On a bitterly cold autumn afternoon, the warmth emanating from Prescot Masonic Hall was gloriously welcoming as the chill in the air would literally send shivers down the spines of most men, however the soft glow of the lighting from the entrance of the hall was a very appealing sight for well-travelled Masons.
Masons came from Yorkshire, East Lancashire, West Lancashire, Cheshire including Tom Chamber’s son also named Tom, a master Mason himself and Tom’s brother, Albert. Also, present were Prescot’s very own Light Blues Club, a club in which brethren who have not yet reached the master’s chair can ask questions without fear of embarrassment and learn while on their journey to uncover the delights and mysteries that Freemasonry has to offer the worthy yet humble man, who can call himself a brother.
Lodge of Loyalty No 86 was opened at 15:45hrs by the outgoing WM Mark Hodgson from his grand position seated on the throne of King Solomon, his jewels sparkling under the lights aided by his ever-faithful wardens, all of whom were word perfect with the precision of a handmade Prescot timepiece, as is customary of the oldest lodge in the Province of West Lancashire, dating back to 1753!
The debonair and diligent secretary circulated the minutes of the last regular meeting to all brethren with his renowned efficiency to great aplomb which were duly approved by all members present in this illustrious and historic lodge.
Visitors were admitted into the temple, which was a sea of different coloured aprons paraded into the lodge chamber from majestic red, dazzling white some with light blue trim, lagoon light blue, as well as prestigious dark blue with gold trim which gleamed under the glowing lights above, a delight for all to behold. The inner guard of the lodge Ioannis Louizos was impeccable in carrying out his duty, so too was James Campbell who acted as the inner guard during the installation ceremony, both these men have proven themselves time and time again to be a great asset to the brotherhood.
Andrew Whittle was the representative of the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. Andrew was accompanied by Mersey Valley Group Chairman David Atkinson, the representative from the Grand Lodge of Scotland as well as a member of the sister lodge of the Lodge of Loyalty, Lodge Troon Navigation No 86 in Ayrshire, William Donaldson, who looked magnificent in his pristine red regalia as well as Steven Kayne London Grand Rank paraded into the lodge room.
The time had come to install Tom Chambers Snr into the WM’s chair by the outgoing WM Mark Hodson. Mark did so in a manner befitting his status, flawlessly and with such a presence that only comes from years of tireless effort and perseverance. The obligation was taken by the new master of the lodge, Tom Chambers Snr, his booming voice echoing around the room as his son Tom Jnr and the new master’s brother Albert Chambers, both visiting from Cheshire to witness this truly special occasion.
Tom was then installed as the new WM of this most welcoming lodge after which the officers were invested for the upcoming year by the new WM with a flair that is unique to him and him alone. Peter Hornby’s address to the new WM was delivered with the utmost confidence and it showed the years of rigorous and tireless practice pays off to all who persevere. Graham Hughes delivered a marvellous address to the wardens which was executed in a manner befitting his Provisional rank.
The Tyler, Ted Webster, the ever-watchful guardian of all the mysteries that are held within the halls of Freemasonry, stood proudly while delivering his address perfectly in a style that rivalled both Mark and Tom combined. Without hesitation he successfully delivered the address which he was charged to perform with a steely determined glint in his eye, a pleasure to watch. All this was done under the gaze of the lodge’s director of ceremonies, Ron Brown, who oversaw the evening’s events with such a passion that shone forth with every word that he spoke, along with Peter, both coming in early to every lodge night to help in setting up the chamber for the evening. Each worthy men who embody the spirit of Freemasonry in every way. Bravo gentlemen!
Grand and Provincial grand officers then retired from the temple in a procession of tremendous colour. The secretary delivered the communications from Provincial Grand Lodge to all brethren and the lodge was then closed in peace and harmony at 17:12hrs by the newly appointed WM and his wardens, which concluded a marvellous ceremony in which each and every brother of this well-respected lodge can be extremely proud of themselves for their outstanding execution of the ceremony on the night which was wonderful to experience as no brother fell short of perfection in carrying out their duty, from the WM to the tyler, every Mason gave his all. The festive board was filled with laughter, smiles, the drinks flowed, the food was superb, the menu a treat for the tastebuds! Tom presented Mark with a beautiful antique past master’s jewel that he will no doubt wear with pride. There were also gifts exchanged, William who presented Tom a fine bottle of whisky direct from the highlands of Scotland. William in turn received a pocket Scouse to English dictionary on behalf of the Mersey Valley Group which was presented by the WM. Tom’s brother Albert kindly donated various prizes which included a bottle of Old Tom Ale to the raffle winner. The WM also presented Peter Hornby with a Royal Arch trowel.
During the evening, Lodge of Loyalty donated a total of £999.99 to 3 charities which were; £333.33 pound to the Air Cadets, £333.33 to Face Cancer and £333.33 to Gemma’s Hidden Gems (Alder Hey). Andrew Whittle thanked the brethren of Lodge of Loyalty for their very generous donations to three very worthy causes.