In September 2025, St John’s Lodge No 2825 met at Blackpool Masonic Hall to celebrate 125 years of continuous working since its consecration in September 1900. The honour of opening the subsequent meeting since that important event fell to WM Malcolm Davis.
The lodge was duly opened by the WM and the officers of the lodge and the business on the agenda was swiftly dispatched with. The main business on the agenda was to install the senior warden and lodge past master Bob Bennett. This would be Bob’s second time in the chair of King Solomon at St John’s Lodge, the first being in 2007.
On a report, the inner guard announced that John Robbie Porter, representing the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, requested admission. John Robbie processed into the lodge accompanied by Past Assistant Provincial Grand Masters Harry Cox and Duncan Smith. Also in attendance were grand officers John Turpin and group vice chairman David Edwards. They were supported by Blackpool Group Chairman Stephen Jelly, Provincial Grand Mentor Ray Lamb and Provincial Junior Grand Deacon Paul Cummings.
Once everyone had been ensconced into their allocated seats, the ceremony began and for the purpose of the installation ceremony, Malcolm invited John Forster to occupy the master’s chair. John subsequently requested Neil Winkley to occupy the chair of installing senior warden, Alan Barnes to occupy the chair of installing junior warden and Steve Smith to occupy the position of installing inner guard. Mel Wainwright had the honour of presenting the master elect to the assembled brethren.
Once all brethren had been confirmed as installed masters, a Board of Installed Masters was opened and Bob was installed in the chair of King Solomon according to ancient customs and traditions of St John’s Lodge. All of the working tools of the various degrees were presented by junior brethren of the lodge. The third degree tools by Craig Green, the second degree tools by Simon Rhodes and the first degree tools by John Todd.
Once all the officers of the lodge had been appointed, Jonathan Selcoe delivered the address to the WM. The address to the wardens was delivered by Neil Winkley and the address to the brethren of St John’s Lodge was delivered by John Robbie Porter.
John returned to his chair and John Forster declared to Bob that the ceremony of installation was complete. This was the cue for John to rise and bring the greetings of Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. John continued to congratulate installing master John Forster and officers of the lodge on an excellent and enjoyable ceremony.
Bob had the great pleasure of presenting cheques to John Robbie to the value of £2,825, this amount being equal to the lodge number. Recipients of this magnificent amount were; Blackpool Young Carers £500, Headway £500, Sam’s Super Heroes £700, Caring Hearts £500, Blackpool Masonic Hall building fund £200 and West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity £425. John Robbie thanked the brethren of the lodge for their kind donations.
After the ceremony, the brethren retired to the lounge bar for a few well-earned drinks before gathering in the dining room for a fine three-course meal supplied by Shaun and his team at Masonic Catering Ltd.
In his response to the toast to the grand officers, John Robbie thanked the grand officers for attending and he also thanked Blackpool Group Chairman Stephen Jelly for the invitation to represent the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews at St John’s Lodge installation meeting. John Robbie also thanked the acting Provincial grand officers for supporting him, namely, Provincial Grand Mentor Ray Lamb and Provincial Grand Junior Deacon Paul Cummings. John Robbie concluded his response by thanking the brethren for their warm welcome and said he was looking forward to the continued future of St John’s Lodge.
The brethren were interested to learn that the new WM, Bob Bennett, was born in 1948 and after leaving school, he worked on the fishing trawlers in nearby Fleetwood. Leaving the fishing industry to work at ICI Chemicals before changing professions and moving to the leisure industry, he retired at the young age of 57. Bob was married to Helen at the age of 20 and they are currently celebrating 55 years of marriage. They have two sons and four grandchildren.
Bob joined Freemasonry in 2002, being installed in the chair of King Solomon for the first time in 2007. Bob is also a member of the charity stewards’ lodge, Dona Conferentes Lodge No 9392. In 2016, Bob was appointed Fylde Care Officer, a role he is extremely proud of, helping people throughout the Fylde coast, stating that it is the most rewarding job in Freemasonry.
Bob also thanked his special guest, Ian Brown, the master of Lodge Hamilton No 233 of Mid Ward, Lanarkshire, Scotland, for attending. Each year in May since 1983, there has been a specially sanctioned demonstration of a ceremony by one or the other of the lodges on alternate years. The first demonstration was made by Lodge Hamilton in May 1983, which was a demonstration of the Scottish constitution third degree ceremony, complete with musical accompaniments. To mark their 25th anniversary, St John’s Lodge gave a demonstration of the second degree ceremony with an explanation of the second degree tracing board under the English constitution. The two lodges have continued to uphold this fine tradition, fostering the happy fraternal friendship between both sets of brethren.
The Master’s Song was most eloquently sung by John Darrell, with accompaniment by John Wall on piano. The evening ended with a resounding rendition of the tyler’s toast.