Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews was the principal guest at the installation meeting of Lune Lodge No 4724 where Neil McGill was installed into the Chair of King Solomon in the lodge’s centenary year.
The Provincial Grand Master was accompanied by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Schofield, Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master Keith Kemp and grand officers Chris Butterfield, Michael Church-Taylor, Barry Fitzgerald, Rob Fitzsimmons and Paul Broadley.
The Chairman of the Lancaster and District Group Chris Larder was joined by Provincial Senior Grand Warden Mark Humphrey, Provincial Junior Grand Warden Michael Silver, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Ryan Modlin, Provincial Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies Steven Ellershaw and Dean Walters, Provincial Assistant Grand Standard Bearer Steven Murray, Provincial Assistant Grand Pursuivant Sid Bateson, Provincial Grand Stewards Stuart Bateson and Andy Baxter.
WM Daniel Crossley opened the lodge in the first degree and conducted the general business of the lodge. The lodge was then opened in the second and third degrees after which Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Barry Fitzgerald announced that the Provincial Grand Master stood without and demanded admission. Mark Matthews, accompanied by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Schofield, grand officers, acting Provincial grand officers and the group chairman were admitted, together with Provincial deacons George Fox and Steve Plevey. Mark was warmly welcomed by the WM and salutations were conducted by the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies.
The lodge was adjourned in the third degree and opened in the second degree. The WM invited Mark Humphrey to occupy the chair of installing senior warden, Michael Silver to occupy the chair as installing junior warden and Mark Oliver to act as installing inner guard. Master elect Neil McGill was then presented for installation by Paul Taylor. The lodge was then resumed in the third degree after which all those below an installed master were requested to retire from the lodge for a short while. The working tools of an installed master were expertly presented by Tony Cassells.
On closing of the board of installed masters, master Masons were re-admitted and the third degree working tools were presented by Paul Taylor. The second and first degree working tools were presented by Peter Walmsley and Connor Isted respectively. The WM appointed Steve McClintock as senior warden and Paul Taylor as junior warden. The address to the master was given by George Fox. The address to the wardens was given by Provincial Senior Grand Warden Mark Humphrey and Provincial Junior Grand Warden Michael Silver gave the address to the brethren of Lune Lodge. The address to the stewards was given by Stuart Bateson.
On completion of the installation ceremony, Mark gave his own greetings to the WM and wished him a successful, centenary year. He congratulated Neil on a superb ceremony. Mark was presented with a list of donations that the lodge had made to Masonic and non-Masonic charities totalling £3,000. Mark thanked the brethren of the lodge for their very generous donations. The WM then presented immediate past master Daniel Crossley with a past master’s jewel dating from 1947.
Organist for the evening was David Tattersall and the Master’s Song was performed by Daniel Crossley. A total of 96 brethren attended the festive board where the toast to the WM was given by Frank Heath. The raffle raised £795.
WM Neil McGill was born in July 1954 at Queen Victoria Hospital Morecambe. He is married to Lorraine and they have three sons, Stuart, Daniel and Joshua. Neil was a senior manager for Asda Stores for 20 years and at the age of 62 retired on the grounds of ill health and is now very happily retired. He is also a millennium Mason and was initiated on 5 January 2000 as a member of Lune Lodge, passed on 3 May 2000 and raised on 1 November 2000.
Neil became master of the lodge on 1 March 2006 and has held the offices of treasurer, assistant director of ceremonies and director of ceremonies. Neil was appointed as social secretary of the Lancaster and District Group in 2014. In 2015, he was appointed group secretary and from May 2016-2018 he was group vice-chairman. Following the retirement of Jim Wilson after 10 years, Neil was appointed group chairman in May 2018 and remained in post until his retirement in May 2023 when he handed over to Scott Devine.
Neil received his first Provincial honours in May 2011 when he was appointed Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies and was promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in May 2017. Neil was promoted to grand rank in 2022 as Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
In Royal Arch, Neil was exalted into Rowley Chapter No 1051 on 18 March 2002 and was first principal in 2018 and is currently charity steward. Neil was appointed Provincial Grand Sword Bearer in the Royal Arch in April 2016 and was promoted to grand rank in the Royal Arch in 2023 as Past Grand Standard Bearer. He is also a member of Poulton le Sands Lodge No 1051, along with many other lodges, chapters and other Masonic orders.
