An Official Visit by the PGM to
St Katharine's Lodge No.1026
Saturday 26 March 2022
The members of St. Katharine’s Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodge No. 1026, assembled at Fraternity Hall in Eastwood Road, Leigh- on- Sea, for their regular meeting but this time with the support of an official visit by the Provincial Grand Master Terence D. Sheern and his active Provincial officers.
The Royal Ark Mariner Lodge was opened at 4.30 pm by the current Commander, W. Bro. Les Dunn and the ProvGM was greeted with the offer of the Sceptre. The Minutes were duly confirmed and the Commander Elect, Bro. Robert Johnson was presented to the Commander for the benefit of Installation. The Commander began the Installation and handed over to the Scribe, W. Bro. Simon Bennett who conducted the remainder, placing Bro. Robert into the Chair.
The new Commander has some work to do with the names of 2 Brethren ready for Elevation in the ensuing year and with further work in their Mark Lodge, a steady flow of Elevations is on the cards.
With a short recess, the RAM was turned into the Mark and the large space of Fraternity Hall was ready for the next of the St. Katharine’s Lodges.
The Royal Ark Mariner Lodge was opened at 4.30 pm by the current Commander, W. Bro. Les Dunn and the ProvGM was greeted with the offer of the Sceptre. The Minutes were duly confirmed and the Commander Elect, Bro. Robert Johnson was presented to the Commander for the benefit of Installation. The Commander began the Installation and handed over to the Scribe, W. Bro. Simon Bennett who conducted the remainder, placing Bro. Robert into the Chair.
The new Commander has some work to do with the names of 2 Brethren ready for Elevation in the ensuing year and with further work in their Mark Lodge, a steady flow of Elevations is on the cards.
With a short recess, the RAM was turned into the Mark and the large space of Fraternity Hall was ready for the next of the St. Katharine’s Lodges.
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The Mark meeting began at 5.30 pm with the members conducting the opening in readiness for the full procession of Provincial officers to escort the ProvGM into the Lodge. It was the Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies, W. Bro. Vincent Bull led proceedings and brought the Lodge to order for the Provincial entrance.
The ProvGM was greeted by the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. Robert Whitfield offered the PGM the Gavel and on this occasion, the PGM accepted, to address the Brethren assembled. The ProvGM introduced his Provincial team including the AsstPGM present, W. Bro. Richard Goodwin and thanked them all for their continued support.
With the Chair back in the hands of the Master, the Minutes were confirmed, officers invested that couldn’t be at the Installation, and then W. Bro. William ‘Bill’ Spilsted was presented to the Master so that the ProvGM could congratulate Bill for his 42 years in Mark Masonry. It was the lockdown that prohibited Bill from receiving his Certificate in this 40th year, but now in his 42nd year of the Mark Degree, the ProvGM read out a short biography of Bill’s life and his Masonic achievements.
Bill was Master of St. Katharine’s Mark Lodge in 1987 and is a Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden before receiving Grand Rank, now as a Past Grand Inner Guard. Although Bill resides in East Sussex, he has been attending the meetings without fail and is currently the Junior Warden within the Lodge. The ProvGM congratulated Bill and thanked him for his continued support and then, quite to Bill’s surprise the ProvGM gave him a field promotion to become the Provincial Grand Senior Warden, to be invested at the Provincial meeting on the 1st of June at Felsted, with much applause.
The remainder of the Lodge business was conducted and on the Risings, the Master on behalf of the Lodge presented the ProvGM with 2 cheques of £250 for the appeal in Ukraine and towards the 2030 Essex Festival which was gratefully received and handed to the Provincial Charity Steward, W. Bro. Peter Maloney, who was present.
The ProvGM was greeted by the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. Robert Whitfield offered the PGM the Gavel and on this occasion, the PGM accepted, to address the Brethren assembled. The ProvGM introduced his Provincial team including the AsstPGM present, W. Bro. Richard Goodwin and thanked them all for their continued support.
With the Chair back in the hands of the Master, the Minutes were confirmed, officers invested that couldn’t be at the Installation, and then W. Bro. William ‘Bill’ Spilsted was presented to the Master so that the ProvGM could congratulate Bill for his 42 years in Mark Masonry. It was the lockdown that prohibited Bill from receiving his Certificate in this 40th year, but now in his 42nd year of the Mark Degree, the ProvGM read out a short biography of Bill’s life and his Masonic achievements.
Bill was Master of St. Katharine’s Mark Lodge in 1987 and is a Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden before receiving Grand Rank, now as a Past Grand Inner Guard. Although Bill resides in East Sussex, he has been attending the meetings without fail and is currently the Junior Warden within the Lodge. The ProvGM congratulated Bill and thanked him for his continued support and then, quite to Bill’s surprise the ProvGM gave him a field promotion to become the Provincial Grand Senior Warden, to be invested at the Provincial meeting on the 1st of June at Felsted, with much applause.
The remainder of the Lodge business was conducted and on the Risings, the Master on behalf of the Lodge presented the ProvGM with 2 cheques of £250 for the appeal in Ukraine and towards the 2030 Essex Festival which was gratefully received and handed to the Provincial Charity Steward, W. Bro. Peter Maloney, who was present.
To finish off the evening, the 30 Brethren present sat down to a very good festive board, cooked and served by the Lady Freemasons of Fraternity Hall and topped off with crumble and custard, two members present had second helpings of the crumble, but they shall remain nameless......
Posted 29 March 22
