More than 500 companions from across West Lancashire and as far afield as the Isle of Man gathered at Blackpool’s magnificent Winter Gardens for the annual meeting of Provincial Grand Chapter. The day began under grey skies, with rain falling over Blackpool, but as the companions began arriving at the Winter Gardens, the clouds gave way to sunshine over the famous Blackpool Tower, perhaps an appropriate start to a day that would be filled with friendship, celebration and good humour.
From early morning, the Winter Gardens was alive with the sound of companions greeting old friends, meeting new ones and catching up over a cup of tea or coffee and, for some after a long journey, perhaps something a little stronger.
Provincial Grand Stewards were on hand to welcome companions and escort distinguished visitors to their robing rooms, while the Provincial office team was kept busy with its range of West Lancashire Freemasonry merchandise.
Among those arriving were a good number of newly exalted ‘white ribbon’ companions. These are recently exalted companions and the ‘white ribbon’ refers to their Royal Arch jewel ribbon. Their presence was particularly welcomed by Grand Superintendent, Mark Matthews, who spent time before the meeting talking with them and having photographs taken. It was clear that Mark was delighted to see so many new companions taking their first steps in the Royal Arch.
Behind the scenes, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Ian Halsall and his team had been working hard throughout the morning, putting everyone involved through their paces to ensure that the ceremony would run smoothly, and it did.
The entrance of grand, Provincial grand officers and distinguished visitors from numerous Provinces provided a spectacular opening to the meeting, reflecting both the importance of the occasion and the esteem in which West Lancashire Royal Arch is held.
After opening the Provincial Grand Chapter, Mark addressed the companions and brethren, thanking them for attending the Provincial Grand Chapter meeting. Mark went on to say: “What special and exciting times these are; here in 2026, we are enjoying our bi-centenary celebrations for our fine Province. To date, we have held a Provincial church service together with group, chapter and lodge celebrations. Debbie and I have thoroughly enjoyed the celebratory events that we have attended so far. Thank you so much for all of your efforts in that regard.”
Mark continued: “Of course, there are even more celebrations still to come before the end of the year. Of particular note, we will be holding a special bi-centenary celebration Provincial Grand Lodge here at the Winter Gardens on Friday 27 November 2026. This will be somewhat different to the usual May Provincial Grand Lodge. I recommend that you put this date into your diaries now.” (Read Mark’s full address here)
Although Provincial Grand Chapter now is a very different gathering from those of the 19th century, it forms part of a Royal Arch tradition in West Lancashire stretching back well over 150 years. Historical records show Provincial Grand Chapter meetings taking place as far back as the 1870s, when companions from across the Province travelled to gatherings in places such as Wigan and Liverpool.
By the late Victorian period, Royal Arch Masonry was already flourishing. Around 40 chapters were recorded in the Province in 1889, while annual meetings attracted increasingly large numbers. Approximately 120 companions attended the Provincial meeting at Southport in 1896, more than 150 gathered at Ormskirk the following year and by 1898 attendance at the Liverpool meeting had exceeded 200.
Today, those numbers have grown considerably, with more than 500 companions gathering at the Winter Gardens. The locations and faces may have changed over the generations, but the underlying purpose remains remarkably familiar: companions coming together, celebrating Royal Arch Masonry, recognising service and achievement and looking towards its future.
The meeting provided the opportunity to recognise those companions whose commitment and service to Royal Arch Masonry had earned them appointments, re-appointments and promotions within Provincial Grand Chapter. Among those receiving recognition was Michael Peter Fox, who was appointed Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah.
The honours were not simply about the recipients themselves, but about the contribution made by companions throughout the Province, a point that was emphasised later in the day by Grand Superintendent Mark Matthews. “Isn’t this why we do it?”
After investing all the companions who had been re-appointed, promoted and those receiving their first appointment, Provincial Grand Chapter for 2026 was closed. Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Ian Halsall, then called upon his Deputy Provincial Grand Directors of Ceremonies and the Provincial Grand Stewards to form the recession and with Grand Superintendent Mark Matthews, Deputy Grand Superintendent David Barr, Second Assistant Grand Principal Andrew Whittle and Third Assistant Grand Principal Rev Canon John Hall and all the distinguished guests in place, all attending companions stood and to a rousing West Lancashire applause the recession parade began.
At the festive board, Rev Canon John Hall proposed the toast to the health of the Grand Superintendent. With his customary warmth and humour, John reflected on how remarkable it was that someone such as himself could be standing at such an occasion and he spoke of the way Freemasonry has developed over the years. Turning to Mark, he described him as approachable, affable, engaging and above all, caring. With a smile, John remarked that he had to be careful how he put it, but that being ‘locked up’ by the Grand Superintendent, or indeed raising a toast to his health, would be an honour.
