To see any Mason installed or proclaimed as master of his lodge is a pleasure. To have witnessed the latest in a career spanning seven installations or proclamations is both humbling and gratifying. The person concerned is David Cole, WM of Hawkshead Lodge No 4354, the geographical ‘top of the Province’.
Such is Dave’s passion for his Freemasonry in general and his lodge in particular, that when the hiccups that affect all our lodges from time to time have happened, he’s been willing and able to steady the ship, to allow time for the progression to develop. That selflessness and commitment bore fruit, as four more junior brethren who Dave has been responsible for introducing took offices in the lodge.
The afternoon began as brethren arrived from far and wide, including from the Liverpool and Yorkshire areas. A busload came from the Furness and South Lakeland Group itself, including Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Schofield, group chairman Chris Gray, vice chairman Harry Chatfield and group secretary Tony Jackson.
At the appointed hour, David opened the lodge and in due course, Phil Burrow, who was temporarily occupying the position of director of ceremonies, retired from the lodge. Upon his re-entry, he announced that Assistant Provincial Grand Master Peter Schofield demanded admission. Peter entered the lodge accompanied by a retinue of grand and Provincial grand officers and took his seat. Having politely declined the offer of the gavel of the lodge, Peter insisted that Barry Fitzgerald, on this occasion, the representative of Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, should take his seat at his rightful place in the lodge and the scene was set.
Also, present were Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master Dave Grainger, Rowley Saunders, Phil Preston, John Wrennall and of course, Hawkshead Lodge stalwart and IPM Dave Kellet. Also attending were acting Provincial grand officers John Gibson, Kevin Rigg and Ian Hallatt, all of whom added further splendour to the proceedings.
After the salutations, the lodge was closed down to the first degree and David assembled his officers in the North, thanking them for their hard work during the past year. David Cole was then proclaimed as WM for the ensuing year by Phil Burrow and it should be mentioned that Phil was deputising for lodge director of ceremonies Tim Gill, who was in hospital but is recovering well. The brethren below the rank of installed master stood, saluted David as entered apprentices and resumed their seats.
Dave didn’t hesitate to appoint his officers, with Tim Brown as senior warden, Shaun Gregg as junior warden, Simon Harvey as senior deacon and Geoff Biddulph as junior deacon. Kevin Rigg gave the address to the deacons in his usual excellent manner. Entered apprentice Tom Scott, the lodge’s newest member, was appointed and invested as a steward of the lodge. Alan Pattinson gave the address to the wardens and Barry Fitzgerald gave the address to the brethren of the lodge.
The WM then reverted back to the summons and at that point, Barry Fitzgerald rose to bring the greetings of the Provincial Grand Master, Mark Matthews, congratulating David and Phil, as well as pointing out his delight in seeing the four junior brethren taking the progressive offices. As Barry was about to retake his seat, David presented him with a cheque for £200 for the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
The lodge has also been a joint partner in helping to raise funds to install a stairlift into its Masonic home, the Hawkshead Market Hall, for the benefit of all those who use its facilities and spaces, to the tune of £3,000, which was 50% of the total cost of the stairlift. Barry thanked the brethren of the lodge for their very generous donations.
