Address to the Brethren - PGL 2026
Prov.G.M. R.W.Bro. John Finlay
Brethren; another year has ticked past, and once again we meet here at Chelmsford for our annual PGL meeting, like you no doubt, I have no idea where the time goes, but as I sat to write this address I reflected on the past year, and what a wonderful year it has been in the Province.
I had the privilege to carry out Centenary celebration meetings for two of our lodges. Jubilee celebrations for another two lodges. Presented five of our Brethren with anniversary certificates totalling 280 years of service to Mark Masonry, the longest period belonging to V.W. Bro. Alf Garner now 103 years old, and with 70 years service to our Order, a most remarkable man.
The continuing success of two fine lodges saved from extinction by being repurposed into something to be proud of. Firstly, Tudor Lodge, a lodge most certainly a reflection of its name, the Tudor banquet style festive boards proving to be more than palatable. George Graveley lodge, a lodge consecrated in 1893 six years before the Province existed. Now our first Widows sons motorcycle lodge, and recruiting like I have never seen before, quite remarkable. Well done to you all.
I have also been privileged to present another eight of our lodges with their Mark Benevolent Fund Diamond patronage awards. I also have presented many of our brethren with various levels of MBF honorifics, both at our installed masters lodge and in their own lodges.
A year I think we can all be proud of, particularly as we have seen a 2.5% growth in our Mark membership. I am extremely pleased with that figure.
Our recruitment process led by W.Bro. Geoff Newman is going well, the awareness events and presentations are well received, and well supported by you the members, an important factor I am thankful for and well aware of. Please continue that support.
To you, the members, I wish to express my most sincere gratitude for your support in my endeavours over the last 12 months, and for your most wonderful friendly welcome and company on my visits to your lodges around the Province. And to the active Officers for their support and company on the many visits that they have made with me around the Province and further afield, we have had some enjoyable times together, all in the best spirit of Mark Masonry.
However, Brethren all that happiness was somewhat tempered by the sad passing of our Pro Grand Master M.W. Bro. John Herbert Prizeman. A most loved, respected, man and Freemason. His legacy to the world of Freemasonry is one which will not easily be forgotten. His work in bringing the Craft and the Mark together is truly remarkable, it has removed much of the regressive thinking and many of the barriers which had held us all back for a long time in my opinion. The world of Freemasonry is a happier place for his endeavours.
At a local level I pay tribute to the P.G.M. of the Craft, R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant for his endeavours in mirroring the late Pro.G.M’s work. He understands the affinity the Craft must have with the Companion orders, it is to all of our benefits.
It is therefore incumbent on each and every one of us in the Companion Orders to continue to support our Craft Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters with our best endeavours. We will all remember the joy we experienced when initiated into the Craft, that joy is still there Brethren, and if you have forgotten it, perhaps you just need to re-engage to rediscover it. Without our wonderful Craft we wouldn't be able to enjoy Freemasonry at its best, So Brethren in memory of M.W. Bro. John’s name, remember how your masonic journey started.
Recently announced is M.W.Bro. John's successor; R.W.Bro. Paul Raymond Clement. He will be invested as Pro.G.M. at Mark Grand Lodge on the 9th of June. R.W. Bro. Paul is an excellent choice, vastly experienced and widely respected, I am sure we all wish him well for the future.
Brethren when I was invested as your Provincial Grand Master I stated that I would only change what was required to progress the Province for the benefit of the members. Brethren I do hope you continue to see the benefits of the changes I make.
Our new Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Provincial Grand Secretary and Almoners are settling very well into their new roles, they work tirelessly for us. Their work and endeavours are seen by me first hand, and are very much appreciated by myself, and should also be by all of you whom they work tirelessly for.
The Province is still the happy successful place it always has been. The business functions tick quietly away in the background led and staffed by the best quality people. Our media goes from strength to strength. My most sincere thanks goes to them all, without you Brethren we would be less.
