Essex Armed Forces Lodge of Mark Master Masons, No. 2016
Consecration on 15th October, 2019
Consecration on 15th October, 2019
Tuesday, 15th October, 2019 saw the Provincial Grand Master; his Consecration Team, the Founders and a significant number of Essex Mark Master Masons assemble at the Masonic Centre at St. Giles in Colchester to Consecrate the Essex Armed Forces Lodge of Mark Master Masons, No.2016.
Colchester has long maintained a military connection, earliest records indicate there was a Roman Garrison billeted there in AD 43, and the town has maintained a Military presence there ever since with a significant barracks having been part of the town's DNA until recent times..
This was a momentous occasion in the life of any Lodge and Province and, whilst membership numbers in Essex continue to substantially increase, this was to be the first Consecration since the Centurion Lodge in March 2000. So, well over 70 Mark Master Masons, including a significant number of Acting Officers also present in support of the event, assembled to witness the spectacle and enjoy this new phase and landmark in Essex Mark. The Essex Armed Forces Lodge of Mark Master Masons was created to provide a niche Lodge for serving and past members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces to enjoy Mark Masonry in a specialist Lodge where they can enjoy the company (and friendly rivalry) of fellow servicemen. It will be a fully functioning Lodge and will be actively seeking servicemen Craft Masons to be Advanced into the Lodge and our Province, as well, of course, suitably qualified joiners.
Said the PGM in his welcome address to the brethren present, "Having been a member of the Armed Forces (the PGM served in the Royal Navy) it is particularly special for me to be the Consecrating Officer in this partucular Lodge and an experience I'm sure I shall never forget. This Lodge will be unique in it's character and have an ethos all of its own. I am particulary pleased to welcome as a Founder, RWBro. Eddie Garty, PGM for Middlesex whose Armed Forces Lodge was Consecrated a short while ago and of which I am proud to have been a Founder too. Brethren will be encouraged to wear service medals and, after the meeting, their service headgear which I'm sure will be the start of many a conversation as the Lodge grows"
Colchester has long maintained a military connection, earliest records indicate there was a Roman Garrison billeted there in AD 43, and the town has maintained a Military presence there ever since with a significant barracks having been part of the town's DNA until recent times..
This was a momentous occasion in the life of any Lodge and Province and, whilst membership numbers in Essex continue to substantially increase, this was to be the first Consecration since the Centurion Lodge in March 2000. So, well over 70 Mark Master Masons, including a significant number of Acting Officers also present in support of the event, assembled to witness the spectacle and enjoy this new phase and landmark in Essex Mark. The Essex Armed Forces Lodge of Mark Master Masons was created to provide a niche Lodge for serving and past members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces to enjoy Mark Masonry in a specialist Lodge where they can enjoy the company (and friendly rivalry) of fellow servicemen. It will be a fully functioning Lodge and will be actively seeking servicemen Craft Masons to be Advanced into the Lodge and our Province, as well, of course, suitably qualified joiners.
Said the PGM in his welcome address to the brethren present, "Having been a member of the Armed Forces (the PGM served in the Royal Navy) it is particularly special for me to be the Consecrating Officer in this partucular Lodge and an experience I'm sure I shall never forget. This Lodge will be unique in it's character and have an ethos all of its own. I am particulary pleased to welcome as a Founder, RWBro. Eddie Garty, PGM for Middlesex whose Armed Forces Lodge was Consecrated a short while ago and of which I am proud to have been a Founder too. Brethren will be encouraged to wear service medals and, after the meeting, their service headgear which I'm sure will be the start of many a conversation as the Lodge grows"
The Consecration Vessels ready for use
The Provincial Grand Master and his consecration team of W.Bro. John McCann, PProvGSW discharging the duties of ProvGSW as Bill Fraser was a Founder of the Lodge; W.Bro. Ranjit Bhogal ProvGJW; VWBro. Desmond Payne-Jeremiah ProvGChaplain; W.Bro Tony Goater, ProvDepGSec discharging the duties of ProvGSec as Paul Busby was also a Founder;
W.Bro. Michael West ProvGDC; W.Bro. Vince Bull ProvGDepDC and W.Bro. Bob Needham ProvGIG opened a Lodge of Mark Master Masons and the Ceremony began. the Founders were presented and the Warrant read. Thereafter the Lodge was Constitued, Consecrated and Dedicated in a superb ceremony carried out by all.
