Piel Castle Lodge No 6099 was founded in 1945 and takes its name from Piel Castle, a 14th-century fortress built by the Abbot of Furness to guard the safe natural harbour of Barrow-in-Furness against pirates and Scots raiders. The lodge meets at Fairfield Masonic Hall in Barrow and this is where it held the installation meeting.
The installation principal guest was grand officer John Quiggin and it was third time lucky for John to be able to attend the installation as principal guest, due to an unfortunate accident and other unavoidable circumstances. John had been invited to be principal guest by Furness and South Lakeland Group Chairman Chris Gray.
John was accompanied by grand officers Rowley Saunders and Barry Fitzgerald. Acting Provincial grand officers present were: Provincial Grand Charity Steward Andrew McClements, Provincial Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies Ian Woods and Jamie Lindsay, Provincial Grand Stewards Matthew Woods and Matthew Catlow. Also in attendance were Furness and South Lakeland Group Vice Chairman Harry Chatfield and group secretary Kevin Rigg.
Installing master Nick Collinge opened the lodge in the first degree. Nick has been in the chair of Piel Castle Lodge for two years and has been a wonderful ambassador for the lodge, visiting prolifically around the other 13 lodges in the group, making many friends along the way. Several tributes were paid to him throughout the day for the hard work and effort he has put into his tenure as WM. His other main hobby, the local musical society, Barrow Amateurs, has certainly given Nick a sense of drama, theatre and how to put on a great occasion, as his recent Ladies’ Night, set in the Victorian splendour of Barrow Town Hall and organised with his wife Paula, proved.
When the regular business of the lodge had been dispensed with, director of ceremonies Dennis Laird retired from the lodge room and upon his return announced that principal guest John Quiggin requested admission. When the party accompanying John had entered the lodge room and been seated, Nick opened the lodge in the second and third degrees in fine style, ably assisted by the officers of the lodge.
Dennis Laird led the assembled brethren in the salutations and when these were completed, the lodge was adjourned to the second degree. Dennis then had the great pleasure of presenting his good friend Glenn Hudson as master elect. Glenn and Dennis have been good friends for several years. Glenn was master of Ulverston Lodge No 7872 in 2006 and 2027 and Dennis was master of Piel Castle Lodge at the same time.
Nick Collinge moved smoothly through the installation ceremony. Glenn recited his obligation in a sincere and impeccable manner. Ian Cottam explained the tools of an installed master superbly. Tim Haughin, Gary Mansfield and Nick gave brilliant renditions of the third, second (long version), and first degree tools. Tim deserves particular praise, being a light blue of a relatively young vintage.
David Grove of Baldwin Lodge No 1398 gave the address to the master, Dennis Laird gave the address to the wardens, Tony Jackson gave the address to the new senior deacon Tim Haughin, after which Matthew Woods gave the address to the stewards. All were done in a very personal and thoughtful manner as they explained their various roles and duties.
John Quiggin gave the address to the brethren of Piel Castle Lodge in a superbly word-perfect, heartfelt and touching style before he stood once more and brought the greetings of Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews.
Glenn presented John with details of charitable donations of £2,090 that had been made in the previous 12 months, including £500 to the Masonic Charitable Foundation and £1,500 to the British Heart Foundation.
The charitable nature of the brethren was amply evinced with a £180 collection for Masonic charities in the lodge and £510 in a raffle held at the banquet. The ‘master’s swindle’ contributed a further £19 to this.
At the festive board banquet, another friend from Glenn’s previous time as master, John Edwards-Donnelly, gave a wonderful performance of the Master’s Song. The brethren enjoyed a first-rate three-course meal and a relaxed atmosphere well into the evening.