Brethren, several long serving and senior Provincial Officers have stood down today, on your behalf I thank them for their past commitment and service.
W.Bro. Charles Lowry retires after 26 years as our Provincial Grand Organist, a record tenure I would guess!
W.Bro. Tony Goater stands down as our Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, some one whose calm nature and quiet confidence I shall miss.
W.Bro. Dave Todd stood down as our Media Manager after eight years at the helm, again a remarkable tenure. W.Bro. Dave is to be invested as the Grand Inner Guard at the Grand lodge meeting next week, we all wish him well I am sure.
However those who I have appointed to replace them are worthy successors. I wish them well in their new roles, I am sure they will be well received by you as they set to work on your behalf. Brethren I say again, if any of you have aspirations to hold any role in the Province don't be afraid to put your name forward, there is always room for eager, keen officers.
To all of you that I have invested with Provincial Grand Rank today, once again congratulations, your service to your lodges and the Province does not go unnoticed, be proud of your new ranks and the status they bring, be satisfied knowing you have earned them.
In a few days time several of our brethren will be appointed to Grand Rank by the M.W. Grand Master, three of them to Acting Grand Rank, high honour indeed. And in September several more of our Brethren will be promoted within Grand Rank. We give hearty congratulations to all.
As I have said previously, with Grand and Provincial Grand Rank comes great responsibility, your brethren and peers look up to you, be the best you can be. Lead by example in your lodges.
The Provincial Almoners team have taken on a much more proactive and holistic role within the Province. Their remit now extends beyond the traditional Almoners role, into areas of membership retention, working with our Recruitment, Retention and Reinvigoration team, and still continuing to work with our lodge Almoners. They have set up local support group hubs for the lodges, these are already showing signs of success, the reported numbers of visitors to some lodges in certain areas is increasing. Used properly they will be a great benefit to your lodges, particularly those who struggle with membership.
Our Awareness and presentation teams have been busy promoting our order with great success, Our Provincial LoI continues, along with our Director of Ceremonies lodge, both doing invaluable work.
Brethren, I must now turn my attention to our 2030 MBF Festival. Whilst the work continues tirelessly under the Dep.P.G.M. There is still much to do.
We are now only 4 years away from the culmination of our festival. If the success of a festival was measured by effort, then 2030 would be the best ever, but unfortunately it is not.
A festival is defined as a periodic celebration that highlights distinctive aspects of a community, often centered around the themes of culture, or tradition. I desire our Festival to be a happy and joyous event, centred on our Masonic tradition of giving. The MBF deserves our very best endeavours.
I urge you all to back our Festival team by giving your support to the many events they continue to organise for our enjoyment. I ask you to get involved in any way you can, be it by donating, becoming a festival Steward or organising a lodge event in aid of the festival.
To aid our Festival efforts we have a major change to the Essex Mark Benevolent Fund Patronage scheme to come later in the year. I urge all our Lodge Charity Stewards to respond to the invite already sent out to them to attend the conference in August. Your support will be vital in making this much needed change work.
A Province of our stature deserves a good festival, showing Essex at its best. When we gather in 2030 to celebrate together I am sure like me you will want to reflect on a job well done. Having the satisfaction that helping others through our charitable giving brings.
We have also continued to support the Mark Provinces who are also in festival.
Last year we completed our commitment to Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Warwickshire by donating £5,000 to each. This year we have completed our commitments to support the festivals of Somerset in 2028 and Durham in 2029 with similar Sums.
Bro Prov.GDC. Will you please present R.W. Bro. George Deacon, P.G.M. for the Province of Hampshire and the I.O.W. to me please.
R.W. Bro George, In July this year your festival culminates. I and other Brethren of this Province look forward to joining you at your festival banquet, and I wish you every success with that.
We had already completed our festival donations to your Province totalling £5000. However, I on behalf of the Province of Essex now donate to your festival another £1,000, in memory of M.W.Bro. John Prizeman, our dearly departed Pro.G.M. and a past P.G.M. of your Province.
