As well as being an incredibly friendly and welcoming lodge, Silver Jubilee Lodge of Installed Masters No 8818 has been a long-time home to the thinking man’s Mason. Instead of the usual degree ceremonies, the brethren offer interesting and informative events, with a range of speakers and topics tailored to both casual and expert audiences.
On a cold winter’s night, over 40 Mason’s attended an entertaining lecture from the scholarly and witty Tony Baker, the topic of the day being ‘The Working Tools of an Operative Mason’. Tony has in his working life, contributed greatly to the maintenance of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, having worked there for 24 years until his retirement.
His experience as an operative mason, combined with his experience in speculative, gives him a unique insight rarely found among even experienced Masons. Indeed, he has given many tours to Mason’s, always going out of his way to point out items of interest. The Masons of Silver Jubilee Lodge of Installed Masters were therefore most delighted to welcome Tony to Southport, to partake of his wisdom and reciprocate by offering him an excellent evening.
The lodge having been opened, Tony stood to give his enlightening lecture. He showed the brethren the operative tools he had brought along, and explained how the tools were used. This contained items rarely seen to the casual workman, such a Lewis and the different forms of chisels. He went on to explain the impact on the stone, starting from where the stone came from and explaining how the tools could be used to split it with skill and precision. Of course, any lecture on operative Masonry cannot be complete without a bit of adventure, and Tony regaled the fascinated brethren with tales of his time abseiling down the full height of the Cathedral to fix the lightning conductor.
Following the lecture, Trevor Vearncombe, the master of the lodge, thanked Tony on giving up his time to explain the tools of an operative Mason in such an educational and entertaining manner, after which there was spontaneous acclamation from the large number of Masons present. The evening then moved to the festive board where Tony was entertained in kind by the warm-hearted brethren of the lodge.
The evening was such a success, Tony has offered to give a tour of the cathedral for the Light Blues Club, an offer which is most certainly going to be taken. Indeed, if the reception Tony received from the brethren is anything to go by, Tony may have taken on more than he bargained for.
