charitable donations, which included £1,000 to West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, £500 to Southport Samaritans and £250 to BNEC. Paul thanked the brethren of the lodge on behalf of the recipients for the donations.
At this point the stewards withdrew to prepare to serve guests at the festive board, and the WM concluded the risings before closing the lodge.