Brethren, looking forward, we have much to relish, starting with Grand lodge in a few days time, followed by our big festival event for 2026 the Skydive challenge.
There are many family events for the Festival to enjoy, and of course our own busy annual, schedule of Provincial meetings. Starting with our Installed Masters lodge meeting in September, the Mark Remembrance day service in November, and our Provincial Officers Mess shortly afterwards.
I too already have a full calendar to contend with, yet more joyous meetings to attend. Some celebrating more lodge Centenary's, a banner dedication or two and some personal achievements for our brethren to be celebrated in their Lodges, the life of a busy Province is never dull.
I am also pleased to announce the launch of a new monthly news-letter, titled Essex Marked which will be an electronic publication emailed to all members. This new Essex specific publication is in response to the change of focus of the News at 86 published weekly by Mark Masons Hall. They will now report on major national news from around the constitution with less focus on the local and regional news. Our new publication will fill the news gap left by the change at News at 86 and those of our members who do not use our website regularly or patronise Facebook.
Brethren, I am extremely proud and humbled to be allowed to serve as your P.G.M. and once again I thank you for your support and trust. I would like to end by simply saying, enjoy your Mark Masonry, ever remembering that enjoyment brings success.
Brethren, just before I finish, I believe R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant P.G.M. for the Craft in Essex wishes to make a presentation.
Bro Prov.G.D.C. Will you please escort R.W. Bro. Paul to the pedestal.
R.W. Bro. Paul, thank you for your very kind and generous donation to our festival appeal, it is much appreciated.
Sir, as you are well aware, the heads of the Masonic orders in Essex of which you are a member of all, have a close and fruitful relationship with each other. Of the 14 orders on the official proclamation list besides the Mark & RAM, we have 11 of the Heads attending here today, I need say no more, Essex Masonry has a wonderful synergy
Sir, thank you for your ongoing support, your attendance here today and once again for the marvellous donation.
Brethren on that happy note, thank you for your attention, and may the Great Overseer of the Universe bless, guide, and aid you every day.
I had the privilege to carry out Centenary celebration meetings for two of our lodges. Jubilee celebrations for another two lodges. Presented five of our Brethren with anniversary certificates totalling 280 years of service to Mark Masonry, the longest period belonging to V.W. Bro. Alf Garner now 103 years old, and with 70 years service to our Order, a most remarkable man.
The continuing success of two fine lodges saved from extinction by being repurposed into something to be proud of. Firstly, Tudor Lodge, a lodge most certainly a reflection of its name, the Tudor banquet style festive boards proving to be more than palatable. George Graveley lodge, a lodge consecrated in 1893 six years before the Province existed. Now our first Widows sons motorcycle lodge, and recruiting like I have never seen before, quite remarkable. Well done to you all.
I have also been privileged to present another eight of our lodges with their Mark Benevolent Fund Diamond patronage awards. I also have presented many of our brethren with various levels of MBF honorifics, both at our installed masters lodge and in their own lodges.
A year I think we can all be proud of, particularly as we have seen a 2.5% growth in our Mark membership. I am extremely pleased with that figure.
Our recruitment process led by W.Bro. Geoff Newman is going well, the awareness events and presentations are well received, and well supported by you the members, an important factor I am thankful for and well aware of. Please continue that support.
To you, the members, I wish to express my most sincere gratitude for your support in my endeavours over the last 12 months, and for your most wonderful friendly welcome and company on my visits to your lodges around the Province. And to the active Officers for their support and company on the many visits that they have made with me around the Province and further afield, we have had some enjoyable times together, all in the best spirit of Mark Masonry.
However, Brethren all that happiness was somewhat tempered by the sad passing of our Pro Grand Master M.W. Bro. John Herbert Prizeman. A most loved, respected, man and Freemason. His legacy to the world of Freemasonry is one which will not easily be forgotten. His work in bringing the Craft and the Mark together is truly remarkable, it has removed much of the regressive thinking and many of the barriers which had held us all back for a long time in my opinion. The world of Freemasonry is a happier place for his endeavours.