W.Bro. Mark Reeve, PDepGSwdB, APGM then took the Chair and Installed the Primus Master, W.Bro. Bill Dyer, PGStB in a most excellent manner and delivered a faultless address to the Master.
Officers were then appointed and invested, the address to the Wardens and Overseers delivered by W.Bro. McCann and W.Bro. Bhogal respectively, again, in a most excellent manner. All appointments now made, we were then treated to a further faultless address to the Brethren by W.Bro. John Finlay.
The WM then conducted the business of the Lodge before the Provincial Grand Master retired in procession with his Officers.
The Founders came from each branch of the Armed Forces and, as we found out later, the 19 Founding Members combined service to Queen and Country totalled 212 years.
The festive board was also a lively and light-hearted affair and, when replying to his toast, the PGM thanked the Lodge for making him, and his consecrating team, honorary members, and proceeded to present a small token of thanks to all the founding members.
To the RAF, he presented a jar of Brylcreem , to the Navy and Marines, miniature bottles of Rum and to the Army members, boot polish. He also unveiled a "new medal" awarded for "meritorius conduct under extreme hardship" which he awarded to himself for his part in the conflict colloquially known as "The Cod War!" -- it remains to be seen if he will wear it at the next meeting! The raffle raised £300 which was then duly presented to the PGM for the Essex Mark Welfare Fund.
The evening finished with all the Brethren parting company having renewed old friendships and making new ones and looking forward to the next meeting to be held at the County Hotel, Chelmsford in March 2020. If you would like to come and visit this unique Essex Lodge for a most memorable time, please contact the Secretary by email essexafl2016@gmail.com
Please see below for a selection of photographs from the evening.
W.Bro. Michael West ProvGDC; W.Bro. Vince Bull ProvGDepDC and W.Bro. Bob Needham ProvGIG opened a Lodge of Mark Master Masons and the Ceremony began. the Founders were presented and the Warrant read. Thereafter the Lodge was Constitued, Consecrated and Dedicated in a superb ceremony carried out by all.
W.Bro. Mark Reeve, PDepGSwdB, APGM then took the Chair and Installed the Primus Master, W.Bro. Bill Dyer, PGStB in a most excellent manner and delivered a faultless address to the Master.
Officers were then appointed and invested, the address to the Wardens and Overseers delivered by W.Bro. McCann and W.Bro. Bhogal respectively, again, in a most excellent manner. All appointments now made, we were then treated to a further faultless address to the Brethren by W.Bro. John Finlay.
The WM then conducted the business of the Lodge before the Provincial Grand Master retired in procession with his Officers.
The Founders came from each branch of the Armed Forces and, as we found out later, the 19 Founding Members combined service to Queen and Country totalled 212 years.
The festive board was also a lively and light-hearted affair and, when replying to his toast, the PGM thanked the Lodge for making him, and his consecrating team, honorary members, and proceeded to present a small token of thanks to all the founding members.
To the RAF, he presented a jar of Brylcreem , to the Navy and Marines, miniature bottles of Rum and to the Army members, boot polish. He also unveiled a "new medal" awarded for "meritorius conduct under extreme hardship" which he awarded to himself for his part in the conflict colloquially known as "The Cod War!" -- it remains to be seen if he will wear it at the next meeting! The raffle raised £300 which was then duly presented to the PGM for the Essex Mark Welfare Fund.
The evening finished with all the Brethren parting company having renewed old friendships and making new ones and looking forward to the next meeting to be held at the County Hotel, Chelmsford in March 2020. If you would like to come and visit this unique Essex Lodge for a most memorable time, please contact the Secretary by email essexafl2016@gmail.com
Please see below for a selection of photographs from the evening.