The companions then rose to toast the health of Grand Superintendent Mark Matthews. Responding to the toast, Mark thanked John for his kind words and admitted that he had been slightly apprehensive beforehand about what John was going to say.
But Mark’s message quickly turned to something at the heart of the day, saying: “You have heard me say this many times, but isn’t this why we do it?” Looking around at the day’s events, he said that the companions had enjoyed a fantastic and happy time in the chapter room and were now enjoying an equally happy time together at the banquet. “So can I just say to everybody, thank you for enjoying your Masonry. That’s why we do it.”
Mark reminded the companions that, despite everything involved in Masonry, it is ultimately a hobby, something to be enjoyed. He also congratulated everyone who had received an honour, pointing out that their recognition was the result of the hard work they had put into the Province.
Turning to the many visitors from other Provinces, he thanked them for travelling to West Lancashire and helping to make the occasion so special. His message to everyone was simple: keep enjoying your Masonry, continue inviting good men to join, encourage Craft Masons to take the next step into the Royal Arch and perhaps appropriately for the occasion, remember that the bar is still open. Mark hoped the companions would enjoy the rest of the evening and have a safe journey home.
John Selley then proposed the toast to the newly appointed, re-appointed and promoted companions. He congratulated all those receiving honours and reminded them that their recognition reflected not only the work they had already undertaken, but also the commitment and dedication they would continue to show in supporting Royal Arch Masonry throughout West Lancashire.
He spoke of the importance of growing the Royal Arch and encouraged companions to reach out to their Craft brethren who had yet to complete their journey in pure and ancient Freemasonry. He also urged companions to make contact with those who had previously been members of the Royal Arch but were no longer attending, reminding them that they were missed. John also congratulated Michael Fox on his appointment as Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah and wished all the newly appointed acting Provincial officers every success in their year of office.
Michael Fox was then called upon to respond on behalf of the newly appointed, re-appointed and promoted companions. And his response provided one of the most memorable moments of the day. Michael began by congratulating everyone who had received an honour, but then explained why he had deliberately used the word ‘companions’.
He joked that when he Googled the word ‘companion’, the results included a walking stick, a paperback book and a small dog, “not one of which our founders had in mind, and not very often found in a chapter.” But behind the humour was a much deeper message. “We do not call one another brother; in this order we call each other companion,” he said. Michael explained that the word derives from the Latin com and panis, literally, with bread, or one with whom you break bread.
He described it as a simple but beautiful piece of language, reflecting something fundamental about the Royal Arch journey. Going on to say: “Our ceremony is not a story of a brother who set out on his own but of three who went down together, who laboured together and who came up with something more important than what just one of them could have come up with on their own.” That, Michael said, is what companions are.
Michael asked those who had received honours to look around their tables and consider the companions who had supported them along the way. Saying: ”Every one of us is here because a companion took the trouble to ask us, to explain to us, to sit beside us and to put it right even when we had our sceptres the wrong way round.”
And then came a challenge to every companion in the room. Michael said: “We have all been carried a little way, so I charge you to do the asking, ask the brother who has not yet started his Royal Arch journey. Look out for the companions who no longer attend. Tell them they are missed.”
Because, Michael reminded everyone, the person who makes the difference in the future may simply be the one companion who took the trouble to ask. His final thought provided perhaps the perfect description of the day and of the responsibility carried by every generation of West Lancashire companions: Michael said: ”We are not the history of this Province; we are simply its next chapter.”
Michael went on to thank the Provincial and Deputy Provincial Grand Scribe Ezras, the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and his team, and everyone at the Provincial office who had worked behind the scenes to make the day possible. Because, as he rightly pointed out, events such as this do not simply happen.
As the evening drew to a close, there was another reminder of the continuity and tradition that runs through Provincial Grand Chapter. It is a West Lancashire tradition that the outgoing Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah presents his successor with his scribe Nehemiah solid gold lapel badge. Outgoing Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah John Topping therefore presented the badge to his successor, Michael Fox, a simple gesture, but one that symbolised the passing of responsibility from one companion to another. And perhaps that was the underlying theme of the whole day.
From the Royal Arch companions who gathered in West Lancashire more than 150 years ago, through the generations who followed, to the more than 500 companions filling the Winter Gardens today, the story continues. New companions are welcomed, experienced companions are recognised, responsibilities are passed from one generation to the next and the future is placed in the hands of those who will write the next chapter.
As the companions finally made their way home, there was a sense that it had been a memorable Provincial Grand Chapter, one filled with ceremony, recognition, laughter and above all, friendship. A fantastic day from beginning to end and judging by the smiles and conversations as the companions departed, very few were in any hurry for the day to end.