At a local level I pay tribute to the P.G.M. of the Craft, R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant for his endeavours in mirroring the late Pro.G.M’s work. He understands the affinity the Craft must have with the Companion orders, it is to all of our benefits.
It is therefore incumbent on each and every one of us in the Companion Orders to continue to support our Craft Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters with our best endeavours. We will all remember the joy we experienced when initiated into the Craft, that joy is still there Brethren, and if you have forgotten it, perhaps you just need to re-engage to rediscover it. Without our wonderful Craft we wouldn't be able to enjoy Freemasonry at its best, So Brethren in memory of M.W. Bro. John’s name, remember how your masonic journey started.
Recently announced is M.W.Bro. John's successor; R.W.Bro. Paul Raymond Clement. He will be invested as Pro.G.M. at Mark Grand Lodge on the 9th of June. R.W. Bro. Paul is an excellent choice, vastly experienced and widely respected, I am sure we all wish him well for the future.
Brethren when I was invested as your Provincial Grand Master I stated that I would only change what was required to progress the Province for the benefit of the members. Brethren I do hope you continue to see the benefits of the changes I make.
Our new Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Provincial Grand Secretary and Almoners are settling very well into their new roles, they work tirelessly for us. Their work and endeavours are seen by me first hand, and are very much appreciated by myself, and should also be by all of you whom they work tirelessly for.
The Province is still the happy successful place it always has been. The business functions tick quietly away in the background led and staffed by the best quality people. Our media goes from strength to strength. My most sincere thanks goes to them all, without you Brethren we would be less.
Brethren, several long serving and senior Provincial Officers have stood down today, on your behalf I thank them for their past commitment and service.
W.Bro. Charles Lowry retires after 26 years as our Provincial Grand Organist, a record tenure I would guess!
W.Bro. Tony Goater stands down as our Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, some one whose calm nature and quiet confidence I shall miss.
W.Bro. Dave Todd stood down as our Media Manager after eight years at the helm, again a remarkable tenure. W.Bro. Dave is to be invested as the Grand Inner Guard at the Grand lodge meeting next week, we all wish him well I am sure.
However those who I have appointed to replace them are worthy successors. I wish them well in their new roles, I am sure they will be well received by you as they set to work on your behalf. Brethren I say again, if any of you have aspirations to hold any role in the Province don't be afraid to put your name forward, there is always room for eager, keen officers.
To all of you that I have invested with Provincial Grand Rank today, once again congratulations, your service to your lodges and the Province does not go unnoticed, be proud of your new ranks and the status they bring, be satisfied knowing you have earned them.
In a few days time several of our brethren will be appointed to Grand Rank by the M.W. Grand Master, three of them to Acting Grand Rank, high honour indeed. And in September several more of our Brethren will be promoted within Grand Rank. We give hearty congratulations to all.
As I have said previously, with Grand and Provincial Grand Rank comes great responsibility, your brethren and peers look up to you, be the best you can be. Lead by example in your lodges.
The Provincial Almoners team have taken on a much more proactive and holistic role within the Province. Their remit now extends beyond the traditional Almoners role, into areas of membership retention, working with our Recruitment, Retention and Reinvigoration team, and still continuing to work with our lodge Almoners. They have set up local support group hubs for the lodges, these are already showing signs of success, the reported numbers of visitors to some lodges in certain areas is increasing. Used properly they will be a great benefit to your lodges, particularly those who struggle with membership.
Our Awareness and presentation teams have been busy promoting our order with great success, Our Provincial LoI continues, along with our Director of Ceremonies lodge, both doing invaluable work.
Brethren, I must now turn my attention to our 2030 MBF Festival. Whilst the work continues tirelessly under the Dep.P.G.M. There is still much to do.
We are now only 4 years away from the culmination of our festival. If the success of a festival was measured by effort, then 2030 would be the best ever, but unfortunately it is not.
A festival is defined as a periodic celebration that highlights distinctive aspects of a community, often centered around the themes of culture, or tradition. I desire our Festival to be a happy and joyous event, centred on our Masonic tradition of giving. The MBF deserves our very best endeavours.
I urge you all to back our Festival team by giving your support to the many events they continue to organise for our enjoyment. I ask you to get involved in any way you can, be it by donating, becoming a festival Steward or organising a lodge event in aid of the festival.
To aid our Festival efforts we have a major change to the Essex Mark Benevolent Fund Patronage scheme to come later in the year. I urge all our Lodge Charity Stewards to respond to the invite already sent out to them to attend the conference in August. Your support will be vital in making this much needed change work.
A Province of our stature deserves a good festival, showing Essex at its best. When we gather in 2030 to celebrate together I am sure like me you will want to reflect on a job well done. Having the satisfaction that helping others through our charitable giving brings.
We have also continued to support the Mark Provinces who are also in festival.
Last year we completed our commitment to Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Warwickshire by donating £5,000 to each. This year we have completed our commitments to support the festivals of Somerset in 2028 and Durham in 2029 with similar Sums.
Bro Prov.GDC. Will you please present R.W. Bro. George Deacon, P.G.M. for the Province of Hampshire and the I.O.W. to me please.
R.W. Bro George, In July this year your festival culminates. I and other Brethren of this Province look forward to joining you at your festival banquet, and I wish you every success with that.
We had already completed our festival donations to your Province totalling £5000. However, I on behalf of the Province of Essex now donate to your festival another £1,000, in memory of M.W.Bro. John Prizeman, our dearly departed Pro.G.M. and a past P.G.M. of your Province.
Brethren, looking forward, we have much to relish, starting with Grand lodge in a few days time, followed by our big festival event for 2026 the Skydive challenge.
There are many family events for the Festival to enjoy, and of course our own busy annual, schedule of Provincial meetings. Starting with our Installed Masters lodge meeting in September, the Mark Remembrance day service in November, and our Provincial Officers Mess shortly afterwards.
I too already have a full calendar to contend with, yet more joyous meetings to attend. Some celebrating more lodge Centenary's, a banner dedication or two and some personal achievements for our brethren to be celebrated in their Lodges, the life of a busy Province is never dull.
I am also pleased to announce the launch of a new monthly news-letter, titled Essex Marked which will be an electronic publication emailed to all members. This new Essex specific publication is in response to the change of focus of the News at 86 published weekly by Mark Masons Hall. They will now report on major national news from around the constitution with less focus on the local and regional news. Our new publication will fill the news gap left by the change at News at 86 and those of our members who do not use our website regularly or patronise Facebook.
Brethren, I am extremely proud and humbled to be allowed to serve as your P.G.M. and once again I thank you for your support and trust. I would like to end by simply saying, enjoy your Mark Masonry, ever remembering that enjoyment brings success.
Brethren, just before I finish, I believe R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant P.G.M. for the Craft in Essex wishes to make a presentation.
Bro Prov.G.D.C. Will you please escort R.W. Bro. Paul to the pedestal.
R.W. Bro. Paul, thank you for your very kind and generous donation to our festival appeal, it is much appreciated.
Sir, as you are well aware, the heads of the Masonic orders in Essex of which you are a member of all, have a close and fruitful relationship with each other. Of the 14 orders on the official proclamation list besides the Mark & RAM, we have 11 of the Heads attending here today, I need say no more, Essex Masonry has a wonderful synergy
Sir, thank you for your ongoing support, your attendance here today and once again for the marvellous donation.
Brethren on that happy note, thank you for your attention, and may the Great Overseer of the Universe bless, guide, and aid you every day.
Posted 28/05/26
